Dive Review of San Mateo County Sheriff's Office in
The Continental USA/SF Bay, Pacific Coast

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San Mateo County Sheriff's Office: "Want to be a Public Safety Diver in SF Bay or Pacific Coast ?", Oct, 2024, by Geoffrey Baehr, CA, US ( 1 report). Report 13117.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations	N/A	Food	N/A
Service and Attitude	N/A	Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation	N/A	Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	So,we have a problem. I am Head Diver for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Dive Unit. Our Sheriff's Office Dive Unit needs more folks. We have both sworn and non sworn. But we are losing folks, they are aging out and retiring.we are a NAUI Public Safety Diving Training Center and Lifeguard Systems rules operation. The problem is simple: you want to dive freezing temps in black water at night in 20 kt winds under the San Mateo Bridge on a vehicle off the bridge? We require min 100 (prefer 250+) dives + Rescue Diver and then a PSD cert (which we teach and can certify you). We have 4 boats, including 35' dive vessel, RIBS's, Metalshark and Almar patrol boats, side and sector scan sonars, OTS (Aga) comms, 2 jet skis for surf rescue (CAL Fire certified JetSki Instructors). We teach Kirby hard hat, Subsalve Vehicle Recovery Systems, lift bags, etc. We cover this S end of the SF Bay and Pacific Coast from SF to Santa Cruz with USCG. But we cant get anyone interested. Got any ideas ? We have, over decades, done hundreds of searches, cruise and freighter hull searches, drug drop recoveries, weapon recoveries,downed planes, US Navy torpedos, capsized boats with junkies inside, murder weapons, cars, guns, recycle bins with victims inside, even Reservoir surveys for SF Water Chief Engr. etc. No one seems to care. We are at our wits end to recruit folks. You all got any ideas ? We have gone to every Dive shop, Dive Club, nada. I am thinking of a Press gang like in the 1700's, we show up at the Breakwater in Monterey and drag some poor slob off the beach ! Seriously, this is diffcult, dangerous, cold work, we minimize the danger by being militant about SOP's and training and rules, but still... Any thoughts appreciated. We dont want aspiring Navy SEAL's, my dive partner is an ex SEAL (Team 2), we like "I dont care about Mr Studly, I just want to get in, do the job and get dinner, we will boast about it later !" So, thoughts ?
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	everywhere, literally, since 1968
Closest Airport	SFO	Getting There	easy
Dive Conditions
Weather	windy, rainy	Seas	choppy, surge
Water Temp	54-65°F / 12-18°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	1-0 Ft/ 0-0 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	NAUI PSD rules, Nitrox, Sheriff Dive SOP's.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals	N/A	Tropical Fish	N/A
Small Critters	N/A	Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Forget it. Our ROV vehicles can see < 5" underwater. So skip it

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Dive Review of San Mateo County Sheriff's Office in The Continental USA/SF Bay, Pacific Coast

San Mateo County Sheriff's Office: "Want to be a Public Safety Diver in SF Bay or Pacific Coast ?", Oct, 2024,

Photos Submitted with this Report

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of San Mateo County Sheriff's Office in
The Continental USA/SF Bay, Pacific Coast