Diving Catalina Island?

[Livetodive06]

My husband and I will be traveling to San Diego mid-August and are trying to squeeze in some diving in Catalina. We have a full day set aside just for diving and would like to do some shore diving so we can squeeze in as many dives as possible (of course, within the range of our dive tables). How is the shore diving in Catalina? Any recommendations on dive sites? Or do you recommend dive boats out to some better sites? Any recommendation on tank rentals?

 

[TrojanCatMan]

Boat would be best. http://californiadiveboats.com/

Farnsworth banks is a top dive (advanced divers only). The front side of catalina is considered better diving (as compared to the back). Casino pt is a good dive from the shore for the island. Its like diving in an aquarium! Have fun .

 

[drbill]

Look in the SoCal section for the great thread on diving Catalina.

 

[headhunter]

I see that El Orans moved this thread to the SoCal section, so that you could get more answers to your questions.

Welcome to ScubaBoard! :happywave

I think that you would be quite happy going to Casino Point and doing the shore dive at the Dive Park. It's not a shore dive in the traditional sense, since they've build a set of stairs complete with handrails going right down in to the water.

To dive most of Catalina Island you would need to go on a boat. If you stay on the Island you could go out on the King Neptune from Avalon.

Christian

 

[drbill]

I've heard vis in the dive park has reached 60 ft recently.

 

[vistasbelow]

How is the shore diving in Catalina? Any recommendations on dive sites? Or do you recommend dive boats out to some better sites? Any recommendation on tank rentals?

Shore diving on Catalinia Island is great, there is really only one dive site but there is a lot to see there. I reccomend the Scuba Cat for boat dives, but of course I am bias because I work on it, but King Neptune is a good boat too. You can easily rent tanks right at the dive park, there is a full rental shop and air fill station just steps away from the entrance of the dive park (open from 8 to 4).