Mr. C dive boat

[blue steal]

Has anyone ever gone out on the Mr. C dive boat from 22nd street? I signed up for the catalina run this sunday at pacific wilderness. I am a bit nervous as I am not sure what to expect. Any tips and advice would be welcomed. I know the boat holds about 30+ people and air fills/food is extra. Not sure what to tip DM. I would like to do three dives. I am solo, so I will find a buddy on the 2 hour trip over. I am a "newbie" to scuba <20 dives, but very comfortable in the ocean as I snorkel/freedive in laguna, PV, la jolla. All of my scuba has been warm water with 12lb of weight, shortie 3/2mm wesuit. I use 6 lb for freediving.:goingdown:

Thanks

 

[FrankPro1]

The Mr.C is a nice charter, not the best but certainly not the worst. Quarters can get quite cramped, so get there early to reserve a bunk. I'm sure you won't have trouble finding a buddy. Have you properly weighted yourself with the gear your going to be using? You can bring a small cooler, so take advantage! I usually bring my own brewski's and food, so all I have to pay for is air and tip.

 

[blue steal]

Thanks Frank for the tips.
I will arrive early and hopefully secure a bunk. The guy said there are 20 bunks and 31 or 38 people going. I am bringing a couple water bottles, few cliff bars, fruit, and a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. How is the security of your stuff onboard when diving? I have to go back to Pacific Wilderness Saturday afternoon to rent my gear. Need BC,reg, wetsuit full, weight belt. Whole package is $40. I have been using 6lb when freediving which is perfect. For scuba, 12 lbs with a shortie 3/2mm with steel tank (small one). The guy suggested 20 lb with the full wetsuit 7mm or 6.5mm. I weight about 168lb. What would be a suggested tip for DM? In the PI we usually just get them lunch or beer or something for their kids. Hopefully this trip will work out okay, just nervous as it's my first. I think in the future I will just rent the gear on Friday or Saturday and shore dive PV. My wifes friend at work dives alot in laguna and is interested in PV. He can't make this sunday though.:lifesaver:
Oh, what depths would one usually go and is it one DM for the whole group? I am hoping to get three dives in. I know air is $5 a fill.

 

[FrankPro1]

Yes, usually one DM for the whole group. But its not like a tropical dive, where the DM actually dives with you. You and your buddy will decide where to go, how long, etc. etc. No hand holding in So Cal I am 6ft 190-200lbs and with a Steel 100 I use 18lbs. I could probably drop that down to 16, but I prefer being over rather then under. When I was using aluminum 80's, I used anywhere between 24-22lbs. I think 20lbs would be a good place to start and then drop 2, if you feel over weighted. Tip, what you feel they deserve. I wouldn't worry about your stuff being stolen. If there's anything you absolutely want to keep safe, I would keep it stored in your bunk in a backpack. "Remember no going into the bunk area with wet clothes. So make sure you have everything you need before getting wet"

 

[fnfalman]

I don't care much for Mr. C because it's slower than molasses and the grubs aren't all that great. By the time you add in air fills and food/drink costs, it's just as much as the better boats like Magician or Great Escape. However, I do go out on it a couple of times a year to show support for my LDS that uses that boat.

The main thing about Mr. C is that they have a single fill station instead of having air hoses routed to both sides of the boat. What you do is that after a dive, you put your BC next to the air station and the guy will fill it and you drag it back to your regular dive station so that the next diver can put his or her rig in for refill.

A dive master in a typical Cali dive boat does not go into the water but stays on top to keep track of who's going and coming, and to do surface rescue. Usually the dive master and/or the deck hand would help you with taking off your fins as you return from the dive and sprawling on the dive platform.

However, you are welcome to secure the services of a dive master to act as tour guide. You just need to let the boat or the chartering company (in this case Pacific Wilderness) know before hand and they'll arrange to have a dive master to accompany you for a fee.

 

[blue steal]

:goingdown:Well I am not worried about the diving part, just the process for air fills, getting in and out of the water. In PI we used small boats and backroll in and climb a ladder out. Never used a platform entry/exit. Hope I get a good buddy, not necessarly experienced, but not the type that wonders off or panics easily, been with those types a few times. DM would bring us all up because of one person. I am into safety and like to check out everything and practice my bouyancy before going off exploring.
fnfalman. where do these boats like magician and great escape go out of? Read your post a while back about sea-d-sea. Is that a pretty good LDS? I remember 50 years ago when my dad and uncle dove PV, they were always hanging around dive and surf, but I don't get good vibes there when I go in now.
Thanks FrankPro1 again, hope your reverse block clears, man that must hurt like he..

 

[Dive California]

well said by all...I've DMd this boat...great crew...you will have lots of fun on this boat in good weather. The food isn't as bad as some may think....Tommy gets the grill going for burgers and chicken...mmmm....and that always taste better outdoors on a grill.

Do get there early, with 30+ people that will be crowded. Enjoy.

 

[fnfalman]

:fnfalman. where do these boats like magician and great escape go out of? Read your post a while back about sea-d-sea. Is that a pretty good LDS? I remember 50 years ago when my dad and uncle dove PV, they were always hanging around dive and surf, but I don't get good vibes there when I go in now.

The Magician is out of San Pedro port and the Great Escape is out of Long Beach Port.

Sea D Sea is just a small Mom&Pop dive shop. They carry a modest inventory but they tend to carry higher quality gears. The owner Barry is known to do some wheeling and dealing as far as pricing goes. If he isn't too busy, he'd be more than glad to shoot the breeze with you about diving in SoCal sites. Dive & Surf isn't my kind of joint. Too many T-shirt sales.

 

[scottfiji]

Sea-d-sea is a great dive shop.

well blue-steal, I'm curious to see what kind of buddy you procured on the boat, let us know how it went. these things are always "luck of the draw"

Scott

 

[blue steal]

Here my report of the day. Showed up early, got a nice bunk and secured my gear. Bunks are small but you can fit if you are <6'. Good amount of deck space. We had 24 divers onboard. 8-9 boyscouts, 8-9 doing OW checkout, and a few couples. Trip over was slow, maybe 2 hours, back was 2+hours. One of the DM's for the OW was a lady named Helen, she was really cool and quite helpful. She really knows and loves diving. I was diving with the son of the captan. Really young kid, but a good diver. Our first dive went well, 60' for 46 minutes. VIS pretty good. Had a problem getting and staying down as the tank had less air. Never had any air in my BC. I used 20lb., but
before the second dive Helen loaned me a 4lb and this made it much easier to stay down. Not used to a 7mm wetsuit with hood before. Dive #2 went even better. Lunch is burgers beef/chicken. The chicken was a big piece of meat with all the fixing, but $8 a bit high. Refills were not a problem, just bring your tank to the fill station, I think they had 4 or 6 hoses and the guy brought it back in a few minutes. $6 a fill/3000 psi. Got tangled up in some fishing line while manuvering in and around the kelp forest, and had to use my shears to cut the stuff away from my fins. Not a problem. The scouts only did one dive and crashed out on the boat, some did two dives, and a few myself did three. Dive #3 was good 35-40' 42 minutes. Weather was perfect, warm not cold at all, VIS good, not a bad day..........................