LA area for diving in March? Catalina?

[Paul Desmarais]

If I were you, I would not expect to dive. Go, and rent gear when and if you can dive. I would definitely book the Spectre boat, which is the best and most honestly run dive boar in SoCal... If they don't go out because of conditions, they refund your money in full.

Some of the others, if you book, and they don't dive due to conditions, they will not refund your money, they give you credit, which unless you're local, ends up being worthless. I booked dives on the Raptor out of Ventura dive shop, they cancelled my trip, and I have not been able to get back there, so they have my $200 and I got nothing in return.

 

[Still Kicking]

If I were you, I would not expect to dive. Go, and rent gear when and if you can dive. I would definitely book the Spectre boat, which is the best and most honestly run dive boar in SoCal... If they don't go out because of conditions, they refund your money in full.

Some of the others, if you book, and they don't dive due to conditions, they will not refund your money, they give you credit, which unless you're local, ends up being worthless. I booked dives on the Raptor out of Ventura dive shop, they cancelled my trip, and I have not been able to get back there, so they have my $200 and I got nothing in return.

I have never heard of a So Cal boat not giving a full refund if they don't run due to conditions/mechanical issues etc.

However, I have never booked a trip on the Raptor so perhaps their policy. If that's the case, they are the exception to the rule and it's shady practice.

 

[BabyLitigator]

The Peace was my favorite too but I hear it's not the same these days. New owner, new crew.

Had an awful Peace experience in December (2023). Went out against NWS advice (Spectre turned around at the breakwater), 5 hours of heavy swells, lots of puking (though meclizine ftw), and no diving.

 

[Still Kicking]

Had an awful Peace experience in December (2023). Went out against NWS advice (Spectre turned around at the breakwater), 5 hours of heavy swells, lots of puking (though meclizine ftw), and no diving.

That's bad too. I heard the new new ownership is not great. Did you have the opportunity to dive and didn't feel up to it or did they eventually turn back? In the latter case, did they refund?

 

[BabyLitigator]

That's bad too. I heard the new new ownership is not great. Did you have the opportunity to dive and didn't feel up to it or did they eventually turn back? In the latter case, did they refund?

LDS had the boat chartered. Conditions got worse as we approached Santa Cruz (they had switched from Anacapa because of weather and NWS warning). Bumpy but bearable heading out. Once we got there, they called the LDS owner up to the bridge, he came down, and told us we were going to "turn and burn." I understand it was the boat's call.

The return trip was awful. One of the ropes holding the dinghy down snapped due to shear, the engine was making weird noises and we could smell diesel on the dive deck. Lots of rogue waves hit us from the side so there was a lot of rolling and yawing (in addition to the pitching). They had to repeatedly cut the engine so we didn't jump the larger waves. Apparently the galley and bunk room were both filled with puke but I stayed outside the entire ride back.

I'm told the boat refunded the LDS or gave them a credit. I have no idea if the LDS would have given me a refund (I assume yes) but I wanted the credit and made up the dive (Deep certification) at the dive park in Avalon the following month.

 

[Still Kicking]

LDS had the boat chartered. Conditions got worse as we approached Santa Cruz (they had switched from Anacapa because of weather and NWS warning). Bumpy but bearable heading out. Once we got there, they called the LDS owner up to the bridge, he came down, and told us we were going to "turn and burn." I understand it was the boat's call.

The return trip was awful. One of the ropes holding the dinghy down snapped due to shear, the engine was making weird noises and we could smell diesel on the dive deck. Lots of rogue waves hit us from the side so there was a lot of rolling and yawing (in addition to the pitching). They had to repeatedly cut the engine so we didn't jump the larger waves. Apparently the galley and bunk room were both filled with puke but I stayed outside the entire ride back.

I'm told the boat refunded the LDS or gave them a credit. I have no idea if the LDS would have given me a refund (I assume yes) but I wanted the credit and made up the dive (Deep certification) at the dive park in Avalon the following month.

That's a tough call. Reading the weather forecast is as much art as it is science. Usually, the local boat captains know how to read the tea leaves and will make smart decisions but, whether through inexperience or inexact forecasting, sometimes they do get it wrong.

(There was an infamous day at Catalina many years ago when a Santa Ana wind blew up suddenly and slammed the island -- it was "Victory at Sea" for all the dive boats on the way back and one chase boat swamped and sank with a load of dive gear on board. Fortunately, no one was hurt that I know of.)

I have had a few rough crossings when the diving turned out to be great so I would say it was worth the discomfort (though I am lucky that I rarely get seasick).

In your case, if it was bearable heading out but conditions and the forecast deteriorated as the day progressed, then it was a good call to "turn and burn" rather than delay and risk making the crossing in even worse conditions. The crossing sucked for sure but the boat did make it safely, so in the end you have to trust the judgment of the skipper.

