Freediving Laguna Beach, Crescent Bay to Seal Rock
Seal Rock by Andre Navarro
Towering Seal Rock of Laguna Beach is always amazing to see. And there are so many different views of it to be had. From elevated pristine Point Park, overlooking the cliffs of Crescent Bay or below the cliffs along Crescent Bay Beach, you’ll surely catch a glimpse of it’s unique coastal beauty. Especially when the weather is kicking with huge waves crashing up against it.
My favorite view is from the ocean. Specifically from the kelp forest that surrounds Seal Rock on it’s south side. And when it’s rough, but not too rough, I love watching the waves and current swirl around and over Seal Rock from below.
Point Park and Seal Rock view by Andre Navarro
Seal Rock Kelp Forest by Andre Navarro
Seal Rock is a huge reef that breaks the surface in several locations in a tight cluster. The large western reef is elongated and at it’s tallest point and depending on the tide, sticks up past the ocean surface from 10 to 15 feet. This rock is usually covered in Cormorants, Seagulls, Pelicans and occasionally with sleeping Harbor Seals and more commonly California Sea Lions. This large section of the reef is teeming with fish below the surface, especially on it’s west and south sides.
The tallest section of the reef is on it’s east side, which towers out of the ocean 15 to 20 feet above the surface. This rock is jagged with only birds being able to hangout on it’s top. This section of the reef is the most turbulent. Waves and current hit this rock from all sides and directions, creating a swirling and bubbling mess of white wash. It’s also extremely hard to swim around this section due to the strong and constantly changing current.
Crescent Bay Beach by Andre Navarro
Crescent Bay Beach by Andre Navarro
We'll begin our journey to Seal Rock from beautiful Crescent Bay. We'll enter from the popular sandy beach, below the cliffs. You'll have to time the constant waves, to get out passed them, without getting pounded. And once you're past the first two to three waves, you're good to go. You'll immediately notice how clear the water is. If the sun it out, it will light up the ocean floor like a disco ball. From the far north side of Crescent Bay Beach, we’ll follow the shallow reef out and around the first exposed reef. This is also where the shallowest section of the kelp forest begins. From the moment you enter the water, you’ll notice healthy fish everywhere. Most likely you’ll spot a group of California Corbinas slowly swimming back and forth beneath the waves. These long, silver fish reflect the sun and look like the sandy bottom at the same time. From this point forward, you can thank strict conservation and no fishing laws for all the natural beauty and thriving ocean life you will experience.
Reef to Seal Rock by Andre Navarro
Passing the first exposed reef, we turn north towards Seal Rock. The underwater environment here is amazing. Shallow rocky reef with the beginning of a thriving and life filled kelp forest. Aside from the long kelp that reaches the surface, there is green, brown and red algae seaweed everywhere is several different forms. There is also patches of bright green sea grass in the shallower reef areas. The underwater world here is brilliantly colorful and lush.
It is also from this point you’ll notice an abundance of healthy thriving fish. The most common are California Sheephead, Opaleye Rudderfish, Garibaldi Damselfish, Perch, Senoritas and Calico Bass among others. You’ll also notice that the fish here are not skittish towards people’s presence. If you learn how to calmy and quietly approach groups of fish without appearing to be aggressive or direct, you’ll be amazed at how accepting the fish are and curious. Like my favorite fish to swim with, the Calico Bass. They usually hangout next to kelp as they are camouflaged yellow and brown. Calico Bass will swim right up to you, check you out from head to toe and follow you around like a nosey grandma.
Garibaldis in Kelp Forest by Andre Navarro
California Sheephead by Andre Navarro
Adventuring north through the kelp forest is like a dream. Until you experience this underwater environment, it’s hard to explain the feeling of being there. It makes me feel like I’m in another underwater world. It’s cold, soothing and overwhelmingly beautiful. I try to stay focused on my goal, but my imagination wants to explore off in every direction.
Quickly the kelp forest becomes deeper and the rocky bottom becomes flatter. The kelp forest depth goes from 8 to 10 feet at the beginning to 12 to 16 feet deep towards the middle. As we get closer to Seal Rock, it will be the deepest from 18 to 24 feet deep. The deeper it gets, the more mysterious it looks as it becomes denser and dark.
It’s also extremely dangerous cruising through dense kelp, especially the bottom. It’s easy to get caught up in the kelp. If this happens, panicking will kill you. Remain calm and quickly untangle yourself. If you can not quickly untangle yourself, ditch what is tangled, most likely a fin, weight belt or camera. Go up, get your air and relax. Then go back down for your equipment. When this happens, it’s a very humbling experience. Diving this type of environment, getting tangled will happen from time to time. Your life depends on your training, knowing your abilities and keeping calm.
Freediving Kelp Forest of Seal Rock Forest by Andre Navarro
Senorita Wrasse in Kelp Forest by Andre Navarro
I love the way the sun sparkles from above. Especially from the bottom of the kelp forest. As sun rays, like disco lights, shine down to the bottom in ever changing patterns. The sun dances on the ocean surface, constantly changing shape, ducking behind long swaying kelp in the current. I can only imagine the fish must feel the same way.
I equally love watching the fish slowly going about their day, swaying in the current throughout the kelp. The views from below look nothing less than like natures art. Every glance could be a painting. It’s an amazing feeling to move throughout this underwater world
Zebra Perch by Andre Navarro
Sun through Kelp Forest by Andre Navarro
Sun through Kelp Forest by Andre Navarro
Once I reached the end of the kelp forest, with the base of Seal Rock in sight, a family of California Sea Lions jumped in. Most likely they had been watching me surface and dive down over and over while getting closer. California Sea Lions are extremely intelligent and curious. Once they’ve concluded that a person is not a threat, their curiosity takes over. After circling me several times from below and at a distance, they finally came in for a closer look. One Sea Lion left the others and kept approaching me within feet, checking me out and following me where ever I went. At one point, it was showing off by doing 360’s and spiraling through the water. Then it would look at me, like it was my turn. I’m sure I was plenty disappointing with my swimming abilities compared to it.
California Sea Lions by Andre Navarro
California Sea Lion by Andre Navarro
Exploring through the kelp forest to Seal Rock and then unexpectedly swimming with Sea Lions is extremely tiring. My mind says more, my body says nap time. After swimming with the California Sea Lions on the south side of Seal Rock, it was time to head back. I love this location, there is so much to experience. Instead of taking the long route back through the kelp forest, I go back over the shallow reefs when the waves are not big.
No matter how many times I make this journey, I can’t wait to go back and do it again.
Seal Rock by Andre Navarro
The accompanying Youtube videos are first hand footage captured by Andre Navarro while freediving Crescent Bay to Seal Rock of Laguna Beach, California. You can also view hundreds of beautiful photos of the awesome ocean life and underwater environments of Laguna Beach in the Photos section, Images of Laguna Beach, California.Published by: Andre Navarro of Ocean Earth Green
I’m Andre Navarro, Southern California freediver and underwater videographer. I create ocean life adventure videos to connect viewers to our amazing underwater world to motivate stronger conservation and ocean life awareness. You can follow my ocean adventures here at OceanEarthGreen.com and view all my current and past videos at Youtube.com/OceanEarthGreen.