Great experience March 21...Nate dropped us at Cathedral Cove where we spent a half hour with a pod of sea lions. Best trip I've ever been on!! read more

Spectre Dive Boat - One of the many sea lions we saw at Cathedral Cove - Boating Near Me - Ventura, California

Fantastic, family run dive operation with a patient and caring crew. We have been diving typically 1-4 dives/year for many years, with my son recently completing all his open water and advanced certification dives on the Spectre. Always a great time and great food with an egg sandwich breakfast, chicken/tritip/veg options for lunch and hot fudge brownie sundaes for dessert, with all you want snacks and drinks throughout. We've gone out in great swell conditions and terrible ones, and the captain is always able to find optimal dive spots around Anacapa and Santa Cruz. Reserving a spot and rental gear is so easy online and it's a dream having everything ready to go on the boat vs. having to carry stuff from a shop. I typically rent BCD/reg/weights and dive gear is always in adequate condition and safe, and they fix/swap anything that isn't working to your satisfaction. Spectre is the best! read more

I've been diving on this boat five times and it just keeps getting better. I can't say enough about how helpful the crew was. I was recovering from surgery a few months ago and it was first time back in water. I was struggling with managing getting in the water and they couldn't have been more patient and helpful. Eli is one of the crew member that I remember. Captain Ted is not on the boat but he takes the reservation and he is always helpful putting our group of four divers together on the boat. His son is the captain on the boat. I spoke with him briefly. The hot tub is awesome. What all I can say about the food is when you finish diving you're usually starving. That's not the case here with the breakfast, lunch and brownie sundae after the diving is over. If I could give them six stars I would. Thanks again for making my diving memories with the boat and my diving buddies special read more

Spectre Dive Boat - Boating Near Me - Ventura, California

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I have been diving on the Spectre for over 30 years. It is a family operation with the father and now sun as captains. Things simply the best dive boat I have been on. Great service, amazing food, and Cap always finds the best spots based on conditions. read more

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Bad seamanship. Spectre would not yield on a fully declared sailboat going into slip. Had to full reverse in the main channel. Bore down on 2 rental kayaks. Because of Spectres bullish behavior. Could have easily ended in disaster. Shame on you spectre. And beware anyone to choose this dive boat as the Captain is UNSAFE read more

This is a long time coming now. I have always dived with Spectre and their crew is simply AMAZING! They strategically (I believe) pick each dive site for visibility, hunting (if you are hunting), and catering it to those who are new to diving as well if needed. They are both patient and kind and personally have NEVER had a bad experience with them. It was thanks to them that I kept diving and fell in love with the sport. BBQ is good and the cheap ice cream is always an eager treat after a long days dive. Recommend for anybody who is interested in diving and is looking for a great dive! read more

One star because I couldn't give zero stars. Actually, the food, and cook, were fairly decent. Ok, one star for that. However... Probably the worst dive boat in SoCal. Crew was nonchalant and uncaring. Even worse, the dive sites were horrible, averaging no more than 25' feet of depth. At least two of the six dive sites (Anacapa/Santa Cruz over two days) were shallow urchin barrens. I booked half the boat each of the two days... and was given NO say in where we went. I had tech guys with doubles, advanced divers, and instructors in my bunch who were ready to see what these Northern Channel Islands could offer us. What we got was absolutely laughable. Crap diving + a crap boat + questionable safety = A Huge Steaming Pile. There were red flags before the trip. In booking the boat, the owner, over the phone, was one of the rudest assholes I've ever talked to in my 38 years in the industry. Didn't care a whit and his "you'll get whatever we choose to give you" attitude SHOULD have warned me off. However, my San Diego/Los Angeles group hadn't done Northern Channel Islands in a few years and were eager to get up there. Were eager to try out this boat. God damn, how many times I had to apologize to them for the colossal cluster-f*ck we encountered. The captain (son of the owner) was no better than his father. Extreme lackadaisical attitude when we spoke onboard. Didn't give one tiny shite about whether the passengers were being served well or not. The attitude and approach of the owner trickles down to the captain... which trickles down to the crew. We saw this same effect with the M/V Conception (R.I.P. to those souls). This next tidbit about the captain is EXTREMELY INDICATIVE/SYMBOLIC of the Spectre's outlook on dive charters and should be YOUR red flag when considering them for your dive trip needs: The Captain was the LAST person to get to the boat in the morning... and the FIRST one to get off the boat when we pulled up to the dock. You decide. read more

