Where would you say the diving culture started in California.
I would say Santa Monica or Laguna, but do not know for sure.
There can be two thoughts on this..
1)Bill Barada, an LA Co Fireman and LA Co UW Instructor invented the CO2 Gun in 1935 and the dry suit a decade later the dry suit also founded the very popular and very active Santa Monica Blue fins dive club. They dove the SM area as well as other areas.
2) Laguna beach always had clear water and was a magnet for divers, reportedly had a dive club as early as the 1940s and was the location for the world's first spearfishing meet in 1950 which thrust it into national diving prominence.
3)Then there was the SD area and the world's first dive club who made the first US spear gun in 1939 and were still active until a few years ago.