Trying out a BP/W in Catalina

[DunningKrueger]

I've been looking for a place to try out a backplate and wing setup before buying one. I found a few great options down in Catalina last week. It was also my first time diving there at the Casino Point Dive Park. What a great place!

Catalina Scuba is a mobile dive shop.Their rental fleet consists of DiveRite stainless backplates with DiveRite Transplate harnesses, a DiveRite Travel XT wing, Atomic B2 regulators, and Shearwater Peregrine computers. Their mobile shop van parks right at the Casino Point Dive Park steps.

Catalina Divers Supply will also put together a BP/W setup for you. They have several options in their rental fleet. They made up a ScubaPro S-Tek stainless backplate, S-Tek Pro adjustable harness, Scubapro S-TEK 30 wing, Scubapro Mk2 EVO / R095 regulators, and a Suunto Zoop Novo console computer. Their facility is a short walk from the dive park steps and has changing facilities and hot showers.

Both shops rented Xcel 7mm wetsuits and hoods.

I booked two guided dives with each shop--two on Thursday and two on Friday. Avoiding the weekend may get you a bit more attention. I stopped by on Saturday before leaving and it was much busier.

Both shops seemed excited about my interest in figuring out a BP/W setup. Catalina Scuba is very oriented around this style of gear so other than adding a weight belt, there wasn't much configuring to do.

Catalina Divers Supply mainly rents jacket style BCDs, but the staff there was happy to help tweak and configure the ScubaPro S-Tek setup for my dives. We put all the additional lead in trim pockets on the cam bands and on the waist belt, eliminating the need for a separate weight belt.

Both guides were great--Chris at Catalina Scuba and Rane at Catalina Divers Supply. I had them to my self except for one dive.

The conditions on Thursday were spectacular with great visibility. I think there were only 2 other divers in the water that day. Friday an upwelling dropped the water temp a bit and reduced the visibility slightly. Great diving nonetheless.

I found a good hotel rate at the Atwater hotel both nights. Comfortable, recently updated, attentive and friendly staff.

Next time I'll dive one day in the park and perhaps one day off CDS's "Scuba Cat" boat somewhere else on the island.

Hopefully this is helpful!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’ve never been out to the Catalina Dive Park but it sounds really fun.
I’ve dived Catalina off a boat but never set foot on the actual island.

 

[Johnoly]

I've been looking for a place to try out a backplate and wing setup before buying one.

..................Hopefully this is helpful!

Great report!..
Did you see any lobsters?? There's some rock cracks in the SMCA protected areas near the point that are just packed with bugs and really cool to see.

 

[DunningKrueger]

Did you see any lobsters??

Yes! Quite a few. Up in the crevices. Or, more accurately, the guide saw them and pointed them out with a light.

Also, baby octopus, several small moray eels, cormorants swimming at 75' (who knew!), sheepheads who come when you tap rocks together, nudibranchs, a tons of fish including a big school of small black fish who swarmed all around us.

I am still pretty new at this so most of my attention is spent on trim and getting used to unfamiliar gear.

 

[rx7diver]

I've been looking for a place to try out a backplate and wing setup before buying one. I found a few great options down in Catalina last week. ...

Thanks for the report! If you get a chance to try a stripped-down version of a BP/W (you know, just simple webbing, without shoulder padding, adjustments, back plate padding, trim pockets, etc.), I think you'll be really pleased--especially if the rig uses a Freedom Plate (as opposed to a doubles plate w/ STA).

rx7diver