Coming to SoCal...where to dive???

[Davey Jonesen]

I'll be coming to Long Beach Dec 2nd - 10th to visit an old friend that moved there. I'd like to do some diving somewhere in SoCal while I'm there....maybe make a trip of it for a couple days. What are the best places to dive? Coronado Islands looks interesting.

 

[ligersandtions]

From what I hear, the Coronado Islands are somewhat underwhelming.

If I were you, I'd strongly consider one of three things:

1. A trip out to the Catalina Dive Park

2. A boat out to Catalina (likely three dives at various sites off a boat)

3. A boat out to Anacapa / Santa Cruz (out of Ventura Harbor) off either the Peace or the Spectre (three to four dives at various sites -- possibly including diving with a ton of sea lions!)


If you're feeling adventurous and can find some local buddies whose schedules match up with yours, you could consider shore diving (we do have some nice shore diving from San Diego up to Ventura), but the vis will not be as nice as it will be out at the islands....plus, you'd have to deal with surf.

 

[willywin]

If you can make it out (and can either afford to hire a boat or have a friend with one), the cove by Bird Rock at Catalina is a great dive.

 

[iztok]

Sundiver is at Long Beach. Every time I am nearby (live in NC) I try to take the opportunity to dive with them. They do frequent boat rides to Catalina.

 

[diver_doug]

Boat/island diving is best but if you're wanting to check out some shore diving, these are some of my favorite spots:

La Jolla Cove (san diego)
crescent bay (laguna)
divers cove (laguna)
Heisler park (laguna)
Little Corona/robert badham (corona del mar)

 

[aquaregia]

NorCal.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The Coronado Islands (off San Diego) are a distant 2nd or 3rd choice behind the much closer Channel Islands. You have multiple boats that leave directly from Long Beach including the Sun Diver and Great Escape. All of these will take you an hour or so over to Catalina and sometimes the other closer Channel Islands. They are essentially "world class" diving with vis almost always >50FT and awesome sea life. If the local boats don't suit you, consider driving up the coast to Ventura and taking a boat over to Anacapa to play with the seals.

The local dives (like those mentioned a bit south at Laguna Beach) are not bad, but conditions vary depending on local weather. A rain storm can knock vis down for several days and it is never as good as the off-shore locations.