CA dive vacation spot?

[raposarose]

Hello!

My wife and I are celebrating our two year anniversary and decided we want to have a 2 day dive vacation to celebrate. We though about Catalina but it is all booked. We'll be starting our trip from Los Angeles but we really we can drive anywhere between there and the San Francisco Bay Area. What is a good place for a two day trip with some nice diving? We have only dove before in San Diego and in Monterey so we would like to try something different. Boat diving might be nice but we are very open. We each have about 25 dives of experience. Opinions? Thanks in advance!

 

[wetrat]

I'd be pretty tempted to do a couple days on the Peace out of Ventura. Great crew, great food, and most importantly, GREAT DIVING!

John

 

[ItsBruce]

I'd say go to Catalina, even if it is just for the day. My kid and I do that often enough. We can get in two or three dives at Casino Point, subject, of course, to how crowded the starway is and how long it takes for air fills. You might consider Leo Carillo Beach right by the LA County and Ventura County lines.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Yah, get a hotel in LA/LB area and go to Catalina for the day, next day a beach dive in Malibu or Laguna, or grab a boat out of Ventura for the N. Channel Islands. But a boat is definitely your best bet for good viz/diving.

Garrett

 

[BrianS]

Does Two Harbors have any fill stations?

 

[LAJim]

Two Harbors is good to go. Dive boat Garibaldi. Fills, some beach diving, but boat better.

Jim

 

[Boat Chick]

You can also rent dive kayaks at 2 harbors and kayak over to the marine reserves by the Wrigely Institute (the cove just on the inside of Fisherman's). It's wonderful diving. Lots of great sealife and it's not all destroyed by boaters, fishing, and divers Thing is if you want to overnight you have only one choice, the Banning House B&B (unless you want to drag camping gear and stay at the camp ground or camping cabins). Go to www.catalina.com and click on 2 harbors to get the Banning House reservation phone number.

 

[kelpmermaid]

There is no anchoring or tying off to moorings in the marine reserve, just FYI. You could stay at the Banning House and dive off the Garibaldi...that would be nice, and very good anniversary material...

 

[Robert Phillips]

Find a two day liveaboard going to the Channel Islands. That would be a great dive filled vacation.

 

[raposarose]

Thanks as usual for the suggestions from everyone! I'll let you know what we decide and I'll post a report when we return.

p.s. I hope you've been doing well Robert Phillips, last I remember you had just gone through your DIR-F class (I've been away from this site a little bit). We have been diving with much less frequency since relocating from San Diego to Berkeley. But then again the diving is pretty colorful in Monterey when we do manage to get down there.