O.C. Dive Clubs - Are there any?

[Otter]

I am looking around for an active dive club. The only ones that appear to be active are Sport Chalet's and, given what I have seen of their instruction, I am a bit hesitant.

Are there any GOOD, ACTIVE dive clubs in Orange County?

TIA

Otter

 

[kelpmermaid]

Have you checked out the Laguna Sea Dwellers? I think they are connected with Laguna Sea Sports....www.lagunaseasports.com. Also, check the back of California Diving News --- there is a club listing there.

 

[saf_25]

Hi Otter,
I've been lurking on this site every day for months, but this is my first post.

I'm a member of 2 dive clubs in Orange County - 1 is through Sport Chalet (the Shark Bait club, out of their Brea store) and the other is the Sea Ventures Dive Club, which works with a NAUI shop of the same name in Fullerton. I'm not sure what specifically your concerns with the Sport Chalet club are (although I suspect I can guess some of your training concerns, I have only good things to say with the instruction I received from the Brea store - that's another story), but they are really a great group of very experienced and safety-concious divers. They usually do one beach and one boat dive a month, in addition to other social gatherings. There's a meeting next Tuesday, if you're interested in stopping by to see what they're like, there's no pressure to join, and you can just see for yourself what they're up to.

If you are totally set against the Sport Chalet clubs, though, the Sea Ventures is a good group as well. In my experiences, though (been diving about 6 months) the Shark Bait group seems a bit more safety concious in their diving, as well have having more resources since they are associated (though not legally so anymore) with the larger Sport Chalet stores.

I know that many of the Shark Bait members are also members with another dive club that is not associated with Sport Chalet, but I'm not sure exactly which one that is. If you check out their website (http://www.sharkbaitdiveclub.org/) I think that there are links to other clubs on it.

Hope that helps you - and feel free to pm me if you have more questions.

 

[SlurrySeal]

You might want to try the SOCDC at http://www.southcoastdivers.com/SOCDC/ . They meet the second wednesday of the month, and do a beach dive every saturday.

-Lance

 

[Otter]

for the links and the information. As it turns out I work a few blocks from the Brea Sports Chalet. I will go check it out along the South OC Dive Club. Too bad I missed Marty Sniderman!

Otter