Scuba diving San Diego by boat, with all the creature comforts. Heated shower, hot soup, warm crew.

Set sail from the closest commercial dock to the ocean with our friendly, safety-first crew. Whether you're avoiding shore dives or seeking a community-focused, cost-effective dive, we got you covered: scuba diving San Diego with us brings all the warmth you need for cold-water dives. Enjoy weekly trips to Wreck Alley, La Jolla Ecological Reserve, Point Loma giant kelp forest, and the sea lion-filled Coronado Islands.

Included

Captain and deckhand

Tanks + weights

Hot soup, snacks, bevs

Sea sickness help

Self-guided dives, tour guide optional.
Advanced certification required on some trips.
Complimentary tanks vary (AL80 or LP Steel 85).

Ammenities

Hot shower

Galley + second deck

Full marine bathroom

Low-hanging ladders

Price (per diver)

$165 - $315ย  (public trip)

$88 - $233ย  (private charter)

All fees included
Solo, freedivers, and non-divers welcome

Elizabeth R
Elizabeth R
Hands down the best scuba charter I've ever experienced (and have dove in Florida, Panama, Brazil, Hawaii, Cozumel). Zach and the crew are incredibly skilled, safe, and kind. The captain even made homemade bluefin ceviche in addition to ensuring hot soup and hot shower water between cold November dives. I can't recommend their dive charter to Coronado Mexico enough, and can't wait to dive with Waterhorse again already!
Serena Zheng
Serena Zheng
Took a dive trip out to Coronado Islands. Impressive dive company with a phenomenal team. They have top tier service getting into your gear and into the water. They try to get you as much time with the sea lions as possible! By popular demand, we got to do the sea lion dive twice!! Even got to do some whale watching on the way back. 1000% recommend!!
Jake Baker
Jake Baker
Iโ€™ve done a couple dives with Waterhorse and they have been great. Dive master Brennan is the man and very knowledgeable.
CAPT R.T. Rushton, USN, ret.
CAPT R.T. Rushton, USN, ret.
Two good dives yesterday on Orion. First was in the kelp off of PT Loma. Vis was 20-25 ft. Second was on the Rube-E. Had to work through a green layer, but vis opened to 15 ft at the hull. The crew was great as usual. This dive was to test a new backplate and bladder + wt check.
William Alton
William Alton
Iโ€™ve booked three boat dives with Waterhorse and my California dive experience has been excellent . I did chose the option to hire a dive guide. The guides were very helpful assisting with weight checks. A big thanks to Ben and Hunter for guiding me through kelp forest and wrecks. I still have another dive left with this company as im writing this review. Iโ€™m usually a warm water diver with a 3 mm suit on. I would hope that all cold water dive operators operate like Waterhorse. If diving in San Diego do chose this company. Oh they actually have warm soup and snacks after the first dive. So far all the heads (toilets) are functional. Warm water showers as well. ๐Ÿ‘Œ
Markus Sturkey
Markus Sturkey
Waterhorse Charters truly exceeded my expectations and provided the best dive charter experience Iโ€™ve ever had. From the owners to the crew, everyone is top-tier. I had the pleasure of meeting Zach, one of the owners, at the Scuba Show, and I corresponded with his wife Karina over email to make changes. The entire booking process was seamless and professional. My girlfriend, who often accompanies me on dive trips, mentioned that Captain Charles was the nicest captain sheโ€™s ever met. The divemasters I had, Brandon and Jon, are probably the best dive guides Iโ€™ve ever had. I can confidently say they gave me my favorite dives of all time so far. I initially heard about Waterhorse Charters from an instructor in Hawaii and the Azul Unlimited YouTube channel, so my expectations were highโ€”and they met or exceeded every one of them. If youโ€™re looking to dive cold water in the San Diego area, Waterhorse Charters is the way to go.
Kristian Marquez
Kristian Marquez
I recently had an incredible experience with Waterhorse Charters on a trip to the Coronado Islands! The crew made the entire day exceptional from start to finish. Gaby was attentive and ensured that everyone felt welcome and prepared, offering all the support we needed throughout the trip. Ben was incredibly knowledgeable about the islands and their marine life, making every stop interesting and educational. Brandonโ€™s professionalism and friendly attitude added to the overall comfort and enjoyment of the journey. And a big shout out to Charles, who kept everything running smoothly and made sure we had a safe and memorable adventure. Thank you, Waterhorse Charters, for a wonderful day on the water. I highly recommend this experience to anyone looking to explore the beauty of the Coronado Islands with a top-notch crew!
Brendan
Brendan
Why go somewhere else? The location of the boat means you get in and out of the harbor quickly. Thorough safety and dive briefing. The hot shower ensures you're warm and comfortable for second and third dive. Don't underestimate the wonder of the hot soups. They convert surface intervals from a mere necessity to something to look forward to and warm you up for the next dive
jonathan cummins
jonathan cummins
Zach and the Waterhorse crew are outstanding and safety conscious dive professionals! When I want to go boat diving I go to Waterhorse first. They take us to the best sites and offer in depth dive site briefings and always have the best interest of the divers! If you only have one day to dive go to Waterhorse!
John George
John George
This is the best dive company in San Diego hands down. I have been diving with Waterhorse charters for almost three years now and every trip it never ceases to amaze me how helpful, kind, and attentive the crew is. Zack helped out last week to get lobster season rolling and I came home with four of them! Donโ€™t look anywhere else if you are wanting to dive in San Diego.

