Dive buddy for Casino Park

[ippy01]

I'm going to be able to steal a day away from a business trip to LA in a couple of weeks and would like to go over to Catalina -- all the great posts here have me thinking Catalina is a "must-dive" location.

Question: is a dive buddy a must at the Park? Is it monitored/enforced by anyone? I'm very comfortable and experienced with solo diving and since I won't have another diver with me, I think this is my only option.

I did note that the "Great Catalina Island Thread" mentions you can hire a dive guide. I'd rather avoid this if possible, but is it, in fact, a viable option? Seems hard to believe there are guides just sitting around waiting to be hired.

Thanks for any insight you can share.

 

[xSandman3]

There are no scuba cops at Casino Point, and I have seen quite a few solo divers out there. As long as you're comfortable with extracting yourself from kelp, you should be fine. They have maps of the park for sale at Catalina Divers and Scuba Luv, which I recommend having. What day are you going to be there? I might be able to get over there, despite my pressing schedule of doing absolutely nothing for the next 5 weeks.

 

[scottfiji]

I'm going to be able to steal a day away from a business trip to LA in a couple of weeks and would like to go over to Catalina -- all the great posts here have me thinking Catalina is a "must-dive" location.

Question: is a dive buddy a must at the Park? Is it monitored/enforced by anyone? I'm very comfortable and experienced with solo diving and since I won't have another diver with me, I think this is my only option.

I did note that the "Great Catalina Island Thread" mentions you can hire a dive guide. I'd rather avoid this if possible, but is it, in fact, a viable option? Seems hard to believe there are guides just sitting around waiting to be hired.

Thanks for any insight you can share.

Of course you don't need a dive buddy, there are no rules against solo diving anywhere in so-cal except for laguna beach (and maybe on a couple boats).

navagating the dive park is extremely simple, I'm sure you'll have no problem finding your way around without a guide. and there will be other divers there, you can ask them where their favorite areas are. I tend to either go straight out, hang a left, or hang a right.

have fun, you'll love it!

Scott

 

[drbill]

Yep, no dive buddy needed at the park. All you need is your c-card to get the tanks filled... no log book required. It's pretty safe and sane for any experienced diver. I dive solo 80% of the time, but am not recommending that anyone else do so unless they feel comfortable themselves.

 

[miket]

navagating the dive park is extremely simple, I'm sure you'll have no problem finding your way around without a guide. and there will be other divers there, you can ask them where their favorite areas are. I tend to either go straight out, hang a left, or hang a right.

I wouldn't get a guide.

In a nutshell (looking down the stairs into the water).

There are some small wrecks straight out near the middle buoys. My last time there they were directly underneath one, but I didn't write it down and they move sometimes. They were at 70-80 feet the few tines I found them.

To the far left, at depth is some cool wreckage of a swim platform, some metal tubes (was a pier I think) and some sandy areas (Where I've seen many Bat Rays). This was around 50-60 feet.

To the direct right about halfway out are some great rock reefs with big boulders, ledges and small drop offs. I really like the diving in this 20-35 foot deep area. When it is sunny up top and you are deep inside the kelp forest, it is really beautiful.

To the extreme right is the deepest part of the park and has a large wreck (just the hull). Its around 90-100 feet deep. This is a nice first dive if you intend to go deep, we usually drop down at the far right buoy, then move up the wall back to the stairs. The wreck is on the way.

When I go, I try to do three different areas. There are other hidden treasures down there like the Cousteau monument, a reproduction of a spanish style wooden wreck, other wreckage.

Remember, when diving in kelp don't twist around if you get tangled. Usually if my fins get caught, I just swim hard and it breaks. If you get really stuck, reach wherever it is and snap it like a pencil. Some parts of the park are thick with giant kelp.

You will love it, this was the first place I ever dove in the ocean, during my OW class.

This is about right. I don't think the Sujac is under the buoy anymore. Someone else may have been there more recently may know. The small wrecks in the middle seem to change from season to season. In good vis they are not hard to find. The general area of this map is correct.

- MikeT
http://www.socaldivevideos.com

 

[MyDiveLog]

Milket has excellent advice. The only thing I'd recommend is that you use electrical tape to tape the loose ends of your fin straps down. If you don't do this the loose end will sag out as you swim, forming a nice "Vee" shape to catch the strands of kelp. Obviously, you need to be sure the strap is adjusted to the right length and not need to tighten it.

One other thing -- I don't endorse simply swimming hard forward if caught in kelp to break the kelp. I had a buddy do this once, and he ended up cocooned in kelp. Kelp is very strong & stretchy axially, but very brittle if you simply bend it over. Better yet, if caught pause, back up a bit, and it'll usually untangle itself.

Kelp has natural pathways, especially near the bottom. Go slow and it'll part in front of you as you go.

Have fun!

 

[saintsfan]

if by in a couple of weeks you mean after the 2nd of august, I will be there till the 5th give me a pm I am staying at hamilton cove that week

 

[ippy01]

Thank you VERY much to everyone who replied -- fantastic!


x-sandmanx, I will be there 8/7. PM me if you wish. Of course, I hate to interfere with 5 weeks of doing nothing -- that sounds very important!

The map and advice were exactly what I was looking for. Much appreciated.

If any of your ever need Lake Erie dive advice, let me know. Wait a minute: why would someone from California ever want to dive in Lake Erie???? Never mind.

Again thank you to everyone.