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    Horizon Charters

    4.8 (34 reviews)
    Closed 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    Great white shark
    Daniel C.

    Amazing trip and amazing crew. A trip I'd recommend to anyone and want to do again. Start to finish everyone on the boat awesome and definitely know their stuff. One day I'll be back.

    Dinner was fresh
    Austin A.

    Top charter! I've been running dive trips for a large group of family and friends for over a decade and we've been through a couple different charters. Spencer and Terry are top class and the crew is always the best. Can't go wrong with these guys and this is after a few years with them already, looking forward to MANY more!

    Chris G.

    Just got back from great White Shark diving at Guadalupe island, the horizon crew was above and beyond excellent, the food was great, highly recommend them if you ever want to see great white sharks in their natural environment. Last but not least all the people I met on board were awesome.

    First off, just book this trip. They are the best, PERIOD. From start to finish, top to bottom they will surpass your expectations. Plus, no other charter leaves directly from San Diego (no one wants to take a bus to Ensenada). Boarding Night. My wife and I wanted to be one of the first to board, so we got to the H&M landing right before 9pm. We figured if it was first come first serve on the bed situation, we would want to have first dibs. Even though we were technically early, we were the last of 18 totally guests to board lol. Dive Master Will was waiting for us at the pier and walked us down to the boat. After they took our luggage, we were shown our living quarters and we did some quick paperwork in the galley. For our bed situation, we had two bunkbeds that were accessed via a small wooden sliding door. One of the bunks was about the size of a full bed and the other was a twin. Prior to departing the pier, each guest was fitted with a wetsuit and assigned a storage bin to keep it in on the main deck. After some quick intro's from the staff and a safety talk, we were on our way. Since they were serving alcohol immediately upon boarding, I took advantage and had a beer while mingling with the other guests. Is it okay to chase your Dramamine with a beer? Mehh, who cares. Sea Day I was woken up by the smell of bacon cooking in the galley, YESSSSSSS (sorry not sorry vegetarians). Personally, that is my preference of smells to wake up to. I'm not exactly sure what time it was, but the sun was out and the reflection off the ocean was beautiful! For breakfast, they will make eggs to your preference, there was bacon, sausage and banana pancakes. They also had a selection of cereal, pasteries, fruit and plenty of beverages. At about 9am, we made a quick stop in Ensenada, so quick in fact I didn't even get to see the customs officials jump on board. After leaving Ensenada, we got to see some playful dolphins taking advantage of our wake and the opportunity to race the front of the boat. Captain Spencer was very willing to slow down the boat to give us an up-close look at these awesome pods. This part of the trip was a great opportunity to catch up on some reading or take in the sights. We were lucky enough to have Dr. Craig O'Connell on our trip (seen on Shark Week many times). It was way cool to be able to bombard a humble expert with all your shark questions. Dive Day 1/2 We woke up and were anchored on the northeast side of Guadalupe Island, and oh my, is the scenery breathtaking. Standing out on the deck, looking at the island and the deep blue water that I have seen so many times on Shark Week was indescribable. It didn't take long for one crew member to point out a White Shark that was cruising by the boat. HOLY COW it was huge. I couldn't believe their size, TV really doesn't do them justice. I asked a crew member how big he thought it was and he guessed 9 feet. Wow, that isn't even that big for this island at this time of year (we would see much larger sharks as the trip went on). The Crew was busy lowering the cages, and again, breakfast was in full swing. Breakfast was the same, except this morning there was a choice of French Toast, yummmmm. Once the cages were set, it was game time! They broke us into two groups and each group got into the water for 60 minutes. This worked out perfect, right about the time I need a snack or a drink, it was time to switch. You'd get up on deck, dry off, grab a quick snack and before you realized it you were rotating back into the cage. I can't express how amazing it was to see these HUGE sharks as they gracefully cruised in and out of our field of vision. Visibility was GREAT and the watery temperature (even in November) was fine. There were a few guests who needed some extra help getting their wet suits on and getting comfortable in the water. The crew did a great job taking the time to assist these guests and get them confident in the cages. We finished the day/evening with a BBQ and a presentation from one of the shark experts on board. There is nothing hanging out on a boat, sitting back, watching the sun disappear over the island as Shay works the BBQ on deck. Ahhhhhh amazing day! The crew did an amazing job the whole trip. They were on top of everything and really made the difference between the trip being great, and being amazing. My wife and I will absolutely be taking this trip again! Special thanks to Captain Spencer, Kary, Will, Frankie, Patrick, Shay and Lauren!