If the boat offers a refund/credit to the shop or their customers, the boat eats the cost of the fuel, crew wages, food, wear and tear on the boat, puke cleanup crew etc. so it is in their interest to cancel early if they feel conditions are clearly not diveable and I don't think any captain knowingly puts their vessel or passengers in harm's way (Conception tragedy notwithstanding).

If the shop offered a credit or refund (customer's preference), I would write it off to an unpleasant experience but I would give the shop or the boat the benefit of the doubt. Sometimes the ocean just doesn't play nice or fair.

 

[Nick_Radov]

If you have a chance to dive then give it a try. I dove from the Pacific Star boat at Catalina Island on Saturday and had a good time exploring the kelp forest. Surface conditions were calm and underwater it was 59 °F with decent visibility. But of course conditions can change at any time so you never know.

Given the water temperature, a drysuit is preferred but a 7mm wetsuit is adequate for shallow dives. Don't purchase a wetsuit, rent one from a local dive shop. If you enjoy the cold water diving experience and want to keep doing it then buy a drysuit. You'll see a variety of conflicting opinions but personally I think that purchasing a wetsuit thicker than 5mm is a waste of money for scuba diving: they're uncomfortable, hard to put on, and don't keep you warm enough on deeper dives.

If you can bring the rest of your gear then do so. Not much can really go wrong with a rental wetsuit as long as you try it on first. But sometimes other rental gear is kind of janky.

 

[Still Kicking]

If you have a chance to dive then give it a try. I dove from the Pacific Star boat at Catalina Island on Saturday and had a good time exploring the kelp forest. Surface conditions were calm and underwater it was 59 °F with decent visibility. But of course conditions can change at any time so you never know.

Given the water temperature, a drysuit is preferred but a 7mm wetsuit is adequate for shallow dives. Don't purchase a wetsuit, rent one from a local dive shop. If you enjoy the cold water diving experience and want to keep doing it then buy a drysuit. You'll see a variety of conflicting opinions but personally I think that purchasing a wetsuit thicker than 5mm is a waste of money for scuba diving: they're uncomfortable, hard to put on, and don't keep you warm enough on deeper dives.

If you can bring the rest of your gear then do so. Not much can really go wrong with a rental wetsuit as long as you try it on first. But sometimes other rental gear is kind of janky.

I agree with everything you say except the part about >5mm wetsuits. I have found that a quality, well fitted 7mm with a hooded vest works for me for all-year diving in So Cal ~100' ~60 mins. Neoprene has gotten a lot more stretchy in recent years so it's easier to put on and take off, and it conforms to body shape more readily. Obviously, cold tolerance is subjective so a wetsuit is not for everyone.

I have had my share of drysuits but I got tired of chasing pinhole leaks, diving damp, dealing with unreliable P-valves, replacing zippers, risking a torn seal every time I put it on or took it off etc. etc.

A wetsuit certainly isn't perfect but it is more or less bulletproof. To me, that's paramount. I reserve my drysuit for what I consider true cold water (PNW).

 

[BabyLitigator]

If you have a chance to dive then give it a try. I dove from the Pacific Star boat at Catalina Island on Saturday and had a good time exploring the kelp forest. Surface conditions were calm and underwater it was 59 °F with decent visibility. But of course conditions can change at any time so you never know.

Given the water temperature, a drysuit is preferred but a 7mm wetsuit is adequate for shallow dives. Don't purchase a wetsuit, rent one from a local dive shop. If you enjoy the cold water diving experience and want to keep doing it then buy a drysuit. You'll see a variety of conflicting opinions but personally I think that purchasing a wetsuit thicker than 5mm is a waste of money for scuba diving: they're uncomfortable, hard to put on, and don't keep you warm enough on deeper dives.

If you can bring the rest of your gear then do so. Not much can really go wrong with a rental wetsuit as long as you try it on first. But sometimes other rental gear is kind of janky.

At least at Catalina Divers Supply the 7mm rentals were not that janky, and were warm enough in January.

The water is kind of cold in LA and the LA-area dive shops want you to come back. The wetsuit quality (I think I have rented from Spectre, CDS, In2Deep and Eco before buying my own) is generally much higher than what I have seen in more tropical locations.

 

[BabyLitigator]

I agree with everything you say except the part about >5mm wetsuits. I have found that a quality, well fitted 7mm with a hooded vest works for me for all-year diving in So Cal ~100' ~60 mins. Neoprene has gotten a lot more stretchy in recent years so it's easier to put on and take off, and it conforms to body shape more readily. Obviously, cold tolerance is subjective so a wetsuit is not for everyone.

I have had my share of drysuits but I got tired of chasing pinhole leaks, diving damp, dealing with unreliable P-valves, replacing zippers, risking a torn seal every time I put it on or took it off etc. etc.

A wetsuit certainly isn't perfect but it is more or less bulletproof. To me, that's paramount. I reserve my drysuit for what I consider true cold water (PNW).

The skinsuits really help with getting the neoprene on and off, and add maybe one degree of cold tolerance as insulation. They are also cheap (less than $100), and are a barrier between you and the rental wetsuit.