Catalina Trip out of Long Beach Area

[ScubaWithTurk]

This is for the Catalina experts we have on this site. I am looking to dive Catalina and am looking at a one day excursion doing two or three tanks.

As I have never been to Catalina I thought I would see what you suggested. A dive boat charter to Catalina, a package through a known and reputable dive shop or taking the Catalina Express over and figuring it out from there?

Thoughts, suggestions and any additional information that can help me plan a trip for three inexperienced divers would be great.

 

[merxlin]

A few questions to give you the best answers:

When are you planning to visit? Conditions vary depending on time of year.
How experienced are you diving cold water, using thick exposure protection (min 7mm wetsuit)?
Will the 3 of you be buddies? What are the other's experience levels?
Will you have gear or need to rent?
I ask because you can do this several ways and get the Catalina experience.

1- Charters from Long Beach/San Pedro- If you are looking to dive on a weekend day then you should have your choice of several dive boats that do 3 tank single day trips. Cost is $110-$150 but includes air fills, food, etc. But our dive boats do not put DM's in the water. You are on your own to plan your dive and dive your plan. Depending on conditions, and if there are students from local shops on the boat, you may dive sites that are somewhat easy, to advanced. The cost is not bad when you consider the Catalina Express (Next option). Look at the sticky post at the top of this forum (Catalina Island Info) for boat recommendations. I know that you can rent gear from Sundiver right at the boat. Most have tanks and weights (make sure you verify).
2- Catalina Express to Casino Point- If you have your gear or want to rent on the island, you can take the Catalina Express over and dive Casino Point (known as the dive park). There is a protected area for divers with a stairway entry/exit, and on weekends a small trailer to do air fills or swap tanks. Catalina Divers Supply, and Scuba Luv can outfit you if you need gear. You can also talk with them about hiring a DM if you need one. The Express is about $76 round trip, plus parking, food, tanks and fills. When compared to a dive boat, it is almost the same cost.

I suggest reading the ongoing post for more details Catalina Island Info

 

[ScubaWithTurk]

A few questions to give you the best answers:

When are you planning to visit? Conditions vary depending on time of year.
How experienced are you diving cold water, using thick exposure protection (min 7mm wetsuit)?
Will the 3 of you be buddies? What are the other's experience levels?
Will you have gear or need to rent?
I ask because you can do this several ways and get the Catalina experience.

1- Charters from Long Beach/San Pedro- If you are looking to dive on a weekend day then you should have your choice of several dive boats that do 3 tank single day trips. Cost is $110-$150 but includes air fills, food, etc. But our dive boats do not put DM's in the water. You are on your own to plan your dive and dive your plan. Depending on conditions, and if there are students from local shops on the boat, you may dive sites that are somewhat easy, to advanced. The cost is not bad when you consider the Catalina Express (Next option). Look at the sticky post at the top of this forum (Catalina Island Info) for boat recommendations. I know that you can rent gear from Sundiver right at the boat. Most have tanks and weights (make sure you verify).
2- Catalina Express to Casino Point- If you have your gear or want to rent on the island, you can take the Catalina Express over and dive Casino Point (known as the dive park). There is a protected area for divers with a stairway entry/exit, and on weekends a small trailer to do air fills or swap tanks. Catalina Divers Supply, and Scuba Luv can outfit you if you need gear. You can also talk with them about hiring a DM if you need one. The Express is about $76 round trip, plus parking, food, tanks and fills. When compared to a dive boat, it is almost the same cost.

I suggest reading the ongoing post for more details Catalina Island Info

When are you planning to visit? I live in Huntington Beach so I will not be visiting
How experienced are you diving cold water, using thick exposure protection (min 7mm wetsuit)? I have 5 dives and all five are here in the cold California waters. I have a 7 mil Bare Reactive wetsuit that keeps me as warm as I could ever want to be.
Will the 3 of you be buddies? Yes we will be What are the other's experience levels? Let's say they are much less experienced that I am and I only have 5 dives.
Will you have gear or need to rent? I only need to rent tanks and weights however the other two: One would need everything from wetsuit to reg. The other has her own wetsuit but would need BCD, reg, weights and tanks.

