Do you know some dive centres in LA, California

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

XSScubaKitty

Registered
Messages
11
Reaction score
0
Location
Sydney, Australia
# of dives
500 - 999
Hi all,

I will be in LA, California this October. Are there dive centres that anyone can recommend to me?

Here are the few things I would like to do:
- One day diving at a site where there are giant kelps and interesting (I am a dive master in training and have done over 370 dives, Nitrox certified, strong current and cold water).
- Buy some gear such as: Suunto Vytec, Oxygen Analyzer, BCD (Mares Ariel Dragonfly or Sherwood Luna), perhaps wetsuit, and definitely XXS gloves and booties...

Thanks muchly,

XSScubakitty
purr purr....
 
I've just come back from the States and did 5 dives of Catalina in the kelp. Great fun, well worth it.
As far a buying gear, try Hollywood Divers http://www.hollywoodivers.com/
Great guys, ask for Hal, lots of gear and OK prices.

I booked my diving through Sports Chalet, see
http://www.sportchalet.com/corp/index.jsp?page=divers_charters
I booked both Island Time and Pacific Star, both very good.

Also check out http://www.ladiver.com/ for info on South CA diving operators.

I did buy a Vytec while I was there, but am having serious problems with it locking up in dive mode. Check it out before you commit the big bucks. I've had no problems with my Mosquito so the Vytec is quite disappointing.
 
SteveD's suggestion of diving Catalina (my home) is a good one. Kelp beds here are good, visibility better than the mainland. You can take a boat out of the LA area and dive several locations on Catalina. If you are an experienced diver, I wouldn't recommend booking through Sports Chalet myself (although you could get a good experience with them too). You might talk to Hollywood Divers to see if they have any trips out here then.

Another suggestion is to take the Catalina Express ferry from Long Beach or San Pedro to Avalon on Catalina and dive at the Casino Point dive park here. It has a good variety of habitats and has been a protected area for 40+ years so the marine life is pretty good for a mostly over-fished soCal.

Another good site to check out is California Diving News for information on California diving and dive boats. You can also look at my web site (see link in sig) for images of what you can see out here.

Dr. Bill
 
I'll cast another vote for Catalina Island and Hollywood Divers.

If you're betting on some place being a good place on any given day. Catalina is usually a safe bet. You might even get to dive with Dr. Bill, if he's not to busy saving new divers or chasing away evil boaters in the dive park at Casino Point! :wink:

Hal, Bill and Karim are all great guys at Hollywood Divers. I've worked with all three of these owners on buying gear and they always do what they can to make everything come out right.

While you are visiting them at Hollywood Divers, if you'd like to visit a trendy Hollywood restaurant and night club visit Ice next door. They have good food and the place really gets hopping after the dinner hour. Karim, one of the owners of Hollywood Divers is also part owner of Ice. So, in a round about way you'd be supporting the local dive scene! :D

Christian
 
Geographically, it's a sprawled-out city, so an idea would help. Also, when in October would this be? That might help on specific trip suggestions.
 
Although some don't like them for their "corporate-ness" I personally like Sport Chalet. They have locations throughout California (and even one in suburban Las Vegas which as far as I'm concerned is an extension of SoCal) and as someone else pointed out you can even book dive trips through them.

You unfortunately missed two really great sales (the one in June I bought a Mares MR22 Abyss for only $249) but their prices are at least competitive with other LDS and occasionally even online sellers like Leisure Pro.

For a list and descriptions of their dive charters:

http://www.sportchalet.com/corp/index.jsp?page=divers_charters

I've heard good things about Hollywood Divers, one of these days I gotta pay them a visit.
 
Would agree with RonDawg that Sports Chalet prices can be pretty good, especially during sales. I do buy some of my stuff from them. My concern is with instruction and boat trips, especially if they involve large numbers of students.

Headhunter- Didn't have to yell at a single boat this weekend. Not that there weren't several kayaks, a small sailboat and a paddleboard that entered the park... I had a sore throat and didn't want to further abuse it.

Doc
 
drbill:
Headhunter- Didn't have to yell at a single boat this weekend. Not that there weren't several kayaks, a small sailboat and a paddleboard that entered the park... I had a sore throat and didn't want to further abuse it.

Doc
Don't they call that the calm before the storm? :wink:

Christian
 
XSScubaKitty:
Hi all,

I will be in LA, California this October. Are there dive centres that anyone can recommend to me?

Here are the few things I would like to do:
- One day diving at a site where there are giant kelps and interesting (I am a dive master in training and have done over 370 dives, Nitrox certified, strong current and cold water).
- Buy some gear such as: Suunto Vytec, Oxygen Analyzer, BCD (Mares Ariel Dragonfly or Sherwood Luna), perhaps wetsuit, and definitely XXS gloves and booties...

Thanks muchly,

XSScubakitty
purr purr....
If you know exactly what you want in terms of gear, the cheapest game in town is Scuba.com (Divers Discount). They will match the dirt cheap on-line pricing of Leisure Pro, and they are an authorized dealer for all the products they carry. They're in Rancho Santa Margarita, which is Orange County. A bit of a drive from LA, but there's a variety of shore diving down here in Laguna.
Kevin
 

Back
Top Bottom