Ron was the BEST!!! As someone who can't swim, and is afraid of the ocean, he made my experience wonderful. He provided us with wet suits, fins, and masks. Took us to Lover's Cove, and helped us go in to the water. I felt very safe with him there. He had me use a pool noodle and a guard floaty thingy so I was afloat the whole time. He was very patient, kind, and super knowledgeable about everything we saw under water. The whole experience was amazing, and it felt surreal to be able to explore the ocean like this. read more

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Ron was great , very informative about the ecosystem, gave us some pro tips on snorkeling and kept watch of everyone while snorkeling, you can bring your own gear or simply walk up.. the area we snorkled had a abundance of fish (lovers cove) and will definitely recommend this experience.. we had a great time @-@/' read more

My husband and I took a day trip to Catalina, and poorly planned for the late afternoon and everything was closing. Snorkeling Catalina was one of the only places to rent snorkel equipment open later than 4pm. We showed up around 4:15 and asked to rent some equipment. I'm sorry to say I didn't get the name of the man who helped us, but he was so kind! He said even though we would still be out by the time they closed, we could still rent from him and could just leave our equipment at the front when we were finished snorkeling. It really make our day that he still allowed us to rent when no one else could. Thank you so much Snorkeling Catalina staff! :) read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Snorkeling in Lover's Cove - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

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On 9/10/11, my 400th review is dedicated to B A B Y D O L P H I N S ! ! ! Snorkeling Catalina offers more than just snorkeling services. They also have a 1 hour dolphin and sea lion excursion. And if youre lucky, youll see lots of dolphins, and maybe even some baby ones! We made reservations in advance, went to their shop, paid and got our directions to the boat. We boarded (just two of us and our guide- small and personable tour!) and set out! The boat headed over to the buoy the sea lions hang out on and I was a little disappointed because it was a little boring. But then we saw dolphins, so our boat operator guide headed over to them. We spent the rest of the hour chasing dolphins, in the middle of the dolphins, and most awesomely, seeing BABY DOLPHINS!! It does not get much better than that. Our guide did a great job of seeking them out and putting us right in the middle of them. I guess we got lucky because our guide said wed have a better chance of winning $5 in the lottery on a given day than see that many dolphins, but we did and it was great! The saddest part of it all was that both of our phone batteries were dying (from all the other pictures we had taken all morning) and we didnt get to take pictures of the dolphins! I got a few quick videos however, and some waterproof [film] camera pics I still need to develop (I have since purchased a waterproof digital camera). So sorry I dont have a lot of pictures to share, but that just means you have to do it for yourself. Poor quality from video: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/xE2I9TwYA9_BLlivk1FzIA?select=2BQvt7aLRPvHm7O_Zy9eOw Seriously, seeing a bunch of dolphins in the water below your little boat (you can practically touch them) and jumping out of the water is great, but seeing baby dophins jumping alongside the adults as well as alone? That is just super duper awesome. I want a baby dolphin for myself (ok, not really)! 5 stars for the dolphins! Info from their website: Daily Schedule 10:00am, 11:15am, 12:15pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:45pm Pricing (Prices do not include the 7% Avalon City Tax) Adults / Child (3-11) $38.00 read more

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The dive shop will deliver your rental gear to the Casino Point park, which made it very easy. My husband and I recently dove with Ron Moore of Snorkeling Catalina / Dive Catalina. My husband took NAUI Advanced Open Water from Ron, while I just tagged along on the dives. The education was practical, thorough, and Ron was a great instructor. I brought my own gear (aside from tank & weights) while my husband rented to bulk of his gear. They had plenty of gear in his size, and we had no issues there. We interacted most with Ron and Shawn, and both were very friendly and professional and very willing to help with any questions, etc. The other employees we saw here and there were always friendly as well. Overall I highly recommend the shop and we really enjoyed our time with the Snorkeling Catalina crew! read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Getting ready for NAUI Advanced Open Water course with instructor Ron! - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

