MtnDiver:
How about "Dive N' Surf" in Redondo Beach? Anyone have any experience with them? I actually got somebody on the phone and they are listed on PADI's website as a PADI 5 Star Center.
I live 10 minutes from Dive N Surf (DNS). They have first quality equipment. They replace everything each January so it has only a few dives on it. They use Aqualung Titan regs with Suunto computer and compass but cheap seaquest BCs and of course they offer Body Glove suits.
(DNS and BG have common onership) They rent full suits not FJ suits and I would recommend the full suit with hooded vest under it for the casino point trip. JFs are to bulky and no warmmer The down side of DNS is cost and policy. They charge double and you pay for every day.
Sports Chalet is only a couple miles from DNS and charges less then half as much for servicable equipment and gives you a day to pick up and drop of the gear.
Just down the road from DNS is Ses D Ses which unlike the other two arger stors in run by the owner himself and he give very good service and fair prices and keeps his gear in good shape.
There are about 65 dive shops in the So Cal area I've oly been in a few of them. Another good
one is "Eco Dive Center" in Culver City but that';s a 20 to 30 minute drive from MB. He has much nicer gear that he can rent you including things like drysuits and nitrox that the above shops do not offer..
In Los Angeles you really have to watch the diving. It only looks like 20 miles of freeway on the map but at 15 miles per hour it's not fun
How long will you be in the area? There is a local group that dives locally at night after work and on weekends. It's a very active group that welcomes new people Casino Point is a nice dive spot that you should not miss but there are others that are coser and do not require a boat trip, right up the road from MB is a good nigh dive spot and Pals Verdes is a lot like catalina, same rocks and kelp but with poorer vis.
If you have more question PM me I live and work in the area.
