Diving around Santa Monica,CA

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ScubaWim

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Messages
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Location
Almere, The Netherlands
# of dives
100 - 199
We will be visiting Santa Monica in September and want to know if diving there is interesting. Can anybody help me witj some information? We are not planning to bring our own gear because we will probably have only one day to spare for some diving?

Any info on divesites, diving centers and thei reputation is most welcome.

Thanks in advance.
 
ScubaWim:
We will be visiting Santa Monica in September and want to know if diving there is interesting. Can anybody help me witj some information? We are not planning to bring our own gear because we will probably have only one day to spare for some diving?

Any info on divesites, diving centers and thei reputation is most welcome.

Thanks in advance.

will you have a rental car?

sounds like you don't have a lot of time

you probably want to do 3 dives off a boat in the channel islands, these boats will also bring rental gear on and off the boat for you, which is a big time savings and hassle advantage

http://www.calboatdiving.com/
http://www.peaceboat.com/

the boat leaves from ventura, which is a 1-hour drive from santa monica.

How does this sound? Let us know if you have more questions

Scott
 
http://www.sandeaters.org then go to dive sites for list of local diving and a description. Santa Monica really does not offer a lot of diving. Most dives are in Malibu, Redondo, Palos Verde or Laguna Beach, and are 40 minute ot 1.5 hour drive depending on destination, time of day and of course LA traffic. Maiibu, Redondo Beahc and Palos Verde are the easiest to get to from Santa Monica.

You will need to bring: Mask, Fins, Snorkle, Gloves and Boots with you.
The rest (7mm wetsuit, hood, tank, computer, spg, compass) can be rented for $45-$55 per day depending on where you go. If you want to rent it all including the mask fins etc, there are only 3 shops that I have found that will do so and you should expect to part with $80 - $100 per day or more.

Most dive boats only operate on the weekend except the ventura boats. You may find a small "six pac" working out of Long Beach on the weekday.
 
kelpmermaid:
Depending upon how late in September, a day trip over to the underwater park at the Casino in Avalon on Catalina Island might work for you as well. You might want to take a look at www.ladiver.com and www.californiadiveboats.com to get an idea of what is available.

We will be arriving the 17th and leave again on the 21st. What would be a better thing to do Catalina or the Channel Islands?
 
ScubaWim:
We will be arriving the 17th and leave again on the 21st. What would be a better thing to do Catalina or the Channel Islands?

Catalina *is* one of the channel islands.

Cost is similar, once everything is added up.

Its really a personal decision, diving either place will be great.

If you take the ferry to catalina, you can dive off the shore at your own pace, and you can rent all the gear on the island. you still have to worry about carrying gear from the dive shop to the dive site, and back. Or you can take a taixi. Entry and exit is fairly easy on the island. The dive site is called "casino point" or simply "the dive park". If it is a friday-sunday, you can get air fills right at the dive site. You will do all your dives at one place.

If you take a boat to anacapa, you will do 3 or 4 dives off the boat. your gear will be waiting on the boat. food and air fills may or may not be included in the price.

either way you will have to drive 45min-1 hour from santa monica to catch the ferry or dive boat.

hope this helps! I'm sure others will have more info to add

By the way, there is an entire thread that talks about taking the ferry to catalina island to dive on your own, here it is:
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=85342

Scott
 
Actually, I think that the fill station out at Casino Point may be open all week at that time of year, but it appears that Catalina Divers Supply has not updated its website past June 2005 on that point. One thing to consider would be tides...and they look good.

http://www.saltwatertides.com/cgi-local/california.cgi

As to Catalina vs. the northern Channel Islands, it's all good. I assume you realize that our conditions are not tropical, and the California diver is a fairly hardy sort, so it's definitely not resort-type diving. Also, tanks/weights may or may not be included on the boat -- it's best to ask.
 
ScubaWim:
We will be arriving the 17th and leave again on the 21st. What would be a better thing to do Catalina or the Channel Islands?

Hard to say. What you are really asking is if you should take the ferry to Catalina Islland and then dive in the dive park at Casino Point or take a boat and dive off the boat. The boat may go to Catalina or one of the other islands. From Santa monica the closes boats will be departing from San Pedro. One _excelent_ boat the "Pacific Star" leave out of King Harbor which is very close, good food and service on that boat.

Round trip ferry tickets are $43 per person and boats trips run about $120 each. Either way you will get to do about three dives. Welll if you plan very well you might get in four at Casino Point. The boat trip is less hassel and less planning and might take you to a better dive site (maybe?) The boat will also have a DM who can give a briefing at the dive park you will just have to ask the other divers where to go and what to see. The local custom here is that DMs stay on the boat

If you ask you can find some local divers to do some beach dives with. This can take very little time as it can be done after work (night dives) or very early in the morning leaving time for whatever else you plan to get done that day. The diving really is better at the islands but a trip over takes all day and costs $$$ the local beaches cost nearly nothing in terms of time or money. Those of us you dive two days a week couldn't possibly be on a boat or ferry that much. There is a lot to be seen off the local beaches for threprice of an airfill and parking meter change.

As for renting gear, some of the shops have some beat up looking stuff others have first class gear that is replaced with new every year. Bring regs, fins and mask and dive computers with you at least. You will need 7mm suit, gloves hood and boots
 

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