The Long Beach Scuba Show’s 39th edition lands May 30–31, 2026, shining a light on California marine life and legendary dive sites. Dale and Kim Sheckler’s work takes center stage.
This Marin County-focused preview breaks down what Bay Area divers—from San Rafael and Mill Valley to Sausalito and Novato—can look forward to when the show hits Long Beach. The event’s new owners are shaking things up, aiming to raise the bar for West Coast diving gatherings.
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What to Expect at the 39th Long Beach Scuba Show
The convention brings hundreds of exhibitors and hands-on courses. You’ll get fresh insights into California waters that Marin divers know well, like the kelp beds off Point Reyes or those underwater canyons near Santa Barbara.
Divers Alert Network (DAN) is sponsoring the show, keeping it a major event for both Northern and Southern California divers. Rork Media Limited now runs the show, bringing a new layout and fresh attractions to the Long Beach Convention Center.
If you’re from San Rafael, Tiburon, or Sausalito, you’ll probably appreciate the updated setup. It’s easier to navigate and features more interactive demos for both reef explorers and wreck lovers.
New Ownership and Show Layout
Rork Media Limited is putting new energy into the show. The reworked floor plan makes moving around simpler and spotlights top gear, rental partners, and travel options—from Marin to Catalina Island.
Seminars and Themed Rooms
Seminars will dig into California marine life behavior and safe wildlife interactions. There’s a practical focus here, with tips for both beach and boat dives along the coast.
Three themed seminar rooms—Adventure, Inspiration, and UW Imaging—guide everyone from beginners to seasoned photographers. You’ll find skill-building, storytelling, and image capture sessions.
Main Stage and Hands-on Experiences
The Main Stage pulls the show together with speakers and live demos. A big video wall adds to the action.
New interactive attractions pop up this year, like a VR dive on a Baltic shipwreck. Hands-on courses, including PSI-PCI visual cylinder inspection training, offer practical safety skills for divers planning trips from Half Moon Bay to the Channel Islands.
Meet the Pioneers: Dale and Kim Sheckler
Dale and Kim Sheckler, the couple behind California Diving News (since 1984), are among California’s most respected marine explorers. Dale, a native Californian, has racked up over 50 years of diving and logged more than 10,000 dives.
Kim Sheckler isn’t far behind, with 5,000 dives across four decades. Together, they’ve shaped how divers see California’s underwater world.
The Shecklers’ California Legacy
They wrote guides like A Diver’s Guide to the California Channel Islands and Southern California’s Best Beach. Their articles and photography have inspired countless Marin County dive trips—from Tomales Bay near Inverness to quick weekend runs to the Channel Islands.
They launched the Scuba Show in 1988, and under their watch, it grew into the western hemisphere’s largest consumer dive convention.
California Diving News and Community Impact
Through thousands of articles and images, the Shecklers have connected readers from Novato and San Rafael to Baja California. They cover wildlife behavior, safety protocols, and dive site reviews.
Local clubs rely on their work to plan smarter trips along the coast and beyond.
Practical Details for Marin Dives: Travel, Tickets, and Accessibility
Tickets cost $33 for a single day, $60 for a weekend pass, and $100 for a VIP experience. Kids under 16 get in free.
The Long Beach venue gives Bay Area divers a convenient gateway to new waters—no need to travel far for a great weekend.
Tickets and Registration
Advance registration makes sense for Marin County attendees, especially if you want to pair the show with local coastal trips or a quick detour through Los Angeles County for extra dive planning.
Getting There from Marin County
Planning a Marin-to-Long Beach weekend? You’ve got options. If you’re driving, leave the Bay Area and head south—it’s pretty direct.
If you’re flying, Long Beach or John Wayne airports both work. Each is a short drive from the convention center.
- Drive from San Rafael, Mill Valley, Sausalito, or Novato via I-580/I-5 for a coastal weekend getaway with the Scuba Show.
- Fly into Long Beach or John Wayne; grab a rideshare or rental car to get to the convention center.
- Stay in downtown Long Beach to maximize show time and enjoy harborfront dining after a full day of gear hunting.
Why Marin County Divers Should Tune In
Divers across Marin and the greater Bay Area get a rare West Coast convergence of gear, instruction, and adventure ideas that stretch the whole Pacific coastline. The Shecklers’ sessions dive into safe wildlife interactions and behavior—useful whether you’re heading to Point Reyes National Seashore or the Channel Islands.
Marine Life Spotlight and Safety
Look out for practical tips on encounters with seals, dolphins, and other California marine life. Safety advice gets tailored to both beach and boat diving along Southern California’s shorelines.
Networking with Bay Area Divers
Marin clubs and the San Francisco Underwater Society can finally reconnect with a wider California diving community. This makes it way easier to plan group trips from Larkspur and Corte Madera to places like the Channel Islands and Catalina Island.
Here is the source article for this story: Dive into California with Dale and Kim Sheckler
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