La Jolla Outpost: Gifts Apparel and Snorkels — Local services in San Diego

Almost died — Zero Safety Guidance and Blame on Customers

There was literally zero safety guidance from this rental company. And when something goes wrong, they blame you — just read their other 1-star reviews. One of my friends left a review warning how dangerous the water was, and the company’s response was laughably disrespectful: “I know you’re upset about getting charged for a lost fin.”

Here’s what actually happened:

We followed their exact prep video and entered the water from the same spot it showed — a small cliff to climb down, with a flat rock at the bottom where you sit and put on your gear and scoot into the water. There were waves, but it looked manageable. It was not.

The moment I had my gear on and started to scoot in, a massive wave hit, sucked me under, and tossed me backwards several feet across the rocks (still on top of the recommended sitting area). I was incredibly lucky not to hit my head. During the impact I lost my fin and instantly and realized I was in a life-or-death situation. (And by the way, no life jackets are allowed in this area.)

Then I saw a second wave forming — even larger than the first. It was only a few seconds away, and I could tell it was going to slam directly off of the rock ledge and sweep me into open water. No life jacket, no fin. And worst of all - the current was pulling toward the dark caves that the company had told us to explore. If that wave had carried me off the rocks, I would have been dragged straight into them. (See image attached).

I had just enough time to dig my fingers into the coral and rock beneath me before it hit. The wave crashed over my body. I clung to the rocks as hard as I could. My whole body was flailing under the force, but somehow I held on - Imagine what superman looks like when he flies with his hands out front - that’s what I looked like underwater. When the water finally calmed, I came up gasping for air and scrambled back to safety.

This company gave no warning about dangerous conditions and encouraged us to go out when it was clearly unsafe.

If you’re not a professional swimmer, you would have no idea what conditions are safe here. Please, do not risk your life — it’s not worth it.

Wouldn’t be surprised if people...

REPLY TO OWNER: I appreciate you taking the time to respond. Just to clarify — at no point did our instructor or anyone on your team tell us not to go into the caves. Had that been said clearly, we obviously would’ve followed it.

For context, there were no snorkelers at the Cove that day — only 2-3 scuba divers due to shore break— which made that option unrealistic. The distance from your shop to La Jolla Shores (“Leopard Shark City”) is also roughly a 40–45 minute walk in full gear, which isn’t practical for most guests without clear guidance or transportation support.

Our review wasn’t about losing a fin — that part was minor. What frustrated us was the lack of direction and the tone of the follow-up, which felt more accusatory than understanding. We just wanted to share our honest experience so future guests can plan better and know what to expect.

Thanks again for your response. Hopefully this helps clarify our side.

I rarely leave reviews, but this experience was so bad it honestly deserves a warning label.

The staff gave us our snorkeling gear, showed a few short videos, and told us to head to the Cove. No one should have been snorkeling there that day. The water was extremely rough, yet they still encouraged us to go without mentioning any safety concerns.

When we got down to the second entry point near the caves, we quickly realized how dangerous it was. My friend tried to get in the water and was immediately slammed into the rocks by the current. By pure luck, he managed to grab onto the rocks and keep himself above water — if he hadn’t, he could have easily been pulled under and drowned.

We’re two 25-year-old guys just trying to have a good time, and it turned into one of the scariest, most traumatic experiences of my life. There was zero guidance, zero safety communication, and no responsibility taken by the people who rented us the gear.

If you value your safety or the safety of your friends, do not book with this company. What they’re doing is...

The La Jolla Outpost is a great place to shop in La Jolla for souvenirs, gifts, and apparel. They have some really cute original items. They also offer rentals and guided tours for snorkeling out in the Cove. Me and my family had the opportunity to book a guided tour to see the 7 caves and sea life. They had all the gear available to rent, including wetsuits. The customer service was very friendly and welcoming. Our guide was very patient with my 12 year old who was a bit slow swimming out to the Cove, but was very thrilled to be out in the water. We had a wonderful time and would highly recommend it over the kayak tours everyone else is doing. Its better to be in the water to offer a better up close and personal experience, however, you do need to be a good swimmer because you are out in the water for a bit over 2 hours. We will be back again for...