The Risks & Rewards of Abalone Diving

My Brother, my Son, and Me Abalone diving at Fort Bragg

The Rewards of Abalone Diving

If you are looking to add a bit of exhilaration and excitement in your life, then you should consider taking up Abalone diving. If you have never eaten Abalone, you don't know what you're missing. If you have, then you already know that the rewards of this sport are well worth your efforts! And when your friends and relatives find out that you are getting Abalone, they will do anything to convince you to share your bounty. Kind of like winning the lottery, everyone will want to be your best friend just to get some!

Along with the exceptionally edible fare, there are certain other aspects of Abalone diving that make this sport one in which you could easily become addicted. Like having the good fortune of diving on days when the conditions are such that when you get in the water and head out to your dive area, you become mesmerized by visions of ocean sea life in such abundance that you wonder why you hadn't gotten involved in this awesome sport sooner.

The water clarity can be such that as you swim along on the surface, you can see the bottom of the ocean floor in all its' glory and you wish you could spend the whole day exploring this natural wonder. Then you'll go over a spot where you see Abalone,that from the surface look like hub caps from your Grand Fathers' 1970's something Cadillac, pasted all over the rocks below. Then you dive down and pick and choose your Abs as if you were shopping for them at the local sea food market. These are the kind of days that Abalone divers live for! Have we got your Interest yet? Good. Ready to get started? Not so fast!

The Risks of Abalone Diving

Inevitably, each year there are people who end up in the news because they were just a bit too eager to get out there and get some Abs. like most extreme sports, Abalone diving has its' hazards. So if you are not an experienced diver, you must first spend some time with someone who is. Get with someone who has been diving for a while and let them teach you how to avoid tragedy before you experience it. Abalone is pretty good stuff and getting out and getting your own is definitely a very rewarding experience, but hardly worth dying for. You wouldn't try sky diving by going out and jumping from an airplane without first learning how and when to open your chute would you? So learn about how to dive safely before you go jumping in the ocean. And when you do take that plunge and are able to safely experience the thrill of swimming' with the fishes, you will be hooked for life.

Get to know the Abalone Diving Regulations!

I will tell you right now that ignorance is not considered a viable excuse for violations, and the game wardens will show you no mercy if you are not following the rules! I almost got a ticket for a hanging chad a couple of years ago, because my punch card still had the little piece of the hole hanging from it where I had punched out my days' limit!

The regulations for Abalone diving are always changing and you better make sure you have read and understand them before you head out there to get your limit of nine inch Abs. You can click the link to the Department of Fish & Game, or you can pick up a paperback copy at most sporting goods stores.The regulation book has some good information about Abalone as does the Department of Fish & Games' website, so you should check it out.

A limit of Abalone consists of three Abalone at least seven inches across. Once a limit is picked, you cannot "high grade" (trade your Abs for bigger ones). This is something that the game wardens really look for., so only pick the ones you want the first time. If you pick an Abalone that is under the size limit, you must immediately return it to the same area that you picked it from. This is hard sometimes, but this is also one of the biggest killers of the small Abalone because if you do not replace it properly, you are leaving it vulnerable to predators. Again, the best practice is to make sure you pick legal sized Abalone the first time and avoid the risk of killing undersized Abalone! There are plenty of legal ones out there,sometimes you just have to look a little harder for them.

Make Sure You Have all the right Abalone Diving Gear

Due to its' frigid water and rocky coastline, Abalone Diving on the North Coast can be quite a challenge. You need to make sure you have the right gear for the conditions. You need to have a wet suit with a minimum of 7mm thickness and you must wear a good solid soled booty to protect yourself from jagged rocks and Urchins that are everywhere.

Go to our Abalone Gear page to find the Wet Suits and other items you will need.

Once you have all the gear and are ready to get out there and get your Abalone, you can check the tide tables for Fort Bragg Landing and plan your trip accordingly!

Mares Trilastic 7-5-3mm Women's One Piece Wetsuit, Black/Blue Fog

Find Quality Wetsuits and much more at Leisurepro.com.

Click here to check Tide Predictions for Fort Bragg Landing

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More Abalone Diving Related Information

Abalone Diving GearGet the Quality Abalone Diving Gear You Need - Wet Suits - Masks - Snorkels - Weight Belts

Abalone PreparationPrepare your Abalone for the Table the right way and you will undoubtedly be crowned King of all Hunter Gatherers. Get it wrong and you won't have to worry about having to share your Abalone feast with anybody in the future.

Abalone RecipesAbalone Recipes - Cooking Abalone right is just as important as making sure it is properly cared for from the time it comes out of the Ocean until it hits the plate. The best part is, it's as easy as knowing when to take it out of the frying pan.

Abalone Diving ImagesVisit our Abalone diving image gallery for some pretty cool pictures of our Abalone Diving Adventures. We have even added a section for general ocean scenery images. Submit your pictures to be posted on this website.