Looking for your recommendations

[ivanrmz]

I'm going to be in Los Angeles during the week of the 11th - 17th of May 2009, and I would like to ask local divers, what they would suggest as far as a new "experience" goes. I started diving last year but I'm not new to diving at all, I've 90 logged dives in Puerto Rico. So first off I know I will need a thicker wet suit and probably a hood right? I've wonder about kelp diving, but seriously I have no idea what to expect over there.
I don't want to spend the whole week diving but I do want to try something different from what I'm used to...
Your suggestions and comments are welcome.
Thanks,
Ivan

 

[TeqP]

Hi Ivan,

Glad to hear that you will get an opportunity to dive the SoCal waters. If you are planning to dive with a wetsuit, I would recommend a 7mm wetsuit and a hood. You can rent whatever gear you need at many of the dive shops. A pair of gloves might be useful, depending on your tolerance to cooler waters. I dove the west and east side of Puerto Rico last year and can tell you for sure that the waters are cooler in SoCal. My recommended "must-dives" in SoCal would be to head out to Catalina Island for some kelp diving. You can take a local dive boat which will be a full day, leave 7am and get back to dock around 5-6pm, or head to Catalina in the Catalina Express (1 hour trip) and dive in the Casino Point dive park (see sticky in this section for more info). For dive boats, you can go here (California Diving News - Dive Boats - Directory) for more info. If you go to Catalina, you can rent the gear on the Island and tank, so you don't have to lug much gear with you.. Whatever you do, have fun and dive safe.

Phil

 

[dwaters]

Welcome to So.Cal. Ivan, Phil had good sugestions....as it will not be summer yet, it may be tough getting on a boat mid-week...but check out the links above and there are few that do go out. I too recomend the "park" on Catalina as a great introduction to kelp and our waters. Wish I would be around to dive with you, but I'll be gone on family vacation. Enjoy!

 

[ivanrmz]

Hey Phil and Dave, thanks a bunch guys!!!! Catalina it is then... What visibility can I expect in Casino Point? How about water temp and depth? I will look in detail the "sticky" and other posts on the forums this weekend; I'll trouble you later I guess with my questions he he he


Phil> Awesome, where did you dive in PR?

Thanks again,
Ivan

 

[TeqP]

What visibility can I expect in Casino Point? How about water temp and depth?

Ivan - viz can vary from 20-60' sometimes with particulates in the water. Water temps in May I would say high 50s, low 60s, but just a guestimate without looking at my dive log. Casino Point on Catalina island is protected from most of the swells, so usually get better conditions there then in the LA area.

Phil> Awesome, where did you dive in PR?

I dove Desecheo Island on the West end and off of Farjado on the East end. It's looking like I will be heading back down to Puerto Rico in June, so I may try the South side diving this time.

Phil

 

[fnfalman]

Ivan,

If you can't get on a boat dive then definitely go to Casino Point. They don't have a lot of kelps at the Casino Point dive park, but enough to give you the California Pacific diving experience. Viz is generally good at Casino Point just because it's fairly protected from the weather. 20-40ft is the norm. It's not 100-ft+ like the tropics, but it will do. Depth varies between 20-ft all the way to 110-ft.

I'd suggest 7mm suit with hood and gloves. I jumped in without gloves once and it was rather cold. Hehe.

 

[ivanrmz]

Hey guys!!! Thank you so much for your comments and recommendations. I did it! I scheduled a guided dive with a dive shop in Avalon, Catalina Divers Supply and at the same time I reserved a place on the Catalina Express ferry... Water was really cold 61 °F and I ended up using a 6.5 mm farmer john and above that a 5 mm over coat ( a weird neoprene item I had never used before ) I used the hood, gloves an booties in a 5mm gage... Overall, It was an AWESOME experience I will definitely dive again ( and hopefully soon and in summer weather ) in Catalina. Casino Dive Point it's a big park for what I've seen on maps and has lots to offer I wish I could go there and stay in Avalon for at least two or three days... Here are some pics I was able to capture: Ivan Ramírez's Photos - 2009 - 5 - Mayo - También buceamos en... California | Facebook
Thanks again and if you ever come to Puerto Rico let me know!
Ivan

 

[JMdiver]

Glad you had a good time but 61 deg. is actually warm to us SoCal divers.

John

 

[ivanrmz]

Ha ha ha no thanks... I'd rather keep diving P.R. The coldest is 76 but this summer hopefully we'll have 79 - 82 degrees... Gotta love to be a warm water wuss

 

[Red Vette]

I like the Monterey Express' saying...."WARM WATER SUCKS"