    Mars B.

    This is a really nice boat to dive. They run a bigger crew than most and it shows. You feel like there is enough staff to take care of you and keep things super safe at anytime. Most of the crew seems crossed trained so there are like 4 people who could jump in can handle anything that could come up. I went on a 2.5 day trip to San Clemente. They pump 21% and 32ish%. with a mem type system. The ventilation system is good in the bunks. There is a ton of room on the dive deck. They float the chase boat just in case when divers are in the water. The food was really great. as soon as you pop up there were eyes on you and the take your safety seriously. Everything seemed to be clean and in good working order. They worked to keep the heads clean all the time. There is room for boxes and dive bags.

    Stephen C.

    I just got back from the Guadalupe Island Shark Dive and wanted to write a review while it was still fresh in my mind. Horizon Charters runs a very professional and safe operation. Captain Spencer, Captain Cary, crew members Lalo, Ryan and Will and galley staff Laura and Shea made the long boat ride fun and interesting. They always made sure we knew everything that was going on and took the time to chat and answer questions one on one. Needless to say, seeing white sharks up close is an experience of a lifetime and the crew kept us safe both inside the cages and on the boat. The cabins are comfortable, the food is great (I would describe it as comfort food) and the MV Horizon is a great long range, liveaboard boat. They have been taking people on scuba diving adventures since 1980 and white shark diving for 20 years, so they know what they're doing. If I decide to return to Guadalupe Island, I would only consider going there with Horizon Charters.

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    I try to contact them several times and no response., Also I send two emails and no response. I guess they don't need business.

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    Ask the Community - Horizon Charters

    Review Highlights - Horizon Charters

    We went to Guadalupe Island with Horizon Charters to dive with great white sharks at the beginning of August 2018.

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

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    Beyond Land Adventures - Don't wait to start your next SCUBA adventure!

    Beyond Land Adventures

    (63 reviews)

    Midway

    I want to start off by saying that I am so proud of myself for not giving up and accomplishing this…read morechallenging task. I want to say the cost of my training was $499 total. There was a special going on online for the spring weeks, and let me tell you, it was too good to pass up! Everywhere else was really expensive and did not include dive gear. I was lucky because I was supposed to get certified a month before I started with BLA, so I already had open water approved dived gear that I bought at a local dive shop. The only thing I needed from BLA was booties because I wanted an extra pair. Class days were from 8am-5pm and they cover EVERYTHING! It is a very thorough class and if you get Spencer, you'll be glad to know he is upbeat, light-hearted, and detailed. (I can only speak for my instructor this is not to say no one else is.) The pool days are challenging because you are toting your gear, but this is what builds strength, endurance, mental stimulation, and lets face it, RESPONSIBILITY. You are responsible for all of your things, so get used to carrying it. On beach days, I had my husband drive and carry my tanks for me to ease any extra stress, they didn't mind, but on pool days, I did it all myself. I want to give a special thank you to Nathan, dive master who was just as poised, supportive, and informative as my dive instructor. We had fun on beach days. 2nd day was better than the first. The sun eas out, better visibility, we saw a horn shark, I saw a lobster chillin by himself in the sand. It was great! I appreciate how professional and composed my dive Instructor, Spencer was under the water, that can't be easy. He was rather hard on us, but it's because he wants us to master the skills and really understand everything there is to know. Scuba diving is fun, but should be taken seriously when learning the ins, outs, hows, and whats. It is a guaranteed work out! No kidding. Hydrate and take food with you. Eat lost of bananas, I drank protein shakes on my beach days. I am proud to say I started my training April 1st, and received my open water diver certification April 14th. I am not here to pretend like this was easy, it wasn't, but it wasn't impossible either. It can be done if you ask questions, pay attention, and don't give up. Remember: once you are certified is a lifetime accomplishment, so get it done! The hardest part for me was the cold water San Diego had to offer! Thank you Beyond Land Adventures, I look forward to taking some more dive courses with you. I recommend this shop if you are trying to get the full experience and be comfortable with diving after training. They're very informative and are passionate about what they do.

