New to California Diving

[TommyScuba]

Yeah that's right my wife is going to siggraph. I would love to go diving in Catalina. I told my wife she could drop me off at the ferry on tuesday when we fly in. I would just survive on coffee, energy drinks and the thrill of the dive, and get back on the ferry in a couple of days. She did not like that idea. So I found some cool looking places on the coast.

 

[Sideways]

Hey Tommy...First glance at my schedule that week, I have Monday and Thursday off.

The week of the 11-15th yes?

 

[davidbaraff]

I just got certified, and I go to SIGGRAPH every year. I'm in the middle of checking out a trip to Catalina for when I'm at SIGGRAPH (i.e. durnig the week). I'd love to do a boat dive, as long as it doesn't go deeper than 60'. Never having been to Catalina, I'm not sure I want to cope with the logistics of a shore dive my first time there -- a boat dive sounds simpler.

I'm trying to find if there's a boat trip the would just leave from the mainland, let me do two dives, and return me back.

Anybody got any recommendations?

 

[dpbishop]

Here's a link to the dive boat's of SoCal. California Dive Boats : The Official Page

If you are staying downtown near the convention center, the boats out of San Pedro are probably your best bet as it is a straight shot down the Freeway. The boats usually leave pretty early, so plan on spending a full day.

Casino point is about as easy a shore dive as you can find; no surf, steps into the water. You can rent all your gear at a local shop if you want to avoid schlepping it over on the ferry, but I've never had a problem doing that.

 

[davidbaraff]

Having gone to the trouble of buying everything (except for tanks and weights), i'm a lot more comfortable with my own stuff. Also, without a buddy, a boat dive is pretty much my only option. (Not that i'm thrilled with the instabuddy concept, especially this early in my diving career.)

 

[FishNut]

DIve with some of the crabs from your area. Sooner or latter you will find a bunch of buddies that are pulling you every which way to go diving