Catalina Boat Dives.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to dive Catalina, boat style!  I have always wanted to dive off of Catalina.  As you recall, I did the kelp forest at Casino Park with my friend Marisa.  Well this was another great adventure!

We took a boat out and dove 3 separate dives with the company Scuba Luv.  I don't remember if you remember the previous posting about this company but I had a little "run in" with the mayor of Avalon.  Well, he was our captain on this boat and I kept praying he wouldn't remember me!  Haha!  Lucky for me, he didn't.

We had such a blast!  The water was in the lower to mid-60's but the sights we encountered made the cold worthwhile.  On the first dive, we saw a giant Sea Bass, but unfortunately, not one, but both of my calves cramped up so tight I had to dig into the sand and try to stretch them out.  Thankfully I was able to continue on.  It's such an amazing feeling coasting through those kelp forests.  It's unlike anything else I've experienced.  It sort of remind me of driving through a thick fog until it finally comes to a clearing because the kelp can get so thick!

The second dive was my favorite of the three.  It was a pinnacle so all we had to do was swim in an upward spiral.  We saw lots of fun critters including Lobsters, Eels and an Octopus!  We were cruising along and I was looking around.  I looked down and noticed slow motion movement that I thought was an eel at first, until I saw the tentacles!  We played with him for a bit until he squeezed himself through the tiniest crack!  what amazing little creatures!

The third dive was pretty easy breezy.  As we were cruising along, we looked down and saw something that looked like a giant Nudibranch.  We went deeper, appeasing our curiosities and laid down on the sand.  The thing was huge!  As we sat there watching, he slowly moved along, inching across the ocean floor.  Come to find out, it was a Sea Hair.  I've never even heard of these before but it was pretty cool to find!

All in all, the dives were definitely worth my money.  I don't know how often I can do kelp forests because when you've done one you've pretty much done them all.  It still a  lot of fun though!