The best snorkeling experience I've ever had! I called the day after Christmas, while on the boat ride over and thankfully they had an availability to take me and my fiancé out on such short notice. The water was crystal clear & the wet suits they provided kept us nice and warm in the December water!! The best experience & awesome service! read more

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Best bang for your buck for snorkeling. We didn't have anything specifically planned for our day trip in Catalina, all we knew was that we wanted to go snorkeling. We didn't do our research, but had walked the island to compare prices and equipment. We stumbled upon Snorkeling Catalina and checked out their prices. Most places on the island were priced at $10 - $15 for mask and snorkel for only 1 hour. Snorkeling Catalina was priced for $8 and for 2 hours!! We arrived around 10 am and noticed the shop closed, but a kind lady was parked in front so we asked her if the shop was closed. Turns out she was Connie, manager of the shop. She was kind enough to call Ron and informed us when he will get back. Connie is one of the best human beings around. Since we had to wait 45 minutes for Ron to come back, she had offered us a local tour of the island. BEST impromptu tour guide, Connie was. She was giving us history of everything the island had to offer. She drove us around the island in her golf cart with her friendly dog, Jake. Even with a broken arm and broken ribs, she was happy as can be. We had kodak worthy photos thanks to her local knowledge. After the tour, we went back to the shop and the rest of the staff kindly helped us with getting our snorkel gear. We each got the snorkel gear with the wet suit. They helped us with sizing and everything. We went to Lover's Cove and it was spectacular. Plenty of fish to see with the snorkel gear. HIGHLY recommended and I will be actively telling people about our experience with Connie and the crew. Thank you so much Connie and Ron for everything you have done to make my first trip to Catalina a great memory. read more

Snorkeling Catalina - The wetsuits - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

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Amazing place to go rent some snorkeling gear and get a guided tour. The staff is super friends and chill, they let you venture off and are very informative and nice. My friends and I went in a 1 hour tour and we saw so many fishes, they even swam at me and crowded me it was the funniest thing. I'll definitely be coming back here to swim some more and maybe even do scuba diving. read more

Snorkeling Catalina - coming to National Geographic this fall - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

Fun experience. You do have to walk to Lover's Cove, which is about a 10 minute walk. They provide everything you need: snorkeling mask, fins, wetsuit (at least up to 3XL). Sean/Shawn was our tour guide, who was great. They take you out in the water for about an hour. Then you have an hour on your own. Helps to have a watch on you to keep track of time. Would recommend! read more

Our guide Shawn was super awesome! I'm so glad my girlfriend and I did this tour. He got us geared up and we went over to Lovers cove. Right when we got in the water, we were surrounded by fish. It was just us 3 and we had a great time. My girlfriend isn't the strongest swimmer, and Shawn brought a buoy for her to hold. He was a super cool guy, made the experience a 10/5! Defiantly ask for Shawn, he's an awesome dude and made our experience very memorable! He was very knowledgeable about the fish and wildlife which I enjoyed very much. read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Post snorkeling - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

Great place to snorkel and good service. Was really fun especially with the divers blowing bubbles just underneath us. Tons of fish in diver's cove, at finger length. Water is very cold so get into the very thick wet suit for sure. There is no shower at premise but there is public shower in about 0.5 mile, check their schedule though. Water is not dirty so don't can afford to wait a bit. read more

Ron is the most patient, and kind person ever! He did an amazing job taking three novices out in the water for our first time snorkeling and it was first time stepping foot in the ocean for my husband. Ron was attentive, informative, extremely knowledgeable about the island and marine life, but most importantly he is a kind soul that graciously worked through unspoken anxiety and nerves and manage to provide the most amazing experience for all of us. I can't wait to book another tour with him, and I HIGHLY recommend you book this experience! read more

This is kind of a mixed review, but I will do my best. The equipment here was amazing and I also think it was the best priced! My family and I got seemingly top-tier gear and were even given extremely helpful instructions on the do's and do not's. So this place deserves a 5 star for that. On the flip side, the customer service here is tricky to pinpoint. When we arrived there was a guy who pulled up in a golf cart (probably just led a tour/lesson) and he did his best to serve us. He had a fair attitude and was definitely pleasant to us. However, there aren't many workers (it seems) running the shop since they are out doing the diving lessons. In short, if you are physically with them: they are great; if not: you might wait a little while at the door (unless they post what time they will be back). I definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to dive/snorkel while on Catalina! read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Here are the prices (if you can see them). - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