I am looking at getting a DM to dive with us as I have dove with them once before and I want to improve my skills and that is hard to do when the people you are diving with are less experienced and seem to be more vacation warm water divers.

I wasn't sure if a dive boat would be better than taking the Express over so I figured I would see what all of you suggested.

 

[Dizzi Lizzi]

Well, with a dive boat you don't have a DM in the water with you unless you bring your own. Our first trip after certification was a dive boat around catalina. We somehow had thought we would be led around by the DM. Nope, what we got was a good briefing of the site, procedures ect. What we did is tell the DM that this was our first dive after cert, and what she suggested. She gave us great directions and we had good dives close to the boat.

Our 2nd outing was Catalina Island via the catalina express. We had received our OW at dive park so were familiar with the set up. We did not feel we needed a DM and did our dives from the steps. Of course that meant we did not go very far as I am super cautious, but we had a great time. In retrospect it may have been more fun with a DM as we would have seen more, but we are on a budget, so it worked well for us. We mostly practiced our skills around the mooring balls and did a little exploring, there is a lot to see just feet from the shore on the wall. There are plenty of divers around, and we asked someone to check out out our set up before going in, and sure enough I had my 1st stage upside down

The guys at the trailer are super nice, and have helped me when I had equipment problems, first trying to fix them, then renting me a computer.

Another option is contacting LDS to see if they have any charters scheduled, or trips to catalina, I have found any dive shop we've gone with will take us under their wing...as long as they are not doing a class.

Catalina is very fun, and usually easy. You can read my report, this was about 12 dives after certification. It reminded me of a lot of lessons I had already forgot, and how important it is to listen to that little voice in your head.

Let's do an easy dive

Have fun and dive safe!!!

 

[diversteve]

Fourth option, take the Ferry over then dive Avalon UW Park (only) Guided. Both operators offer it, CDS several times/day everyday apparently. Luv apparently anytime on demand. Both have gear options also.

Guided SCUBA Tours - Catalina Scuba Luv
Catalina Divers Supply - Catalina Island, California - Scuba Diving, Scuba Diving Equipment

Never used either - you probably know this also but: California Dive Boats : The Official Page

 

[drbill]

I second what diversteve posted above. On the California Dive Boats page you can see what mainland boats are scheduled to come out to the island on which dates.

 

[St John the Diver]

Sundiver out of Long Beach. Zero stress diving. Food lead and cylinders included. Rentals on the dock. Good people. Much less work than riding the ferry out and trying to organize diving.

 

[shucksun]

Check out the Magician, Pac Star and Cee Ray as well. The Sundiver and the Asante are faster boats that do not have berths below deck, so you sit on a bench for the ride over, which is about 90 minutes. These boats will load divers in the morning and take off for the day. Boats with berths (bunks) are a different experience, they are slower getting over but have nicer creature comforts like enclosed showers, larger galleys with dinette seating and typically more sophisticated food (for a dive boat). Depending on destination, people board the night before, and sleep in the bunk for the ride over. It is a unique experience to fall asleep tied up to the dock and wake up next to the island with the sun coming up on the horizon and the island looming over the boat. Not to be missed. I may have said this before but I recommend you book through a dive shop, the better outfits will treat you like a client and get you squared away. There are many to choose from; Ocean Safari is my personal recommendation.

 

[lamarpaulski]

You have good advice here. Personally, I like the ferry option: It allows for topside activities like restaurants tours, zipline etc..., minimizes sea sickness, dive shop is right there so if you need gear or have forgotten something you are not tsol, diving at the park is about the easiest it gets with stairs and railings into calm(ish) clear fish-filled waters. If your b/c doesn't work (for example) you get out, rent a b/c and resume diving. If you can't clear your ears then you have lots of options as opposed to sitting on a rocking boat watching other people dive. Same goes for non-diver spouses and friends. The dive shop operator at the Casino is very helpful and reasonable as are the other shops in Avalon.

I've done both options probably a hundred times each and for newbies the Ferry/Park option usually is best. Get some dives under your belt then explore the fantastic rest of Catalina via dive boats.

I usually do groupon for Flyer out of Newport but their winter schedule is pretty skimpy. Catalina express give a free ticket on your birthday...great deal too.