Catalina Divers Supply, the island’s only full-service dive center, was recently honored with the Catalina Tourism Authority’s Catalina Cares Award.
The sustainable tourism award honors Catalina Divers Supply “for extraordinary contributions by a business to the furtherance of sustainable tourism” for managing the 2023 Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup. 2023 was the first year CDS managed the venerable event, which has removed dozens of debris from Avalon Harbor over the last 40 years. Next year’s Avalon Harbor Underwater Cleanup will be held Feb. 24, 2024.
The Catalina Cares Award was awarded in July at the annual meeting of the Catalina Tourism Authority, known as Love Catalina (the nonprofit formerly known as the Chamber of Commerce).
Catalina Divers Supply owner Christy Lins said hosting the underwater cleanup is just part of the company’s commitment to the environment. CDS is also a PADI Aware Partner, a designation that honors the company’s commitment to the dive agency’s ocean conservation programs. At CDS’s dive center located in the Catalina Casino, a significant portion of the retail space is dedicated to sustainable products, including refillable water bottles, reef-safe sunblock and reusable home products. “Everyone who works at Catalina Divers Supply understands the importance of ocean conservation,” Lins said. “We are dedicated to not just reducing our impact on the environment, but also helping our customers understand how their everyday activities can make a difference.”
About Catalina Divers Supply: Founded in 1960, Catalina Divers Supply is one of the oldest dive shops on the West Coast. Dedicated to helping adventurers explore Catalina’s underwater world, the shop offers a full range of scuba classes and experiences as well as gear sales, rental and repair. Boat dives are available onboard the Scuba Cat. Catalina Divers Supply also offers snorkeling tours as well as snorkeling gear sales and rental. A PADI Five Star Dive Center, Catalina Divers Supply has been instrumental in the development and continued success of the Casino Point Dive Park, one of the most popular dive spots in North America. The company’s main location is on the ground floor of the Catalina Casino; a secondary location is situated on Avalon’s green Pleasure Pier.
