California Diving News: Dive Boat Review: Island Time

Island Time
Island Time by Express divers is bringing resort style diving to the Greater Los Angeles area. But just what is “resort style diving”? Those who have ever been to a tropical dive resort will not have much difficulty understanding. At these places, generally a fast boat will whisk divers to a nearby dive site for a morning or afternoon two-tank dive. This style of diving has become very popular at resorts because it allows for only a half-day commitment rather than an early morning departure and gone all day. You have the choice of rising early and being back for the rest of the afternoon to yourself or sleeping in and catching the afternoon boat. During lobster season and occasionally in the summer, night dives are offered.

Island Time, based in Alamitos Bay in Long Beach, makes the trip over to Catalina in a mere 75 minutes or so. On my trip it was only an hour and 15 minutes from dock departure to anchorage at Eagle Reef. I barely had time to get my gear ready, suit up and configure my camera system.

Island Time is a brand new boat, having gone into service only last year. A Custom brand dive boat, it is a sizable 48 feet long and 16 feet wide and built specifically for diving by one of the most reputable dive boat builders in the world. They have built hundreds boats for use by dive resorts worldwide. While there are no bunks below deck (only a head and dry storage), you hardly miss them because of the short boat ride and half of the deck is fully enclosed and 2/3 covered. The lightweight fiberglass deep V hull cruises at 22 knots, pushed by twin 450 horse power Caterpillar engines. Just as important is the incredibly smooth ride this boat delivers. The hull is specifically designed for a ultra-stable ride even with a full load of divers and gear. Many divers have gone over to Avalon on Catalina Island on the popular Catalina Express ferry boats. The Island Time and Catalina Express boats are similarly built and have the same fast, smooth ride, even in rough seas.

The boat also dives well. Over two dozen tanks line up along the side rails with benches and storage below and a rack above (a nice place for dry stuff that you still want handy—towels, log books and jackets, for example). There are two tanks for each diver, color coded. Dive the white first, red second. With tanks filled and ready to go, there is no waiting between dives, other than to move the boat. As an added convenience there is also a compressor on board. Benches are large and comfortable, with lots of storage below. A diver need only slip into their BC/reg/tank assembly and a deckhand will assist you to the rear transom. The water entry area is large enough for two divers at a time. Again, divemasters are there to assist in getting you in the water safely. Have a camera? They will hand it down to you easily.

Coming back aboard you will no doubt enjoy the two very large angled ladders. Water exit is exceptionally easy. And it is made doubly easy by a very helpful boat crew. On deck there is a large freshwater rinse bucket for cameras and a rack for miscellaneous camera gear, and between dive snacks. A cooler holds drinks chilled at the ready for your enjoyment.

There are warm freshwater showers for a quick rinse and you can tuck under the enclosure to get in out of the wind. Capacity of the boat is 22. The day I was aboard, Chamber Day, she was filled to capacity and it was still comfortable. Between or after diving, some divers adjourned to the bow area or flybridge for some sun.

The concept of resort-style, half-day, two-tank diving is definitely not new, even to California. San Diego has been doing it successfully now for many years. And operators out of Avalon on Catalina Island make it work as well. Express Divers, have now delivered it to the Greater Los Angeles Metro area making half day dives, morning or afternoon, a real and comfortable option for divers that are mainland based.

For more information on the Island Diver and the programs of Express Divers visit http://www.expressdivers.com on the web or call 866-488-3483.

Dale Sheckler is Editor and Publisher of California Diving News, Producer of the annual SCUBA Show expo (each June in Long Beach, CA), and co-author of the book newly released A Diver's Guide to Southern California's Best Beach Dives, 3rd Edition.