We dove 3 days off the Spectre this past weekend and it was excellent. The crew is really nice, very nonweldable. The food was excellent. I really appreciate that you get 3 dives and 2 meals on the boat, making it a great value. The dive briefings were excellent. I dove off a competitor's boat in the past a couple of times, and the briefings were ok but I still felt a bit unsure at some of the sites. However, on the Spectre they were excellent. I knew exactly where to go, what landmarks to look for, and how to navigate for both a safe dive and to maximize enjoyment of the site. I had not dove 8 of the 9 dive sites before but with the detailed briefings I felt very comfortable. And it made my dive at the site I had visited before even better because I had a better idea of the best course to navigate. The crew keeps things running on time which made it feel a bit hectic on the last day as we were trying to beat the winds home, but otherwise was very much appreciated to keep us on schedule. The hot tub on board was nice and helped my husband warm up between dives. All in all highly, highly recommend the Spectre. We may have lucked out on the particular weekend as well but all the fellow divers were just awesome. We didn't run into any know-it-alls or pushy people or anyone with attitude. It was just a fantastic weekend all around and we will definitely be back on the Spectre in the future. read more

It's all about the jacuzzi. It was amazing between cold dives. We dove in September 2019 on a full boat of 40 divers. The boat handled that number of divers surprisingly well with water entry off two sides and the back. Safety was always emphasized with clear instruction. The only part I didn't enjoy was clamoring out of the water and up the very tall stairs in back. Not easy with a tank and extra weights for the cold water. Luckily, with safety in mind, the boat was anchored front and back, keeping it pretty stable. We visited 3 dive sites around Santa Cruz and it was amazing. Highly, highly recommended. The food was great too. Hot english muffin breakfast sandwiches were served in the morning, grilled chicken or veggie burgers for lunch, and - at the very end of the day - brownie sundaes. (A brownie sundae in the jacuzzi no less!) You will not be disappointed booking a Channel Islands dive on this boat. read more

This review is only for the snorkeling trip on this boat. The trip is ok if you're scuba diving or have prior experience. As a first time snorkeler, the sea sickness was very bad. They didn't have motion sickness pills and we couldn't eat or drink anything the whole trip because we would puke it right out. Only the scuba divers have seats in the back deck, the stable part of the boat. The snorkelers have only indoor seating which worsens the sea sickness. We had to sit on the floor of the boat in the back deck the whole trip to be able to control the sea sickness. Also they never pick phone calls to answer questions. read more

This dive boat is the real deal! 3 dives in one day out at the Channel Islands with meals all for an affordable price. I left my gear in NYC so I used the Spectre Dive Boat website to book the dives and all my gear. When I got to the boat everything was waiting for me and ready to go! The staff were friendly and helpful and gave excellent briefings letting me know what to expect. Meals included -but not just meals, the galley was brewing coffee and frying up eggs and bacon for some killer breakfast sandwiches when we boarded. Lunch was grilled chicken and and rice with salad and on the steam back to port the chef served us ice cream sundaes in the HOT TUB. Ya ya you want to hear about the diving. The diving was great. 3 different sites were selected on Anacapa with very different topography (bottomography?) I chose to go diving after a bunch of rain and in the middle of March but the visibility was still quite good. I will definitely be joining this dive boat again for more adventures! read more

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Diving on Spectre was one of the best experiences of my entire life. It is such a joy to let professionals take care of all stress and responsibility. My dive buddy and I have our own boat, but this is truly a better experience. You don't have to worry about your anchor dragging rough weather in a small boat etc. And I absolutely cannot praise and thank the entire crew! They were absolutely OnPoint all the time. They had plenty of delicious food for the whole experience, but the crew was so attentive to our needs. Every time I found myself trying to reach for a piece of equipment while gearing up all of a sudden a crew member was there to hand it to me without being asked. Getting out of the water onto the swim platform, again their standing right there happily willing to help you throw your fins and weights up on deck before you get out. They all had true and genuine smiles on, none of those "you're so annoying" but I'm getting paid to help you so I will, attitudes. The captain did an amazing job of getting within 20 or 30 feet of huge rocks so that we could have a great experience. Despite fairly rough conditions in the morning, the captain was able to find absolutely glorious dive spots. I could've spent all day long At just one of them. I lost my brand-new very expensive dive light on our last dive, try looking for it but couldn't find it. About 20 minutes after our dive a crewmember came up and said they had found a dive light directly under the boat so it probably came off when I jumped in. So I got my light back and I was so stoked! FYI for those of you thinking to go on the boat, definitely do. The crew works very hard and they need to be tipped well. It felt very good to contribute to them. One thing to note, it is about 500 feet from the boat to where you park. There are only two dock carts and everyone gets there at the same time, so I strongly recommend you bring some kind of cart or dolly to get your gear to and off the boat. read more

