blue steal
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Bob DBF. The peace web page says they have an open boat every thursday thru September and one San Miguel trip on a Wenesday. I don't see any weekend trips though.
Advice on Diving Channel Islands
- Thread starter Dyanne
- Start date
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farmerstephen13
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just got back from santa cruz island, beautiful day horrible vis though went with the miss devin (ocean sports charters) out of santa barbara harbor, that is another choice. I have dove santa cruz a few times this year all with the miss devin and have a great time every time
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Dyanne
Registered
Thanks again for all the replys.
To be more specific, I had planned on diving the northern islands. I had done some diving off Casino point in Catalina and wasnt very impressed so wanted to try my luck elsewhere.
I'm fairly new to diving and am not a regular diver so my question is, are there dive spots i should avoid or be careful of?
To be more specific, I had planned on diving the northern islands. I had done some diving off Casino point in Catalina and wasnt very impressed so wanted to try my luck elsewhere.
I'm fairly new to diving and am not a regular diver so my question is, are there dive spots i should avoid or be careful of?
Leejnd
Contributor
Well, Dyanne, if you're on a dive boat - which is the ONLY way you're going to get out to the northern islands, unless you have your own boat - you're not going to have any options to choose your dive spots. The dive sites are chosen by the skipper, dictated by weather, conditions, the experience level of the divers on board, and the "theme" of the day. As an inexperienced diver, what you should do is ask the dive boat what type of trip it is: is this trip for experienced divers comfortable with current and deeper dives? Is it a "hunting" trip intended for hunters? Or is this trip going to have students on board and go to easier, shallower sites?
I always ask upfront, so I know what to expect. Our local dive boats often have classes along with their instructors going out for their OW certs, so if you have a boat with students you can be assured they're going to take you to easy spots. Boats also often have trips that are only appropriate for more advanced divers, going to more challenging sites. Be sure to ask.
Once at the dive site, listen carefully to the dive briefing. They will tell you what you need to know...where the reef structure is, if there's a current and which direction it's blowing, if and where you might encounter surge, etc. If you end up at a site that sounds a bit too challenging for your skills...sit out the dive. The boat will likely be doing 3 or 4 dives - better to skip one than put yourself at risk.
I always ask upfront, so I know what to expect. Our local dive boats often have classes along with their instructors going out for their OW certs, so if you have a boat with students you can be assured they're going to take you to easy spots. Boats also often have trips that are only appropriate for more advanced divers, going to more challenging sites. Be sure to ask.
Once at the dive site, listen carefully to the dive briefing. They will tell you what you need to know...where the reef structure is, if there's a current and which direction it's blowing, if and where you might encounter surge, etc. If you end up at a site that sounds a bit too challenging for your skills...sit out the dive. The boat will likely be doing 3 or 4 dives - better to skip one than put yourself at risk.
fnfalman
Contributor
The boat captains usually try to find the most amenable dive sites UNLESS the boat(s) had been committed to go do some challenging sites like Gull Island or some of the dive spots in San Miguel which are sweet but challenging to newbies. If it's Anacapa or Santa Cruz, then the dive spots are very easy and amenable.
fnfalman
Contributor
Viz wasn't great down at Anacapa either, but there were some sweet sightings of nudiebranches - tons of Spanish Shawl, Cali sea hares, Navanax and a tiny Porter's chromodorid. I saw a giant black seabass, two large (4-ft) halibuts, large sheep crabs, a big eel and a small eel. Some red crabs, fat perches, gigantic sheepheads & calico basses.
It was an excellent day though I felt strange because I'm not an official SoCal diver any more but a "vacation" diver.
TC- how was the temp?
