Five days in LA ....

[fnfalman]

There is no guarantee from any boat that a trip to Santa Barbara Island will make it. It's all depending on the weather of that particular day. Just so you know ahead and won't get disappointed if the boat couldn't make it to Santa Barbara Island.

 

[blue steal]

Thanks for your posts

I do prefer boat dives than shore so the boats Blue Steal listed will be helpful
when you say the traffic is bad, do you mean on the roads to/ from the area?

I may only have three days to dive and as I'm staying with my friend who does dive [but it may be too cold for her, I have a dry suit], I need to work around her too

My dates in LA will be arriving on a Sunday and flying out the following Saturday, so I'll be there during the working week

If you are staying in Pasadena and either using one of the charter boats in San Pedro or Long Beach then traffic will not be a problem.
Most boats board around 6-7am so you would beat the traffic going that direction.
If your friend dives and is worried about the cold, August should be fine with a 7mm suit.
Most dive boats do not have their summer schedule out yet.
I like and use the Magician. She goes out on Fridays as an open boat. Depending on time of your flight Saturday, Friday may or may not work for you.
Sundiver and the Sundiver Express out of Long Beach usually have Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun trips, so this may be the way to go.
Catalina Express did raise their prices again this year and staying overnight in the summer is expensive even at the budget places, but you can find some discount coupons for it. As others have said they can provide tanks, gears, etc.
I would give that a go at least one of your days.

 

[Venus]

Thanks Everyone

I'm now slightly concerned about the possible lack of day boats going out on week days, I'm going to try and change my dates so that I have Fri, Sat, Sun in LA

Thanks - have a great weekend

Venus

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

There is no guarantee from any boat that a trip to Santa Barbara Island will make it. It's all depending on the weather of that particular day. Just so you know ahead and won't get disappointed if the boat couldn't make it to Santa Barbara Island.

Been there a few times myself, go to bed on the boat thinking I am going to Santa Barbara and waking up to see the captain had to change course to Catalina during the night. Not a bad plan B though...this is the nice thing about Catalina or the channel islands in general, there are so many places that a good captain can almost always find someplace protected to tuck into and dive unless you are in the middle of a storm.

---------- Post added January 19th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ----------

Thanks Everyone

I'm now slightly concerned about the possible lack of day boats going out on week days, I'm going to try and change my dates so that I have Fri, Sat, Sun in LA

Thanks - have a great weekend

Venus

Good call. You can do back to back trips, stay on the boat and skip the hotel if you are hardcore. In August there are normally some multiday trips that are real nice, have to wait a couple of months to check out theirs final schedules. The Great Escape and Peace are great choices for this, it like a mini live aboard vacation (eat, dive, sleep, repeat).

 

[drbill]

Kelp forests are a snap either coming out to my island via Catalina Express and diving the dive park, or taking one of several mainland-based dive boats out here and diving 3-4 different sites. Keep in mind that in August warm water MAY leave the kelp a bit ragged (although it survived last summer in very healthy condition but was largely decimated the summer before due to warm water).

As has been said, Santa Barbara Island for sea lions... mainland dive boats can take you there. If you want, check out my videos about the California sea lion on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/DrBillBushing

I heartily recommend Power SCUBA in San Diego as they offer a wide range of diving activities at very reasonable (non profit) prices.

 

[galleywench]

Hi Venus,
My name is Jules and I am a divemaster currently working and managing Sundiver international.
I would absolutely love to help you plan your diving whilst out here in California,
Please give me a call whenever you can
1 800 555 9446 and i can go over some exciting and affordable options for you.
Yours Bubbly
Divemaster Jules
Dive Boat Sundiver

 

[Venus]

It's less than a month until I fly out of London to Churchill and then on to LA

I'm still interested in diving in LA and having done a little research [and looked on a map] I will need to change my plans
I don't have time to go down to La Jolla
The charter boats out of Ventura or Long Island are too far from Pasadena for me to get a cab, I don't want to ask my friend to drop me off at 5 - 6am, that's not fair on her

You also mentioned that I could get the ferry to Catalina and stay there over night and dive the next day
Did I understand that right
I'd like to dive, preferably from a boat, on Friday & Saturday

Thanks for your help

 

[MaxBottomtime]

You can take the Catalina Express from Long Beach and stay at any of the hotels in Avalon, then take the King Neptune for diving.

 

[Venus]

Thanks MBT

I was just looking at SCUBA LUV and they have a:
transfer to & from the mainland
two night hotel
transport from hotel to boat
two days diving [3 dives a day] on Neptune
@ $549 + single supplement + port tax + fuel surcharge

I'm not fussed about staying at a top class hotel

Does that sound right to those who know?
or, should I try to piece it together myself?

You can take the Catalina Express from Long Beach and stay at any of the hotels in Avalon, then take the King Neptune for diving.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

That sounds pretty good. You would still need to get from Pasadena to Long Beach though.