Visiting Ventura in a couple of weeks....

[ScubaSteve2000]

What are the current conditions around Ventura? I'm hoping to dive around the 30th or 31st (April). What is the shore diving like? My son and his wife will be joining me. They are newly certified. Any info would be welcome. I'm also going to check on boat dive rates and availability.

Thanks,

Steve.

 

[fnfalman]

Right now the weather is changing from week to week so it's hard to tell but the water is warming up. Should be close to mid 50sF now.

I don't know of any shore diving around Ventura that would be good for beginners. Some days they could be flat as pancake and other days the surf could be pretty nasty. About the only place that consistently seems to have good surf for beginners is around Laguna Beach at Shaw's Cove/Diver's Cove/Fisherman Cove.

The Spectre boat in Ventura tends to be chartered by Sport Chalet (a big SoCal sporting goods store chain) and filled with OW students, so they tend to choose spots that are fairly shallow and easy to dive. That's something to keep in mind for your son and his wife. The other side of the coin is that the easy-to-dive spots also tend to be boring.

 

[FishNut]

Water Temp as of Last Tues was 53 - 55 in the Malibu area. You can do shore diving at deer creek if the conditions are right it is easy entry and exit but its always hit and miss, especially this time of year also its not along walk to the water. Other then that spot i don't really know of any area that is an easy entrance or exit.

As for boat diving people say that the Spectre is a good boat (never dove off it myself), I also like the Peace boat.

 

[robint]

What are the current conditions around Ventura? I'm hoping to dive around the 30th or 31st (April). What is the shore diving like? My son and his wife will be joining me. They are newly certified. Any info would be welcome. I'm also going to check on boat dive rates and availability.

Thanks,

Steve.

I too can recommend you check into the Spectre and Peace dive boats in Ventura. Both would be excellent dive experiences for your newly certified family. The Spectre does often have lots of OW students onboard, but we have used it several times and still had wonderful dives as the students usually stay in one area with instructor doing skills and such and don't stray far from the boat. Peace tends have more experienced divers onboard however if they go to Anacapa or Santa Cruz they are diving the same sites at the Spectre. Peace costs a bit more and has nitrox available.

The food is a bit better on the Peace and buffet style, but the Spectre does have a short order cook who can fix you something, prices posted on a board, if you don't want the provided daily lunch (always the same grilled chicken and salad). The Peace also provides hot breakfast and the Spectre doesn't except on Saturdays, I think, when they do 4 dives instead of 3 so they leave earlier.

I like both boats, they are different but the diving is the same. Pick whichever one fits your schedule and you will be fine.

 

[fnfalman]

Don't forget the Explorer as well. That's another nice dive boat.

 

[The Great Kazoo]

What are the current conditions around Ventura? I'm hoping to dive around the 30th or 31st (April). What is the shore diving like? My son and his wife will be joining me. They are newly certified. Any info would be welcome. I'm also going to check on boat dive rates and availability.

Thanks,

Steve.

Drive up the Coast a few minutes and dive Santa Barbara.

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

We're booked on the Spectre on Friday May 1st. I hope I get to meet some of you that day. Thanks a lot for your advice. It takes about the same amount of time to drive from PHX to LA, Ventura or San Diego. Which is about the same drive time, by the way, as when going to San Carlos; and it's usually a 10-12 hour drive back from San Carlos due to the time spent waiting at the border. And I don't need a passport to dive SoCal.

That said I think I can be enticed to dive the "left coast" a few times a year.

Thanks again,

Steve.

 

[fnfalman]

We're booked on the Spectre on Friday May 1st. I hope I get to meet some of you that day. Thanks a lot for your advice. It takes about the same amount of time to drive from PHX to LA, Ventura or San Diego. Which is about the same drive time, by the way, as when going to San Carlos; and it's usually a 10-12 hour drive back from San Carlos due to the time spent waiting at the border. And I don't need a passport to dive SoCal.

That said I think I can be enticed to dive the "left coast" a few times a year.

Thanks again,

Steve.

You'll enjoy it. The Spectre has a great galley cook and don't forget to make good use of their hot tub.

 

[orangelion03]

The other side of the coin is that the easy-to-dive spots also tend to be boring.

Not boring if you've never been there before!

 

[ScubaSteve2000]

We're in Ventura! What a lovely place. We went to the Ventura Harbor Village and had a great time. I could spend hours watching the comings and goings in the harbor. We saw the Spectre and several other dive boats pull out this morning. We're just acrossed the channel (?) from the Channel Islands National Park Observation Tower so we have a great vantage point to keep an eye out.
We'll be checking out the beach this week too. Probably break down and go snorkling I firmly believe that wet suits should be wet at least every seven days and it's been eight for mine.

See you on the boat,

Steve.