    Our experience with Beyondland Adventures was unfortunately a mixed bag that left us unable to…read morecomplete our dives that weekend. The pool day was a great start. Daphna was attentive, supportive, and helped us have a successful day of pool dives -- we felt like we were in good hands. The one hiccup was that the wetsuit provided to my fiancé for the pool session had gaping holes in the knees. By the end of the weekend, my partner wasn't sure whether more pool time would be needed before moving on to the ocean dives. To feel comfortable about the upcoming dive she checked in advance to confirm that the ocean dive suit would be a different one -- not the damaged pool suit. We were assured it would be. Come Friday evening, we arrived at the shop to pick up gear ahead of Saturday's ocean dives, only to find that the wetsuit set aside for us was the same pool suit with holes. When we raised the issue and asked about viable fixes, things quickly went sideways. Skyler seemed overwhelmed and unable to work through a solution with us. Mid-conversation -- while we were still actively discussing options -- Skyler walked away, leaving us standing there confused and disheartened. Emotions ran high, so we stepped away to collect ourselves. I went back in trying to find a moment of Skylar's time to help bring acknowledgement to the feelings that arose. It seemed at first we would get to have that but I then at a moment things changed and we didn't get to solve it then and things got busy. I waited patiently hoping for a moment to come but it never did. At the end of the day after waiting hours I could share the issue in more detail and how it escalated, but left feeling unheard about the issue when explanation of issue was responded with retorts of how I might handle things. I did my best to make it a constructive conversation still aiming for a solution - but the experience was disheartening and the point was reached that nothing was going to work. Unfortunately we didn't complete the weekend dives with the gear and the experience on Friday detracted from the whole thing. I do want to give credit to Daphna, who stepped in afterward to help us arrange things so we could still get certified on our upcoming trip. She reached out and was responsive to concerns and ultimately wanted us to enjoy the activity of Scuba diving wherever that would be.

    House of Scuba

    House of Scuba

    (204 reviews)

    House of Scuba is awesome! My wife and I came here for our Open Water Diver certs, and got our…read morerental gear from TJ. He was super-knowledgeable and friendly, and recommended some masks for purchase that worked perfectly. Shout-outs to Brandy and Vicky as well for all the assistance on air fills and rental gear return. Our instructors Ken and Michael were awesome, great mix of light-hearted banter and excellent serious instruction. Went from being somewhat anxious at the start of the pool days to feeling fairly confident by the end of the ocean dives. Learned a ton and really appreciated all the advice and expertise. If you're looking to get into scuba diving, this is the place to do it!

    I am a petite female (at least my face is ;). Anyway, I called to see if they had a mask in stock…read morethat was small enough to fit my face. The woman who answered placed me on a brief hold. When she returned she said she actually had 3 different masks she thought would work. When I arrived at the shop she had all 3 on the counter for me to try on. She even gave me tips on how to keep it from fogging up (baby shampoo) and the reason why a solid instead of a clear "gasket" around the face might be preferable (it blocks the light from your eyes, which is especially important if your eyes are sensitive to light.) Not only was their customer service phenomenal, but their prices were reasonable. I told her my price range and all the masks she showed me met my criteria. They even offer guided excursions. I highly recommend this establishment for your scuba and snorkeling needs!

