California

California's coastal waters can be divided into two distinct regions: North of Pt. Conception (a hundred mile drive from L.A.) temperatures drop into the low 50s above the thermocline, visibility 10 to 60 feet; animals more closely resemble those of Puget Sound and British Columbia; shore diving requires surf entry (annually unskilled divers are killed trying to enter or exit); abalone allowed only to free divers. . . . South of Pt. Conception, surface may warm to the 70s in summer, though below the thermocline it is in the low 50s year-round, visibility 20­100 feet; animals and plants resemble those in northern Mexico; beautiful kelp, good fish life around Channel Islands (accessible by boat from Santa Barbara and Los Angeles). . . . Best time of year is late summer or early fall, when plankton blooms cease and winter storms have yet to begin. . . . A 1/4" wetsuit or a drysuit is needed everywhere in California, any season. . . . North of Monterey roughly one great white shark attack annually - order of risk: free divers, surfers, and scuba divers. . . .

Catalina

Catalina Scuba Luv/King Neptune, October 1996, Frank Finks, Kansas City, MO. "King Neptune well set up for large groups. Complete safety and site briefings. Scuba Luv operation professional. Computer divers dive own profiles. No DM on most dives. Strong currents on some sites made it hard or impossible for even experienced divers to return to boat on their own. Vis: 50-75 ft. water: 62-70 degrees. Good food prepared on board. Long trip to Farnsworth Banks worth the drive if sea's aren't too rough. Shark dive was excellent - blue water free swimming with blue sharks. Cage available if problems, but not needed."

San Diego

One Eyed Jacks, November 1996, Ron Vaccaro, Philadelphia, PA. "Water: 61 to 63 degrees, Vis: 40 to 60 feet. Great operation. Jay and Tron were fun, knowledgeable guides. Handled tank changeovers and always took suggestions on dive sites. While providing info on the sites. Kelp forest in the day and night were fascinating and excellent dive.

San Diego Shark Expeditions, Paul Ames, November 1996, David Cohn, Berkeley, CA. "Paul runs a good operation. Safety conscious, courteous and honest. It was a low count shark day, a few blues. vis: 60­80 ft. water: 58­63 degrees."

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