In preparation for my birthday weekend, I did a lot of research on snorkeling companies on the island before I decided to settle on Snorkeling Catalina. Amidst the positive reviews for this business, I was skeptical because of the incredible complaints from the negative reviews. With my options limited, I took a dive (heh) and went with Snorkeling Catalina because of the competitive rental gear pricing ($20 for an all day rental of wetsuit, fins, snorkel, and goggles? How can you beat that!). Despite the fact that I'd never been snorkeling before, I took the advice of the previous reviews and rented the gear without the guide. I am so grateful for you guys because my boyfriend was too cold to bear the waters for even an hour, so a two-hour guided tour would've been torture for him. Not to mention the fact that we saved that extra money by just renting the gear! Yes, you do have to walk from the shop to Lover's Cove, and yes, the pavement can be pretty hot and rocky, but you can take your sandals with you as they provide a net to carry your stuff in and the island is pretty safe with generally trustworthy folk all around. Just be careful after you get down the steps because the rocks are slippery and there is no sand at the cove, so you will have to walk on the rocks on shore and in the water. The store itself is pretty tiny and the staff is very busy with assisting their customers with sizes for their gear and preparing them for their scuba or snorkeling tours. I met Ron, Connie, and a couple of other staff members, who were all very helpful. When my boyfriend discovered that he could not wear the goggles because his mustache covered the nose guard, he was able to rent only the snorkel at a lower price. The staff also seems very experienced and they were accommodating when I asked for different sizes. I don't really understand the complaints about this place. My wetsuit did not smell bad; it fit perfectly and kept me warm. The staff was knowledgeable and accommodating, despite how busy they were in such a small space. You cannot beat these rental prices! They accept credit card and they do have a-la-cart options and bundles for rentals to suit your snorkeling needs! read more

Ron was AMAZING! So passionate and knowledgeable, we had a great time and there was so much to see. Highly recommend!

My brother and I booked a 2 hour guided tour ($80 for two) to go snorkeling with them. It was our first time. The service is not very friendly, they seem to be flustered. We came an hour earlier than scheduled to ask if I could use a full wetsuit instead of a shorty because of my religious dress code, said they couldn't guarantee that because they have people coming in and out, which is understandable. The guy told us to come back a half hour later because they were busy helping a large group and didn't have capacity to check us in at the time. We came back and got checked in. I got a full suit, and we suited up, got our gear and headed to Lover's Cove. It was about a ten minute walk. There wasn't much instruction on how to snorkel especially for us first timers. The guide was friendly though and talked about different kinds of fish and reef we were seeing. My main complaint was that in our tour group there was a drunk woman who was acting inappropriately, tripping, bumping into people, being obnoxious etc. We had set our bags at the railing and mine had my shoes in it. She had come barefoot and left early (you get a one hour guided tour and the second hour you're on your own to explore). She had taken my bag with my shoes in it and I walked back barefoot on the hot floor. My shoes were waiting for me when I returned. There should be a policy in place to prevent intoxicated people from snorkeling, for their own safety and to prevent negatively affecting the experience of other customers. I had to use the changing room (a space with a curtain in the back of the shop) to take my wetsuit off and change into my clothes and it was very difficult to remove and I was asked to hurry up because other people were waiting to change. My brother also wanted to use the changing room and the guy in the shop commented "this is southern California and we are at a beach" and "you guys really are something" probably implying that it is expected to change in front of everyone. He might have been joking but it made my brother uncomfortable and he ended up changing outside. Overall the snorkeling itself was fun and great once you got the hang of it, the fish and reef forests are beautiful. However, I would recommend just renting gear and going on your own, just ask some snorkelers for help if you need instruction. You don't need to pay for this tour to get a great snorkeling experience. read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Store location - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

