- Messages
- 2,734
- Reaction score
- 752
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
I don't really understand why a DM would be necessary in Avalon, unless the divers have never done any cold water diving. The entry and exit are as easy as could be. If you get a little bit lost, come to the surface and look for the stairs. Stay out of the thickest of kelp, stay above 60 feet or so and any beginner diver should be able to have a great time there. Much easier than the sometimes difficult ( and sometimes fairly easy) shore entries at Lajolla. You just walk down the stairs and ease yourself into the water. Exit involves a little bit of timing with the waves but its probably easier than most boat exits.
I guess if you're a very timid beginner diver with less than 10 dives, maybe somebody to hold your hand is nice but the dive park really doesn't require a guide. In fact, its a great place to practice navigation, because of the kelp and landmarks like the Sujac. Just be sure to bring your compass so that you can practice navigation, not that is altogether necessary but its a good practice to get into. It reminds me a bit of when I first learned to dive in Puget Sound and did a lot of shore diving, although the visibility in the Sound was never as good as Catalina.
The deeper depths, 120-130, are a pretty long swim out across plain, sandy bottom. You have to want to go out there for a reason or really not be paying attention to get that deep. It's not like some dive sites where there's a huge drop off near the shore.
overall, Catalina Dive Park is a great place to practice new found dive skills. Other than cold water and kelp, there are a lot of difficulties with the dive site. The hardest part of the whole day is usually hiking gear from the hotel or ferry to the dive park and back.
For a decent little hotel and a very reasonable price, we usually stay at the Hotel McRae. They will allow you to store your dive gear in the laundry room, which has a door on ground floor in the alley. All you have to do is ask at the desk when you check in.
Dive classes are taught in the dive park all the time, even DSD classes so it can't be too hard to dive there. Then again, it amazes me that they teach OW classes at La Jolla shores as I've been pounded by the surf there on occasion CA divers are a tough breed compared to those taught at the average resort, if you ask me..
I guess if you're a very timid beginner diver with less than 10 dives, maybe somebody to hold your hand is nice but the dive park really doesn't require a guide. In fact, its a great place to practice navigation, because of the kelp and landmarks like the Sujac. Just be sure to bring your compass so that you can practice navigation, not that is altogether necessary but its a good practice to get into. It reminds me a bit of when I first learned to dive in Puget Sound and did a lot of shore diving, although the visibility in the Sound was never as good as Catalina.
The deeper depths, 120-130, are a pretty long swim out across plain, sandy bottom. You have to want to go out there for a reason or really not be paying attention to get that deep. It's not like some dive sites where there's a huge drop off near the shore.
overall, Catalina Dive Park is a great place to practice new found dive skills. Other than cold water and kelp, there are a lot of difficulties with the dive site. The hardest part of the whole day is usually hiking gear from the hotel or ferry to the dive park and back.
For a decent little hotel and a very reasonable price, we usually stay at the Hotel McRae. They will allow you to store your dive gear in the laundry room, which has a door on ground floor in the alley. All you have to do is ask at the desk when you check in.
Dive classes are taught in the dive park all the time, even DSD classes so it can't be too hard to dive there. Then again, it amazes me that they teach OW classes at La Jolla shores as I've been pounded by the surf there on occasion CA divers are a tough breed compared to those taught at the average resort, if you ask me..
