San Diego

I was wondering the same thing at some point, so here's what I understood from reading descriptions. Keep in mind this is all relative to our diving conditions, to someone coming from worse conditions it would not seem that way. I hope the California guys don't misinterpret my post, I have all the more respect for them for diving in these conditions.

Cold water. You'll need a 5mm and 7mm suits to extend your diving season. This translates into diving with more weight.
Limited diving season. Can't dive year round because of the cold. I'm not sure which months out of the year you can't dive.
Bad vis. 20ft vis is a good day.
Much smaller variety of game fish.
Possibility of white shark encounter.
Possibility of sea lion encounter.
You sometimes have to deal with enviro freaks, who can can push you to the point where you'll end up in jail.
Large areas have been closed to spearfishing due to MLPA.
To dive in conditions that you're used to diving in your back yard you'll have to travel to Mexico.

You can dive year round. I dive in a 5mm in the winter, but I get cold after about three hours in 56-58 degrees.

I used to dive in the Keys, and South Florida. I remember looking at the water and thinking, "Vis is only like 40 feet, I am not getting in." Now I think, "vis is is 15?!? HELL YEAH! "

We have tons of reef and game fish, you just have to change your expectation of what they are. A 6 pound calico is a very tough animal to hunt, but oh so tasty! We have 50-60 piound White sea bass and good sized halibuts.

There is nothing in the world like diving in a kelp forest.

These pictures are from an epic day of 20+ foot of vis. San Diego can get better. It is a short run to the Coronado Islands were vis can get 80+

The cost of living seems outrageous, the jobs must pay a lot.

Aside from moving costs. Couldn't you just move back after a year if you didn't like the feel.

I personally love Cali but I just couldn't live there because I am simply a Florida guy. I just like our flavor of ocean a little better. I do love visiting out there though. It is a magical state.

We also have paddy hopping season, which is bluewater diving with up to 100' foot vis. Winter is Lobster season = Fun. We have Island trips (nados, SCI, Cat.) which = better conditions. A road trip to the North puts you in Abalone territory. Road trip to the south is a baja adventure. 5mil works for year round. I do use a 7mil top to stay comfortable all day long in the winter.
MLPA hasn't closed anything yet down here and is in the courts right now. Need all the help we can get on our side. Spearos fought hard in San Diego and what they want to take isn't as bad as it could of been. Though we are still poised to lose the grounds I grew up diving in ....South La Jolla.

The weather is very nice in San Diego,water is colder than Fl,cost of living is very high.Very high.Jobs without college don't pay enough.(Get a boat and stay in fl.)Post pics.:D

Don't listen to Dan:D;).... you will love it down there. Big fish, hot chicks, no hurricanes, bugs or old aging snowbirds.:thumbsup2:

Cheers, Don

Don't forget the Earthquakes!! Better stay where you're safe

Here's what you're gonna get in Southern California
We dive year round. Personally I use a 7mil in the winter as I'm a puss. Water temps range from 55 degrees in the winter (a cold day) to 72 degrees in the summer (a warm day) 20' vis is a decent day on the coast, but makes hunting easier. 20-30'days are not unheard of and we do get 50' at times. 30-80' vis at the islands is not uncommon.

If you're going to SD, you've got Baja right next door which has world class waves and diving within an hour of your doorstep. Cost of living is expensive here but the weather in SD is the most temperate in the nation with an average of 73 degrees daily. The chicks are hot and slightly stuck up but there's plenty of transplants (also hot) with better attitudes.

Here's a few pics of our "small fish" and assorted other species

And John got all those fine Cali fish in the same day.:D....no water moccasins or coral snakes for the kids to pick up and play with. It's nice to be able to dive into the pool at night and not head butt a gator...... well
unless your Manny.:D

Cheers, Don

If you take the time to adapt to California diving, this is in many respects a diving paradise.

Response to Dan's points:

Cold water: with a good wetsuit, you barely notice the temperature. And after hiking down trails to get to the dive spot in that suit, 55 degree water feels very refreshing! I'm not joking or being sarcastic, I love the sensation of first jumping in.
Limited diving season: In Norcal it's more a matter of the ab season than anything else. In SoCal, it's game on year round, depending on the swell.
Bad vis: Sometimes that bad vis helps you sneak up on stuff.
Much smaller variety of game fish: Halibut, rockfish, calico bass, sand bass, cabezon, sheephead, sargo, sculpin, starry flounder, yellowtail, sea bass...and much more a few hours away in baja. The limitations are defined much more by the kind of fish that you personally enjoy cooking and eating.
Possibility of white shark encounter: you guys have it worse with bulls.
Possibility of sea lion encounter: they're cute! albeit annoying and overpopulated. They get aggressive at the Nados, but they don't actually attack you. just steal fish if you leave them on a float.
You sometimes have to deal with enviro freaks: sad but true.
Large areas have been closed to spearfishing due to MLPA: Norcal yes, socal not yet.
To dive in conditions that you're used to diving in your back yard you'll have to travel to Mexico: pacific side Baja is like california except less densely populated and less overfished. conditions won't be dramatically different, depending on how far down you drive or fly. Sea of cortes side is much warmer but viz is hit or miss depending on the winds and tides. If you are used to dealing with adversity (viz-wise especially) back in SoCal or norcal, you can do very well even if things aren't ideal.

Another big plus is that people in Florida seem to think that you're a badass

Don't forget the sky $$$$ high gas prices, constant traffic jams, and increasingly overcrowded dive spots. We've got it all out here in SoCal

This is shaping out to be a great thread.

keep listing cali's positives guys! the more people that leave here to go there means less competition and more fish for me

Quote from mrmike

keep listing cali's positives guys! the more people that leave here to go there means less competition and more fish for me

Nooo! We don't need more divers! Unless they're willing to only shoot opaleye!

GOBIG: Those are some big bugs.

Quote from Gobig

Here's what you're gonna get in Southern California
We dive year round. Personally I use a 7mil in the winter as I'm a puss. Water temps range from 55 degrees in the winter (a cold day) to 72 degrees in the summer (a warm day) 20' vis is a decent day on the coast, but makes hunting easier. 20-30'days are not unheard of and we do get 50' at times. 30-80' vis at the islands is not uncommon.

If you're going to SD, you've got Baja right next door which has world class waves and diving within an hour of your doorstep. Cost of living is expensive here but the weather in SD is the most temperate in the nation with an average of 73 degrees daily. The chicks are hot and slightly stuck up but there's plenty of transplants (also hot) with better attitudes.

Here's a few pics of our "small fish" and assorted other species

That is a hell of a calico. What did it weigh in at?