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All-around great experience with a January dive. Friendly, competent, and helpful crew; they kindly accommodated my wife and our baby boy who came along as non-divers, and kept us well supplied with food and snacks. Captain Nathan had deep knowledge of the sites (Anacapa) and gave more than the average dive briefing. The new hot tub is a game changer! We actually got warmer across the three-dive day with 7mil wetsuits in 54-56'F water. New enclosed hot showers were also great to get warm fast and rinse gear. read more

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Amazing operation . Safe Thorough , professional and just really nice people. They could not 'tbe more helpful or accommodating . The captain, works hard to find the best spot for the conditions and gets you literally on top of the dive spot and gives detailed briefings so there is no " I swam forever and could not find the site " Food - great and plentiful .They really make it fun and safe and the best possible diving . read more

Spectre Dive Boat - Boating Near Me - Ventura, California

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Have been on the Spectre Dive Boat a few times, but have never left a review. We went on 7/4 and after this trip decided I should provide a yelp review. While the boat can get crowded first thing in the morning while everyone is boarding, stowing gear and signing in, the process is actually very organized and the crew is very professional. They even remained patient with us when we gave them the wrong tank station number on the manifest and they had to correct it. Great dive sights with clear instructions of what to expect and how to plan each dive. Great food and the boat is large enough to spread out during the trip. We will continue to book the Spectre for our trips as it is the best boat we have found in SoCal and is worth the drive from LA even with a very early departure time from home. read more

Absolutely the best dive boat in Southern California. From booking to the actual dive, it's an awesome experience. The staff is always great and the captain goes out of his way to find the best dive spots. The dive master was really helpful and informative. And the food is ridiculously good. What other boat serves slow smoked tri tip and bbq chicken. I've picked this boat probably a dozen times over the others and they made it worth it every time. Can't say enough about this boat and her crew. read more

I found Spectre after reaching out to SLO Ocean Currents and inquiring about boat diving since I was new to California diving. The gentleman that I spoke with over the phone with Spectre was so kind and was able to get everything I needed booked over the phone instantly. I was pleasantly surprised to find the few items I rented already stationed in a cubby on the boat when I arrived. The Spectre is run very efficiently and the crew are overly accommodating. All of the divers were also very kind and I ended up diving with a really awesome family who had previously dove with Spectre and were on an annual trip. One of the divers in our group had a leak and the crew went above and beyond to get his hose swapped out at lightning speed so that he could enjoy the final dive of the day. I highly recommend this boat and crew and will definitely use them again in the future! read more

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Incredible staff. Charismatic boat. The dive sites were amazing. Would do again in a heartbeat

Great boat, definitely on the larger side for a dive boat, lots of room, bunks to sleep. Crew is top-notch, very friendly and helpful. Captain very communicative and knows the area well. Enjoyed the food, they know how to man the grill ! Look forward to diving with this boat again! read more

I was a little skeptical at first, as a I have never dove with so many other people at once. These guys do a fantastic job. Professional, accommodating, and friendly. They serve Breakfast (fruit, coffee, yogurt, breakfast burritos), Lunch (chicken, tri tip, hamburgers, or vegetarian burgers, all with mashed potatoes, salad, veggies), and Desert ( ice cream and brownies!), plus an assortment of snacks and drinks throughout the day. They serve beer at an additional cost, and they have a hot tub! What more can you ask for? The diving was good for the area and these guys know their stuff. It's an old fishing boat and has plenty of dry areas, bunks (for multi day trips) and plenty of outdoor space. They fill your tanks on the boat after each dive, and rent gear and will have it ready for when you arrive. Overall I am very happy with my experience and if I choose to go diving in this area again, I will be back. Thanks again! read more

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Yesterday was our second trip to Anacapa Island to Dive with Spectre. The captain, dive master and deck hand are exceptional, with very clear expectations to the guests on the boat during COVID. The dive locations are great with plenty of fish to see. Felt like a rock star renting equipment on the boat and not having to carry tanks to and from the boat or deal with wet wet suits ourselves. Sandwich lunch is provided at this time and snacks and drinks are available to pick at throughout the day. A great day on the water and memories made. read more

