2024 is here, and it’s time for you to try something new—especially when it comes to your scuba diving life. If you’re a Catalina scuba diver, there are plenty of opportunities to have some more adventures, see new things, advance your skills in diving, learn more about scuba, and have more fun as you dive into the new year. Read on to learn 9 New Years Resolutions that every Catalina scuba diver should make.
1.) Try something new. Avelo. Come to Catalina and learn to dive using the Avelo System—an open circuit diving system in which the buoyancy control device is the tank itself. This new system will transform the way you dive. Catalina Divers Supply is the only Avelo Dive Center in the continental United States. Are you ready to dive into this new era of diving? The Avelo System consists of 2 components, the Jetpack and the Hydrotank. When you add water to the Hydrotank, you become heavier, and then you purge water, you become lighter. Avelo is lighter than standard scuba gear, and it helps to provide divers with perfect, stable neutral buoyancy.
2.) See all the species. In 2024, make it your goal to create a Catalina bucket list of creatures and species to see. Whether you scour the sea floor for sand dabs, come face to face with a toothy sheepshead, spy a sculpin, or cruise by a Calico bass, there are all kinds of fish to find on a Catalina dive. There are gorgeous tide pool creatures to look for too such as limpets, mussels, barnacles, crabs, and urchins. Don’t forget to look for all the different kinds of underwater fauna around Catalina including giant kelp, feather boa kelp, bull whip kelp, and elk kelp.
3.) Dive after dark. If you haven’t yet, you can experience how the Casino Dive Park comes alive at night. Take your diving adventure to a whole new level and catch a glimpse of the nocturnal ocean creatures around Catalina. Eels, octopus, and lobsters have been known to come out and play after dark in Catalina’s kelp forest. If you dive at night with Catalina Divers Supply, be sure to schedule 48 hours in advance. These dives can last about 1.5 to 2 hours, which includes instruction and dive time. First time night divers will need to complete coursework and have a guided day dive with an instructor under their belt.
4.) Do something different. If you’re reading this, you’ve probably done plenty of scuba dives, but have you ever done SNUBA? This is an amazing combination between diving and snorkeling. With snuba, you can plunge beneath the surface without the big tanks, training, and gear that scuba diving requires. The guides at Catalina Divers Supply will take divers through the first 30 feet below the surface, where tons of marine life can be found. All it takes is a 15-minute orientation to really get ready for an underwater tour session.
5.) Go deeper. Catalina Divers Supply offers divers the chance to get right into deep water. They offer a two-day open water class. Highly qualified instructors help divers to safely guide you through open water certification. There are 3 different options for open water certification. For one, in 2-3 days, you can complete PADI E-learning, and then you can schedule in-water training with Catalina Divers Supply including five confined water dives and four open water dives. A second option includes a certification course with instructor lectures over about 3 days. A third option allows you to start your diving journey at your local dive shop and then finish up at Catalina Divers Supply.
6.) Get advanced. With Catalina Divers Supply, you can earn an Advanced Open Water certification. This course builds on things you’ve learned and introduces you to new ways of having fun while scuba diving. This 2-day course can both sharpen your skills and allows you to learn new ones.
7.) Come to the rescue. At Catalina Divers Supply, you can take the challenging and rewarding PADI Rescue Diver course, which helps you to prevent and manage problems that occur while diving. This course offers skills like self-rescue, recognizing and managing stress in other divers, utilizing emergency management and equipment, and rescuing panicked or unresponsive divers.
8.) Clean up. The Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup is right around the corner on Feb. 24. Join hundreds of others divers and make a difference by collected debris.
9.) Have an amazing adventure. Get out on the water before diving under the surface when you take a diving trip aboard the SCUBA Cat. When you book a boat trip with Catalina Divers Supply, know you can get discounts on gear rentals too.
Catalina Divers Supply offers divers access to the waters all around Catalina Island. Catalina remains one of North America’s highest rated and most popular dive destinations. Check out more about our classes online, or call 310-510-0330 for more information.