Water Soluble L.A.

I believe there is nothing that can't be solved with liberal amounts of seawater. Heck, the best marketing slogan I have ever heard states that "Stress is water-soluble." So imagine my glee when I realized I would be living in Southern California.

One of the first things you think when someone says Southern California is the beaches. We have family, trendy, solitary, and touristy beaches. However, my favorites are those that also have rugged cliffs with powerful crashing waves like Leo Carrillo State Beach. It was at this amazing place that I proposed to my wife.

If asking someone to marry you is not enough to get your adrenalin going, there's surfing, exploring the coastline by kayak, or diving the kelp forest. Starkly different than tropical diving, the giant kelp forest ecosystem is a must to round out your diving experiences.

Non-divers can see the abundant sea life without getting wet. In Southern California, sea life jumps right out of the water and into plain view. Today from the shore at Point Dume State Beach I saw numerous dolphin pods and gray whales migrating back to Alaska. Of course, whale-watching tours are a great way to see the whales and explore the nearby Channel Islands National Park.

The park is made up of five of the eight California Channel Islands: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara. Half of the park’s 249,353 acres are underwater. The Channel Islands are home to over 2,000 species of plants and animals, 145 of these species are unique to the islands. A bonus is the parks low visitation, about 30,000 visitors a year travel to the islands, and another 60,000 only into park waters.

Cruising the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the great joys of Southern California. If you are driving to the coast from the Valley, take the 101 Highway North and take either the Topanga Canyon or Las Virgenes exit. While both are scenic, they have different feels. Topanga Canyon has a '60s free-spirit feel, with many little shops and businesses. Las Virgenes has some stunning views and access to many Santa Monica Mountains parks and recreational area. While winding, neither is a white-knuckle drive.

So put on your board shorts, cruise the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway), hit a few beaches, and finish the day with seafood from a roadside restaurant.

Quick Tips:

Southern California Waters are chilly even in the summer. Water temperatures are lowest February trough May (50ºF to 60º), and peak between June and September (60ºF and 70º). If you are planning on diving, a hood and gloves are a good idea.

Beach air temperatures are nice year round, but do bring warm clothes even in the summer if you plan to be there early in the morning or during the late afternoon. Temperatures vary greatly over the course of the day.

Be mindful of your surroundings. Avoid swimming in areas where there are lots of surfers, or are marked with riptide warnings.

Jack FM (93.1) is a great radio station to drive PCH to. It plays a lot of random music and if you are in your 30s you will get a kick out of it.

Best Way To Get Around:

The best way to get around is by car! Go ahead and splurge on the convertible rental.

Try to avoid rush hour traffic during the week, as the 101 is a major commuting highway. It will be congested even on weekends, so it is a good idea to leave early.

Be on the lookout for brown beach access signs. Even if a beach is lined with homes, there should be ways to get to the beach.

The main ports for water activities are the Ventura, Long Beach, Dana Point, and San Pedro harbors.

As the air rushes out of my BCD, I sink below the waves. I leave my nervousness from not having dove in a while at the surface with the surge. My breathing slows and I approach the Giant Kelp forest with reverence. I know it is clichéd to compare it to a cathedral, but I can’t help myself. Kelp columns rise from the ocean floor in a circle, the streaming sun turning the blades into stained glass.

The moment is broken when I notice fish swimming in and out of the kelp. The fish are not immediately noticeable because this is cold water. The exception is the bright orange garibaldi, the state fish.

The kelp forest is also home to shy harbor seals, and rambunctious sea lions. The sea lions are great. During my first check out dive, my instructor was signaling for me to perform some skill when a curious sea lion peeked over her shoulder for a look-see. Realizing she was upstaged, class was summarily dismissed and replaced with play time with the sea lions. Once we spent a lot of time with a pup, his ever-attentive mother content to watch since she knew her pup could outmaneuver us with ease.

The Channel Islands National Park, established in 1980, consists of five of the eight California Channel Islands: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara. Half of the park’s 249,353 acres are under water. Here you find the Giant Kelp that can grow 100 feet from the ocean floor and another 30 feet along the surface. Blades grow off the central stipe, each with an air bladder that keep the plant afloat. Kelp grows quickly, as much as a foot a day.

You can arrange Divemaster led trips through local sport shops, like Sports Chalet. But If you and your buddy are comfortable diving on your own, you can book directly with Cal boat diving (www.calboatdiving.com). A 4 dive trip to Anacapa and Santa Cruz, including air and lunch, will run about $105. An additional $60 will get you all the equipment you need waiting for you on the boat

The boats depart from Ventura Harbor at 7am or 8am, depending on the boat. If that is too early to drive in, you can always ask to spend the night on the boat. If you have the chance, go on the Spectre. It has a fresh water hot tub, a nice perk after a day in the chilly California waters.