    Zach's Scuba Shack

    Zach's Scuba Shack

    (97 reviews)

    La Jolla

    I felt extremely confident with Zach. I'm a pretty rookie diver and he taught me everything I…read moreneeded to execute my first shore dive right off the bat. Thorough, sharp, and found us all the best animals. I would recommend coming into this dive with a little more experience than me (I'd only done 2 dives before this) if you want to fully take in all the animals. I struggled with trim and buoyancy bit in the surge and I'd love to do it all over again knowing what I know now. Either way, incredible experience and Zach is absolutely the man to do it with. Also, ask him about reggae.

    I can't recommend Zach's Scuba Shack highly enough…read more Zach is a top-notch scuba guide who knows the La Jolla dive sites like the back of his hand. From the start, he clearly explained the conditions and what to expect. When the day we initially chose turned out to be less than ideal, he was flexible and helped us reschedule for the following day, which ended up being a fantastic dive. His calm, casual demeanor immediately put me at ease, especially since it had been a couple of years since my last dive. Underwater, Zach was attentive and thoughtful, pointing out marine life we absolutely would have missed on our own. The rental gear was also excellent--clean, high quality, and thoughtfully prepared. He even had the correct weight setup ready for each diver, which made the whole experience smooth and professional. As a local, I plan to dive with Zach again to continue learning the area and progress my diving skills. If you're diving in La Jolla, Zach is the person you want guiding you.

    Shark Diver - Premier King Stateroom with private bathroom and windows.

    Shark Diver

    (8 reviews)

    Shelter Island, Point Loma

    This company is the same as Nautilus Liveboards. What a terrible experience!…read more I booked the great white shark cage diving trip off of Guadalupe Island in Aug 2022. I was notified that access to Guadalupe was restricted. Initially, I was understanding when access to Guadalupe was restricted, and Nautilus allowed me to rebook for August 2023. Unfortunately, access was again restricted, and this is where my frustration began. Nautilus refused to allow me to reschedule for the following year, offering instead to apply my deposit ($900) to one of their other trips, however none of the alternatives provided a similar experience. When I requested a refund of my deposit, I was informed that I needed to speak with President Mike Lever and the only means of contacting him was via email. Despite multiple emails, I received absolutely no response from Mr. Lever. Attempts to follow up by phone resulted in vague responses from the staff, promising to remind Mike Lever to respond. This lack of communication and transparency was not only unprofessional but also left me feeling ignored and mistreated as a customer. To escalate the matter, I involved the Department of Consumer Protection from my state, hoping to find a resolution. Nautilus's response, through their attorney, was dismissive and unhelpful, essentially claiming that my state had no jurisdiction and I had no right to a refund. I am not one to leave negative reviews, but this experience has left me deeply disappointed and frustrated. It is disheartening to encounter a company that not only fails to deliver the promised services but also evades communication and appears to keep deposits without providing any reasonable alternatives or solutions. I sincerely hope that Nautilus Liveboards takes customer concerns seriously and addresses these issues properly. I caution others to think twice before considering doing business Nautilus Liveboards or Mike Lever. They appear to now being conducting business under SharkDiver.com to avoid the negative press/reviews from so many that they have stolen money from.

    Diving with the great whites EXCEEDED my expectations! It was an adrenaline filled vacation seeing…read morethese mighty sharks in action. The crew aboard was fantastic - knew all of our names by the first day as well as our preferences for hot drinks, meal orders, etc. And they were helpful getting us into and out of the cages safely and quickly. The Great Whites put on a dramatic show and having a marine biologist and a shark conservationist aboard deepened our understanding and experience. I highly recommend Shark Diver for a thrill of a lifetime!

    Horizon Charters - diving - Updated June 2026

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