Dive Review of The Giant Stride/N/A in
The Continental USA/Los Angeles and Catalina

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The Giant Stride/N/A: "“Nobody Travels to California for the Diving,” but They Should", Sep, 2021, by Mark Kimmey, NY, US ( Contributor 13 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 11669 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations	N/A	Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Apparently, the California dive industry believes that tourist divers, i.e., those from outside the state, are rarely seen in its waters. But divers SHOULD consider this destination, and not just because getting to overseas destinations is difficult at the moment. Granted, waters are colder and the dive industry caters toward local divers (more about that in a minute), but there are opportunities here that are scarce elsewhere. Among them are beautiful kelp beds, brilliantly festooned oil rigs, sea lions galore, and nutrient-rich waters that encourage a lot of ocean life, especially nudibranchs and marine mammals. Eleven years after our last visit to southern California on a liveaboard, we chartered The Giant Stride for five straight days in late September. Based in the Cabrillo Way Marina, Captain Jim Simmerman and his crew pick up divers just north, near Ports O’ Call Village due to marina restrictions. The Giant Stride is a former fishing boat, converted by Simmerman into a “six pack,” though it is by far the largest and nicest dive boat in that class we have ever seen. Part of this was his recognition that diving here is even more gear-intensive than most recreational destinations, and that gear takes up a lot of room. Some competitors are happy to pack ‘em in: we watched one unload at the end of the day that looked like a clown car. Simmerman would rather you enjoyed your day, and that means a large dive deck with elbow room. A comfortable salon offers sheltered seating, an efficient galley (hot coffee on demand!), and a spacious V-berth that easily accommodates two or three divers needing a nap. The head is spacious and well-ventilated, and features the usual marine fixtures. While we worked on a day-boat schedule, returning to port every afternoon, Simmerman is looking at additional modifications that will make multi-day excursions possible, but probably for only a couple of people at a time. This would be ideal for couples looking to avoid the “cattle boats” common in this area. California diving differs from most popular recreational destinations in that the customer base includes a strong technical diving community. While we dove 7mm wetsuits augmented by layered shorties, hoods, and at least one heated vest, dedicated locals lean toward dry suits, and for good reason: even after summer warming, bottom temperatures during our trip were mostly 55 to 62 degrees Fahrenheit, and at two sites off Palos Verdes, we found ourselves in 50 degrees water just below the surface. The tech divers are picky about their breathing mixes, too, and because so many of them prefer to bring their own, local dive boats rarely offer tanks or weights. Fortunately, there are several dive shops nearby, which are happy to rent tanks and blend gasses to meet customer demand. Depending on destination, cruising time varies from approximately an hour to Palos Verdes sites, two hours to the front side of Catalina, and maybe three to the back side. Weather and sea conditions also have their say, but we had few complaints the week we were aboard. Captain Simmerman knows his boat and how to get the best ride and speed for the conditions. We encountered dolphin on our way out on two different mornings, the first pod numbering several dozen. Sea lions were also plentiful, particularly on the oil rigs (Ellen, Elly and Eureka) where their antics chasing each other made us laugh into our regulators, and they were also found in the kelp beds and at Farnsworth Bank. We missed the giant sea bass this trip, but only because we chose sites that were further from Avalon. (We understand that in recent years, the bass have spread to new sites around Catalina.)
Websites	The Giant Stride
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	New York, Hawaii, California, Kwajalein, Florida, Grenada, Bonaire, Caymans, Bahamas, Turks & Caicos, Belize, Mexico, Australia, Sea of Cortez, St. Vincent, Indonesia
Closest Airport	Los Angeles International (LAX)	Getting There	Alternative, John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA)
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	50-62°F / 10-17°C	Wetsuit Thickness	7
Water Visibility	10-30 Ft/ 3-9 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	None
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	no
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	Schools	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals	N/A	Tropical Fish	N/A
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	A central table on the dive deck can support large cameras, and a fresh water camera tank is provided. There are no air guns or charging stations on the dive deck, however. Any work involving small parts is best done on the galley table.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of The Giant Stride/N/A in The Continental USA/Los Angeles and Catalina

The Giant Stride/N/A: "“Nobody Travels to California for the Diving,” but They Should", Sep, 2021,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of The Giant Stride/N/A in
The Continental USA/Los Angeles and Catalina