Two new SoCal Divers. With Jr. OW diver onboard

Hello,
with my 10 yo son (I am 39 yo) we just got our c-cards in Cabo. He did great and is bigger and more mature then many 10 yo (at least those I know), great swimmer (actually getting competitive), pretty strong (carries more then his weight quite easily). Now we are at the point where we want to ask "What's next". Our original plans included mostly tropical dives but we figured that we need to practice much more often then just once-twice per year. Now we want to do some local dives to keep doing what we love. Where should we go now? We don't have most of the gear (except for mask-fins-boots-snorkel) and I am not inclined to buy much so far for 2 reasons:
1. My son is growing fast. At this rate we'll have to buy new gear very often.
2. I am not positive yet what exactly I want to get. BCD or W/BP? AI or non-AI?

So far I thought about finding some easy local diving, well within our comfort zone (specifically, within my son's comfort zone). This means no more then 40ft in decent viz and light to no current. We never tried beach entry but I can imagine that reasonable surf shouldn't be a big issue. We are planning to rent the gear for now (anyone knows the place that will have gear for 10 yo? Will Sport Chalet have it?) before we figure out what to put on our wish list. Any clubs or ops do something like this? Or will be too boring for most divers? Should I just plan more of shorter tropical getaways in our schedule o support the habit or you think I could fins what we are looking for around Los Angeles area? I am thinking about just plunging into it and take ferry to Catalina and go to Casino point. I am comfortable with basic diving skills but am not positive about underwater navigation. Going with a group would make me more comfortable but at the same time I don't want to inconvenience anyone (I was working on it but my air consumption is still well beyond of what I would like it to be, partially due to me trying to be VERY close to my buddy and help him with his buoyancy issues he's still having, which sometimes forces me to make sharper movements then I'd like, call me overprotective). Any suggestions?

My 12yr old son recently got his Jr Open Water Cert in Hawaii and I took him to Catalina on the Sundiver Express. We had a great time and he proved to me that he can now dive in SoCal. Boat dives are better for him I feel because of the whole surf entry thing. Locally here in the South Bay, it has to be really calm before I will take him in the surf. Plus, walking a long distance in gear is no easy thing to do. I plan do just to boat diving with him till I feel he is ready for a SoCal surf entry.

For gear, I need to buy him a full set. I found that for his wetsuit we will need to drive down to Irvine to try on a Jr size through scuba.com. No one else in the area has a Jr size and a men's small is still too big for him. For a BC I am still looking around and for his reg and comp set up I was thinking of going air integrated just for safety reasons.

Doing the dive park on Catalina might be a fun idea but for the price there and back, it might be worth just going out on another boat.

Group diving sucks. Too many people wanting to do too many different things.

Casino Point is about as easy as it can get. You don't have to know anything about underwater navigation and you still won't get lost.

ScubaLuv or Catalina Divers Supply will have all the equipment that you'd need to do the dive in.

AI or non-AI computer? Why ask us? We're not the ones using them. What do you want to use? How much do you want to spend? Answer those questions and you'll have your answers.

And no, most SoCal forum divers will not mind if you and your son tag along if you make previous arrangements with them.

fnfalman:

Group diving sucks. Too many people wanting to do too many different things.

Casino Point is about as easy as it can get. You don't have to know anything about underwater navigation and you still won't get lost.

ScubaLuv or Catalina Divers Supply will have all the equipment that you'd need to do the dive in.

AI or non-AI computer? Why ask us? We're not the ones using them. What do you want to use? How much do you want to spend? Answer those questions and you'll have your answers.

And no, most SoCal forum divers will not mind if you and your son tag along if you make previous arrangements with them.

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I guessed about group diving. Must be just like any other activity with a group

Good to know about it. So far it's making the most sense to me to just go Catalina in end of September or so and plan and execute our first "own" dive. If you say that we cannot get lost UW there Never been to the island anyway.

Oh, about equipment-I just meant that I am not ready to buy my own (except for personal basics). For the exact reason that I want to figure out what I want and what I need. Due to time constrains I am sure I will not dive very often. SO far I bet renting makes much more sense to me.

As to previous arrangements: how would I do that? Just post that I am looking for someone to tag along with?

If you buy him a BPW he can dive it for the next 60 years.
IMHO AI or transmitter computers offer convince, but additional failure points.
SPG's rarely fail (although I have had it happen). And if you are not doing deco dives, you can always manually figure you're accent rate via small bubbles to the anchor line.

I'm always looking for buddies to dive with, but I only do local beach dives so vis might not be as good as you would want for your first cold water dive. Also, I'm not in any way a divemaster or instructor or anything professional, so you would be responsible for yourself. Perhaps you could take a boat trip to catalina with your son? With all that being said, feel free to message me if you feel like going out for a local dive and just don't know where or how to start, I can almost always squeeze in a dive.

Jeff Shaw:

If you buy him a BPW he can dive it for the next 60 years.
IMHO AI or transmitter computers offer convince, but additional failure points.
SPG's rarely fail (although I have had it happen). And if you are not doing deco dives, you can always manually figure you're accent rate via small bubbles to the anchor line.

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Seriously, AI transmitters add more failure points? Maybe in an academic setting, but in real life it's a non-issue. Thousands of divers doing tens or hundreds of thousands of dives a year while using hoseless AI computers every year, they're not dying off in droves.

AI computers' pressure sensors are usually within tens of PSI accuracy, mechanical gauges are usually within hundreds of PSI accuracy, and that's why we have this rule of thumb about 500-psi in the tank by end of dive so that they can account of mechanical gauge errors.

The only thing about AI computer; hosed or hoseless, is that if the additional cost justified to the owner. If the owner doesn't have an issue with shelling out anywhere between $200-400 extra for the AI computer, then it's a non-issue. If the extra cost is going to be hardship then stick with regular computer and pressure gauge.

vladodessit:

As to previous arrangements: how would I do that? Just post that I am looking for someone to tag along with?

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Yep, just post here when you want to go and other divers will chime in if they can join you.

Or just go with your son and then see if anybody at the dive site that you can team up with.

Or if not, then just go with your son and keep things conservative.

Or go to the websites of various scuba shops and see if you can sign on some boat dives with them. Usually the shop owners would try to fit you up with other experienced divers.

surfinusa555:

I'm always looking for buddies to dive with, but I only do local beach dives so vis might not be as good as you would want for your first cold water dive. Also, I'm not in any way a divemaster or instructor or anything professional, so you would be responsible for yourself. Perhaps you could take a boat trip to catalina with your son? With all that being said, feel free to message me if you feel like going out for a local dive and just don't know where or how to start, I can almost always squeeze in a dive.

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Thanks for an offer. I might take you on this Which beaches do you dive? Just will see in the next few weeks what my plans will be. As to responsible for ourselfs-isn't it the rule of diving anyway? With all instructors and DM in the world? At least this is my take on it... And I think I managed to explain it to my son...

And thanks for everyones advises. I already love this board

vladodessit:

Thanks for an offer. I might take you on this

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I hope you do!

vladodessit:

Which beaches do you dive?

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I'm closest to Malibu so I dive there most often, but I'll go as far as Palos Verdes for dives.

vladodessit:

As to responsible for ourselfs-isn't it the rule of diving anyway? With all instructors and DM in the world? At least this is my take on it... And I think I managed to explain it to my son...

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I agree with you 100%.