Moving temporarily to Sacramento for work

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Hello,

I'd thought I'd say hello to everyone here. I'm a PADI rescue diver with 49 dives under my belt and hope to get in at least one more day of diving before I head down. Most of my dives have been in the Puget Sound, a few in the Yucatan (16 to be exact), so I'm looking forward to some spectacular cold water diving off the California coast.

I've read through a number of threads here and have found some recommended dive shops for taking classes (I would like to take a deep water class). Also, looks like boat charters are the way to go.

I'll be living in El Dorado Hills, but I hope to get in about 10 dives if I can while I'm down here. If there are any dive clubs that anyone would recommend, or anyone who doesn't mind a noob as a dive buddy, please let me know. I will be bringing down my DPV, so if anyone wants a tow during a shore dive in exchange for me being their dive buddy, please let me know.

Thanks in advance,
Kosta

 

[Keith.M]

So when are you in the area? Are you looking to dive mid week or weekends? How long are you here?

Boat sharters here seem to go mostly on the weekends. Some on Fridays and every once in a while a mid week.

Plenty of good shore diving though!

 

[Deco Dan]

Stop by Scuba World Sacramento on Madison Ave. in Sacramento. They dive every weekend and will set dives for you.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Keith,

I drive down Saturday to Sacramento/El Dorado Hills. I'm hoping to line up an altitude diving class at Tahoe for the 19th. My diving will be confined for weekends. I will be in the area for 3 months or so. I hope to have as many different diving experiences down there as I can.

Good to know on shore diving!

Kosta

---------- Post added April 7th, 2014 at 09:36 AM ----------

Stop by Scuba World Sacramento on Madison Ave. in Sacramento. They dive every weekend and will set dives for you.

Dan,

Thanks! I will certainly check them out!

Kosta

 

[jcaplins]

Keith,

I drive down Saturday to Sacramento/El Dorado Hills. I'm hoping to line up an altitude diving class at Tahoe for the 19th. My diving will be confined for weekends. I will be in the area for 3 months or so. I hope to have as many different diving experiences down there as I can.

Good to know on shore diving!

Kosta

---------- Post added April 7th, 2014 at 09:36 AM ----------


Dan,

Thanks! I will certainly check them out!

Kosta

I go to Dolphin Scuba on E. El Camino. Large shop, friendly knowledgeable staff. I can't compare with other shops in the area, but I have been happy with them.

3 months is kinda short, but hopefully you can get a lot of diving in.

- Lake Tahoe is pretty cool: Lake Tahoe with SDC

- Monterey seems to be the go-to place, lots of shore diving. San Carlos beach seems to be the place for everyone's first Monterey dive (and we keep going back). It is pretty busy on the weekends, so get there early to find a parking spot. Night dives are great and plenty of parking. If you don't have a buddy, I'm sure someone there will let you tag along. There is a dive shop onsite with a webcam: Glenn's Aquarius II | Monterey's Favorite Dive Shop
This thread is chock full of conditions updates:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/norcal/425815-monterey-conditions-lets-keep-going.html

Point Lobos is very nice, but you must make reservations and have a buddy. Will cost ya though.
Fantastic Diving | Point Lobos Foundation

- Lake Berryessa: nothing to see but mud and clams, and vis is horrible, but if you must get your feet wet. Free parking at the Oak Shores day use area. Some dive clubs have weekend cleanup dives in other parts of the lake. May be able to find lost party gear after a holiday weekend too (party cove, I think). We discovered a shipwreck not long ago, but we salvaged it, so no other divers can enjoy it.


Doing a Reef Check class in may; dives will be in the Fort Bragg area, so I will gain a little experience in that region as well.

Other CA shore diving: (i'm sure you've seen this before)
Scuba Shore Diving Region: USA West



Enjoy

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

If i were you I'd do Monterey a few times maybe at the breakwater just to get wet, but then I'd head up to the North Coast where diving gets really good and wild.
If you are into spearing lings and other rockfish for some great eats then Sonoma or Mendo is the place.
Lots of places to camp and crash out for the night on the cheap to keep the overnight fees down.
Not only that we have the giant red abalone that you can freedive for. Nobody else can make a claim for that.
That's a bucket list thing to do my friend.
There's a great dive shop up in Fort Bragg too, Sub Surface Progression. They will set you up.

Forget about Monterey after a few times. Way too commercialised, over run, and over rated for my tastes.
The North Coast is where it's at.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Thanks everyone. Some really helpful advise.

About the north coast, I'm a member of the Moss Bay Dive Club up here in Seattle, and they are planning a trip there in the north coast in June. I definitely plan on meeting them all out there.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Thanks everyone. Some really helpful advise.

About the north coast, I'm a member of the Moss Bay Dive Club up here in Seattle, and they are planning a trip there in the north coast in June. I definitely plan on meeting them all out there.

Are they going to do some ab diving?

 

[Peter_C]

Thanks everyone. Some really helpful advise.

About the north coast, I'm a member of the Moss Bay Dive Club up here in Seattle, and they are planning a trip there in the north coast in June. I definitely plan on meeting them all out there.

Whereabouts in the North Coast are they headed? It is really hit or miss for diving conditions, and there is not a lot of shore diving. Still some of my best dives have been in Mendocino County, and we are headed there this weekend.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Whereabouts in the North Coast are they headed? It is really hit or miss for diving conditions, and there is not a lot of shore diving. Still some of my best dives have been in Mendocino County, and we are headed there this weekend.

Peter,

It looks like Fort Bragg is where they want to start, then move down to Monterey. I'll be joining them for the Saturday/Sunday dives wherever they are.