Summer Travel

[djensen]

Hi,

I'd like to start a discussion to open up possibilities and see where it leads... The basis of my query is that there is no substitute for local knowledge. I have some time off in August and am looking for a dive destination. It can be cold/warm/fresh/salt/inland or coastal/near or far (in this case, Caribbean would be considered far).

I'm in the Canadian Rockies and I'd like to hear your dive travel suggestions if you feel passionate about your local scene! Let me know where I should visit in August and why.

Primary interests include videography & wrecks, but I enjoy varied diving. I'm not going to travel for poor vis. I can get that at home

As I'm travelling alone, I guess it'd be good to know if there are active dive clubs or charters I can join when I arrive.

Let the virtual travel begin. And thanks for playing!

 

[robint]

I think you should consider going to California Channel Islands. The vis in Aug is good, anywhere from 40-100' depending on site, and the fishlife and kelp are really amazing stuff. Catalina is a good place to stay if you are doing shore and boat diving around the island, there are 2 boats stationed there. If you would rather stay on mainland, there are numerous boats that go out for 3-tank day trips.

and watch one of my videos: https://vimeo.com/album/18779

[vimeo]6505373[/vimeo]

IMHO.... Calif kelp diving is a great secret for serious divers who don't wimp out because of the cold water.

 

[djensen]

Thanks Robin. The Channel Islands are definitely on the list! I'll research that. I love bull kelp and cold doesn't scare me. One of my regular dives is a spring (4*C / 39*F). Nice images!

 

[robint]

Aug-Sept is best time to visit Calif, IMHO. Best weather, best vis, warmest water. I think our 4 trips the water was 60s-70s on every dive, with a thermocline at depth. Coldest water was down over 100' deep when it hit low 50s.

 

[djensen]

Would you recommend a particular dive charter company? Have you done live-aboards on your trips? Vis is always variable of course, but I'm being told it is better at Catalina than the northern Channel Islands. Is that your experience as well?

 

[robint]

we have done both... day boats and overnight boats.
Great Escape out of Long Beach
Peace boat out of Ventura
Spectre boat out of Ventura (day trips only)

there are others but we have done these several times
ALL boats in Calif feed you hot meals between dives... really nice!!

On Catalina, in Avalon, there are 2 different dive boats for day trips only. Stay at a hotel there. Some hotels will cart your gear for you back and forth.
Catalina Scuba Luv: Scuba Dive, Snorkel, Snuba Dive Catalina Island California gets good reviews from everyone

As far as north vs south islands....
North = Anacapa, Santa Cruz primarily as day trips... slightly colder water, but nudibranch heaven and sea lions galore. Santa Barbara island is usually overnighter but sea lion rookery is not to be missed. The other two islands up north are mostly visited for lobster hunting season as overnight trips.

South = Catalina, San Clemente..... San Clemente you have to do as an overnight and it is the best diving of all the islands, Catalina is closest so you can do it as a day trip or stay in hotel there. Catalina has great vis and fishlife. Catalina is the only island with hotels and a city on it. Water is warmer at Catalina and San Clemente.

so there are great reasons to visit both areas!!!

 

[diversteve]

My local scene is the desert (Phoenix) so we travel to dive. SoCal is a common destination. You can find all the boat options here: California Dive Boats : The Official Page

For video with wrecks, my choices would be in the Caribbean. I shoot video also.

St Thomas is a wreck mecca - there's about 20 of them just south of the island. Rather than describe them all: Blue Island Divers Dive SItes

From there maybe spend a few days in the BVI's also - you can get there via fast ferry in an hour. The Rhone is the signature wreck there, I don't wreck dive and I liked it. There's also the Chikuizen - both are big ships. DiveBVI has also put together a wreck week - unfortunately starting this weekend. They speak Canadian there...lol. - Lance and Laura are from Alberta also.

The other option might be Bermuda. There's something like 150 known wrecks there. I haven't been there. Bermuda Conservation - Shipwrecks

 

[djensen]

Thanks Steve. I'll check out those links as well. I've found getting to parts of the Caribbean from my part of Canada can be quite expensive and time consuming. (a notable exception is the Riviera Maya!) I've heard good things about Bermuda as well.

---------- Post added May 24th, 2013 at 06:55 AM ----------

Nice, inexpensive flights to Bermuda and diving looks interesting and affordable, but the accommodation! Wow!

 

[robint]

there are lots of great places to go in the Caribbean, I just thought I would suggest something a little outside of the touristy box.

August in the WHOLE Caribbean can be a bit of a crap shoot.... weather can be perfect or you can have a hurricane. No way to guarantee what will happen. I have been to Cozumel the first week of Aug, had rain showers every day for maybe an hour, and no other significant events. Friends of mine go to Coz every Aug for 2-3 weeks and have only once had bad weather (hurricane, actually) in 10+ years.

 

[djensen]

Thanks again Robin. The Channel Islands are certainly not out of the running, but the fact that I'm travelling solo is wreaking a bit of havoc there, it seems... Seems less of an issue at some other locations. I've been to Coz a few times. Fantastic! Looking for something different now, though...