Entry is a giant stride from the boat deck. Most dives are close to the islands in depths up to about 60 feet. Visibility can range between 10 and 100 feet, averaging 40 feet. Water temperatures are lowest February trough May (50ºF to 60ºF) and peak between June and September (60ºF and 70ºF). So yes, it is cold and you’ll need a hood, gloves, and a thick wetsuit. Just remember that nothing spectacular happens to those who don’t leave their comfort zone.

The annual gray whale migration makes a great excuse to get out on the water. The gray whales are best viewed from late December through March. At the end of the year, they are on their way down to Baja California to bear their young; in the early part of the year, you can catch them making their way up with their calves. During our last trip, we saw two whales (no calves) within a decent distance of the boat.

You can also see whales between July and September. At this time, humpback and blue whales can be found in the area during periods of upwelling, when plankton is plentiful. I have seen the humpbacks, but the blue whales have prove more elusive.

On any given trip out into the Channel there is a good chance of spotting dolphins. Dolphins love frolicking on the boats wake.

The boat will usually stop at Santa Cruz Island, the largest of the Channel Islands, to drop-off or pick up campers on the Island. This allows a good boat-side view of the island.

I've usually gone with Island Packers, an authorized concessionaire to the Channel Islands National Park. The whale watching trips are about three hours long and there are several trips a day, some as early as 9am or as late as 2pm. The cost is $26 for adults, $17 for children, and $22 for seniors.

Santa Cruz Island, part of Channel Island National Park, has an amazing coastline to explore by kayak. It has arches, blowholes, plenty of wildlife, and over 100 sea caves to explore.

While you can arrange for the trip yourself, the logistics of renting the kayak, getting it to the island, and then trying to figure out which way to go were just too much to think about. Not to mention that exploring sea caves can be dangerous if you don’t know what you are doing. I thus contacted Aquasports (www.islandkayaking.com) in Santa Barbara based on the recommendation of the National Geographic article that inspired the trip in the first place.

We meet at the Ventura Harbor for paperwork and to catch our boat ride to Santa Cruz. Our guide was courteous, efficient, and most importantly he imparted confidence. At this point I had only kayaked a few times and wasn’t quite sure what it would be like. The boat ride over takes about an hour, and on the way you might see dolphins and during some months maybe even whales.

We disembarked in Scorpion bay, our base of operations. While they take many types of kayaks out, we all had sit-on-tops. These are pretty nearly unsinkable and hard to tip over. Hence we didn’t require special training. I am told learning how to roll over is not fun.

So off we went. The pace was nice and steady. It wasn’t overly arduous, but a good upper body workout. Make sure your kayak has a backrest and is well adjusted; long trips can be tiring on the back. Off we were. We hugged the coastline and kayaked through arches; and stopped to look at the pelicans, seagulls, and sea lions perched on outcrops; and of course took in the caves.

This is where it pays off to have a guide. Depending on the time of the year, the tide, and who knows what else, what is a normally accessible cave might be too dangerous. We were never goaded into situations we were uncomfortable with. But when you can, it is an adrenaline rush. The moment you are in the cave, the light levels drop significantly and the outside world is framed by the now very small looking cave opening. After you are done exploring, you'll sometimes need to time your exit with the swells so you don't bump your (helmeted) head on the cave ceiling. Some caves are so small you back into them as there is no room inside to turn the kayak around.

You'll usually have some time to hike the island a bit. Take the opportunity. It is a pretty walk.

Overall it was a great experience! You got so much closer to than you can from a boat and get to see this rugged coastline from a new perspective. And it is a great workout without leaving you crippled for the rest of your vacation.

Point Dume State Beach is my play hooky from work and relax beach. It is laid back and low key, a nice change from it’s neighbor Zuma County Beach. Point Dume is mostly families, couples, and people looking for some peace an quiet. The beach is long enough for people to give each other plenty of space.

Most of Point Dume is flat expanses of beach, overlooked by multi-million dollar mansions. However, at the southern end the cliffs reach the ocean. Here there is a gradual ascending trail leading to an ancient coastal bluff sand dune. From the viewing platform at the top you can see An incredible view of Malibu, Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Mountains, and on clear days Catalina Island.

Be sure to look up from your book every now and then. I’ve had great wildlife viewings from Point Dume. Usually dolphins, but on my last trip in late March 2006 I saw a whale making it’s way north. It was a great sight as beyond the traditional tail and back views, this one actually poked it’s head out of the water a few times and raised its dorsal fin.

Point Dume has lifeguards during daylight hours, picnic tables, restrooms, showers, free and pay parking. The beach gets pretty windy in the afternoon so bring something warm.

From Santa Monica go North on PCH for 18 miles and turn right unto Westward Beach Road. From the 101 Freeway, exit at Kanan Road, go south for 12 miles, right on PCH, and right on Westward Beach Road. If you see Zuma Beach you went too far.