About Catalina Scuba
Catalina Scuba specialises in guided scuba diving, snorkelling, and freediving programs tailored to individual skill levels, from absolute beginners to experienced divers looking for advanced underwater exploration around Santa Catalina Island. Their small-group format — typically maxing out at six participants — ensures personalised attention and a relaxed pace, whether you're making your first-ever open water descent or hunting for giant black sea bass along the island's deeper reef walls.
Programs include introductory Discover Scuba experiences for non-certified guests, guided shore dives at Casino Point Underwater Park, boat-accessed dive trips to the island's outer reefs and kelp forests, and freediving instruction for breath-hold enthusiasts. Snorkel safaris visit Lover's Cove and Descanso Bay, where visibility regularly exceeds fifty feet and Garibaldi, leopard sharks, and bat rays patrol the rocky substrate. All equipment is included in guided programs, and they offer PADI certification courses for guests who want to earn their card during a Catalina visit.
What distinguishes Catalina Scuba is the bespoke, adventure-driven approach. Rather than running assembly-line tours, the guides adapt each outing to conditions and group interests — if visibility is better at a secondary site or a whale shark has been spotted nearby, the itinerary shifts on the fly. Their deep knowledge of Catalina's dive sites, acquired over years of daily operations on the island, translates to consistently memorable underwater encounters that the larger operators simply cannot replicate at scale.
