Suggestions for two days of diving in La Jolla

[gladtobehere]

Howdy!

My wife and I will visiting La Jolla August 17-24. really looking forward to getting wet again!

We would like to dive on Monday 8/19 and Tuesday 8/20. We are advanced vacation divers that mostly dive warm waters but dove Catalina Island about 15 years ago (had a blast!) so we have a bit of an idea of what to expect.

What would you recommend for our two days? Thinking two guided shore dives at the La Jolla sites the first day. Not sure about the second. We will have a car if travel is suggested. Boat dives would certainly be ok. We might squeeze in a third day later in the week if we can make it work and will also try snorkeling with the leopard sharks one day.

Thanks in advance!

Marc

 

[pauldw]

There’s also Wreck Alley, not a long boat trip away.

 

[scubadada]

I dive in San Diego whenever I have the opportunity to visit. I have used 3 good operators. None of them puts a DM/guide in the water, I would imagine one could be arranged. Marissa appears to have boat dives on the calendar for both of your days. Waterhorse has nothing on the calendar for boat dives but offers guided shore dives in La Jolla. Lois Ann I did not know that the owners had retired, I don't know where the boat is.

Have a great visit, let us know how you do

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Lois Ann has moved to Long Beach.
Book Your Next Adventure: Go Diving In San Diego | Waterhorse Charters

https://www.marissacharters.com/book-online

 

[dive1bb]

Sounds like a great trip! Hope you can squeeze in a third day, too! More diving the better.

I always dive with Waterhorse Charters when I'm in San Diego. Zach and his DMs are always fun to work with. Looks like they are running Wednesdays-Sundays over the summer. It may be worth calling them any way to see if they can arrange a shore dive on Monday or Tuesday. Worst they can say is no

I see Marissa has boat dives scheduled like @scubadada mentioned -- Monday is a two tanker at the Yukon! I would recommend flipping your plans -- boat dives Monday at Yukon then shore diving Tuesday.

 

[diversteve]

For shore dives - certainly LaJolla Cove. Get there REAL Early for parking along the cliff overlooking it. Otherwise there's a garage a block up the hill,continue past the Cove, the beach and up the hill. You'll have to double back, there's no left there to "downtown" LaJolla - I believe the street is Prospect.

- I believe there's a bank in the same building. If you go out the back door there's stairs that lead right down to the Cove.

The other dive everybody does is the Shores. It's sort of plain near shore but there's a submarine canyon a short swim out - big stuff cruises thru there.

Since you mentioned the Leopard Sharks - you used to be able to dive with them off the Marine Room. IDK if they're still there.

Some of this is dated or lists shops that are closed but it gives a lot of LaJolla info. Divebums - A San Diego Dive Website

There are no boats in LaJolla. Most of them are farther south. Waterhorse is in Mission Bay, Marissa is somewhere in that area also.

If you can find a ride, there should be Kelp off Point Loma but it's been kind of hit or miss for the last decade.

 

[AZTinman]

We were in San Diego last week for the screening of National Geographic's film, Sea of Shadows. Unfortunately, we were unaware that Nautilus Charters had recently opened a dive center operation there (www.sandiegodivecenter.com) and is running the Westerly as their local dive boat. The addition of the Westerly may give you another option for boat dives in the San Diego area. If we had known about the opening of the dive center, we would've stopped-by to check them out.

-AZTinman

 

[scubadada]

Hi @AZTinman

I recently dived with the Nautilus Cabo Dive Center before going to the Revillagigedos on the Nautilus Explorer. It was a very well run operation, a pleasure to dive with. I was hoping to get out to Gordo Banks, but conditions did not cooperate.

The Nautilus San Diego Dive Center is an interesting addition, perhaps particularly with the loss of the Lois Ann. I look forward to hearing from folks who dive with them.

 

[AZTinman]

"The Nautilus San Diego Dive Center is an interesting addition, perhaps particularly with the loss of the Lois Ann. I look forward to hearing from folks who dive with them."

I've never done any diving with Nautilus so it will be interesting to hear from folks who dive with their op in the San Diego area. Maybe this dive center will be the point of departure for clients doing Nautilus trips with their Sea of Cortez op. Next time I'm in San Diego, I'd like to drop-by and visit with them. One of my favorite seafood restaurants is actually in their neighborhood.

Years ago, someone asked me if the Westerly dive boat was still running in Southern Cali, but I didn't know any thing about that one.

I did a Coronado Islands trip with Waterhorse Charter while pursuing material for my sea lion book. While I enjoyed the dive trip, the sea lions weren't cooperative enough for me to get what I needed.

-AZTinman

 

[scubadada]

Hi @AZTinman

Yes, the Nautilus San Diego Dive Center is the departure site for the trips to Guadalupe and cage diving with Great Whites, as well as the trips to Bahia de Los Angeles and the the northern Sea of Cortez. They run their bus to Ensenada or to San Felipe to start the trips.

The Nautilus trips to Los Revillagigedos and Cabo Pulmo leave from Cabo San Lucas and their Cabo Dive Center.

Having a local dive center is an easy way to get in a little more diving before and/or after one of the liveaboards. It was a great way for me to relax in Cabo San Lucas and make sure that my scuba gear made the trip with me. The Cabo Dive Center was on site at the hotel where I stayed, at the marina.