Divers Get to the Bottom of Catalina Cleanup : Recreation: A record 460 people take part in the annual pickup of debris in Avalon Bay. The turnout reflects a surge of interest in scuba, sparked at least in part by . . . ‘Baywatch’?

As ocean spray kicked up against his boat’s windshield, the man they call Captain Ken smoothed his full white beard against his tan face and considered the question: Why, despite the hefty price of equipment and the always terrifying thought of sharks, were young people embracing scuba diving in record numbers?

Was it the siren cry of the oceans, perhaps? That ancient, mystical call of the deep blue sea?

“I’d have to say the Discovery Channel. Oh, and ‘Baywatch,’ ” said Ken Wright, a scuba instructor at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

Whether they invoke the name of David Hasselhoff or Jacques Cousteau, legions of young people are turning to scuba diving to complement or replace other water sports. Despite a sour economy, the local scuba industry has grown about 20% in the past three years, area merchants said in an informal survey, and much of the growth has been among young people.

Besides cable television, twentysomethings may also be inspired by their generation’s increased awareness of the environment, said Wright, 51, who also owns a dive charter company.

“The students these days are much, much more in tune with the environment than students from 30 years ago, or 15 years ago,” Wright said. “Practically every student I get is 100% in the environment, and they see diving as way to get in touch with that.”

Environmentalism was the theme of the day Saturday when Wright and two of his young students cruised over to Santa Catalina to join in the 15th annual underwater cleanup of Avalon Bay. A record 460 divers showed up this year to scour the bay’s bottom for junk, trash and debris despite overcast skies and water made murky by recent storms.

“This is the only day of the year you’re allowed to dive in Avalon Bay, but to do it you have to come back up with some bottles and cans,” said Chad Benning, 23, of Huntington Beach, as he pulled on his wet suit. “This is my second year. I like keeping this place nice. Well, the real reason I come is to find a Rolex or something.”

This year’s haul was dramatically smaller because of visibility problems, but the diving crews did manage to pull out a short stack of credit cards, golf balls, a television and a VCR (with a copy of “Sister Act” still inside) and some sterling silver knives from the St. Catherine Hotel, the famous resort that once stood on Descanso Beach.

“All the silt and runoff from the rains really made it hard to see, so we expect next year to be a bonanza,” organizer Mary Stein said. She also said the cleanup organizers would advertise on college campuses for the first time next year to take advantage of the growing number of young divers. “Diving has never been more popular, and I really think it goes hand-in-hand with there being more environmental consciousness.”

One of the Saddleback divers joining Wright, Randy Shaffer, 24, said diving just seemed like the next logical step in his fascination with water. “I work with a pool and spa service, I have a boat, I’m a surfer, my sign is even Aquarius,” the San Clemente resident said. “You don’t really have an understanding of the sea until you go beneath the waves.”

That sentiment was echoed by Jeff Bowers, 24, who traveled from Lancaster with 40 other divers who made a weekend around the Avalon Bay cleanup effort. Bowers, an airman stationed at Edwards Air Force Base, said he began diving 10 months ago because he had always been fascinated by television documentaries and the allure of the sea.

“It was always something I wanted to do, and then after my first dive I knew I was hooked,” Bowers said. Around him, a large crowd of divers checked one another’s gear and chatted while waiting for the cannon to sound the start of the cleanup. “You’re never aware of the effect we have on the ocean until you go underwater and see bottles and cans float by in the middle of all this beauty.”

Bowers said he believed many more young people would be strapping on tanks and masks if they could afford to participate in the sport. “With the training and then the gear, it’s not cheap. The prices are coming down, but you still need to have a pretty good job.”

Mike Smith, manager at Beach Cities Scuba in Dana Point, said the gear alone--mask, tanks, regulator, gauges, suit, fins, etc.--costs between $1,100 and $2,500, depending on the sophistication of the equipment. On top of that are training and certification costs.

If that equipment is cared for, though, it could last a lifetime, as can the hobby, Wright said. “It’s an activity that does not require you to be an athlete. Anybody can do it. I haven’t played football or basketball lately, but I’m still diving.”

And, as Smith notes, the scenery may be worth the price. “There is some expense, but I always tell people that three-fourths of the planet is underwater, and if you don’t go under, you’re missing three-fourth’s of Mother Nature’s beauty.”

While many of the divers gathered at Catalina on Saturday talked about the environment, Jerome Ewing, 25, of San Clemente, said he explores the world beneath the waves for a different reason. Ewing said while green issues are fine, it’s a different set of ‘90s concerns that prompt him to seek out the quiet depths.

“I never was much into the environment issues--I think if you cut down a forest, the animals will just go somewhere else, but that’s just what I think,” Ewing said, his eyes shaded from the sun by a floppy Australian-style hat. “I like it because when I’m down there, there’s no horns blowing or phones ringing, no gunshots or carjackings . . . you can just get away from everything, all of it.”