Recommendations for a first SoCal dive

[Rudebob]

I appreciate all the input and everyone being so helpful. I have made a few calls to some day boat operators and decided this is the way to go for us to get our first southern California dive expericence. This way we will be able to dive Catalina but not have to hassle with the logistics of planning our own trip-plus, it really does not cost that much more when you consider parking, ferry, tank rentals, etc.

I was wondering what your opinions are of the Island Time charter? From what I have gleaned the boat is open without any interior protection, however, they claim the boat is fast so the trip is fairly quick (relatively). Someone also indicated they may use this boat for OW certification dives. This is no problem since we are somewhat newbie divers ourselves and this will be our first cold water dive, so easy sites would probably be welcomed. My main reason for considering this boat is that it will get us back in time to visit a few relatives while in town. The other boats will burn up the whole day. Are there any other positives or negatives to consider before we book this charter. We will be in CA the weekend of the 17th.
Thanks again,
‘Bob

 

[scjoe]

I think you have it pretty well sorted out. It is the only boat I am aware of that makes regular half-day runs. They will have some snacks, but you may want to bring your own. They don't provide much and if the students get to it first, you may be out of luck. Stuff you want to keep dry is put up front, but a dry sack might be a good idea. The morning run will tend to be smoother than the afternoon.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The Great Escape, is a terrific boat and crew and have an open day November 10.
I guarantee you will have a great dive with them. Really good food as well!

I borrowed your advice to the OP and booked a seat on the 10th. Thanks! Any recomendations on a decent shop to rent a tank and lead from in the Pomona/Clarmont area?

 

[Teamcasa]

Grumpy,
I talked to a new shop just a few minutes West from Pomona/Claremont in LaVerne.
Sharky's Eco Diving

It's the first time a shop called me back to follow up on a request for information regarding gear. They seem like very nice folks.

Dave

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Tanks a lot. I will give them a call.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

The Great Escape, is a terrific boat and crew and have an open day November 10.
I guarantee you will have a great dive with them. Really good food as well!

I took your advice and agree with you, the Great Escape is a really nice boat. I had 3 good dives (2 As and 1 B+), good chow, 3000lbs fills and a friendly crew. The amount of room on the boat deck and the bunks and cabins are really nice on a long day. This all contributes to having a very friendly group of divers and a nice experience. Next time I am out here, I will defiinitly repeat with them.

Thanks!

 

[riguerin]

I was wondering what your opinions are of the Island Time charter? From what I have gleaned the boat is open without any interior protection, however, they claim the boat is fast so the trip is fairly quick (relatively). Someone also indicated they may use this boat for OW certification dives. This is no problem since we are somewhat newbie divers ourselves and this will be our first cold water dive, so easy sites would probably be welcomed. My main reason for considering this boat is that it will get us back in time to visit a few relatives while in town. The other boats will burn up the whole day. Are there any other positives or negatives to consider before we book this charter. We will be in CA the weekend of the 17th.

Bob,

We used to use Express Divers (Island Time) quite a bit just after my son was first certified. The primary reasons being the ease of access from OC, the substantially lowered time commitment, departure time flexibility, and the relatively lower charter price (not so much anymore).

It's a very different type of experience compared to the typical So Cal charter boat that visit the offshore islands. It's billed as a "resort style" operation versus the typical semi live-a-board. Basically, the concept is - you show up at the dock, board a speedy boat that whisks you off to the Catalina sites in record time (about 70-80 minutes from the dock), you do your two dives, then scream back to the dock, you're back home in a few hours.

You have the choice of doing the AM trip and being back around noon ... or sleeping in and catching the afternoon trip. What you mainly sacrifice is the comfort and amenities of the other boats. There's no comfy bunks, TV, galley, 3 cooked meals, etc. But then again, you're not spending nearly as much time on the this boat. You'll also only get 2 dives in ... versus 3-4. Not everyone likes this style of operation, but they certainly have found their niche in the market. The captain and crew have always been great, and we've always enjoyed ourselves immensely.

One thing to point out, however, is that although it's a "resort style" operation, Express Divers does not provide in-water guides. That's a fairly standard policy that you'll encounter throughout SoCal. You mentioned that you are newer divers and these are your first SoCal dives. If you're not comfortable being on your own, then you'll need to make prior arrangements to hire a DM. The operator can help you with this.

Finally, if you do change your mind about trying Laguna Beach shore diving, feel free to shoot me a PM. We dive there a bunch.

Good luck !