Heading to LA -- any good recommendations?

[gbone78]

Hi,

My husband and I will be in Universal City from Aug. 20-26th, 2009. We are both experienced divers -- I'm an AI, he's got rescue. I've always wanted to dive the kelp forests or maybe Catalina, but have only one day of diving together --- which is basically on the 23rd. So are there any good recommendations out there???? A must dive?????

Thanks!

Grace

 

[Hoomi]

If you don't mind driving down to San Diego that morning, the Marissa is heading to the NRAD/New Hope Rock Kelp Forests on the 23rd. $75 pp for two dives, and I booked with them on the recommend of several folks here on Scubaboard.

Marissa Dive Charters

If Dr. Bill checks this, he'll probably have some good recommends on Catalina area dives. Boats to Catalina are easy to find out of the San Pedro/Long Beach area.

As far as "must dives," I suspect the list of such sites off the Southern California coast is going to be long enough that you'll need at least a year of diving time out there to catch up with them. Just based on what I've read, there are weeks worth just off the San Diego coast, let alone adding in everything from Mexico to San Luis Obispo.

 

[robint]

If you don't mind driving down to San Diego that morning, the Marissa is heading to the NRAD/New Hope Rock Kelp Forests on the 23rd. $75 pp for two dives, and I booked with them on the recommend of several folks here on Scubaboard.

Marissa Dive Charters

If Dr. Bill checks this, he'll probably have some good recommends on Catalina area dives. Boats to Catalina are easy to find out of the San Pedro/Long Beach area.

As far as "must dives," I suspect the list of such sites off the Southern California coast is going to be long enough that you'll need at least a year of diving time out there to catch up with them. Just based on what I've read, there are weeks worth just off the San Diego coast, let alone adding in everything from Mexico to San Luis Obispo.

boats just don't go out every day in LA area....and Thursdays aren't a great day to find a boat.
the only boat I can find going out that day is up in Ventura, Peace:
Peace Dive Boat Calendar

Magician goes out on Friday:
Magician Dive Boat San Pedro CA Schedule of Trips

If that is the only day you can do it.... you might want to consider taking the ferry over to Catalina, and renting gear and shore diving there at Casino Park.

robin

 

[gbone78]

boats just don't go out every day in LA area....and Thursdays aren't a great day to find a boat.
the only boat I can find going out that day is up in Ventura, Peace:
Peace Dive Boat Calendar

Magician goes out on Friday:
Magician Dive Boat San Pedro CA Schedule of Trips

If that is the only day you can do it.... you might want to consider taking the ferry over to Catalina, and renting gear and shore diving there at Casino Park.

robin

But August 23rd is a Sunday.......

 

[robint]

But August 23rd is a Sunday.......

Yikes, sorry!!! I thought you were talking about this month.

 

[Hoomi]

Doh! Sorry! I also thought you were referring to July.

My comment on boats to Catalina being easy to find was intended to mean all boats, not just dive charters. As I recall, there are at least a couple of different island shuttle services hauling folks out to Catalina and back.

On August 23rd, the Marissa will be taking charters to the Yukon and Ruby E. Wrecks in the morning, and to the Yukon and NOSC tower wrecks in the afternoon, if those might interest you. Both excursions are again $75 pp for two dives.

 

[Teamcasa]

A day trip to the Casino Dive park is always and option. Great diving and terrific surface intervals.

 

[Kevrumbo]

http://www.wannagodown.com/divelosangeles.html

Also Hollywood Divers dive shop is right there by Universal City/Studios

 

[ligersandtions]

I would second the idea of going to Casino Point. It is absolutely fantastic and really gives you a taste of socal diving....without fighting surf and getting to do it on your own schedule rather than a boat charter's schedule.

Within the park alone, there are numerous areas to dive, from shallow to fairly deep (close to 100fsw). You could easily do three to four dives and not get bored. I have the park (underwater) map attached. I'm sure someone has it embedded in a post somewhere, but this is the easiest way for me to get it to you.

Hopefully you have a wonderful time and can get a little diving in. It really is worth it!

 

[diverrex]

....or take the Peace out of Ventura to Anacapa that day through Malibu Divers. I live near Universal, the drive to Ventura is a little longer than to Long Beach, but the Peace trips to Anacapa are little faster than Long Beach charters to Catalina so the overall time is a wash.

...or for some real fun take the Great Escape through Ocean Safari out to Santa Barbara Island to dive with the sea lions. You would need to sleep on the boat Sat night as it will leave at 2 AM. But the sea lions are definately worth the longer trip. Best dive I've ever had in So Cal was at Santa Barbara Island when 20-30 sea lions came to play with 3 of us divers for 30 minutes of our dive, following us all the way back to the boat. I've never laughed so much underwater watching them do acrobatics and nipping at our fins like puppies. Here is a link to my buddy Mike's website that shows that dive. Click on Santa Barbara Island April 7, 2007 (be patient it takes a while to load).