Going for a 3 day Northern Islands trip in a couple weeks. This will be my 3rd year on this trip (same time every year). Two years ago we had very calm seas but rippin currents and actually spent 2 days at Catalina just to get some dives in. Last year was no viz and green and one day of ripping current, but got LOTS of macro pix. The boat will almost always try to get you someplace with the best conditions of the day. Its just that conditions change, sometimes quickly. Memorial weekend we got to Santa Barbara Island on Sun afternoon/evening. Perfectly flat and no wind. Fog rolled in, and by morning it was lumpy and the current was pretty harsh in spots. Still got some great dives in and finished in the rookery. You just never know what the ocean has in store for you.
Going for a 3 day Northern Islands trip in a couple weeks. This will be my 3rd year on this trip (same time every year). Two years ago we had very calm seas but rippin currents and actually spent 2 days at Catalina just to get some dives in. Last year was no viz and green and one day of ripping current, but got LOTS of macro pix. The boat will almost always try to get you someplace with the best conditions of the day. Its just that conditions change, sometimes quickly. Memorial weekend we got to Santa Barbara Island on Sun afternoon/evening. Perfectly flat and no wind. Fog rolled in, and by morning it was lumpy and the current was pretty harsh in spots. Still got some great dives in and finished in the rookery. You just never know what the ocean has in store for you.
Leejnd
Contributor
Ain't that the truth. Last Saturday we were on Spectre to Santa Cruz, and the channel was ROCKIN like crazy, to the point where there were multiple people feeding the fishies. But the moment we passed Smugglers, the seas were as calm as bathwater. However, all the dive sites in that area were ripping current so we headed further up the backside and found a couple of completely still spots. Later that afternoon we came back down, and the spots that were rippin' in the morning were completely calm and still by the afternoon.
We're taking our sailboat out to Santa Cruz Is. for the whole week next week, and we're praying for conditions good enough to be able to completely circle the island, hitting a different anchorage each night. We're bringing our tanks & gear and hope to get in a few dives, but with just the two of us, moving position isn't so easy. If we end up at anchorages with current, no diving. We'll just have to see how it goes, and pray that the gods of the sea smile down on us and give us at least a few calm anchorages.
Editing to add - Mike I see you're going to Galapagos - I was there in October! Where ya staying? Where ya diving?
Leejnd
Contributor
Sorry for the hijack. You'll have a GREAT time! Galapagos is awesome. (Although I had a pretty bad experience diving there, it was due to having picked the wrong land-based dive op!)
(And now back to our topic...)
Dyanne, it looks like Peace out of Ventura is a no-go for the 3rd - they're on a 3-day trip. But if you can go Sunday (the 4th), they're going to Anacapa, which is almost always easy sites. It looks like it's a charter from Malibu Divers, so there will probably be students onboard - a good option for you. You'd have to contact Malibu Divers directly to book, since it's a charter. Malibu Divers
Both Spectre and Explorer out of Ventura are going out on the 3rd. Spectre is doing 4 dives at Anacapa/Santa Cruz (they'll pick which island that day), and Explorer is doing 3 dives at Anacapa. I'd go for Spectre myself - both trips are $120, but you get one more dive on Spectre. I was on them last Saturday and all four dive sites were easy and shallow. You can book them here: CalBoat Diving
Good luck!
You'll have a GREAT time! Galapagos is awesome. (Although I had a pretty bad experience diving there, it was due to having picked the wrong land-based dive op!) (And now back to our topic...)
Dyanne, it looks like Peace out of Ventura is a no-go for the 3rd - they're on a 3-day trip. But if you can go Sunday (the 4th), they're going to Anacapa, which is almost always easy sites. It looks like it's a charter from Malibu Divers, so there will probably be students onboard - a good option for you. You'd have to contact Malibu Divers directly to book, since it's a charter. Malibu Divers
Both Spectre and Explorer out of Ventura are going out on the 3rd. Spectre is doing 4 dives at Anacapa/Santa Cruz (they'll pick which island that day), and Explorer is doing 3 dives at Anacapa. I'd go for Spectre myself - both trips are $120, but you get one more dive on Spectre. I was on them last Saturday and all four dive sites were easy and shallow. You can book them here: CalBoat Diving
Good luck!
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