I will be visiting San Diego (Mission Beach area) with family next week. Aside from the usual Sea World and Wild Animal Park for the kids I also wanted to have some fun myself, and was thinking about getting away for half a day to go scuba diving.

Any recommendations from the locals on some dive shops, scuba tours, and dive sites in the area? Thanks.

 

Do you want to dive by yourself (obviously a no-no, but I know many people who do) or go out on a boat?

 

I would prefer to go on a boat (although shore dive will also work), preferably on a guided dive with a dive master as I don't know the area.

 

Scuba diving in san diego sucks. I did it about three years ago. The water is cold and the visibility is low. I would hold off until you are somewhere tropical with clearer, warmer water.

 

I see a lot of divers at La Jolla Cove.

There might be a boat that goes offshore too... But just remember Open Water. That's right, Open Water!

 

Yeah, LaJolla cove is about the only place I'd recommend. Water is pretty warm for this time of year and visibility would be decent on a nice day. Swim over by the caves and you'll see lots of Garibaldi fish, lobsters, maybe an octopus or two.

 

My dive instructor DM's on a few boats. The Lois Ann (I think). I'll write him and ask him about what's good these days. Worst case, I'm sure he'd like a dive buddy for a day and would be willing to take you around La Jolla Cove or anywhere else you'd like to go.

 

As far as shore dives, La Jolla Cove is good, but the walk up the stairs is not fun at the end of the dive. You will see quite a bit there. The latest photo I saw, taken by a friend of my instructor, was a whale cruising right off the edge of the cove. VERY cool.

La Jolla Shores is an easier entry if the surf is down but there is not (nothing?) to see until you get out to the canyon. The canyon at night is cool.

 

My dive instructors response:

I generally recommend the Lois Ann. www.loisann.com

I've been using that boat for years. They do a good job. They can also rent equipment right at the boat if necessary, which is helpful when one is travelling. They also have a number of divemasters available for guided dives (extra cost).

Destination choices are the Coronados Islands (all day trip), the Pt. Loma kelp beds (half day, 2-tank), and Wreck Alley (half day, 2-tank). The kelp beds are a good choice for someone who hasn't been diving on the West Coast before. The wrecks are on the deeper side (100 ft for the Yukon, 85 ft for the Ruby E), but are worthwhile even if one is not into wreck penetration. I have mixed feelings about the Coronados -- it can be good, but there are places that personally I like better. Visibility is usually decent (better than in the kelp) and the sea lions are fun to dive with, but there isn't any kelp or other vegetation there.

The Marissa is a new dive boat in town. www.marissadivecharters.com
The crew are people I know, but the boat is having compressor problems at the moment. It would probably by my second choice.


I suggest that people stay away from the Dive Connections boats.

If nothing local (San Diego) works, there are a number of boats based in Long Beach and/or San Pedro that do day trips to Catalina.

 

Give the guys at OE a call. They've always got something going on... or know someone who's got a trip going.

http://oceanenterprises.com/

 

Thanks for all the replies and recommendations, guys.

I did some research on the web and made some phone calls to local dive shops to get recommendations as well. I have done boat dives before in Mexico and Hawaii, but I have never done a shore dive and never dove in CA, so I decided to do La Jolla Shores Canyon dive.

I will be diving with OEX (they have a dive shop right in La Jolla) tomorrow morning. I am also considering doing a night dive later in the week, but I am not sure if I will have the time to squeeze it in.

I will let you know how it goes. Once again, thanks for all the help.

 

Wish I could go..... Definitely do the shores at night if you can. The canyon comes alive at night. Otherwise, the shores is relatively boring for those without a keen eye.

The thing I like about my dive instructor is that he is very good at spotting the little things creeping and crawling around. There is much more to see than just fish.

 

Did you make it out for a dive?

I found the picture of the whale spotted by the Cove. My instructor also saw it by the Marine Room 30 minutes prior to this picture being taken. It was just laying in 15 feet of water.... very cool..

 

Wow. Very nice. I didn't think the windows at the Marine Room were that deep in the water.

 

HA!!!!! (you are joking right?)

My dive instructor saw the whale while diving in the water by the Marine Room. If you've ever been to the restaurant, you can see divers coming out of the water now and then.

 

I've been there plenty of times. I just never thought the water got that deep.

 

It's a gradual downward slope as you move away from the restaurant. I don't think it gets more than a few feet deep right at the window.