What's Included/Allowed
Included
Captain & deckhand - comprehensive briefs, gear and buddy assist
Tanks - LP 85s or AL80s (varies by trip)
Weights and weight belts - 2, 3, 4, 5 lbs hard lead
Light food - a combination of soups, fruits, bars, pastries, oatmeal, and snacks
Beverages - drinking water, coffee, tea
Sea sickness relief and bean bags
Allowed
Personal tanks - high pressures too!
CCRs - for certified rebreather divers only
Doubles - for certified doubles divers only
Scooters & kits
Camera gear - underwater photography and videography
DIN & yolk - our valves are easily convertible
Extra lunch - special dietary needs
Extra luggage - plenty of space onboard
Add-ons
Rental gear - full set for $100 (or pay for items individually)
Nitrox tanks - $17/tank
Group Tour Guide - $179 local, $299 Coronado Islands (up to 4 divers)
Private Tour Guide - $305 - $406 local, $405 - $560 Coronado Islands *price varies with diver count
GoPro Rental + take-home memory card - $60
Included
Captain - and deckhand, depending on the boat
Bluetooth stereo - can be connected to your playlists
Large cooler & ice - we'll take care of the loading
Paddleboard - request upon check-in
Lilypad - request upon check-in
Lifejackets - for all ages
Bean bags and Mexican blankets
Allowed
BYOB - food and drinks (alcoholic beverages for 21+)
Floaties - for charters during the day
Babies, toddlers, seniors, pets - everyone is welcome :)
DJ set - no electrical plugs so you must bring your own battery
Decorations - 15 minutes to decorate the boat (from check-in to departure)
Cigarettes and nicotine vapes
Prohibited
Red wine, roses, berries - anything that can stain the boat
Glass beer - limit glass bottles to liquor to avoid accidents
Marijuana - and any other illegal drugs
Gas generators - for safety restrictions
BBQs
Included
Captain & tour guide
Coordinates - to places of interest
Snorkel gear
Light food - a combination of soups, fruits, bars, pastries, oatmeal, and snacks
Beverages - drinking water, coffee, tea
Sea sickness relief
Bean bags and Mexican blankets
Allowed
Photo and video gear - extra large items too!
Fishing gear - one fishing license per rod required
Chumming - for shark explorations
Binoculars and scopes
Extra lunch - special dietary needs
Extra luggage - plenty of space onboard
Adult bevs - for the way back
Required Documents
All charters
Everyone on board must complete a waiver form (parents complete for minors).
You can access waiver form links from your charter confirmation email or SMS.
IDs are required for alcohol consumption.
Dive charters
You are required to show your scuba certification proof at check-in.
If you forget your certification, we might be able to look it up for you.
If you forget your certification, a photo of it will work.
Open water divers aren't allowed on advanced trips unless part of a class.
Non-certified divers aren't allowed to scuba dive unless part of a class (but are welcome to join the boat ride).
📸 Consider taking a photo of your certification now and save it for check-in. No need to send it to us.
Coronado Islands charters
A valid Passport book or card (with a valid US permanence) is mandatory.
Must be brought aboard. Copies and photos are not accepted.
We're in Mexican waters, and authorities may board to check documents.
We handle the tourist card (sometimes referred to as a "visa") for all guests.
All guests must pay for this tourist card at check-in (Mexican citizens excluded).
Where/When to Meet
Shop & boat address
We're located on the heart of Mission Bay. Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, and Point Loma are the closest neighborhoods to our shop and boats.
When you book a charter with Waterhorse Charters, you'll need to check in at our shop in Quivira Basin, Mission Bay. All our charters depart from Sportsmen's Seafood Dock, directly behind our shop.
Parking map
Parking areas
Waterhorse Charters 3 parking spots are for guest loading and offloading only
There's plenty of free street parking across the street from our shop/docks
Park on the other lots around us at your own risk as they're private
Exclusively on Tuesdays, you're welcome to park at Sportsmen's Seafood parking lot due to street sweeping on Quivira Road
Check-in times
Dive charters: 60 minutes before departure
Ocean Safaris: 30 minutes before departure
Mission Bay cruises: 15 minutes before departure
Pro tips
Simply look for 'Waterhorse Charters' on Google Maps and it'll take you there
There are 4 businesses within this address; our entrance faces the street side
There are two parking lots within this address; ours is the second one (to the left, when facing the water)
The entrance to our parking lot is right after the red and white dive flag
How Much to Tip
We support our crew with yearly raises, paid time off, and bonuses. However, the rising cost of living in California impacts us all. Rewarding their extra effort is deeply appreciated. Our crew accepts tips in cash, Venmo, and credit cards. Below are our suggested industry-standard rates:
Dive charters
👍 $10 per dive
👍👍 $15 per dive
👍👍👍 $20 per dive
All other charters
👍 10% of your charter cost
👍👍 15% of your charter cost
👍👍👍 20% of your charter cost
Venmo
last 4 of phone: ***-**-9302
What's it for?: captain name + deckhand name + charter date
About Seasickness
Mission Bay
If you're going on a Mission Bay cruise, chances are you're not getting seasick. There are hardly any waves on the bay and we never had issues with seasickness on bay cruises.
Ocean
Now, if you're going on a diving or Ocean Safari trip, you might. Ocean conditions change hourly in San Diego so it's quite impossible to predict what the conditions will be like on your trip date unless it's right around the corner. In that case, you can check the National Weather Service Marine Forecast so you know what to expect.
General rule
If you know you tend to get seasick on boat trips, aim for a morning dive trip. That's when the wind is lighter and the ocean is calmer - generally. We recommend you to take motion sickness medication the night before your trip so it's still working in the morning but you don't feel drowsy during your dives.
This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. Consult with your healthcare professional to design an appropriate motion sickness prescription.
Nearby Accommodations
Resorts
Five of the most popular San Diego resorts are within a 2.5-mile radius of our location, and two of those are within walking distance. If you’re coming as a family and are looking for resort amenities, these are the options for you:
The Dana Resort - 5-minute walk
Hyatt Regency Mission Bay - 5-minute walk
Bahia Resort Hotel - 5-minute drive
Paradise Point Resort & Spa - 5-minute drive
Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa - 10-minute drive
Hotels
Amongst the hundreds of nearby hotel options, these are the closest, highest rated, and with more complimentary amenities. If you’re looking for more affordable alternatives, check these out:
Holiday Inn Express - 2 miles away, free parking and breakfast
The Pearl Hotel - 3.2 miles away, boutique hotel
Sea Harbor Hotel - 3.4 miles away, free parking
Best Western - 3.5 miles away, free parking and breakfast
Old Town Inn - 3.7 miles away, free parking and breakfast
SureStay Hotel - 4.4 miles away, free parking and breakfast
Hotel Iris - 4.6 miles away, free parking
Kings Inn - 4.7 miles away, free parking
Vacation Rentals
If rentals are your preferred style of stay, these nearby vacation rentals on Airbnb are the closest ones to our business.