Anacapa or San Diego?

nzheng · Feb 9, 2012

Hi guys. I'm planning on doing 2 days of diving in socal in April. One day we'll definitely do Catalina Island. But undecided about the second day-any recommendations about whether we do it in Anacapa or San Diego? How is wreck diving in SD? Thanks so much for any suggestions!!

covediver · Feb 9, 2012

Anacapa is one of my favorite spots on earth, San Diego diving on wreck alley makes is good so its probably a toss up determined more by the logistics of getting to and from Catalina and on to either San Diego or Oxnard/Ventura to get the boat to Anacapa. Also, check the dive boat schedules in San Diego to make sure someone is going to wreck alley the day you want to go. I recently was planning a trip and found that they would go one weekend but nothing the following weekend. You will not be disappointed in either, but April in the Channel Islands can be colder water with lower vis than other places in socal. Have you considered two days at Catalina?

Blackwood · Feb 9, 2012

IMO, Anacapa won't be significantly different than Catalina. San Diego will be, particularly if you dive any of its many wrecks (the best of which aren't in wreck alley...)

nzheng · Feb 9, 2012

Thank you! I did think about two days in Catalina, but thought I'd rather do 2 days of different dives, since that's all the time I have. Do you have an opinion on Anacapa vs. Catalina? Seems Catalina has awesome kelp, but I heard you the Raptor at Anacapa can also take you to a kelp forest (assuming it's different from the one at Catalina).

nzheng · Feb 9, 2012

Blackwood:
IMO, Anacapa won't be significantly different than Catalina. San Diego will be, particularly if you dive any of its many wrecks (the best of which aren't in wreck alley...)

Blackwood-would you choose Anacapa or Catalina if you can only do one? Also, where are the wrecks in SD that are not in wreck alley? Do you need to be a technical diver? I have my wreck specialty but not a technical diver. Thank you!

Blackwood · Feb 9, 2012

The northern islands (anacapa etc) probably offer better diving than Catalina on average.

Since you're boat diving, Anacapa would get my vote all else being equal.

But where you staying can make a big difference too. If you're near the Catalina charters (LA area), go there. If you're near the Anacapa charters (Ventura area), go there.

Regarding SD, never mind the non-wreck alley dives; you generally have to seek them out and they tend on the deep side of things. Run a web search for the Yukon and the Ruby E, the sites you'd most likely dive on a generic open boat. They're both entertaining, but lack the beauty of the islands.

bperc · Feb 9, 2012

nzheng:
Thank you! I did think about two days in Catalina, but thought I'd rather do 2 days of different dives, since that's all the time I have. Do you have an opinion on Anacapa vs. Catalina? Seems Catalina has awesome kelp, but I heard you the Raptor at Anacapa can also take you to a kelp forest (assuming it's different from the one at Catalina).

Are you doing a boat dive at Catalina or the dive park? I haven't done a boat dive, but the reports and pictures of Farnsworth are very different than any kelp dives. Just a thought.

nzheng · Feb 9, 2012

bperc:
Are you doing a boat dive at Catalina or the dive park? I haven't done a boat dive, but the reports and pictures of Farnsworth are very different than any kelp dives. Just a thought.

Hi bperc we are doing boat dive. However I'm getting the sense from people Anacapa might actually be a slightly better experience than Catalina. Do you agree?

bperc · Feb 9, 2012

I have only dove at Casino Point dive park on Catalina. I want to dive Farnsworth some day though. Anacapa has some very nice dive spots. If you don't mind driving to Ventura, the Peace is going to San Miguel island on April 21. San Miguel is an incredible dive site. I am hoping to go on this trip.

fnfalman · Feb 9, 2012

nzheng:
Hi bperc we are doing boat dive. However I'm getting the sense from people Anacapa might actually be a slightly better experience than Catalina. Do you agree?

Catalina dive sites as a whole are a lot better than Anacapa in my opinion. Right now, there's hardly any kelp forest at Anacapa.

Anacapa or San Diego?

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