Great crew! Great eats! Great dive brief for great dive spots! Great hot tub, which was good, because after dive #3 in 58 degree water.....wow....so nice!!! Then they bring you icecream sundaes. So......great trip!!! read more

Great crew and friendly trip. Justin (DM) never skipped a beat, he was always helpful throughout the entire day. Kylie handled the galley and made great meals. I really enjoyed this trip, I think it's especially a good boat for new divers- their patience and kindness is infinite. read more

Was my first time on a dove boat trip and got certified that day. I had no idea what to expect. I couldn't sleep on the boat it was super humid below so I just went home and came back in the AM all grumpy and bitchy. The crew immediately put me at ease with their hard work and accommodating attitudes and every single crew member down to the dope chef Nick made sure I was safe, happy, and stuffed full of delicious food. These guys care and genuinely are more on top of every detail than I'd imagined a crew could be. Boat isn't brand new so don't expect the ritz, but I wouldn't hesitate to make this my #1 dove boat from here on out. They put you right on the best dive spots and help you every step of the way with everything including your fins on entry and exit and your fills. Make it easy for such a green diver like myself to feel like a pro. Thanks guys-will for sure be back! read more

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The Spectre is one of my favorite dive boats in Southern California, and I've been on a lot of them from San Diego up to Santa Barbara. The crew is fantastic: the chef makes an awesome breakfast and lunch, the captain and deckhands care about your safety, and the divemasters are great. When I forgot my GoPro on the boat a couple of months ago, they tracked it down and returned it after their next dive trip a few days later. Thanks Spectre Team! read more

I have been out on Spectre a few times and had a great time. This review is actually about an encounter with Spectre while I was diving on a private boat at Anacapa Island. We were out on my friend's boat for the first time trying to dive on our own. We are very experienced divers and boaters, but new to diving from our own boat. We saw Spectre with divers and decided to anchor somewhat nearby but away from any possibility of interfering with their operations or divers. As we finished anchoring, Spectre pulled up their last divers and headed off to their next spot. The Captain took the time to come by our boat and warn us about current in our location. We probably set off some idiot vibes since we are new at this. He was respectful and we tried to show appreciation for the warning. We pulled anchor and moved to the spot Spectre had just left. The crew on Spectre was looking out for the safety of divers who were not even on their boat. I would be happy to dive with a crew like that anytime. Thank you Spectre. read more

Solid dive boat for getting out to some nice dive sites at Anacapa. The food is good, the crew is helpful, and Captain Nate gives awesome site briefings before letting you jump in to explore the kelp forests along the coast. Given that you get the ride, the air, two meals (including a legendary brownie sundae) and a hot tub, you can't beat the price. Love this boat! read more

The boat and crew are great but beware that they allow spearfishing hunters too so you have to worry about some yahoo with a loaded weapon risking diver safety and enjoyment. It's like bird watching with a duck hunter. I've been on a lot of dives and never had to deal with this conflict of interest. I won't be back unless they change their policy. read more

Pros, We had a blast! We'll definitely be a repeat customer. Staff and guests were all beyond friendly and helpful. Safety is a big thing aboard. You will definitely feel comfortable here. Perfect dive trips/boat for the novice diver! Food is worth it too. Cons, Only thing I can say as far as sleeping over night on the ship was that it was extremely humid and hot down below. The sheets were actually wet from the humidity and all the people. Ship could use some TLC as well. Otherwise, it was an awesome trip. read more

I'm a repeat customer. The crew is amazing, caring and friendly! My husband and I forgot our sea legs and we were feeling sick the first part of the trip despite taking motion sickness pills. Crew went out of there way to help us feel better which truly did help. We were able to dive in the afternoon. The boat was sold out but they are so organized that everything was seamless. BBQ by far it the best too! read more

We dive from this boat a couple of times every year to stay fresh, and just did again at the end of August. Have to say, they always do a terrific job. The boat itself is great, the crew are all friendly and helpful, the food is awesome, and holy cow, a Jacuzzi on deck!!! Nothing better than a cold beer, a dip in the tub and a hot brownie sundae after the last dive! And, did I mention hot showers??? Ahhhhh.... I also appreciate the effort they make to find the best conditions for the day, the variety of dive sites they use and the very thorough briefings prior to each dive. Top notch! read more

Spent the last 2 days diving on the Spectre with my 12 YO son. Despite some unfavorable conditions due to strong Santa Ana winds, the captain managed to find 2 great spots where we managed to get in 6 dives over the 2 days. The crew was terrific. Very professional, safety conscious and helpful all the way around. Will definitely be back! read more