Snorkeling is awesome, good, cheap fun! Feels like being in an aquarium except much better because the fish actually react to your presence! If you are considering the glass boat tour, don't bother and do snorkeling for almost the same thing with much more interaction. Don't fret if you don't know how to swim, the wetsuit will help you float super easily. They have a good range of sizes for their wet suit (i wore a child XL and it fit me perfect) and the water did not feel cold at all (we snorkeled at around 9:00am when the water was about 60-ish degrees). Our guide Lisa told us early times for reservation are much better because the water is much calmer and you can see more fish. But she seemed kinda sleepier than us and not super enthusiastic. After doing the guided tour, next time, most definitely just getting out there myself. We got a groupon: $59 for 2 hr snorkeling for 2 (1 hr guided, 1 hr on our own, wetsuit, fins, snorkel mask, fish food, underwater camera, sunglasses), but apparently they were having problems with the manufacturer in terms of the underwater camera and gave us either a tshirt or hat instead. Super sad we weren't able to document any of it. And the fish were super vicious & totally snatched the food away from our guide...we didn't get a chance to feed the fish at all. Free sunglasses were super awesome though! Contact wearers not to fret because the snorkel masks is super suctioned to your face! But I brought an extra pair with me just in case because salt water in eyes mixed with contacts = no fun. Don't forget to bring a towel for afterward. The shop has a place to keep your stuff. read more

If there was a button for 6 out of 5 stars that's what I would rate it. Came to do some snorkeling while visiting the island. If you decide you want to give it a try this is the spot to go too ! We dealt with Ron Moore he was very polite, informative, and has a great since of humor kept the experience light hearted and the most important part was FUN ! He asks about your swimming experience and your comfortability with swimming. He got us set up with all the correct gear we would need everything fit comfortable and was easy to use with his instructions. We went out for the first hour with him and he was showing us the sea life not many people get to see! After the first hour he parted ways with my girlfriend and I so we could go explore around for the next hour. You will see more things on this snorkeling trip than you would on the glass bottom boat. At the end I was so happy we chose to go here to get this experience I will remember for life. THANK YOU AGAIN RON ! read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Standing outside the snorkeling spot - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

We had such a good experience at Snorkeling Catalina! We booked a guided tour but ended up being the only ones on it so it was a private tour! All the staff were very friendly with helping us get suited up, taking pictures for us:), and answering all our questions. Al, our guide, was great; he perfectly balanced teaching us and showing us marine life, while letting us just snorkel on our own. I'm glad we got the guided tour for our first time because there were a lot of people in Lover's Cove without guides who were clearly having trouble snorkeling... But anytime in the future I'll definitely save the money and just rent the gear because I feel very comfortable now. Lover's Cove itself was amazing! Another reviewer said it was like swimming in an aquarium, and this is so accurate!! It was magical! A couple hours after our tour I realized I had payed the full price when I meant to get the 2 for 1 birthday deal. I went back and they were completely obliging and gave me a refund. I definitely recommend snorkeling, Lover's Cove, and Snorkeling Catalina!! read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Al showing us some marine life - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

It was my first time snorkeling and we got a great deal for this place that included 2-hours guided tour, t-shirts, and sunglasses. I don't know how to swim but we emailed them ahead of time and they told me I'd still be able to do it! Basically, they just hooked me up with a life-vest which meant no diving down (but I was okay with that!) The guys at the shop seemed pretty friendly- we stored all our stuff in a basket which they kept safe and they had us try on flippers to make sure we had the perfect size. As everyone says, they provided us wet suits, flippers, and snorkeling mask. Our guide, Ann, was really friendly and took us to Lover's Cove (a short walk away from the pier). We went down a short flight of steps and were at the water! Ann was pretty patient and very knowledgeable about the wildlife we saw. She also had fish food, so she brought the fish in really close to us. Unfortunately, the tide started to get really strong so she pulled us out of the water. I appreciated that she had our safety first in mind. She told us we could go back in but just to stay closer-- my bf was bummed that we couldn't go to deeper water (that's where the bigger fish and barracudas are apparently), but I thought there was plenty of large fish where we were! The water seemed pretty clear as well. FYI, I see some reviews complaining about lots of kelp beds, but the fish are there because of the kelp beds.... so yeah. Overall, I suggest this shop if you're a first time snorkeler with no gear. Otherwise, I'd say get your own stuff and head over to Lover's Cove yourself. There's not really much need for a guide, you can see the fish with your eyes and just follow their direction. The guide does help let you know if the tide is unsafe though. Also, you should prepare yourself for very slippery and painful rocks at the shoreline. The toughest part for me was not slipping on them- I fell a bunch of times and my feet were red on the bottom from effort. read more

