Lake Tahoe Boat Diving

[lrapp15]

Anyone in the area want/willing to bring a dive boat up to Tahoe for an Emerald Bay dive? I work for a shop in San Mateo and we are currently looking for a way to do a boat dive in Lake Tahoe but a shop in the area claimed that Tahoe no longer allows commercial dive boats; so we must find a private boat. Please let me know if you have any ideas, suggestions or even a boat!

Thanks!

 

[jcaplins]

I am interested in an Emerald bay dive. I don't have a power or sail boat, and the cost of renting on the lake seems excessive.

I have considered launching a kayak from DL bliss or Meeks bay, but haven't tried it yet. I would also consider camping on the east/south point of Emerald bay SP and kayak around the point and dive from there. It's my understanding that the dive sites are close to shore, so a kayak could be beached, then I could suit up and walk into the water. I have sea kayaks, so most likely my gear will be towed behind the kayak.

I will probably try this when the parks and campgrounds open this year.

The Rubicon wall could also be done the same way and trip.

I would also like to hear others thoughts and experiences.

 

[Ryan Nelson]

I have dove emerald bay twice. The first time we rented kayaks at dl bliss and paddled over. Im a twenty nine year old male in great shape and it was quite a task. If you choose that option go early in the am to avoid the swells in the afternoon. We took 1.5 hrs to paddle to the end of the cove and about 2hrs back as we were tired. Kayaking with gear was surprisingly easy wind was the biggest factor.

The next time we chartered a boat. Had the guy drop us off in am with teo tanks and lunch the picked us up in pm. Thats the way to go. The cost of kayaks was about 100 and the boat about 150.

Dont expect much on the dives. Other thsn the island, which I found a flawless pair of 300 gucci sunglasses theres not much to look at. The wreck was very disappointing. Do it to get it off your tick list, but rubicon wall was much cooler than emerald bay.

Ryan

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[TDA]

If all goes as planned I will be operating a dive boat on Lake Tahoe this summer. And will gladly take you and some friends to emerald bay. What dive shop do you work with? I can give the shop a call when my boat hits the water this early summer.

Thanks

Capt Blaine

 

[raftingtigger]

I've been wanting to do this for some time. I would like to do a 2-day camping trip to the Emerald Bay boat in campsite. Power boat can bring in the tanks and other heavy gear. Divers and campers can walk in along the road from the highway above or kayak in - unless of course there is room in the power boat. Anyone interested in setting up such an event?

 

[TDA]

Sounds like a fun trip. Please PM me with details. location, when, how many ect.

thanks

 

[UWPhotoKeith]

Maybe another option - Rick the manager of Dolphin Scuba in Sacramento has a custom dive boat "Double Down" that he moves to Lake Tahoe each Summer for a month or two. You might check with him about charters. It's a 6 pack so it should not be too difficult to book a full charter.

 

[spoolin01]

Tahoe requires boat inspections now, so if you're planning to bring a boat up better check the website to see what's required and when/where to get the inspections. AFAIK inspections are harder to come by in the cold seasons, but I'm pretty sure they were doing them last April at Cave Rock.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Why don't you take a kayak up and dive the north shore at stateline (Calneva wall)
It's easily accessed with a kayak from Speed Boat Beach which is a free public beach.
It's just as good as anything else in Tahoe, and if you like walls it's probably the deepest drop in the whole lake if you're into that and are set up for it.

 

[DiverDante]

In 2011 there was a 6-pack charter boat called the Scuba Mood that provided trips on the lake. California Diver did a piece on the boat and diving the Rubicon Wall and the Emerald Bay barges here:

Diving Lake Tahoe with Strictly Scuba and the Scuba Mood 6-Pack Charter Boat | California Diver Magazine

The Scuba Mood is no longer operating but this might give some ideas for the next charter operation!