Just found out I'm in Newport Beach for the weekend

[apadua]

Hi Guys,

How are you all? It's been a while since I've posted, but I've been reading for a while.

I'm an avid diver with 350ish dives. I just found out I'm stuck in Newport Beach for the weekend with nothing to do and figured I might as well dive. I have a work buddy that also wishes to dive, so our ideal trip would be on Sunday.

Can anyone tell me who the dive operators are around here (I didn't plan on this so I'll have to rent gear) and how the process works? Do I have to go to Avalon first and go from there? or are there operations that run from NPB?

The sites seem very touristy so I haven't been able to figure out what's what.

Thanks so much!


Andre

 

[diversteve]

If you want to dive Catalina Island, you can catch the Catalina Express to Avalon if you want to shore dive the park there. It runs from
Dana Point to the south or Long Beach harbor - Newport is almost right in the middle. Catalina Exprees - Ports Dive gear is allowed.

Gear is available on-island also afaik - the specifics have changed since I was last there - I'll let someone else detail the on-island logistics.

I am not aware of a dive boat in Newport Beach - it's pretty pricey real estate. But I don't live there, just spent a lot of time there for a few decades. Most are berthed in Long Beach harbor or San Pedro harbor except I believe Riviera might be in Dana Point also. It's booked thru Beach Cities Scuba. Many of them do day trips out to Catalina also or the other nearby Southern Channel Islands, the faster boats (Sundiver Express) leave in the morning, some of the slower ones allow you to board the night b4 and sleep onboard to wake up on-site.

The Northern Channel Islands are most often dove out of Ventura or Santa Barbara - from Newport that can be a several hour drive - not recommended.

Here's the complete dive boat list - some can help you acquire needed gear, tanks are either supplied or allowed to be brought on board so check that also.

California Dive Boats : The Official Page

Are you talking about Sunday tomorrow? - start making phone calls this morning for charter options. You may wind up on the Express to Catalina anyway. The two diveboats there are in Avalon on the list also.

There's also shore diving in the area - actually closer to NPB - California Mid here:
Scuba Shore Diving Region: USA West

i just remembered - Beach Cities has a shop in Newport Beach - last on this list:
Store Locator
hope you can get out somewhere this weekend.