Boat divers don’t have this problem. They can sign up on their own for a boat trip and have a reasonable expectation of being paired up with a buddy on board. Beach divers who hope to meet another diver at the beach are likely to be left standing disappointed at the surf line.

Fortunately, there is a solution to this situation: The Sand Eaters. This loose-knit organization, which has been around for about seven years, is so unlike most other dive clubs that members prefer to call it a “dive scheduling group.” The Sand Eaters plan a dive somewhere in Southern California every week. This means that it’s much more likely that some of the dives will fit your schedule. And, with a membership of over 150 active Southern Californian beach divers, dives are almost never canceled due to lack of interest.

Throughout the year, the Sand Eaters visit dozens of sites along the Southern California coast from Santa Barbara in the north to La Jolla in the south and, about once or twice a year, visit the Avalon Underwater Park on Catalina. Usually the dives are scheduled at 8 a.m. Sunday, but about once a month the group schedules a Saturday night beach dive. Divers typically make one or two dives but have been known to make a third if conditions are exceptional. Many members say they like the early-morning schedule that leaves the rest of the day free for other activities. Those who can’t fit morning dives into their schedule are encouraged to use the e-mail list to coordinate additional dives at times they find more convenient.

The Sand Eaters group was founded by San Fernando Valley diver Robert Moriarty, who always had difficulty rounding up buddies for beach dives. He hit upon the idea of a weekly beach dive group with scheduling being handled over the telephone, via fax and the then-new technology of e-mail. Moriarty says he came up with the group’s facetious name after being pounded into the beach during a particularly memorable surf exit.

Norwalk diver Steve Herbert took over the scheduling about a year later and, together with a handful of longtime Sand Eaters, has kept the group running ever since.

The organization is designed for minimal maintenance from members. With widespread access to e-mail, virtually all scheduling is now conducted over the Internet with information about its next scheduled dive. All that is required to keep the organization running is to put out the weekly e-mail dive notification and update the dive calendar on the Sand Eaters website every six months.

For purposes of coordination, Sand Eaters are encouraged to reply by e-mail if they plan to attend a dive but attendance is not monitored. Some Sand Eaters show up for almost every dive while others come out only once a twice a year.

From the beginning, the Sand Eaters’ sole purpose has been to help divers go diving. In addition to scheduling its weekly beach dives, the group has worked toward that objective in several other ways. Several years ago, Sand Eaters members were instrumental in restoring public access to Old Marineland/Long Point in Palos Verdes (one of the group’s favorite sites) and members are heavily involved with local dive-related organizations including Los Angeles Underwater Hockey and the Greater Los Angeles Council of Divers.

Unlike traditional dive clubs, the Sand Eaters don’t hold meetings other than the dives and the group has neither membership dues nor officers, thereby eliminating the political infighting that sometimes plagues more structured organizations.

Unfortunately, this streamlined structure limits what the group can offer to novice divers. For example, the group does not have the resources to provide beach diving instruction nor does it provide divemasters to supervise dives. Longtime Sand Eaters are glad to offer some tips on making a beach dive at a specific location but divers who plan to join the group should already be proficient beach divers. Luckily, some local dive stores—such as Reef Seekers in Beverly Hills—offer excellent free beach diving classes and every summer the Greater Los Angeles Council of Divers sponsors a series of highly recommended Reefs, Rocks and Rips classes (www.glacd.org). Fortunately, the Sand Eaters are geared toward the average diver rather than the “former Navy SEAL” type. Most sites require only minimal hiking and allow relatively easy beach entries and exits. The group places the utmost emphasis on safety, encouraging divers to call a dive if they are not comfortable with the conditions and to always dive within their limitations. So, now that the “buddy excuse” is taken care of, what’s stopping you from making a beach dive this weekend?

For more information about the Sand Eaters, visit www.oocities.org/sandeaters. To join the mailing list, send e-mail to list@sandeaters.org.