Southern California Diving, what's best choice?

[divekraz]

My wife and I would like to go diving in Santa Catalina or the Channel Islands. The dive boats I've been able to find all appear to be liveaboards and I was looking for day trips. I have family in the Thousand Oaks area so we would stay with them. Anyone have any suggestions? Appreciate any feed back. Thank you

 

[Scuba G]

Check out this listing of California dive boats: California Dive Boats

You can always take the ferry over to Catalina for a nice day of diving at the dive park esp. during the week when it's not too crowded.

Have fun,
Gerald

 

[Teamcasa]

California Dive Boats : The Official Page

Most offer day trips to Catalina and the Channel Islands.
The Great Escape does a great job as does the Peace Boats.

You could also take a day trip to Catalina and dive one of the two island based boats. Both are terrific.

 

[liuk3]

I would check out the Peace dive boat. Here's their calendar:
Peace Dive Boat Calendar

They are not far from where you will be staying with your family in Thousand Oaks.

Looking at where you are located and where you have dived, it seems that you may be accustomed to warmer water. I would make sure you have good enough thermal protection. If diving in a wetsuit, I usually wear a 7mm full wetsuit along with a 5mm hooded vest. Hope you have fun!

 

[Beachlover]

Check out California Diving News : The Only Publication Dedicated to California Scuba Divers

 

[HBDiveGirl]

My favorite day boats for the Channel Islands are:
Ventura:
The Peace (offers nitrox, but the dives are often shallow so it's less important)
The Spectre (air)

These boats usually visit Anacapa Isl and/or Santa Cruz Island. Travel time is short (1.5 hours) so you usually get 4 dives in. Both have a hot tub. Peace offers all around great food. Spectre offers a fantastic BBQ Tri-tip/chicken lunch. Both boats have a full bunkroom and enclosed galley space.


San Pedro:
The Magician (nitrox, full galley/bunks)
The Sea Bass (only 12 divers. Small enclosed cabin. Sandwiches or burgers for lunch. Nitrox. Fantastic Oil Rig dives if conditions allow.)

Catalina Island is the closest to these boats (2-2.5 hours). Santa Barbara and San Clemente Islands are 5-6 hours away. Looong day.


Long Beach: (These boats have air only. Catalina is the closest island)
Great Escape
Sundiver
Bottomscratcher (cramped deck space, but they do have a Boston Whaler chase boat that can pick up and drop off divers around a site.)

_______
So, these boats would be my first choice for day diving the Channel Islands, and I actually prefer the diving at Anacapa Island and Santa Cruz. (Peace and Spectre) Parts of Anacapa have been completely protected for over 25 years and it thick and rich with life. The unprotected areas may be urchin barrens. Big difference when you're a photographer.

If you're in a wetsuit, know that our water temps stay in the 50's and low 60's until late June. July offers warming waters, and August/September/October will have high 60's and even 70 at the surface.
When the water is cold, boat diving in a wet suit is better if the boat has a fully enclosed galley available.

~~~~
Claudette

 

[divekraz]

Really appreciate the response, Some of the boats mentioned, I've gone to their web sites and was under the impression they were multiple nights and not just day trips. I will call them and get better details. Thanks again for the help

 

[emttim]

Really appreciate the response, Some of the boats mentioned, I've gone to their web sites and was under the impression they were multiple nights and not just day trips. I will call them and get better details. Thanks again for the help

Some of the boats such as the Peace are multiple nights where the boat doesn't come back to the dock at the end of each day, however, they are typically a lot more expensive. For instance, you can dive from the Spectre for $115 on a Saturday and get 4 dives in which includes air and food. If you wanted to do a 3-day liveaboard on one of the Truth Aquatics boats like the Peace, you may be paying around $500, but then you're anchored out at sea so you will be able to get many more dives in.

 

[drbill]

A dive boat from the mainland to my home, Catalina, is a good idea and there are a number of good ones that have been mentioned above. You can also take an early morning Catalina Express boat from Long Beach or San Pedro to Avalon on the island and shore dive at the Casino Point Dive Park.

 

[Makin Raider]

Really appreciate the response, Some of the boats mentioned, I've gone to their web sites and was under the impression they were multiple nights and not just day trips. I will call them and get better details. Thanks again for the help

Just to add a little more, the most boats out here offer both multiday and single day trips. If you go to the site mentioned earlier California Dive Boats : The Official Page and look at the size of the boats, most are larger than typical day boats found in other places. They are larger because we demand fine cuisine and hot tubs . The nearest "island" is anacapa and that's 12 miles away. We can have days where the ocean is flat like a lake or ones that you'll be glad you're on a larger vessel. If you're visiting family in TO, I'd absolutely agree with those that posted before me, the Peace or the Spectre are the way to go.