1st shore dive, Catalina dive park, Labor day

[kelpmermaid]

Re: the steps, I check tides on www.saltwatertides.com before planning a trip there and try to avoid the negative numbers that will leave the bottom step and the sea palms exposed. Conditions were great yesterday -- I'd say 40-50 ft viz, 68F above 35 ft, mid to low 60's beyond that.

 

[scubadobadoo]

When my wife and I did 4 dives at Casino last January, the first day it was low tide and the water was pretty rough due to a storm so the entrance was tricky and the exit was worse. Lots of surge. My wife had a hell of a time getting to her feet and getting up the first step and past the rocks. One almost had to surf past the rocks and up onto your knees once above the step. Kinda like a super man thing head first onto the first step. Fun! The second day it was like glass and no problems at all! Just walk down and don't twist your ankle on the rocks beyond the steps if it's low. If it's high, it can't be easier. Now if you go on a weekday then watching someone first may not be possible.

If you have mostly done boat diving and are new to shore diving then on the wrong day you may have to just take a moment to watch others first, then go for it. Man I wanna go back. Simply lovely!! Perhaps my favorite dives ever. For some reason that kelp environment calls to me more than others. Just some thoughts from some recent Casino newbies.

 

[drbill]

There's actually a very easy and almost foolproof way to exit the stairs at least at all but lowest tide. Keep in mind I'm carrying my housing on every dive so that makes it trickier. It does take a little practice. Here is the way I do it:

Swim in towards the stairs, surfing in with the swell. Grab the upright at the end of the rail with your left hand and do a 180 so that you are facing towards the ocean. As you do this, plant your finned feet firmly on the lowest stair. Quickly walk up backwards to make room for those coming in behind you. It has worked for me over at least 1,300 dives since the stairs went in.

If the tide is very low, I usually go in to the right of the stairs through the channel behind the big rock. It is fairly easy to work your way in through that channel (as long as the feather boa kelp isn't thick). Then plant your feet on the rock and reach across to the lowest step while holding the upright at the end of the rail.

These approaches work for me. Your mileage may vary.

Dr. Bill

 

[gillyweed_girl]

There's actually a very easy and almost foolproof way to exit the stairs at least at all but lowest tide. Keep in mind I'm carrying my housing on every dive so that makes it trickier. It does take a little practice. Here is the way I do it:

Swim in towards the stairs, surfing in with the swell. Grab the upright at the end of the rail with your left hand and do a 180 so that you are facing towards the ocean. As you do this, plant your finned feet firmly on the lowest stair. Quickly walk up backwards to make room for those coming in behind you. It has worked for me over at least 1,300 dives since the stairs went in.

If the tide is very low, I usually go in to the right of the stairs through the channel behind the big rock. It is fairly easy to work your way in through that channel (as long as the feather boa kelp isn't thick). Then plant your feet on the rock and reach across to the lowest step while holding the upright at the end of the rail.

These approaches work for me. Your mileage may vary.

Dr. Bill

Hmmm....
Maybe a diagram would help? Just kidding. I kind of got the hang of it by the end of the weekend!

gillyweed_girl (scubadobadoo's aforementioned wife)

 

[drbill]

Maybe I should make a DVD on "Diving the Casino Point Dive Park." I'll bet I'd sell 2 or 3!

 

[corybaby]

When my wife and I did 4 dives at Casino last January, the first day it was low tide and the water was pretty rough due to a storm so the entrance was tricky and the exit was worse. Lots of surge. My wife had a hell of a time getting to her feet and getting up the first step and past the rocks. One almost had to surf past the rocks and up onto your knees once above the step. Kinda like a super man thing head first onto the first step. Fun! The second day it was like glass and no problems at all! Just walk down and don't twist your ankle on the rocks beyond the steps if it's low. If it's high, it can't be easier. Now if you go on a weekday then watching someone first may not be possible.

If you have mostly done boat diving and are new to shore diving then on the wrong day you may have to just take a moment to watch others first, then go for it. Man I wanna go back. Simply lovely!! Perhaps my favorite dives ever. For some reason that kelp environment calls to me more than others. Just some thoughts from some recent Casino newbies.

We went to eagles nest last sunday (extreme west end) one of my favorite sites, if you love the kelp and big caves and beautiful colors and...........i could go on forever

 

[scubadobadoo]

Maybe I should make a DVD on "Diving the Casino Point Dive Park." I'll bet I'd sell 2 or 3!

Not a bad idea actually. Many people not familiar with shore diving and even some who don't dive cold water and kelp much visit Catalina and are perhaps a little intimidated by the situation and the environment. The first time I ever saw kelp in the water was at Catalina. If not a video, then maybe a small pamplet or book. Beyond this board, SPECIFIC info is spread out and sometimes hard to find on the Casino Dive Park. For example, I really had to dig and call to figure out that renting tanks at the Casino isn't always possible on weekdays. Small info like that pays big when you show up on an island in low season, that you have never visited.

I spent time on your web page before I visited and learned a great deal from it. BTW, thanks! If a small book or video would have been available at a reasonable price, I would probably have bought it.

Just for the record, and mostly if my wife is reading, she did very well!

 

[drbill]

Ah, a "reasonable price" you say... another idea for making billions that I'll have to file away!

There is a good sticky in the SoCal forum about diving Casino Point that gives a lot of good info. And people can always PM me if they need to. I answer all my correspondence, especially if it is from a beautiful and skilled single female diver!

 

[scubadobadoo]

Ah, a "reasonable price" you say... another idea for making billions that I'll have to file away!

There is a good sticky in the SoCal forum about diving Casino Point that gives a lot of good info. And people can always PM me if they need to. I answer all my correspondence, especially if it is from a beautiful and skilled single female diver!

Comprendo mi amigo! If I meet one, I'll be sure to give her your email!

 

[drbill]

Comprendo mi amigo! If I meet one, I'll be sure to give her your email!

Grassy-*** (and that's just what she might get if she dives with me). Oops, are the moderators zeroing in on this post? Gulp!