Freediving the Santa Monica Pier Breakwater

The rubble left over from the breakwater built in the 1930's is now home to abundant ocean life! On this dive I saw a lobster on the sandy bottom just fifteen to twenty feet from the shore.
Once I arrived at the breakwater after a quarter mile swim, there were many bright orange Garibaldi, which is the California state fish.
On the way back I saw a deep purple live sand dollar, a bat ray, and a California round stingray.

[@neilwiththedeal]

The lobster family was the cutest thing I’ve seen all year

[@mateuszkotow17]

I didn’t know Los Angeles area ocean is so amazing underwater

[@ejectoraircoasters222]

oh it's really not, this is very very far out. It's usually rocks or sand lol

[@fedthegoon]

@@ejectoraircoasters222 obviously your at a beach

[@ejectoraircoasters222]

@@fedthegoon no but I will be in about 20 minutes. Good old LA El Porto, the place with no sea life and oil refineries and smoke stacks on the shore

[@ejectoraircoasters222]

@@fedthegoon also if you’re saying “u don’t know what the sea floor is like, you’re not at the beach” I’ve been to basically every beach in LA. Just saying. None of them except SaMo pier and Lunada Bay have any reef or cool sea floor at all. Everything else is just sand or rocks

[@m.ricardohayes7531]

I went to Santa Monica High School 1952-1955 and used to fish off the pier as well as rent and take a rowboat to fish and free dive the breakwater like the diver videoing for the many fish and lobsters that were present. I remember well the buttermouth perch, sargo, pile perch, calico bass, garibaldi perch (illegal to spear), opal eye perch, and the lobsters of course (during season). The water was mostly cold and usually clearer than this video, and I saw no blue sharks and especially no great white ones either. Pleasant memories those were and the pier looks entirely different now. You could also see the palisades and other beautiful areas down towards Malibu. Life was a little bit more sane then, than now.

[@Ethan-sh4rh]

ayeeee i’m attending SAMO right now!😳

[@maxinpains6937]

I remember catching boat in my back yard ...🐗 And did big bbq party. Long long time ago ... Now teenage pricks calling me I don't belong this country get out here... LoL 🤣

[@tonysirius3215]

Probably searched for this video huh old timer. Sounds like you lived a life others will ever live. A dying art. Hope you enjoyed your work artist.

[@frankmorris6691]

Such a sweet video...amazing vis that day and incredible breath holding...makes me want to suit up and jump in...good job!!!

[@buceador1]

Excellent free diving spot, full of Garibaldi and lobster, amazing to know that Santa Monica had all that just in front of the beach.

[@enosbrahier149]

I love all the beautiful fish

[@alalmalal]

Never knew there was ANY sea life around LA, surprisingly cool fish!

[@blackpearlpirate567]

It’s the ocean. Of course there’s sea life… 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@miguelgalencia1522]

Awsome video! Looking forward to exploring that beach

[@claw4more197]

A fantastic video... I trained in free diving last year... Had no idea there was a reef off Santa Monica!

[@JOSUEEOFFICIAL]

Don’t think y’all understand the amount of courage this takes

[@bensonlim1914]

The most courageous/stupid part of it all is that he decided to go alone without a dive buddy

[@OceanEarthGreen]

very cool. I've been wondering about this location and the old breakwall. Think I'm going to dive it soon after watching your video. Thank you !

[@SplashTheCooter]

What an awesome ecosystem! Great vid!

[@rogerhammer166]

I enjoyed your video. I began diving the breakwater in 1969. They (Harbor Patrol) then banned us from diving the inside of the breakwater and had to go to the outside where if there was surf we got pounded. It was rarely very clear visibility. I have't dove there since early 70s, but the rocks looked healthy in your vid.

[@oneofthesixbillion]

Amazing. Looks more tropical than I imagined. I guess the water is pretty warm there. Up the coast, north of Santa Cruz, the water is in the low to mid 50s.