Unexpected traffic due to an accident on road, called my friend who was on the boat at the time and told him to tell captain we were unloading gear, only to have them pull away while we were screaming and waving on dock. Brought 3 people with full rental packages the day before, $500 out of my pocket, and no compassion for our situation. Will never give them any more of my hard earned money, and i suggest you don't either. Plenty of other good boat charters in CA. read more

Had a great time on Sept 28, 2019. The winds made the trip out and back rough, but the Captain knows his dive spots! I felt a little awkward being on the boat without a dive buddy, but they made me feel at home. They quickly paired me up with another diver and treated us as if we were long time customers. They assisted with loading my gear on and off the boat. Getting in or out of the water was easy, assisted by the DiveMaster and crew at all times. A few divers tried to rush the process, to no avail. The Captain accommodated the hunters, non-hunters, free-divers and divers under instruction; fun was had by all. The Spectre is a Large boat, with the ability to fill tanks, even after the last dive for a 5.00 charge! The food was great, the smart divers jumped into the hot tube on the cold ride back to shore. The dives are great, no more shore dives for me, and for all levels. They depart ON TIME! 0700, we were underway! read more

Outstanding service. A great crew that does their best to make it a fun and especially SAFE trip. Had a great time despite the challenging conditions in the water. Currents picked up and I saw a few divers get pushed far from the boat. The Divemaster jumped in the water and made sure everyone was good and the captain maneuvered the ship to pick up the divers. read more

Had a great time on the Spectre as a "snorkeler." Went out with couple freedivers and we received more than we could've expected. Price includes breakfast, bbq lunch with drinks, ice-cream and a hot tub; not to mention the round-trip to Anacapa and beers for sale. Scuba divers pay a little more and made up the majority of the divers on the boat that day, per usual. The captain, dive master, deck hand and young lady in charge of the food were all really nice and helpful. I would definitely be back. The captain also seemed very knowledgeable and directed us to the fishing spots near the dive sites in case you wanna take your speargun or grab some lobsters. Some folks who traveled from a distance even spent the night on the boat at no extra charge. If you haven't been on this dive boat, you probably should. I look forward to my next dive on the Spectre. read more

Staff were helpful and knowledgeable. Safety oriented. Captain was knowledgable and professional. Food was great! Dive sites were chosen carefully and were beautiful. Although, some sites were fairly advanced, and new divers should bring a guide or experienced buddy. I dont recommend sleeping on the dive boat the night before, it is a great way to save money, but hard to get any sleep. Other than that, it was awesome!. read more

We have been diving in many places on many boats, but this is one of the best. This dive boat not only had a hot tub on it and great staff (dive master Dan and kyle) but they took better care of us than we have ever experienced before. Andrew made the best food: hot breakfast, amazing lunch cooked there on the spot, snacks all the time, great drinks, and it was very inexpensive for what we got. We did three dives which usually does not happen in one day. We also rented all the equipment and it was in good condition. The dive spots were good, we went to the kelp forest and it was gorgeous. It was a little murky but they can't control the visibility. the boat made up for the dives not being the best. Southern California diving is not as pretty to us as Caribbean diving, but spectre diving boat made the experience worth the wild. Thank you so much to the owner Ted, his son Captain Nate; you both have done a great job with your business in this boat it was an experience of a lifetime. read more

Spectre Dive Boat - Boating Near Me - Ventura, California

I have been on the Spectre many times, and have experience on a 4 other Southern California "cattle boats" to compare to. The Spectre is, by far, the best. First off: Captain Nate really knows the islands. Whatever the conditions, he can find a spot that is not only easy to dive for novices, but is really interesting for experienced divers. In most weather, he will move the boat for every dive to give you lots of variety. This is in contrast to some other boats, whose main goal seems to be putting the anchor in a big sand flat where it is easy for instructors teaching open water. Second: the crew is fantastic. I can't tell you how many times I have been on a new boat and asked the crew a simple question in a polite voice, and then been looked at like I was a moron. I know it must be hard to answer the same questions every day, but come on. On the Spectre, in contrast, the crew is super nice and understanding despite their difficult people they sometimes have to deal with. The Spectre can get pretty crowded, but there is enough room for everyone (if only barely, when it is full). read more

I'm a Caribbean diver so wasnt too sure what I was going to experience in California. Diving surpassed all of my expectations. Kelp forests are absolutely beautiful. As far as the dive boat, I couldn't ask for better. From the staff to the food, the experience was a 10. I can't wait to do it again. read more