Catalina Dive Park..May 1, 2014.

[fnfalman]

We are going to dive Catalina, Aug 27 and 28 so I hope the viz is better than 30 ft.

The viz won't be better than 30-ft. Typical SoCal viz is between 20-40 ft. If you're lucky, you'd get 60-ft or 80-ft but those dive sites tend to be remote or way the heck out in the ocean.

We are doing a guided shore dive since it is our first time at the park. My instructor in AZ said its an amazing dive thru the kelp forest. I'm not to kend about the water temp but I have a 7mm and 7/8mm.

I don't know about others, but I'm roasting in my 7mm comes summer time around Catalina.

I'm surprised that a boat dive doesn't offer a guided tour.

SoCal boat charters don't run like that. However, you can purchase a guide service form the boat or from the shop which charters the trip.

We always have a guide on a boat dive.

You can get guide service included if you were to charter through a shop called Ocean Safari SCUBA. Their dive guide service comes with the fee. As far as I can tell, they're the only shop that provides this service as part of the standard boat trip package. With other shops or open boat charters, you have to pay for the dive guide service.

I hope its easy to navigate or hope we can buddy up w someone.

Follow the anchor down, shoot an azimuth and don't wander too far. There are plenty of things to see within a small real estate. If you buddy up with others, you don't know what you get.

Check with me when the time comes closer and I'll see if I'm available to provide local dive guide service gratis. However, since that I provide a free service, I do have some conditions that I must insist on. The divers must be safety conscious, ecologically awared, and most importantly, listen to my advices and inputs since that I'm the local yokel. Otherwise, I'd invite them to do their own thing and I go my own way.

 

[drbill]

Winds came up again yesterday... gale force warning flags, boats canceled.

 

[fnfalman]

Summer starting early.