Local Dive Destination Spotlight - Catalina Island
Michael Fitzgerald Nov 06, 2019
The Channel Islands along the coast of California include Santa Catalina Island, also known as Catalina Island. Regular ferry access to Catalina Harbor and brisk boat traffic promote Catalina Island as a recreational destination for long vacations or day trips. Scuba divers can explore native California marine life by visiting dive sites around Catalina Island. While most dive sites require boat access, Catalina offers a marine park for shore diving.
Casino Point Marine Park
Casino Point Marine Park, also known as Avalon Underwater Park, caters to divers as a marine reserve. Facilities include beach access, convenient stairway, air fill station, restrooms and eateries. Divers can plan a day trip via ferry from San Pedro or Long Beach on the "Catalina Express" for a day of shore diving at Casino Point. Avalon Harbor is located nearby for local gear rental and taxi to the marine park. While Casino Point is rated for beginner-level divers, the underwater attractions showcase much of the typical Southern California marine life, including kelp forests, garibaldis, horn sharks, spiny lobsters, sea urchins and anenomes. Advanced and specialty courses conduct training dives in the park, touring small wrecks (including the Sue-Jac at 53 to 95 feet) and a small recreation of an archaeological site featuring a Spanish galleon (replica) and pottery shards.
Italian Gardens
Dive boat excursions trek to the Italian Gardens dive site off Avalon Harbor. The dive site features kelp beds at depths between 30 and 100 feet, with a maximum depth of 130 feet and mild to moderate current. Marine life include kelp fish, garibaldi, snails and giant sea bass. At 40 to 80 feet, divers can encounter the protected giant sea bass (also called black sea bass) that grows over seven feet long and serenely travel in small groups or alone. Advanced and specialty classes visit this site for deep dives and underwater photography.
Isthmus Cove
Isthmus Cove is located near Two Harbors on Catalina Island. Isthmus Cove offers three dive sites within a 30-minute boat ride from the harbor: Lion's Head, Cherry Cove and Bird Rock. Lion's Head lies in a protected area that enables novice divers and underwater photographers to observe a range of marine life such as mantis shrimp, bat rays, moray eels, octopus, leopard sharks and kelp fish. Maximum depth is 60 feet, with little to no current.
Cherry Cove offers similar conditions, with a maximum depth of 90 feet and a mild current. Underwater photographers can seek leopard sharks, moray eels, perch, octopus and giant sea bass in 70 to 80 feet of visibility and novice divers can explore underwater rock formations.
Bird Rock features a wall dive and reef. Novice divers can observe an assortment of crabs (such as sheep crab and decorator crabs), lobsters, jellyfish and bat rays. Experienced divers can visit this dive site as a final dive of the day on their way back to the cove. The site has little to no current with an average depth of 45 feet (maximum depth is 75 feet). Don't be surprised by curious harbor seals briefly joining divers underwater.
If you want to check out Catalina and all that it has to offer we are now booking for a 5 day trip in April 2020. Give us a call for booking.
