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Casa
Cove, or the Childrens Pool, is a popular dive site among underwater
hunters due to the fact that right outside the jetty (see picture
below) is a large reef where you can find lobster and all kinds
of good stuff. One interesting feature about Casa Cove is that seals
use it as a beaching spot year round. They usually stay at a rock
just offshore but at high tide they all get washed off the rock
and beach themselves. At times I have counted 70 seals/sea lions
just sitting there on the beach. When you go in the water with them
they will often come up and say hi by tugging on your fins or investigating
your catch as you return in. There is a barrier which protects the
seals though, the Marine Mammal Protection
Act is actively enforced there so if you happen to pet one and
they see you petting it they will throw a large fit saying you were
harassing the marine mammals - despite the fact it swam up to you
and nudged against your arm. There is always a guy there that
some of us have nicknamed "The Head Trainer" as in head
seal trainer who takes it apon himself to rope off over 75% of the
beach to keep people away from the seals. If he bothers you just
say something about the fact that he is encouraging the seals to
flock to our area so the big animals that eat the seals also come,
and the fact that the Childrens pool is often closed due to contamination
due to the bacteria given off by seal droppings. There is often a large rip current throughout the Childrens
Pool which is good if your heading out. I've also heard that there
is an opposite rip current that takes you back in but I haven't
been able to find it. There are bathrooms and showers there also
and plenty of places to park along the street at night. During the
day there is always a parking problem except if you arrive in the
early morning.
Update - 11/27/2006 - John L. has provided additional information via email on the entry and exit procedures and how to use the rip currents to your advantage. This is good advice - make sure to use it the next time you go out.
The swells tend to come along the reef and take themselves round the end
of the seawall. That elusive incoming current is just at the tip of
the seawall. Get really close, and instead of dashing you against the
seawall, it picks you up and delivers you right into the pool.
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