Ventura Area Dive Boat Recommendations?

[pelagos]

Hi all,

I am new to the area, see my into here :http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/beach-crabs/275063-greetings-introduction.html

Looking for recommendations for a dive boat. I see that JMDiver is often a DM on Spectre, and their 4-dive charter for $115 seems like a good deal. Coming from warm waters (HI & FL) I'm just not sure how well I'd do with 4 cold-water dives on my first CA trip... I could always sit out 1 or more, but...

Looking for input...

Thanks in advance,
Tim

 

[ligersandtions]

The Spectre is a fantastic boat! It's one of my favorite dive boats (but I'm biased because I've actually only been on a handful of boats as I spend most of my dive time shore diving). The option to do four dives is wonderful....but if you're too cold to do all four, you can take off your gear and hop in the hot tub instead. I did four dives in a 7mm wetsuit, but just barely....now I could easily do four (or more) dives in my drysuit -- something you may want to look into if you find that you're cutting dives short, skipping out altogether, or can't stand going deep.

Another dive boat that gets rave reviews in Ventura is the Peace. I've heard nothing but good things about the Peace, but I haven't made it out with them yet.

This may help you with your boat search as well: California Dive Boats

Welcome again, Tim! Glad to have you here

 

[pelagos]

Thanks for the info! Would LOVE to do some shore diving! I spent six years mostly shore diving while living on Maui, and miss it! ...obviously it's quite different here, but I'm more than game!

 

[weiland]

Hey Tim,

The Spectre is a good boat and tough to beat for that price. Also, they don't generally do deeper dives and usually will have classes on it too. It might be a good option for you if you want to get used to your 7mm suit and an intro to our conditions. I (and many others) will highly recommend the Peace. Great boat, captain and crew. They also have a hottub and comfy bunks like the Spectre.

Have fun,
Greg

 

[pelagos]

Hi all,

Well I finally got wet here in California, on the Spectre this past Saturday (7/11). Conditions were less than ideal (max 12ft. vis.) but I had a great time and saw some good critters nonetheless.

My thoughts on the Spectre: it's a bit of a "cattle boat" (no offense John) - lots of divers, many newly certified or students. Beginner level, shallow-depth diving catered to newer divers (at least so it seemed) - now I see why they don't have Nitrox fills. The crew was good though, as were the food and amenities.

Bottom line for me: it's a great value at $115 for four dives, air and food, but I'm looking for something a little different from a boat diving experience... preferably a little smaller (fewer divers) deeper/more advanced diving, Nitrox, etc.

I see the Peace offers Nitrox fills, and looks like maybe some more interesting diving. Can anyone share more about their experiences on the Peace?

Also, does anyone have any experience with the Raptor or any of the other operators out of Ventura or Oxnard harbors?

Thanks in advance for any input!

Happy diving,
Tim

 

[FishNut]

Love the Peace! Its my Fav. Boat by far. Really great crew, and Cant beat the food! In my experience they go to deeper spots then the Spectre and usually they are not full of classes.

I dont like the raptor and will not go on that boat! Its 2 dives they have no compresor on board. It gets you out and back faster then any of the other boats but lacks Sitting room, and personally food is not that good if you ask me! Also they usualy have Classes on board since it is the shops boat.

 

[caldiver10]

I like (love) the Peace best because of the great crew and food plus the fact that they go to way more spots than the other Ventura boats - as far south as Cortes Bank near San Diego to as far north as San Miguel island, I think.

 

[CompuDude]

Peace. Best boat in SoCal.

Close second and third would be the Sea Bass and the Magician, both out of San Pedro. Both offer Nitrox. The Magician tends towards newbie-ish sites, however, outside of special charters. The Sea Bass tends towards more advanced diving... MUCH smaller boat, too (and far fewer divers). More no-frills, however. The Peace is still my fave boat, but I hold both of these in high esteem as well.

The Peace and Magician are bigger boats... a little smaller than the Spectre, but not by much (~60' vs. ~80' I think). The amenities and good make it worthwhile to me, as well as the excellent crew. The Sea Bass is a smaller, more intimate setting (12-14 divers max, I think) with far fewer amenities but still an excellent experience. Popular with the tech crowd, too.

Honestly I'm not a huge fan of the Spectre, although it does deliver a high dollars-to-dives ratio. Maybe if I had a scooter to escape the crowds and explore farther...

 

[diverrex]

The Peace is a great boat. I've never talked with any diver that had gone on the Peace and didn't like it. Dive boats here have to operate a little differently than in the tropics because of the distance to dive sites, 1 1/2 - 2 1/2 hour ride, longer for the further out islands. Boats tend to be larger with 20+ divers. Try a bunch of boats to find one you like. There are a few smaller boats that take out less divers but they are not as comfortable on the long ride. Also different here than in the tropics is our conditions can change a lot day to day, site to site, so it can be 12 foot viz one day and 50 foot the next. Some dives you see some really cool marine life, some dives not so much. Some diving days are better than others, you just get used to it and enjoy what it is for that day. I've at least never done a dive in California that I didn't enjyoy is some way.

If I lived up toward Ventura I'd be on the Peace all the time.

 

[pelagos]

Also different here than in the tropics is our conditions can change a lot day to day, site to site, so it can be 12 foot viz one day and 50 foot the next. Some dives you see some really cool marine life, some dives not so much. Some diving days are better than others, you just get used to it and enjoy what it is for that day.

It was the same in Hawai'i and in Florida... different from day to day, sometimes 100+ foot viz, sometimes "braille diving" (one hand on your gauges, the other on the bottom) The crew on Spectre remarked that the viz was unusual for this time of year. I'm with the old sayiing "the worst day spent diving beats the best day spent working" and I haven't had a bad day diving yet...

I will check out the Peace...

"peace" out,
Tim