CREW-RIER SERVICE: We'll help you with your gear, proper weighting, yolk and DIN valves, and pairing you up with a buddy

WELCOME TO BRING: Personal tanks (fills up to 3000psi), CCRs, doubles, scooters, camera gear, backpacks, extra snacks

ADD-ONS AT CHECKOUT: Tour guides, 7mm wetsuits, rental gear, Nitrox tanks, GoPro rental

Scuba Diving San Diego Hot Highlights

Lobster Season

Point Loma Kelp/La Jolla Reefs

We look for fisherman lobster traps around our favorite kelp and reef dive sites, then we drop you as close as we can to the action.

$175/diver (2 dives)

Requires game bag, gauge, CA fishing license, and lobster report card

Sea Lion Season

Coronado Islands, Mexico

Our favorite time of the year is here: world-class sea lion diving at the islands. The pups are now curious tweens ready to check you out!

$315/diver (3 dives)

Requires valid passport

Scuba Diving San Diego Dive Sites

Scuba Diving San Diego Sites

  • Lobster Shack < 60 ft
  • Middle Grounds < 60 ft
  • Keyhole < 60 ft
  • Toilet Bowl < 60ft

๐Ÿ‘ฉโ€โœˆ๏ธ Crew tip: The best time to visit the islands is from September through December when sea lion diving is world-class!

  • Kelp Beds < 60 ft
  • Ancient Cliffs 65 - 100 ft
  • Train Wheels 65 - 100 ft

๐Ÿ‘จ๐Ÿผโ€โœˆ๏ธ Crew tip: Point Loma is home to prime sevengill shark diving from February through May, and lobster diving from October through March.

  • HMCS Yukon 60 - 100 ft
  • Ruby E. 65 - 80 ft
  • El Rey 65 - 80 ft
  • Old Ingraham 60 ft

๐Ÿง‘๐Ÿปโ€โœˆ๏ธ Crew tip: The HMCS Yukon, our top wreck choice, is the largest and most advanced wreck we visit (bring lights for a top-notch experience).

  • Kelp Beds/Reefs < 60 ft
  • Pinnacles 60 - 90 ft
  • Scripps Canyon 70 - 130 ft

๐Ÿ‘ฉ๐Ÿพโ€โœˆ๏ธ Crew tip: Diving La Jolla by boat is so different! It's effortless, less crowded, and goes way beyond La Jolla Coves and La Jolla Shores.

All in one Mission Bay shop
Check-in, rental gear fitting, boat boarding

advanced-padi-certification-san-diego

We'll keep you safe
Crew trained with quarterly drills and safety debriefs

We'll treat you right
Kindness is contagiousย is our life and work essence

We'll make it easy
Help with gear, tanks, weights, and finding a buddy

OPEN WATER SITES
Mexico: Coronado Islands (3 dives)
Point Loma: Kelp Forest (2 dives)
La Jolla: Reefs (2 dives)
Shallow Kelp & Wreck (2 dives)

ADVANCED/DEEP SITES
Wreck Alley: Yukon + Ruby E. (2 dives)
Wreck Alley: Yukon + El Rey (2 dives)
Wreck Alley: Yukon Double Dip (2 dives)
Point Loma: Ancient Cliffs (2 dives)
La Jolla: Rocks & Pinnacles (2 dives)
La Jolla: Scripps Canyon (2 dives)

LOBSTER SEASON
Sep 27, 2024 - Mar 19, 2025

MULTIDAY 10% off, only pay for 1 day of gear contact us
MEMBERSHIP 25% off public dive trips, 1 year enroll
CERTIFICATIONS private, no shore diving learn more

Destinations

Fleet

Humboldt

21 divers

Comfortable and safe, our Newton 46' Dive Special flagship is a local favorite that ensures easy entry and exit.
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san-diego-scuba-diving
humboldt-dive-deck

Orion

12 divers

Cozy and private, our Newton 38' provides for an intimate dive experience and indoor comfort.
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2
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Min. guest reached or money back
Public trips: Full refund up to 7 days

"So professional and easy to work with, not used to that."

Todd Thumpson
Veteran Programs