Visiting LA area in February

[MaplesSharon]

My boyfriend and I will be in the LA area Feb 9-13. We plan to go to Catalina on the Sunday, but will be at odds on the Friday. The rest of the time will be taken up with a family wedding. Can anyone give us a suggestion as to a good dive site? We will be staying at the Marina Hotel in San Pedro. We will have a rental car so we can drive, but only have the one day and still want to have dive time. Any and all suggestions welcome.

We understand this is the season of the Pacific storms, so we will be at the mercy of the weather.

Thanks for the help.

Sharon in Texas.

 

[wetrat]

Hi Sharon - Old Marineland is a great place to dive and it's very near San Pedro. Post in our forum the date you want to dive just before then and I'm sure some of us will be willing to dive with ya!!

 

[pasley]

Wetrat has it right. Old Marineland is one of the best sites in Southern California and is right there. http://www.sandeaters.org and then dive sites.

The dive site is very good, but it is a bit of a walk down to the water.
The Palos Verde Pennisula offers some good diving but getting from the car to the water will take considerable effort.

Malibu offers a lot of good diving and is only about 1 hour away.

 

[MikeM878]

Laguna is about an hour south of the South Bay (non-rush hour)...lots of good diving there as well.

 

[drbill]

I should be here on Catalina during the time of the visit. PM me if the two of you need any help with info about the island and diving here.

 

[Cap335]

Thanks for the suggestions, we are now going to get three days of diving
Friday Feb 10 Diving off San Diego on Yukon
Sat diving old Marineland
Sunday Casino Point on Catalina

Randy and Sharon

 

[pasley]

Tempted to join you as Old Marineland is one of my favorites. But the Wrinkles dive is that day. But just in case, what time you planning on diving Marineland?

 

[Cap335]

Tempted to join you as Old Marineland is one of my favorites. But the Wrinkles dive is that day. But just in case, what time you planning on diving Marineland?

We will have to find a local store to rent tanks and weights so it depends on how early the stores open. Hopefully dive about 1/2 hour after store opens.

Randy

 

[pasley]

Pacific Wilderness in San Pedro http://www.pacificwilderness.com/ would be the closest to your hotel in San Pedro.

San Pedro Location
1719 South Pacific Ave.
San Pedro, CA 90731
(310) 833-2422
Store Hours
Monday-Friday: 9AM-7PM
Saturday: 9AM-6PM
Sunday: 9AM-5PM
Rent your tanks the night before and you can be there when the gates open around 0800 a.m. and have a great day of diving.

Local swell models you will need are:
Surf forecast http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/lox/getprod.php?pil=srf&sid=lox&format=pre
Tide information: http://tbone.biol.sc.edu/tide/tideshow.cgi?site=Cabrillo+Beach&units=f
Current Swell model: http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=nowcast&xitem=socal_now
Wave height predictions: http://cdip.ucsd.edu/?nav=recent&sub=nowcast&xitem=la_hs
Weather and wave forecast: http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphical/sectors/southcalifornia.php

That should do you for getting wet. Have fun.

Note: Old Marineland is an excellent location ( a favorite) but does require a level of physical fitness above the couch potato level so prevelant in the USA today. If you cannot briskly navigate 4 flights of stairs without being winded, this may not be the right site for you. The entrances also require familiarity with rocky botom entrance and exit making this an advance level dive for many.

Old Marineland dive site photos and description click here

 

[wall2wallanimals]

If you feel that walking down a steep dirt path is too much for you current levels, a slightly easier dive not too far from Marineland is Malaga Cove. At least the walk is easier as it is paved and not as steep/long. BUT its still a rocky entry. If you go here, make sure its high tide. It's VERY hard in low tide to navigate the slippery rocks with all your gear.