Catalina dive park on a Thursday - questions

[scottfiji]

ok, my friend from out of town and I are going to dive the Catalina dive park on thursday. We are taking the early 6:15 ferry over. I believe the fill station at the park won't be open (right?) so we will have to get fills from the dive shops. I just read the catalina (formerly sticky) thread.

questions -

sounds like our only option is to rent 2 of those pull-cart-box things on wheels, and haul our stuff to the dive site. Then we would haul our tanks to and from the dive shops between dives, pulling our tanks and all of our dive gear behind us.

Is this the best way to go?
How much are the pull-carts to rent?
will they be available when we get there from the early boat?
do you think anyone steal them while we are diving?
how far is the closest dive shop to the dive park?
has anyone done this before on a weekday? any other experiences to share?

thanks alot!
Scott

 

[jerryn]

ok, my friend from out of town and I are going to dive the Catalina dive park on thursday. We are taking the early 6:15 ferry over. I believe the fill station at the park won't be open (right?) so we will have to get fills from the dive shops. I just read the catalina (formerly sticky) thread.

questions -

sounds like our only option is to rent 2 of those pull-cart-box things on wheels, and haul our stuff to the dive site. Then we would haul our tanks to and from the dive shops between dives, pulling our tanks and all of our dive gear behind us.

Is this the best way to go?
How much are the pull-carts to rent?
will they be available when we get there from the early boat?
do you think anyone steal them while we are diving?
how far is the closest dive shop to the dive park?
has anyone done this before on a weekday? any other experiences to share?

thanks alot!
Scott

I've done this before. The good news is that there will be very few if any divers at the park. If you go over on the 6:15 boat and then go to the green pier you can rent tanks and a cart. Usually they will give you the additional tanks for the cost of the refill so you do not have to be going back and forth. They open at 8 so you may have time for a coffee and donut before opening.

I don't recall the cost of the cart, not much though.

I have left tanks there many times without worry. Stranger things have happened but Catalina is small and the tanks are distinctive.

The two dive shops are about the same distance -- Scuba Luv and Catalina Scuba. One is on the pier and the other just off the main drag. Both good, either will do.

Take some food and water, the cafe on the point will be closed. Some of my best diving in the park has been mid winter, mid week diving

Have fun, dive safe

Jerry

 

[Mo2vation]

Mid week non-summer the fill station at the point usually open at noon - not 8:00. You should call CDS and double check.

---
Ken

 

[jerryn]

Not at the point, at the pier, Catalina Divers Supply is at the pier about three quarters of the way to the end. That is why you need to get your tanks and a cart.

In my experience the fill station is never open mid week, winter at the point. But that might have changed. Still, minor inconvenience to have the park virtually to yourself.

Jerry

 

[scubadobadoo]

I would guess it to be about a 3/4 of a mile walk from the pier to the dive park. Not bad at all with a cart. Maybe a little less. One of the two dive shops will transport you to the casino mid week for free but I can't remember who it was...

 

[ICY ICE]

Scott,

Go to Home Depot and buy a dolly ($25.00) and STRAPS/BUNGEES. Cat-Ex will let you board with a dolly and two strapped tanks on it (at least I have twice).

While at Home Depot buy a lock and coil chain 6', this way you can secure your gear at the park...a bit extreme but it's better than being out of gear.

 

[scottfiji]

Thanks guys. I looked on the web site, and CDS opens at the pier at 8AM. They are not open at the point on Thursday (they open 12PM on Fridays).

So maybe I'll get 2 tanks, then if I want to get 4 dives in, I just have to make 1 trip to a dive shop mid day, and I can get some lunch too.

I'm looking forward to sharing the dive park with not too many other divers!

Scott

 

[ShakaZulu]

Scuba Luv will transport you, that is a healthy walk, I've done it too often.

 

[scottfiji]

I read about the transport to/from the dive park, but here is my issue: Lets say I rent 2 tanks (hopefully 2nd tank is just the price of a fill?), and I get my stuff transported to the dive park. if I want to do 4 dives, I have still have to figure out how to get my tanks filled mid-day. If I don't have a cart to pull the tanks to the dive shop, I'm SOL (out of luck). So it seems like I have no choice but to rent a cart and pull my stuff over so I can fill the tanks mid-day.

Ice - thanks for the advice, but I don't think I would ever be without my gear (except for a spare tank), when I dive I'm wearing my gear underwater, so why would I need to lock it up?

 

[ICY ICE]

I read about the transport to/from the dive park, but here is my issue: Lets say I rent 2 tanks (hopefully 2nd tank is just the price of a fill?), and I get my stuff transported to the dive park. if I want to do 4 dives, I have still have to figure out how to get my tanks filled mid-day. If I don't have a cart to pull the tanks to the dive shop, I'm SOL (out of luck). So it seems like I have no choice but to rent a cart and pull my stuff over so I can fill the tanks mid-day.

Ice - thanks for the advice, but I don't think I would ever be without my gear (except for a spare tank), when I dive I'm wearing my gear underwater, so why would I need to lock it up?

The "Dolly" will get your tanks to the dive park in the morning unless you use opt to use the shuttle ($7) or taxi ($5). You also can use it to transport the tanks for fills.

Securing your gear: Not sure what your taking with you in the dive bag, like I said it's extreme. But your right.