Need Recommendations for S Cal Sep 13-15

[KevinA]

I'm coming to visit a friend in LA area in the next couple of weeks. I'll be staying in the Redondo Beach area. I'm looking for some recommendations on where to go. My friend has OW cert, but hasn't dove in 20 years. He's game to do a refresher course/dive somewhere, so I need some advice on where to take him. Assuming he's "refreshed" and ready to make a dive later that day or the next, what would be some good options? I'm certainly interested in making the trek over to Catalina (either via ferry or dive boat). I'm hoping to make dives at Catalina even if I need to go a day or two later.

FYI- I'm fairly new diver myself. I was certified early in the year. I've gotten my AoW cert and Nitrox completed recently and I've done 30 dives. (Some Caribbean reef dives, some freshwater lakes) Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Kevin

 

[SKMoss]

Catalina, Avalon Dive Park is pretty good right now. It's a favorite place for OW classes so consider it a potential for a returning newly refreshed diver.

It's also a great place for post dive lunch/dinner/beverages, etc.

I love boat diving, but diving Catalina can be much more relaxing as you're not being rushed by the boat, other divers. Take the ferry over, make a couple of dives in the morning. Go have lunch and relax a bit, another dive or 2 in the afternoon. Then the ferry back. Makes for a heck of a day on and under the water.

Catalina Express for the ferry across. They leave out of several different So Cal ports. I think Long Beach and San Pedro are shortest and thus cheapest, but I don't know for sure.
On the Catalina side there is an equipment taxi service that will haul your gear both ways and store it until you're ready to pick up. It's about a 10 minute walk after you drop off you're gear.
Catalina Divers Supply has tanks/fills, weights and other rental gear right at the dive park, or contact one of the several dive shops there for rentals as needed.

 

[bshmerlie]

20 years is a long time ago. Even with a refresher course I would still plan like he's never done scuba before and be really cautious. If you could afford it I would recommend hiring a DM or someone to go with you on the dive. That way someone could be right behind him if he were to have problems and go floating to the surface. Catalina would be a nice place to dive. Assuming you're keeping it shallow the water is warm right now so you could probably even go without the hoods....sometimes that makes people feel more comfortable.

 

[SKMoss]

BSH is right. It is warm. I dive a semi-dry, and had to break the seal on the neck and pump water in to cool off with. Last weekend, we were all out of our hoods by the 3rd dive, and most had shed them on the second dive. Light weight reef gloves were are all that's needed. Didn't need the heavier gloves.

 

[diversteve]

Without special arrangements on just about every SoCal dive boat the DM stays on the boat. So if you day trip over to Catalina via dive boat, you may want to hire one. Most boats have names if they don't have someone on staff available. Don't assume tanks/weights are provided either since some SoCal divers bring their own - it's usually specified on their websites. Monthly schedules also on most of them.

Here's most of the boat options near Redondo: The Long Beach/San Pedro boats are probably your best option in terms of drive time.
California Dive Boats : The Official Page

I believe Island Diver is a full boat charter only but their website is so annoying I've never bothered to find out.

 

[KevinA]

Thanks for the suggestions. The ferry sound likes a good option. I'll definitely look into hiring a DM to go with us.

 

[fnfalman]

Your buddy can get a refresher course at either Dive n Surf or Pacific Wilderness. Both shops are close to the Redondo Beach area...but 20-years of inactivity? Might as well start all over because essentially he's a new diver at this point.

 

[drbill]

Casino Point as others have suggested. Refresher strongly suggested for your buddy. Hiring a guide at Casino Point recommended. Pretty safe dive site since everything is close to shore and the steps make entry and exit easy. It does drop down to maximum depths of 55, 70 and about 100 fsw at the boundary lines.

 

[KevinA]

Based on my conversation with Catalina Divers Supply, I think I'm going to have my friend do a Discover Scuba dive. That way we have someone on hand to help out. Based on how that goes, we can explore next steps for him. I'll just do the class with him as a tag-along. I appreciate all the help.

 

[fnfalman]

Based on my conversation with Catalina Divers Supply, I think I'm going to have my friend do a Discover Scuba dive. That way we have someone on hand to help out. Based on how that goes, we can explore next steps for him. I'll just do the class with him as a tag-along. I appreciate all the help.

Nothing wrong with tagging along a discover scuba session. That's what I did with one of my summer interns.