What an awesome experience! Great people work here. I had a great time snorkeling with Karen and I look forward to diving there soon. Thanks

I LOVE the grandpas that work here. They are all so nice, so patient, so kind and so helpful. They want to make sure you have a great time snorkeling and have a fun time when you're here. Honestly, I was really worried about my items and wondered if it was going to get lost. The grandpas gave me a basket to put all my items in it and kept it in the store until I return. One of the grandpa even remembered my name and got me my basket of items correctly! Come here to support the store to keep them open ^^ This was my first time snorkeling and I had a blast, except the water was TOO COLD for me that day. I had to leave the water early because I was shivering, otherwise I would have wanted to stay LONGER. read more

Right across from the Catalina basketball courts and 200 yards away from the Catalina Express terminal is "Snorkel Catalina-"a very valuable resource for the visitor looking to enjoy great spots to snorkle on this scenic island. My son & I already brought our gear with us, but his friend that came along was needing the snorkle, mask, & fins so we could check out the garibaldi, calico bass, and white fish hanging out at Lover's Cove. "Snorkel Catalina" is really just a little hole-in-the-wall but Steve-the owner has been around a while and knows the diving/snorkle business like the back side of his hand. He has some other very capable employees that will also go out of their way to help you. Steve is cool too because when you rent, he is not such a stickler for a return time-in fact he tells you.."no hurry..just get it back around such-and-such a time." The company runs guided snorkeling trips and tours and private charter boats that can take you other good snorkeling areas like Devil's Slide or Two Harbors. "Dive Catalina" is a sister business that is a very good source for introductory scuba dives-no experience necessary. "Dive Catalina" does guided scuba tours and classes with a full selection of rental gear available. This time in July and August is really the only time you can jump into the water around here without a wetsuit and not be freezing your head off. If you make the trek to Catalina, at least take a morning and grab some gear to head out to nearby Lover's Cove-crystal clear water and fish SWARMING-especially when you buy a bag of fish food and serve them brunch! Additionally-today while in the water-I looked up on the hill right above and there in front of us was a beautiful deer family: Big Daddy deer, protective mother, and cute little baby nibbling the greenery. How awesome is that-nature underfoot and up above-right there in front of you...so cool and epic. Check this great business out for yourself-"Snorkel Catalina" and "Dive Catalina." read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

Booked a guided tour with Ron, who was the nicest guy. Excellent information about the underwater world. Thank you, Ron for supplying the snorkel, fins, and opportunity for a wonderful experience. read more

Shawn and Ron are the best!!! There were four of us "friends" and none of us had ever been snorkeling. I had never in my life been in the ocean. Im 41yrs btw. Shawn was the best! Cant wait to come back with family!!! read more

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Last Saturday - March 3, 2012, my visiting friend from San Francisco - CHING and I were in the 1:30PM Dolphins and Sea Lion Boat Trip. Until now I still have the BIG SMILE on my face because it was the most amazing and AWESOME trip ever! Snorkeling Catalina's owner Steve Smith was very accommodating, charming and friendly. The boat's Captain Brian was a great tour guide. The most exciting experience and part of this trip was the dolphins! They were everywhere circling our boat. Capt. Brian said they love the waves that the boat make. They were so fast swimming in front, side and back of the boat. It was a wonderful experience indeed! After the dolphins, we went near the shore to watch the Sea Lions. They made so much noise and were showing off by swimming beside the boat. I took a lot of pics of them! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you book a trip, you won't regret it and would really love it like I did!! read more

