California · 3–30.5 m
Casino Point Dive Park (Avalon Underwater Park) is a roughly 2-2.5 acre roped-off, no-take marine reserve beside the landmark Catalina Casino in Avalon, widely regarded as the best shore dive in California. Custom concrete stairs with handrails lead straight into a lush giant kelp forest over reefs, mini-walls and sand flats from 10 to 100 ft, with several small wrecks including the 54-ft sailboat Suejac (bow at ~95 ft), the Kismet, a glass-bottom boat and a sunken swim platform, plus an underwater Jacques Cousteau memorial plaque at about 35 ft. Established in the 1960s as the first non-profit underwater park in the country, its protected status makes the fish unusually bold and the site ideal for everyone from open-water students to photographers.
IntermediateShore entry