Catalina Island BSA Camp

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AzAtty

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Scuba Instructor
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Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Has anyone's troop been over to Catalina Island for scout camp (Cherry Valley, is it?) Our troop has 30 slots there next year and I'd be interested in getting some first-hand information on the waterfront programs there (especially scuba). Thanks.
 
Send a PM to Dr. Bill. He lives on Catalina. While he might not know the scout program there, he should have usefull information for you about the island. he might know the program also.
 
I used to go to Emerald Bay on Catalina as a scout. That was about 13 years ago though and before I got into diving. It was one of my favorite camps though. Not sure if that's the same location that you are talking about.

This link may help you. It has links to several other scout camps.
http://www.bsa-la.org/camping/eb/emerald_bay.html
 
I attended Cherry Valley as a scout in the 1980's (a long long time ago). Catalina is where I first went snorkeling. There was no scuba program in those days, but scouts did swim and snorkel, and some completed the mile swim off shore. Having previously been at Camp Theodore Naish in the landlocked midwest, the coastal location of Cherry Valley was wonderful.
 
I went to Cherry Valley 3 years ago, and am returning this year. The water front is shared with a yacht club, but the scouts wind surf, sail, swim and kayak from the beach. The ACE program, which is designed for the older scouts, includes two organized snorkleing activities. The first is in the cove just north of the camp, and the second is a couple miles south of the camp in a nice spot south of two harbors that you ocean kayak to. Both are nice spots but it is surface snorkeling only, they yell at you if you free dive. I brought my 5mil hooded vest, which made the water much more comfortable.

One of the dads from another troop brought his scuba gear with him, including a small tank (40cuft) and he just signed himself out and did a solo dive just south of camp. He came back with a bunch of urchins which he promptly cut up and shared with the more adventurous scouts. Bringing gear to camp is a bit of a trick because of the logistics of getting it to camp, but can be done. You might be able to work out a deal with the lds at two harbors to bring you some tanks when they come for the OW programs , so this could work for shore diving.

The camp offers two programs to non-certified scouts. A OW certification program and a Discover program. These programs are run by the lds in two harbors, and are described in this guide. They don't really have anything official for certified scouts.

I was there with my 14 and 15 year old sons, both were life scouts and not interested in merit badges. I booked equipment rentals and a 2 dive boat dive in advance with the lds. Then on wed around noon we caught the water taxi over to two harbors picked up our gear, and about an hour after we left camp we were in 45' of clear 70deg water over Eagle Reef in 60' vis. The second dive was at Bird Rock. Both dives were excellent, with lots of garabaldi, lobsters, kelp, and even a few baracuda. I liked the dive shop, and other most everything went well. We had some equip issues, and would bring by own regs if I were to do it again (generally good advice). We were back at camp for dinner. This option isn't cheap ($80 for 2 tank dive, + rentals, +water taxi) but it was a great memory and fun dives.

As for Cherry Valley as a scout camp, it is by far the best camp I have ever been to. Best activities, best food, best staff, best facilities (especially the troop camp sites - 100% trex decks), best location. As I said, we are going back this year (this time with 2 eagles)

Hope this helps
Rob
 
Our group has been diving right off shore from the Boy Scout Camp for many years. It has some really good diving spots.

I enjoy it during the spring and summer when the Boy Scouts kayak around while we're diving. They always ask a lot of questions while we're on the surface about scuba diving.

I think they let the boys go snorkeling, but I don't know if they have an organized scuba activity or not.

We work with many Boy Scout groups in Phoenix swimming Merit badges or scuba activity. I trained quite a few Boy Scouts a few months ago that were going to the Catalina Camp. They had a lot of fun at the camp!
 
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