on_two_wheels
Contributor
If you don't have a 7mm suit, rent one. When I dove wet it was in a 7mm AND a 3mm vest. You'll also want a hood, 5mm gloves and boots if you have them.
If you have a full day, I second the suggestion for diving the Magician dive boat. Magician Dive Boat San Pedro CA If they don't have one for ya, you might also check Dive Boat Sundiver and click on Sundiver Express on the bottom of the page. Kayaa is great and the boat often gets back just a little earlier than most, 2-3p rather than 5p.
If you prefer taking the express to the island, you can get a 6:45 out of Long Beach which puts you there around 8a. There's a ferry service for $8 to cart your gear to/from the park (highly recommended). You could be in the water by 9-9:30a, do two dives and be back on the boat by 2-3p, home by 4-ish. However, unless it's on the weekend, kind of pain since the dive shops are a long walk when you're carrying tanks. On the weekend, there's a fill station right at the dive park and I believe they have a full selection of rental suits/bcd/etc. Catalina Island Scuba Diving and Snorkeling from Catalina Divers Supply on Catalina Island in Avalon CA runs that stuff. The other dives shop is Catalina Scuba Luv: Scuba Dive, Snorkel, Snuba Dive Catalina Island California.
Hope this all helps. I don't do shore dives with rare exceptions so can't really help ya there. Good luck. Let us all know what dates and we might be able to get a local to join ya.
If you have a full day, I second the suggestion for diving the Magician dive boat. Magician Dive Boat San Pedro CA If they don't have one for ya, you might also check Dive Boat Sundiver and click on Sundiver Express on the bottom of the page. Kayaa is great and the boat often gets back just a little earlier than most, 2-3p rather than 5p.
If you prefer taking the express to the island, you can get a 6:45 out of Long Beach which puts you there around 8a. There's a ferry service for $8 to cart your gear to/from the park (highly recommended). You could be in the water by 9-9:30a, do two dives and be back on the boat by 2-3p, home by 4-ish. However, unless it's on the weekend, kind of pain since the dive shops are a long walk when you're carrying tanks. On the weekend, there's a fill station right at the dive park and I believe they have a full selection of rental suits/bcd/etc. Catalina Island Scuba Diving and Snorkeling from Catalina Divers Supply on Catalina Island in Avalon CA runs that stuff. The other dives shop is Catalina Scuba Luv: Scuba Dive, Snorkel, Snuba Dive Catalina Island California.
Hope this all helps. I don't do shore dives with rare exceptions so can't really help ya there. Good luck. Let us all know what dates and we might be able to get a local to join ya.
