dive boat/charter groups for beginner - recomendations?

[shark.byte.usa]

I have heard many, many horror stories about new divers going solo on boats, getting assigned a buddy (or two!) and being left, brought deep, etc. These are first-hand accounts. Don't get me wrong, a lot of times it works out ok, but often it doesn't.

I would try to find a buddy ahead of time, or see if a dive shop will hook you up with one before the boat leaves, so you can make sure your buddy actually wants a buddy.

Not trying to scare you off from a boat dive, I just want it to be a good experience.

Scott

Scott,

Thanks, this is pretty much the reason for my thread here, to try to avoid this situation.

Any other suggestions besides ReefSeekers and Sport Chalet? ReefSeekers doesn't have anything that will fit into my schedule and skill level. Sport Chalet/Great Escape has a Catalina trip on the 11th, that looks like it would work, once I confirm they have students certifiying, and see if I can get hooked up with a buddy prior to boarding if possible.

 

[scottfiji]

Scott,

Thanks, this is pretty much the reason for my thread here, to try to avoid this situation.

Any other suggestions besides ReefSeekers and Sport Chalet? ReefSeekers doesn't have anything that will fit into my schedule and skill level. Sport Chalet/Great Escape has a Catalina trip on the 11th, that looks like it would work, once I confirm they have students certifiying, and see if I can get hooked up with a buddy prior to boarding if possible.

hollywood divers, ocean adventures, eco-divers, dive-n-surf, sea-d-sea all charter boats... I would look up web sites on google, call each directly, ask to speak to the owner (not an employee), see if they have a charter on that day, and then tell them your concerns about a buddy, and be direct...

I'll bet at least one or two of them will be very helpful..

if sports chalet has students, that will be fine, but that reduces your pool of potential buddies... unless specifically states, all dive boats to catalina usually go to fairly easy sites where you can see everything under 60ft.

Scott

 

[wheezy]

Hit me up when you'll be in town... we'll give ya a "shore dive" tour around Laguna.

 

[Scot M]

You are getting great advice on the boat options, so I'm going to throw out a couple of non-boat but not just plain-old-shorediving suggestions.

If you don't find a boat that fits your needs, start a thread here to plan a trip to the Casino Point dive park on Catalina. More than likely, you'd find several people interested in going. It's shore diving, but nothing like most beach diving. Surf won't be a concern. There's more to see in the park than at most of the student-friendly boat sites.

Saturday, June 11 is the Wrinkles Dive, which is in Laguna Beach this month. It would be a great chance to meet a bunch of Scubaboarders while getting your feet wet (pun intended) at an easy beach site. More details here: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=97648

 

[shark.byte.usa]

Hit me up when you'll be in town... we'll give ya a "shore dive" tour around Laguna.

Thanks, I'll take you up on that.

Saturday, June 11 is the Wrinkles Dive, which is in Laguna Beach this month. It would be a great chance to meet a bunch of Scubaboarders while getting your feet wet (pun intended) at an easy beach site. More details here: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=97648

Thanks, I actually had my eye on last months, but couldn't make it, but have signed up for this month's, appreciate the suggestions.