Visiting from the UK 29th October - Suggestions?

[Nigel]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone can provide some suggestions for a visiting Brit wanting to get a little diving in to escape briefly from a tour round my resident relatives! I have just started diving again after several years off and my family are new divers (wife and two teenagers) and we are keen to experience Californian diving. I will be in the area from 21st October to 4th November and was hoping to organise a dive in Monterey bay in the first week and one further North (Mendocino or Sonoma?) sometime in the second week. Although my wife and I and two of the kids dive now, they are still new to it so I'd be looking for somewhere shallow and relatively sheltered to take them. I have spoken to a couple of people in Monterey about diving there so I have some good suggestions there to work with but does can anyone help with diving further North?

We will probably have some basic gear (mask, fins, regs) but will need to rent the heavy stuff so dive shops that do rentals would also be useful. I've spoken to one helpful guy at Subsurface Progression so I'm happy we could rent gear in the Fort Bragg area but where to dive? Finally, any suggestions for other entertainment in the area for kids aged 5, 15 and 16 would be welcome - especially if near dive sites

Many thanks,

Nigel

 

[markb018]

gerstle cove is a great spot for beginners. alot of shops hold there classes there because of this. its a marine reserve so you cant take anything but tons of wildlife. plus rangers frequent the park and are always checking up on people. $6 for day use.

its about 20 miles north of jenner id say in sonoma county on highway 1.

 

[Nigel]

OK, that sounds pretty ideal - any idea of the nearest dive shop to there?

Nigel

 

[mweitz]

Bodega Bay Pro Dive I think is the closest shop to the sites on the Sonoma Coast:

http://www.bbprodive.com/

Mark

 

[Nigel]

Great, thanks.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Hey Nigel,
Sub Surface Progression not only can rent you the suits but I also believe that they have an onsite divemaster that can lead you on a beach diving tour, but I think you have to call them and have the tours pre-arranged. There are no dive boat operators anywhere on the North Coast so beach diving is the only option.

Where are you planning on staying when you visit the North?
The reason I ask is because there is 2 counties and a lot of shoreline. Diving Sonoma County would be one set of roads and dive shops, and Mendocino County, which is quite a bit further north, would be another whole way to get there and Sub Surface would be the dive shop to use there.
If you're staying in Sonoma County then you could rent from Bodega Bay Pro Dive or Pinnacles dive center in Santa Rosa or Bamboo Reef in Rohnert Park, but these would be too far away from Mendo county to be practical, make sense?

Let me know exactly when and where you want to dive up north and I'll see if I can scrounge up a few cronies and we'll join you.

ZKY