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I booked a snorkeling tour for two over the phone last week from Seattle. It was for 10am. I thought I'd get some kind of email confirming my reservation because I had to provide my credit card information as well. I emailed the company days later asking if my reservation is still in place and they replied saying the reservation was made for 9am instead of 10am and if this works. I confirmed for 9am. On the day of the reservation, I showed up 15 minutes before 9am as instructed. The open sign was there but the store was locked with no one inside. Then around 9:10am, the owner (I'm assuming) shows up and tells us we're booked at 10am. I told him I initially did, but the email said 9am. He remembered who I was and apologized for the "confusion", and that he didn't check the booking calendar when he replied to my email (since when was that a thing?). There was another party originally booked for 9am, so he tells us to come back in 45 minutes. He was pretty apologetic about it but it just seemed he was overwhelmed with taking care of the other party. I came back at 9:45am, sitting in the storefront because again there is no one there. We wait until 10am and that's when we started getting dressed, and we had to wait for our tour guide. We walk over to Lover's Cove and it was around 10:20am. It was my first time snorkeling and I was scared, so the guide taught me the basics and just showed us around. He was pretty nice and very experienced but he then left us around 11am, which cut our tour to 40 minutes. He gave us an hour to ourselves but honestly, we didn't know where to go or what to look for. My partner and I just came out of the water, sat for a little bit and returned our gears. I was really looking forward to this snorkeling trip, but I don't think I would come back again. read more

Top notch service and quality snorkeling tours! The gear is well maintained and in proper working condition. The level of care and attention provided by the staff really sets this place apart from other rental/your companies in Catalina Island! Steve has truly done an excellent job of building a quality company throughout the years!! I'm excited to check it out again soon now that it is under new ownership. read more

Highly recommend! Great customer service. They were so friendly and very patient in answering all my questions. We rented snorkel gear (wetsuit, fin and mask) for our group of 3 (2 kids, 1 adult). The kids really enjoyed snorkeling at Lover's Cove which is just a short walk from the shop. read more

Catalina is an all out beautiful place, but you definitely have to go on one of these snorkeling tours. Our guide Oscar aka Chicken was the best. He went deep to dig out different creatures from under rocks and also took my GoPro for a closer look of under water. This snorkeling trip is one not to be forgotten!!! read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

We arrived at the place and the owner was very rude and condescending to us. He also tried to tell us that we couldn't use the pre-paid groupon. Keep in mind, my wife called two days prior to see if we needed a reservation for a time and inform him that we would like to use a groupon before it expired. My wife reminded him that she spoke to him on the phone two days prior and he said everything was fine. His attitude then soured even more. He then says we could only pay in cash because he didn't want to take the hit from the credit card company...(Not our problem). So after I go to an ATM and pay in cash, we go out with the two guides who were very pleasant. They saw we had a 5 year old with us that wasn't going out and they offered to put him in a wet suit so he wouldn't feel left out. When we returned from a good snorkeling time, the owner was upset his worker let him wear a suit and tried to charge us for it...WTH!!! My wife went to talk to him. He tells her to wait while he calls the worker to ask why he let my 5 year old wear a suit. He then tells my wife, someone had a doctor's appointment today...odd!! (again, not our problem) We don't care!! Take care of your customers!!! Bottom line: You don't need this idiot's gear to have a good snorkeling time. His guides were great, which is the only reason for two stars; otherwise one star. He is an asshole!! Get some gear and go by yourself. The ocean is free!!! read more

Awesome experience! Went for the hour guided snorkel tour. Water was chilly but felt very comfortable with the wetsuits provided. Saw several types of fish and sea life- water was extremely clear and blue! Ron was very accommodating and knowledgeable as well. Would recommend. read more

