Diving Catalina Island

[jdf]

A small group of us are planning on going to Avalon on Catalina Island for a 3 day weekend of diving. None of us have ever been diving there and would like any information the local divers can give us. We plan on doing one morning of boat diving and the rest beach diving. Questions we have are: Where are the best dive spots at the Casino Underwater park, What about the lockers, showers, renting tanks, weights and such. Which is the better dive operation for boat diving, Good restaurants and such, Do you have to carry your gear to heck and back? Any information and tips would be greatly appreciated. We are staying at the Snug Harbor Inn which had great reviews since this is a special wedding anniversary.

Thanks!!!

 

[Mo2vation]

A small group of us are planning on going to Avalon on Catalina Island for a 3 day weekend of diving. None of us have ever been diving there and would like any information the local divers can give us. We plan on doing one morning of boat diving and the rest beach diving. Questions we have are: Where are the best dive spots at the Casino Underwater park, What about the lockers, showers, renting tanks, weights and such. Which is the better dive operation for boat diving, Good restaurants and such, Do you have to carry your gear to heck and back? Any information and tips would be greatly appreciated. We are staying at the Snug Harbor Inn which had great reviews since this is a special wedding anniversary.

Thanks!!!

Moved this to the So Cal room - lots of us dive there all the time. I'll let the others fill you in... you'll love it there. I sure do.

K

 

[jlyle]

A small group of us are planning on going to Avalon on Catalina Island for a 3 day weekend of diving. None of us have ever been diving there and would like any information the local divers can give us. We plan on doing one morning of boat diving and the rest beach diving. Questions we have are: Where are the best dive spots at the Casino Underwater park, What about the lockers, showers, renting tanks, weights and such. Which is the better dive operation for boat diving, Good restaurants and such, Do you have to carry your gear to heck and back? Any information and tips would be greatly appreciated. We are staying at the Snug Harbor Inn which had great reviews since this is a special wedding anniversary.

Thanks!!!

You may find my trip report informative: click here

Casino Point isn't so big that you can explore all of it in a couple of dives. If you go right at the end of the stairs and swim along the breakwall you will ultimately come to the wreck of the Sue Jac, a ferrocement boat wreck; most of the hull is still intact with the insides strewn down the rocks to 100 fsw. Scattered directly out from the stairs and to the left are some other smaller wrecks and an old barge. Kelp grows all along the shore in both directions.

Good restaurants? Lots of them: Prego, Anthony's, Steve's, Portofino...

You will have to schlep your gear. If you go to the dive shack on the Green Pier, you can rent a cart.

No showers in the park, lockers are available, but your stuff is very safe and you can't leave items in the lockers over night.

Email me: jlyle@scubadiving.com if you have more questions.

 

[drbill]

Only beach diving that can be done here is in the dive park. I've done at least 800 dives there myself and still haven't explored it all! Good that you've also planned for a day of boat diving- SCUBA Luv or Catalina Divers Supply can offer a good trip for you. Both have web sites.

Lockers are at the dive park. I think they are 75 cents for 24 hours. There is a public shower on the way to (or from) the dive park. Don't know the cost. Tanks, weights, etc., can be rented from either dive op, but CDS does have a fill station right at the park that rents them. Carts can be rented from either SCUBA Luv or CDS in town.

Good restaurants? Armstrongs for seafood, Steve's Steakhouse, Antonio's Pizzeria, El Galleon, The Landing for atmosphere (anniversary), Villa Portofino, Mr. Nings for Chinese...

