🌊 Casino Point Shore Diving

Beginner-Friendly Diving in a Protected Marine Reserve

Looking for a beautiful day of diving without a boat? Join Blue Holic Scuba for a full day of shore diving at Casino Point, Catalina Island’s iconic underwater park and marine reserve.

This trip is especially well suited for Open Water students, newly certified divers, and anyone looking for calm conditions, easy entries, and plenty of time underwater. It’s also a favorite for photographers, freedivers, and fun divers who want a relaxed, scenic dive day with our community.

No long boat rides. No rushing between dives.
Just clear water, vibrant marine life, and thoughtful, supported diving.

👉 Perfect for: Open Water students, newly certified divers, returning divers, photographers, freedivers, and anyone looking for calm, confidence-building ocean dives.

🐠 Why Casino Point?

Located within a protected marine reserve, Casino Point offers some of the most accessible and rewarding diving in Southern California:

• Lush kelp forests and rocky reefs

• Calm conditions with easy shore entries

• Abundant marine life including 🟠 garibaldi, 🐙 octopus, and 🐟 seasonal giant sea bass

• Shallow, student-friendly depth profiles

• Excellent visibility — great for confidence-building and photography

This is one of our top-recommended sites for first ocean dives and skill development.

🚤 Trip Overview

📍 Meet: Long Beach Catalina Express Terminal
🕕 Meet Time: 5:30 AM
🕕 Return Time: 3:45 PM
🛥️ Includes: Round-trip ferry to Avalon

Once on Catalina:

• Your dive gear is transported by taxi directly to Casino Point (included)

• Enjoy a short scenic walk to our dive site, stopping at a Cafe for a light snack and hot beverage on the way. 

🤿 Diving Plan

3 Supported Shore Dives

All dives take place at Casino Point Underwater Park and are shore entries with calm conditions and ample bottom time.

Our instructors and dive professionals are in the water providing guidance, support, and structure — especially helpful for students completing ocean dives, divers refreshing skills, or anyone easing back into ocean conditions.

This is unhurried, intentional diving — with time to learn, observe, and enjoy.

📸 Specialty-Friendly Dive Site

Casino Point is an excellent location for PADI Specialty training, thanks to its layout, visibility, and predictable conditions.

This site works especially well for:

• Deep Diver

• Underwater Navigation

• Peak Performance Buoyancy (PPB)

• Fish Identification

• Underwater Photography

If you’re interested in completing or starting a specialty during this trip, let us know — we’re happy to help you plan it.

🧭 Learn to Navigate Casino Point (Local Favorite)

For our local Southern California divers, we also offer a special option:

“Learn to Navigate Casino Point”

These are guided navigation-focused dives where you’ll be taught:

• How to orient yourself within the park

• Key underwater routes and landmarks

• How to plan safe, repeatable dives

The goal?
To give you the confidence and knowledge to return on your own and dive Casino Point independently.

This is a fantastic option for locals who want to build real autonomy at one of SoCal’s most iconic shore dive sites.

Please contact the shop for pricing and additional details. 

🥪 Surface Interval & Avalon Time

After your dives, you’ll have limited time to:

• Enjoy lunch in Avalon (not included)

• Explore the town and enjoy an ice cream or some shopping. 

We’ll regroup later in the afternoon for the return ferry to Long Beach.

✅ What’s Included

✔️ Round-trip Catalina Express ferry ticket
✔️ Gear taxi to and from the dive site
✔️ 3 supported shore dives at Casino Point
✔️ Professional dive support
✔️ A welcoming Blue Holic Scuba crew and community 💙

🎒 What to Bring

Certified divers:

• Certification card (minimum Open Water)

Students:

• No certification card needed — we’ll handle the logistics

All divers:

• Wetsuit, mask, snorkel, fins, gloves

• Dive computer (recommended)

• Towel and dry clothes for the ferry ride

• Snacks and a water bottle

💬 Need Rental Gear?

On-site rental packages are available for $80.
Please let us know in advance so we can reserve the right sizes for you.

📞 Call us at (323) 641-7416 to reserve rentals or ask about gear.

💡 Good to Know

Casino Point is one of our most supportive environments for:

• First ocean dives

• Skill refreshers

• Building confidence in real ocean conditions

Whether you’re just starting out or easing back into diving, this trip is designed to meet you where you are.

⏰ Ferry departure times are fixed — we’ll send a detailed reminder email before the trip with everything you need to know.

🎟️ Ready to Dive?

Space is limited, and Casino Point days tend to fill quickly.

👉 Reserve your spot for a relaxed, confidence-building dive day at one of Southern California’s most iconic underwater parks — and dive with a crew that truly has your back.