On my list of things to do in Catalina, snorkelling is probably top 5. I rented the full package - a mask, fins, and wetsuit for $15 for 2 hours. It costs $20 to rent for the whole day. Mask and fins were pretty clean. The wetsuit was questionable because it really did smell awful. The unfortunate thing was walking to and from Lover's cove. Even though it was around only 10 min, it was a little difficult to walk in our wetsuits. They do not let you store your stuff inside the store. You need to go put your stuff in lockers near the boat landing (costs around $1) which is on the way to where you wanna go. Overall, this place has reasonable prices for what they offer. People aren't very attentive but hey, must be tiring doing this everyday. read more

I don't know where to start this review.... HmMM well.. I almost drowned... Yeah.. My Gear was broken and since it was my first time, I couldn't tell if it was broken or if I was snorkeling incorrectly. We had the groupon deal and it included their gear in the package. I would strongly recommend you to get your own gear than to use theirs. The guy who helped us with our gear and etc was friendly and helpful. He answered all our questions.We had a group of 8 and got everything fine. After we got ready we had to WALK to lover's cove. Luckily, it wasn't that long of a walk. Sadly.... our guide wasn't that great. She didn't really know what to do when there were problems. When we got there, we approached her and said, "Hi! you must be Lisa!" She said yes and asked everyone to stand against the rail. She was very short on her instructions and forgot to ask any of us if it was our first time. I was trying my best to start breathing through my mouth only and it was a bit difficult for me to stay clam. Sadly, my mouth gear was broken(which I didn't know because it was my first time) and I was panicking and the guide asked me, "I thought you know how to swim!" I was like I DO KNOW HOW TO SWIMM!! I just couldn't do this snorkeling thing so I asked the group to go ahead with the tour and I stayed behind... I switched gear with my fiance, Peter and that was when we found out my gear was broken. I used his until the group came back and we told the guide that mine was broken and she gave us another set. After that, everyone was tired from the tour so we stayed near the shore. I don't think this was the best place to go snorkeling though. The waves were constant, there were a lot of fishes there and lots of rocks. Oh, the water wasn't that clear either.. there was a lot of kelp/seaweed too... oh wait, there was more, my flips were uncomfortable. They hurt my feet too.. maybe I should have brought some wet shoes.. We did get free underwater disposable cameras and free sunglasses but that was why this place got 2 starts instead of 1. Would I recommend this place to others? naww.. Sorry. Save your money and go snorkeling somewhere else. OR! go snorkeling with your own gear without a guide. read more

I had a pretty good experience with this place and crap it's been hella damn years since I've gone snorkeling. Made a reservation over the phone with a groupon I got. One question they asked a few times when making this reservation was "you have your boat ticket already purchased?" I guess they didn't want people making reservation if they might not be able to make it to the island. Make note of your reservation because they won't call you to confirm later on, or you'll be assed out. They also tell you to wear you bathing suits under your clothes when you arrive the day of. On the day of we just walked to the spot since it wasn't too far. They had all our gear ready in a bin with my name on it. You basically strip down and put your wet suit on out infront of the place, yea if you're not comfortable with this you might have to call around to see which snorkel spots have changing areas ahaha. As Jon K mentioned in his review they had us also pay $5 on top of what we paid for from Groupon...wack... Your guide will then walk you down to Lover's Cove, yes I said WALK. It's not too far but I doubt many people would think they'd be walking somewhere lol. Lover's Cove is beautiful you'll see tons of fish and have a great time there. One last night right before you go into the water please really test out your gear, your guide will tell you how to test it out but really test it out a few times before your far out in the water and suckin up some seawater and choking. It may sound funny but it sucks. Bring a water proof camera if you have one BUT HAVE A GOOD STRAP FOR IT or your ass is about to lose your camera, we heard another group trying to find one because it slipped out of someones hand as they were taking photos. read more