A small group of us are planning on going to Avalon on Catalina Island for a 3 day weekend of diving. None of us have ever been diving there and would like any information the local divers can give us. We plan on doing one morning of boat diving and the rest beach diving. Questions we have are: Where are the best dive spots at the Casino Underwater park, What about the lockers, showers, renting tanks, weights and such. Which is the better dive operation for boat diving, Good restaurants and such, Do you have to carry your gear to heck and back? Any information and tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[So Cal Divin]

Catalina Express offers a porter service for $8 per person roundtrip too drop off/ pick up your gear at the Pointe.
Casino Pointe has an on-site SCUBA mini-shop which provides tank & weight rentals.
One alternative or head to SCUBA LUV which is half way up the block on the same street as the pier. You'll have to lug gear to the point or rent the cart as previously mentioned.
While you're there visit the Harbor Master at the end of the pier up the stairs and ask about diving the wreck the Valiant. It's only a moderate surface swim outside of Casino Pointe. Well worth it. You have to get permission from the Harbor Master first (boat traffic) they should also have a map to show you the wrecks location.
Scuba Cat is the dive boat that works off the pier. I met this guy on one trip there just haven't hada chance to try him out yet. http://catalinaislandcharters.com/index.htm.
Nice guy sold me the exact BCD I was looking for for 1/2 price(slightly used) offered to take us out on his boat to sight sea a pod of whales that were sighted. Didn't have time though our boat was boarding in 45 mn. Wish I would've caught a later boat.
If you decide to do a boat try and find out if there have been any Black Sea Bass sightings. Also I've heard the back side(Open Water ) of the island has more to offer.
Although more advanced due to current.
Showers are located across from the big white historical bldg. on the way to the Pointe. Is that vague enough. I think they take quarters?
Restaurants: the Landing is good with a great view of the bay. The little restaurant closest to the Pointe has GREAT tacos. If they're open. Seasonal. Iknow a couple more just never remember the names just location and food. Breakfastatty's Waffle House, I think. Next door to Joe's. And on the last corner on the way to the C. Express another great taco stand.. White bldg. no seating.

Hope this gets you started. Call the Harbor Master (Avalon, Ca.) for more info or Try Catalina Express and SCUBA LUV.

Jeff

 

[Warren_L]

I was there for a day of diving back in December and absolutely loved it! I got all my gear from http://www.catalinadiverssupply.com right on the pier. Caught the Catalina Express http://www.catalinaexpress.com/public_html/sched_current.htm to and from San Pedro.

You're gonna love it!

 

[jdf]

Wow! Thanks for all the info. We are really looking forward to it. For some of us, it is the first time diving on the California Coast. We reserved our boat dive through Catalina Divers Supply and feel lucky to get that since we took the last spots. Our experience levels range from extremely experienced to an almost newcomer. I am also going to try out photography for the first time. I did the resort course there, but that was over 10 years ago. The thing I remember the most was that it was very colorful. We normally dive at Lake Tahoe or go to warm water.

Thanks again!

 

[kelpmermaid]

You can get an idea of the park - a few photos and a map - on www.ladiver.com.

As for food, I, too, would recommend Armstrongs for seafood, Mr. Ning's for Chinese (better than I expected,) and the sinful Pancake Cottage for breakfast, although the anniversary might warrant a champagne brunch.

One other thought -- you might want to check the tides to plan your dives at Casino Point, particularly if you have novices with you. Sometimes on a really low low-tide, the exit up the stairs can be tricky.

 

[CJ_Albertson]

A small group of us are planning on going to Avalon on Catalina Island for a 3 day weekend of diving. None of us have ever been diving there...

Thanks!!!

All the other posts are right on the money. But here are some general observations

1) Avalon is not a large place. From the big pier in the center you can see everything, the showers, the dive park, 4,000 places to eat the
dive shop and boat operators. You would need to know where to look but you can. and yes the shower takes quarter only Water is expensive on the island as most of it comes over by barge from mainland - so no free showeres

3) Go to Home Depot and buy a cheap dolly. The kind peole use to
move thier trash cans out to the curb. Home Depot sellls them for something like $20 and they disassemble With a cart and gear you can walk from one end of town to the other in 15 minutes.

4) Avalon is only 5% of the island. You need a boat to get to the rest.

 

[jlyle]

If you take a dolly, make sure that it's the two-wheel kind. They won't accept four wheel carts on the Express boats unless they can be broken down.