[@justsayin644]

i was just waiting for the great white to make an appearance. Pretty brave swimming so far out there in those waters.

[@spiceo2]

This is what I love about freediving, it's a whole other world once you duck beneath the surface, you never know what you're gonna find! I live near Santa Monica and I can't say that I've ever swam in the water, looking at it from the pier you wouldn't expect anything to be out there, just a bunch of flat sand until it reaches the deeper areas. But, look at that, albeit not the best visibility- there's a whole ecosystem not that far off the coastline! So cool :)

[@stevensong6909]

i didn't even know this type of reef existed off santa monica. Pretty amazing.

[@ivanajackson5980]

steven song everything is daed

[@Liizzy29]

woow this is amazing!!

[@sampsonsly7080]

awesome I just subscribed, whats the deepest part of the water going out to the breakwater, I was thinking of trying something like that but I hate deep water

[@jackplayzroblox1295]

I love California!

[@DrSebby]

Umm....what the hell was that lobster doing all by himself just out in the sand flats? Totally suspicious...clearly he was up to no good. I feel like i should've seen one of these guys by now...maybe i'm not swimming out deep enough? I usually go out off of Venice in front of Muscle Beach...but nowhere near as far as you were. MAYBE a quarter as far once or twice. How far out do you have to go to find a lobster hanging out? Have i just been unlucky?

[@maxinpains6937]

Venice Lobsters are cool like that and ain't afraid to act Solo . 😎

[@tonysirius3215]

Gotta call LAPD they'll deal with him.

[@FleshEatingBeagle]

Tweaker lobster

[@lisamahony8390]

I really like your dive, can I use some of it for creating a painting?

[@grod9630]

great channel! i was'nt sure about kayaking at santa monica, but now im sure about it....thx..maybe we will run in to you sometime...great videos btw...

[@stopgoogle2651]

Where did you go kayaking? Other than the marina and way out in malibu I'm finding any information on taking off in Santa Monica

[@Man0fMeans]

What is that, 12-18 feet?

[@enosbrahier149]

That’s so cool

[@themortgagegain4780]

I live in Santa Monica, do you do any lobster hunting in the area ?

[@juandiegoarenas6284]

I have been there too! In GTA V...

[@missakhaladjian]

hi, i am looking for a deep pool for free diving training in LA? does anybody know a place? Thank you

[@rojo_buffalo]

This feels like a scene from Jaws!

[@ricewinner2596]

garabaldi luv💝

[@tonysirius3215]

How deep is this?

[@Minnesota76]

Where's that at? I am going California July 10 trying to look for place like this to go diving record using my phone

[@Kyle-tb3zf]

I love my part of CA.

[@shitboxoffroad]

Can you take a boat nearby?

[@kencooper6232]

I used to row out to the breakwater in the early '50s and search around and snorkel. Is none of the breakwater visible from the surface anymore? Considering all the fish and spiny lobster in this video, it looks like it's improved since those days. I presume it's now a protected area (I would love to bring in some of those lobster - I suspect taking them is not allowed regardless of season).

[@kylechristensen8970]

Very cool! I am hoping to get out there this summer. Is that a shark at 7:25?

[@sonchild2881]

No it's your mum

[@luisfoxfu]

Wow look at all that lobster ? Now I need to see every beach in los angels. Because this opened my eyes for sure.

[@imthatbasic]

I thought if it was going to be deeper

[@inexorably4076]

I hate the idea of just being in the middle of the ocean like that, but it does like beautiful

[@lisamahony8390]

I, of course would credit you

[@unbeknownstx12]

lmao fish are prolly like wait human ur not s'posed to be out here wtf haha

[@frontviewadventures6450]

How do you not constantly think of a great white shark 🦈

[@tannerhaslam8842]

Front view Adventures half the time they are more scared of you

[@imjack7057]

Mr. Meme Not a great white lol 😂

[@ejectoraircoasters222]

@@mine5936 lmao please tell about all the sharks around SaMo bay right now or even just the south bay

[@alanway2553]

had no idea that our santa monicas ocean bottom looks that cool. but what if stingray stung u?