Snorkeling Catalina - Snorkeling Near Me - Avalon, California

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I'm a snorkel snob. The company, is outstanding, organized, efficient, thorough, professional, etc... I am used to snorkeling the Hawaiian Islands...so when I jumped into the freezing water only to see kelp and about 5 different varieties of fish, I was not impressed. The 2 hour snorkel trip became a 1/2 hour snorkel and a 1.5 hour swimming trip. One cool thing we did see was a Sea Lion. Those suckers are FAST and pretty big. Other than that it was, blue fish, gray fish, or yellow fish...oh and kelp. I'd recommend just doing snorkeling on your own. Save yourself the $130 bucks. read more

I had never been snorkeling or to Catalina, and I am so glad I did both yesterday! It helped make my sister's birthday so special. They gave her a free snorkeling tour in honor of her birthday, with our purchase- which was awesome. The tour guide was very sweet and attentive. The snorkeling itself was incredible. And I am inspired to buy a wetsuit now, because I usually am shivering from the Pacific Ocean's chilliness. I definitely recommend! read more

So here's the skinny: - There's just no way to have rental wetsuits that don't smell a little bad; it comes with the territory. Better than having to supply your own, in my opinion. - The rocks where you snorkel are indeed pretty uncomfortable, but the lack of sand/mud also contributes to incredibly clear viewing. Again, it's a tradeoff that I think is well worth it. - Our guide, Tim, was awesome with my somewhat timid kids, and really went out of his way to be encouraging and helpful. The kids had such fun, and one even wants to go snorkeling again because of how positive the experience was. The only thing keeping the place from a full five stars is just the small size of the shop which makes things a bit cramped when you're preparing. It's not like there's much they can do about that, though, especially with expensive Catalina real estate prices. If you're looking to snorkel in a fantastic spot with a fantastic guide, and you don't need total pampering, I think this is a great option. read more

I took the tour from Lover's Cove. I have a feeling that I would have enjoyed the boat tour a lot better. Lover's Cove is really rocky, so getting in and out when there's waves pushing you back against the shore is a bit scary. Speaking of scary, go in the morning if you can. We went in the afternoon and it was really choppy! Salt water kept going straight down my snorkel. We swam out into the ocean from the coast for 10-15 minutes. I was exhausted and felt like I was going to drown with all the water I was swallowing. I started to have a panic attack when I realized that I was in open water, far from shore, without a floatation device. When my husband tried told the guide that I was swallowing water, she replied "that will happen" and instructed me to keep swimming. They asked me earlier if I could swim or if I needed a boogey board. I swim just fine, but I really would have preferred to be in a life vest for piece of mind (and not just a boogey board that I could let go of - a real life vest to get strapped into). My husband got a leg cramp and I was so scared he wouldn't be able to swim back! Despite that- when we got out where the water was calmer, I was able to relax and enjoy watching the fish. I had bought some fish food sticks and the fish were swarming for it. Be careful with those - the fish will bite. But it was worth it. read more

I bought a Yelp Deal for "$58 for a 2-Hour Guided Snorkeling Tour for Two (reg $160) at Snorkeling Catalina" technically my deal expired on 6/10/2012, but they were nice enough to let me use it on 6/26/2012, so i definitely give them props for that. The location is very convenient, its right next to where the boats drop you off. They were quiet popular, during my time there, i saw at least 3,4 different groups of people coming and going off to snorkel or dive. They provided wet suit, snorkels, and flappers. Our guide was very nice, she walked us over to Lover's Cove. and were telling us about all the fishes and what not in the area and attracted a whole bunch of fish with her fish feed. but here is why its a 3 star instead of 4 or higher. even though the yelp deal i bought said its 2-hour guided snorkeling tour for two. our guide was only with us for 1 hour. she said the 2 hour guided snorkeling tour means, 1 hour guided and another hour of just equipment rental. so that was kinda iffy and confusing. plus lover's cove isn't really the best place to snorkel, cuz of all the boats/ submarines coming and going. its really dangerous having boats, submarines, kayakers, and snorkelers all in the same area without any separation at all. *catalina is having some kind of water shortage, so there is no shower at all (unlike any beach around Socal). but you can find a public shower(plaque says 5min for $4) near the casino. found a picture of the public shower online http://www.panoramio.com/photo/45435541 read more