2004:NorCal or SoCal diving trip??? (AUGUST)

SoCAL

I could definitely be up for SoCal if the timing is right. We plan on going to SoCal to visit grandsons in late July or early August and I've been looking for someplace to dive. It would be so much easier if we had a group of people we trust!

Anthony

SoCal:

SoCal has lots and lots of fabulous diving, especially in the Channel Islands: San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz and Anacapa (Northern Channel Islands) and Santa Catalina, San Clemente, San Nicolas and Santa Barbara (Southern Channel Islands). For an SD trip, a 2-3 day liveaboard trip would probably be a great trip, though getting a block of motel rooms somewhere and making several day trips interspersed with some beach dives would also be fun. A long weekend in Avalon (Catalina) would be the most fun, but can be expensive in the "on" season, as Randy noted. Worth checking out, though. There are some diver-friendly hotels that often offer package deals (which include the ferry ride from/to the mainland, lodging and a couple of boat dives).

I can recommend the dive boat Sundiver out of Long Beach for 2-3 day liveaboard trips to the Islands. Comfortable boat and great crew. The Pacific Star is another nice and very roomy boat out of Redondo Beach.

More links:

Illustration of Channel Islands

Catalina Island's Official Site

Examples of dive packages with Scuba Luv dive boat in Avalon

And of course, my very own San Diego is a great option too. We've got a little bit of everything: island diving (with sea lions almost guaranteed) at Los Coronados; lots of wreck diving in Wreck Alley, including the Canadian destroyer Yukon; and plenty of decent shore diving. (Not to mention a great topside lifestyle.)

My dive report from Los Coronados

Wreck Alley

C'mon out to Cali!

SoCal:

My dive report from Los Coronados

C'mon out to Cali!

Diving with sea lions??? Count me in!

SoCal!!!
Hey, if Shamu himself recommends it, how can you go wrong? I, too, think that a multi-day trip is the best option, especially given that many folks don't have a lot of experience in rough beach diving, and some of the summer swells can be intimidating.

Edited by jextract, 15 February 2005 - 04:01 PM.

Cool kelp shot! And you can view my SD profile to see another photo of a Catalina kelp forest (shot a week and a half ago).

SoCal!!!
Hey, if Shamu himself recommends it, how can you go wrong?  I, too, think that a multi-day trip is the best option, especially given that many folks don't have a lot of experience in rough beach diving, and some of the summer swells can be intimidating.

If you're talking about something like the Truth Aquatics boats out of Santa Barbara, I'll echo the recomendation! Nice boat, good food, probably not half-bad company --what more could you ask for?

Can I go too?

Can anyone explain why this area:




Within 30 seconds looked like this:

Diver cracking open a sea urchin, bag of bread/tortillas, or other fish "goodies"....?

Can I go too?

Can anyone explain why this area:




Within 30 seconds looked like this:

An obvious change in direction. Anchor lines in one shot, not in the next. Even a slight change in direction, with a little current and or surge, and the scenery will change.

Diver cracking open a sea urchin, bag of bread/tortillas, or other fish "goodies"....?

I don't what caused all them fish to appear... I was not trying to present a slight of hand on the board by using two different angles. I was trying to make a visual point.

What I do know is that suddenly we had fish everywhere, my daughter was close to hysterics, she was crying very hard, she kept batting away the fish from her face mask (this was our first ocean dive after training here in New Mexico) and they kept coming after us. Maybe that is not the right term to use, but that is what it seemed like. We had been down about 30 minutes when this happened. We did not have food on us.

I have always puzzled over the memory.

Edited by mvillanueva, 15 February 2005 - 06:20 PM.

They were probably used to being fed by divers, so they mobbed you thinking that you had food. And it could have been like seagulls.... a couple come by scrounging, then a few more see the first ones, and then a few more see those few more, and so on, and so on.... before you know it, you've got a huge school of fish begging for food.

Sorry your daughter didn't enjoy it... I love it, but if you're not used to it, or a little uncomfortable underwater, I can see how that could be disconcerting or downright scary.

Where did this happen?

You also could have been close to a nest where they were guarding eggs. Dr. Bill would be the best source of info on that.

BTW, printed your BP ... taking it home tonight.

They were probably used to being fed by divers, so they mobbed you thinking that you had food. And it could have been like seagulls.... a couple come by scrounging, then a few more see the first ones, and then a few more see those few more, and so on, and so on.... before you know it, you've got a huge school of fish begging for food.

Sorry your daughter didn't enjoy it... I love it, but if you're not used to it, or a little uncomfortable underwater, I can see how that could be disconcerting or downright scary.

Where did this happen?

Catalina. In that underwater park right there not 20 yards off shore from the parking lot where the domed building is.

I was surprised.... but then they kept coming and coming... and the more she pushed away the fish the more they came up to her mask. In hindsight it was cool.... but our entire experience prior was 3-4 tiny gold fish at Blue Hole.

I have to hand it to her though, despite the tears, she survived... and within a minute or two or less or more, they were all gone.

SoCal:

Would be interested in a SoCal divesite. Something preferably off a boat. Trudging down the rocks/ steps, then the surf/ swells surge etc with all the rubber, weights and tanks just ain't fun for me.

Catalina. In that underwater park right there not 20 yards off shore from the parking lot where the domed building is.

I was surprised.... but then they kept coming and coming... and the more she pushed away the fish the more they came up to her mask. In hindsight it was cool.... but our entire experience prior was 3-4 tiny gold fish at Blue Hole.

I have to hand it to her though, despite the tears, she survived... and within a minute or two or less or more, they were all gone.

Well, there you have it.

(1) You were at Casino Point Underwater Park, where the fish are protected, numerous, tame, and used to being fed.

(2) Once the fish started scrounging, thinking you guys had food, your daughter's hand motions probably made the dumb fish think she was distributing food.

(3) When the dumb fish finally realized there was no food, they quickly dispersed.

Hope she enjoyed it after the initial shock. Did you otherwise enjoy the diving? Casino Point is beautiful....