[@ejectoraircoasters222]

stingrays hang out on the bottom of sand so your fine over the reef. Also as long as you don't kick them or step on them you won't get stung. They are pretty common in LA beaches though so I get your concern

[@justsayin644]

you won't be worrying about the stingray sting so much once the great white starts to munch your legs

[@qique]

Can anyone tell me the name of those lobster type creatures? Thanks!

[@Omnicurious]

California spiny lobster.

[@JohnDoe-wu9xs]

If I try to swim out there will the lifeguards try to stop me?

[@God-hm4hw]

Yes its okay to swim. The beach closes at 10PM

[@ejectoraircoasters222]

if you have snorkle / scubba gear probably not but idk

[@BrendaLopez-ql3bq]

Cool i naver knew in los angeles ocean thers no sharks

[@Roy_Royster]

I wanna do this but I have to do it alone cause not one of my friends would and I’m afraid of sharks lol

[@ivanajackson5980]

Might as well go to Laguna Beach the water is more clear

[@ejectoraircoasters222]

Yeah it’s also over an hour away from SaMo

[@Fernandez711]

Man there should be more octopuses. I caught 2 a couple days ago by accident

[@davidortega357]

What about Abalone no more

[@Miles-xz3tc]

Shark on bottom left under the rocks at 2:39

[@mauriciosanchez835]

shenanigans, thought the sea floor was deeper........... way deeper...... never thought it would be that cute in the ocean floor, why can't tourist scuba dive???????????

[@davidquezada1938]

Hes probably close to the shore still the sea floor is very deep

[@repentUsinner]

I lived in Santa Monica for 12 years. Who'd thought such bright orange fish and lobsters?

[@californiawildlife7559]

100th like!

[@amnesia.-.]

Where are the sharks

[@mryusuf6086]

Its only 10 feet depp close 2 shores lol

[@mr.stauffersnaturechannel4016]

did sdfet pdf rt lol

[@pain_codm]

Hey man,, I live so close. would you like to dive?

[@mr.stauffersnaturechannel4016]

BIG BEAR- ur gay

[@jackcampbell1207]

that sheephead at 3:48. I wish I had my speargun in my hand!

[@maxinpains6937]

No spear gun fishing allowed in California.

[@jackcampbell1207]

@@maxinpains6937 where did you get the confidence to answer that? As a spear fisher living in socal I can confirm that you don’t know what you’re talking about

[@justsayin644]

can't you just appreciate the beauty of nature without feeling the need to kill it for once!

[@maxinpains6937]

It's freaking polluted Actually ... LoL

[@naive8154]

It's not polluted

[@ivanajackson5980]

This is sad

[@theanswerisinthebackofyourhead]

THERE IS NO WAY I AM SWIMMING IN THOSE WATERS, THE WATER IS TO COLD AND THERE ARE LOTS OF GREAT WHITE SHARKS OFF THE COAST OF CALIFORNIA, ESPECIALLY AROUND SAN FRANCISCO AND THE FARRALLON ISLANDS, VERY DANGEROUS AND RISKY TO SNORKEL, SWIM AND SURF IN THE OCEAN IN CALIFORNIA.

[@m.ricardohayes7531]

I went to Santa Monica High School 1952-1955 and used to fish off the pier as well as rent and take a rowboat to fish and free dive the breakwater like the diver videoing for the many fish and lobsters that were present. I remember well the buttermouth perch, sargo, pile perch, calico bass, garibaldi perch (illegal to spear), opal eye perch, and the lobsters of course (during season). The water was mostly cold and usually clearer than this video, and I saw no blue sharks and especially no great white ones either. Pleasant memories those were and the pier looks entirely different now. You could also see the palisades and other beautiful areas down towards Malibu. Life was a little bit more sane then, than now.