July 22, 2023
Catalina Dive Park
I am a southern California native and had dreamt of diving the California waters since I was a teenager. My parents were divers and I remember spending days at the beach in Laguna while they were shore diving. They also frequented Catalina Island to dive. Now that I am finally a scuba diver, and understand the weight of all that gear, I can’t even imagine negotiating the stairs to get to Diver’s Cove in Laguna carrying all the gear.
On a trip home I had the opportunity to dive with Cindy Sieman who is an instructor on Catalina Island she she also runs a really large, and very supportive and positive facebook group called Scuba Women. At this point in my diving, I was still suffering from debilitating anxiety before getting in the water. She was and incredibly calming force and literally held my hand for the first half of the dive. I still worry how strong my death grip was in the beginning.
Although I didn’t get a picture, we did see 3 California Wreckfish, also referred to as the giant black sea bass, during the dive as well as countless garibaldi, the California state fish, sheephead, kelpfish, and more.
I’m so glad I had the opportunity to dive at Catalina Island and I may return again. The kelp forest, although a little creepy, was also magical. I definitely prefer the simplicity of diving in warmer waters in the caribbean though.
Dive Time: 37:19
Water Temp: 64°
Max Depth: 40′
