Where do Californians travel to dive?

[Lopez116]

I'm one who can appreciate this philosophy. When I return to see familiar wrecks and reef in Florida & Caribbean, it's like visiting old friends. Often it's not just the diving. When I go to Florida for one of my "long weekends to dive", I'm also going to see Tony at the car rental place by the airport, have my favorite Cafe con Leche at a handful of different places, see my friends at Reef Photo, eat at a variety of restaurants that have fond & familiar memories, etc. I have a few spots in the Caribbean, as well. While I do appreciate adventure and the unknown/unfamiliar, I'm more appreciative of the places I've been & dove, that provide consistent great memories, that keep bringing me back Just me.

That's kind of the reason we're going back to Grand Cayman. We have such good memories there we want to experience them again. Plus, they have the only Chicken! Chicken! I know of and I have to have that sauce again!

 

[blue steal]

I dive locally here in CA most Sundays year round in Los Angeles area, Palos Verdes. Try to get to Catalina Island 6-8 times a year either by charter boat or the ferry to dive the park. Yeah it is a bit of a hassle with the 7mm suit/5mm vest, hood, etc. etc. and cooler water, but still very enjoyable.
Warm water trips includes annual trip to Cozumel via red eye thru Houston. I like Cozumel because it is pretty quick leave at MN and in the water the next afternoon, plus flight price is half of what it costs to go to Philippines. I also fly to the Philippines about every other year, but the flight is long and expensive, then the travel to the resort/dive area can be also long, but once there the diving is cheaper. Comparing the the Caribbean to say the Philippines is hard for me as they both have something different to offer, both good.

 

[drbill]

My philosophy is 180 degrees from yours. Not saying I'm right and you're wrong. Not at all. Just different approaches. I love diving the same locations many, many times. Getting to know them well, seeing them in different seasons, seeing things that I'd missed the first dozen times. It's just a different approach.

My kind of thinking! About 2,000 of my dives were logged in the exact same spot (Casino Point Dive Park). I still haven't tired of diving there since I often see new behavior, seasonal changes or even new species like the whitetail damsel of last year. As a marine biologist, my primary reason for diving (other than relaxation) is to come to understand the intricacies of the kelp forest ecosystem. When I began filming underwater, it added to the experience greatly since now I could share it with other divers and especially the non-divers who might not ever see the wonders of the kelp forest directly.

However, I often need footage from warmer regions to include in my cable TV show or to add to my stock footage collection to sell. Almost all of the dive travel to these areas does occur during winter when I don't dive locally as frequently as during summer.

 

[Lorenzoid]

I've seen you say that before, Dr. Bill. I visited Catalina a couple of years ago with my wife--first visit for both of us--and we did four dives at Casino Point. We loved it, but honestly I don't think we'll be back to Casino Point. It was definitely interesting--like diving in a kelp forest aquarium--and the giant seabass who cruised by us was awesome. But for me, I've seen all I need to see there. However, I can certainly understand how a marine biologist could enjoy thousands of dives in that "aquarium."

 

[Gary Knapp]

We have a show produced in California , but diving is also great in Hawaii's 4 islands.. we have 37 dive destinations produced around the world and many are in your region of Calif. check them out at DiveTravelDVDS.com these shows are travelouges to help scuba divers in where to decide to go diving around the world. My personal favorite is asia especially the Philippoines., but you also have some awesome diving in Mexico where we have 5 shows produced alone, one of which is the Sea of Cortez just south of you.

 

[mdb]

Over 40+ yrs. of diving I have been fortunate to dive around the world-not close to every place, by any means, still a lot on my bucket list.

For me, a couple of days on a dive boat, in a California Kelp forest, in early fall, is my favorite diving.

 

[RJMETZ]

We live in Norcal and almost always go to the Carribean. The Big Island has some great diving with warm water as well. We prefer the Kohala coast. You are not the only cold water wuss......that club has a very large membership and I will always belong.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I live in northern California. The diving is cold, rough, and the vis is not always the greatest. It's the forgotten coast, nobody comes here to dive, and there are no charters or services. But I also like to hunt and I don't like a lot of people and over run dive sites. I don't have to worry about either here, and compared to other places at least we have the freedom to go out and get dinner once in a while. We also have giant red abalone which is about the only place in the world they exist.
I once encountered 90 foot vis up in Mendocino county. It was by far the best diving I've ever done even though it was 46 degrees I didn't care because it was breathtaking scenery.
I've been to Hawaii and the Great Barrier Reef. Hawaii was OK for about 5 or 6 dives at least where I was and I started to get bored.
The GBR was great but it was an expensive long boat ride and I was treated like a 5 year old, and had to put up with half a boat of very disrespectful asians.
So I'll put up with my thick wetsuits, cold water, poor vis, and washing machine conditions. At least it's close by, uncrowded, and free.

Also, Californians probably don't travel on the whole as much as other states. I'm guessing that's because everything's so damn expensive here.
People have less disposable income to spend on far away dive trips, (I'm just guessing).
For me, a trip down to Southern California on a dive boat is as good as it gets. The water is a little warmer and the boats are a great value and let you dive the way you want. There's some damn good diving out at the Channel islands. They don't babysit you either.

 

[Lorenzoid]

What Eric says makes sense to me. I used to live in California and didn't do a lot of diving because the water is cold, and traveling anywhere tropical required a chunk of that meager "disposable income" I had left after paying the monthly bills for the good life there. Now that I live somewhere with a lower cost of living, I have more money to spend on travel. And much of the Caribbean is a 2.5-hour nonstop flight away.

But I do kinda miss California.

 

[Wineaux]

This Northern Californian just got back from a week at Blackbird Caye on the outer islands of Belize. Not sure where we will go next. Possibly Hawaii or Cozumel.