Harbor Dive Center - California
The team at Harbor Dive Center are our kind of people – genuine, no-nonsense divers who understand the unique conditions of Northern California. We’ve found them to be incredibly supportive, especially if you’re looking to get into drysuit diving or just want a solid refresher before tackling some of the Pacific’s chillier spots. What really makes them stand out is their dedication to local diving, offering guided trips to places you might not otherwise explore, alongside all the standard courses. They’re perfectly situated in Sausalito for easy access to some prime Northern California diving. We’ve joined their trips out to Breakwater, where the kelp sways thick and leopard sharks cruise the sandy bottoms, or even further afield to Monterey and Carmel. They’re fantastic for getting you comfortable with colder water, offering robust drysuit courses and rentals. We love that they foster a real community feel; it’s not just about getting certified, it’s about finding dive buddies and sticking with it. If you’re serious about diving California’s rugged coast, or want to gear up properly, this is definitely where we’d send you first.
- Location
- California, United States, North America
- Coordinates
- 37.868110, -122.498860
- Phone
- +1-415-331-0904
- Website
- https://www.harbordive.com/get-in-touch
- Courses
- yes
- Equipment Rental
- yes
- Address
- 200, Harbor Drive, Sausalito, 94965
Dive Sites Near Harbor Dive Center
Harbor Dive Center provides access to 15 dive sites in California.
Other Dive Centres in California
- Adventure Sports Unlimited - PADI
- Adventure West Scuba - PADI
- Aloha Scuba
- Anderson's SCUBA diving
- Any Water Dive Center - PADI, DAN
- Aquanautics Dive, Inc - ["PADI"]
- Aquarius Dive Shop
- Aqua Safaris - EFR, DAN
- Aqua Sports
- ASD Scuba School
Best Time to Dive in California
The warmest water temperatures in California occur in August, averaging 20.6°C (up to 24.0°C). The coolest conditions are in February at 14.0°C.
The calmest sea conditions are typically in July with average wave heights of 0.60m.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 14.4°C (air: 14.0°C)
- February: 14.0°C (air: 13.8°C)
- March: 14.2°C (air: 13.3°C)
- April: 14.9°C (air: 14.3°C)
- May: 16.6°C (air: 15.4°C)
- June: 18.9°C (air: 17.4°C)
- July: 20.4°C (air: 18.9°C)
- August: 20.6°C (air: 19.6°C)
- September: 20.4°C (air: 19.7°C)
- October: 18.8°C (air: 18.4°C)
- November: 16.3°C (air: 16.0°C)
- December: 15.6°C (air: 14.3°C)
Marine Life in California
Home to 10 recorded species including 8 reef fish, 1 other, 1 octopus & squid.
Notable Marine Life
- Vernal Pool Fairy Shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi)
- Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) - Reef Fish
- Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) - Reef Fish
- Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) - Reef Fish
- Little post horn squid (Spirula spirula) - Octopus & Squid
- Prickly sculpin (Cottus asper) - Reef Fish
- cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii) - Reef Fish
- Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) - Reef Fish
- brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) - Reef Fish
- Ribbonfish (Lepidopus caudatus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for California
Based on average water temperature of 17.1°C.
- Wetsuit (5-7mm) - recommended for 17°C water
- Hood & Gloves (3-5mm) - helps retain warmth
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories