Looking for guidance on first post-OW dives in Monterey

[markloch]

Hey,

Newly certified (or as my wife says, certifiable) OW in June @ San Carlos in Monterey. Scheduling conflicts have prevented me from going on fund dives the LDS I cert'd through hosts, but I have an opportunity to spend the weekend in Monterey first weekend of October - driving wife to SFO Saturday AM, pick her up Monday PM, drop me in Monterey late Saturday morning, I'm there all day Sunday, and leave Monday mid-afternoon.

Alas, my diving friends are either too wimpy for cold water or working elsewhere (a gig in Palau!) so I'll be solo, and I'm wondering how best to approach the weekend. Tours? LDS-hosted fun dives? Private guide-slash-instructor? Mix-and-match of all three? Of course it's one of the weekend's my LDS isn't hosting a dive that Sunday. Any recommendations on LDS's to get to know for the long haul?

Cheers,

Mark

 

[suricatasuricata]

Several options exist:

- Aquarius dive shop has fun dives, some of them happen on the Saturday or Sunday of the every weekend. You will need to be a member to do so. Alternatively a good place to hire a guide for a tour.

- Monterey Bay Scuba (near Breakwater) has a boat that they deploy in San Carlos Beach and take people out diving on Saturdays. You can also hire a DM there.


- Diver Dans (in San Jose) does Monthly discover local scuba dives. Again, check to see if that coincides with your schedule.


I recommend Anywater Sports/Aquarius (owned by the same people) and Diver Dans as local shops to get to know for the long haul.

 

[jellycatsdad]

- Monterey Bay Scuba (near Breakwater) has a boat that they deploy in San Carlos Beach and take people out diving on Saturdays. You can also hire a DM there.

MBS also does boat drops for their dive club as well. $50/year, free air fills on Dive Tribe days, a BBQ for lunch.

 

[lostsheep]

I’d highly recommend posting on all the various groups looking for a dive buddy with similar skills and experience then get out and dive the easier sites. Dive clubs are also excellent for gaining experience. The breakwater is a fine site with lots to see. McAbee is also a good choice.

Your goal really should be to find someone with the same basic long term goals as you and then dive dive dive. I met all my primary buddies through local clubs, we’ve come up through the ranks together, we dive together locally, and we’ve travelled 1/2 way around the world in both directions for diving. It’s hard to find a compatible buddy but when you do it will be the number 1 thing that will keep you diving.