Catalina Island Diving Weekend... For CHEAP!
Details
*** LAST MINUTE INFO ***
We're the only group there (as of this writing)!
Bring: a camp chair, booze, costume, snacks, foam ear plugs, warm clothes/bedding, and spare cash (for tips, etc).
Need ice brought in ice chests.
Air fills on shore for $5. (At Pennington bldg.) Tally sheet will be kept. You pay (with cash) at end of stay.
Kayaks available for checkout: 10 am to 12pm & 1 pm to 5 pm. All kayaks back in by 5 pm. (No open-ocean traveling. Emerald Bay area only.)
No BB Guns or Archery this time around. Ship's store probably closed as well.
Meal times: 7 am, 12:30 pm, 6 pm. Fairly narrow windows.
Calm the partying activity down in the tent/cabins area by 11 pm please (people need to dive the next day.)
Group Picture at 2 pm Sunday on the beach with beautiful Emerald Bay in the background.
Boat leaves for home around 2:30 pm on Sunday.
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A FANTASTIC TRIP AT A VERY REASONABLE PRICE!
Halloween Weekend! Bring your costume!
Fun-filled, not-too-crazy party at the main hall on Fri and Sat night... with DJ tunes!
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EXTRA FRI PM 1-TANK BOAT TRIP (Pac Star): Click here
EXTRA SAT 1-TANK DIVE BOAT (Camp's) at 9 am: Click here (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/events/216065962/)
EXTRA SAT 1-TANK DIVE BOAT (Camp's) at 1:30 pm: Click here (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/events/216064272/)
EXTRA SAT 1-TANK DIVE BOAT (Camp's) at 3:30 pm: Click here (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/events/216064622/)
EXTRA SUNDAY 2-TANK DIVE BOAT (Pac Star) at 7:30 am: Click here (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/events/215107492/)
The cost of a single night at a Catalina hotel ALONE could easily surpass our cost for this entire weekend of fun. Camp Emerald Bay is large, well-appointed, and in good shape!
Value! I've done trips like this many times before and I must say, it's the best value-for-money you're likely to see in SoCal diving! Round-trip transport to the island, two-tank boat dive included, GORGEOUS shore diving, sleeping cabins/walled tents, hot showers, and ALL meals.
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DETAILS:
WHEN: Oct 31 - Nov 2 (Fri morning @ 10 am - Sun afternoon ~5 pm)
WHERE: Camp Emerald Bay, Catalina Island
COST: $191 for divers or $149 for non-divers this is the total cost to you. (Pay via Paypal when you RSVP to the right. Safe and secure. I've used it for years.) If you're bringing a guest, please state whether they're a Diver or Non-Diver in the Comments section below the event narrative... and be sure to pay the appropriate amount when the Paypal interface pops up.
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
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Two-person "army-style" tents or four-person cabins. (Bring your own linens/sleeping bags.)
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All meals in a humongous "chow' hall! (Fireplace going at night for our gatherings.)
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Community bathrooms and showers. Lots of hot water, but remember you're on an island... USE WISELY.
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Two-tank dive boat trip. Times are 7:30 am on Saturday, 12:30 pm on Saturday, and 8 am on Sunday. You'll be assigned to a day loosely based on your order of payment/rsvp and your stated desire.
-Pacific Star: Steel 72 tanks provided or you may bring your own. Good idea to bring your own weights.)
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Round trip transportation from the mainland on the Pacific Star. Pacific Star will board at 10 am (out of San Pedro) and leave for the island around 11:30 am.
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Hiking (Watch out for the buffalo droppings)
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Beach lounging.
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Kayaks- Supplies limited. First come, first served... but many more than Two Harbors gave us.
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WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED:
- Shore Diving Tank fills- Can be had for $5. (Possibly only to 3000 psi. Compressor at the camp.)
- Linens/sleeping bags/pillow for your bunk.
- Scuba gear. Bring all your own gear. Count on nothing being there to rent.
- Booze. Bring some of your own to drink and share both nights!
WHAT IF YOU'RE GOING IT SOLO: That's o-k. You'll be teamed up with a same gender person for your cabin/tent (if possible). Individuals welcome! You can buddy up with another person for diving as well.
RENTAL GEAR: There will be none there. BYO Everything.
SLEEPING: There will be two options. 4-person Cabins ( electronic outlets, overhead lighting, and storage lockers and drawers for your belongings) or 2-person army-style Tents (canvas, not the nylon shown below, but similar in other regards) with cots and foam mattresses. It looks right now as if we all have our pick.
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MAINLAND TRANSPORT: We'll be transiting on the Pacific Star (San Pedro). Boat boards at 10 am. Arrive at your transportation site EARLY! Traffic can become bad with the drop of a hat.
TRANSPORTATION SCHEDULE: Pacific Star boards at 10 am and leaves at 11:30 am. (Leaves Emerald Bay on Sunday around 2:30 pm.)
Pacific Star (141 W. 22nd Street San Pedro, CA)
Pacific Star diving: Pacific Star Boat has free steel LP 72s (overfilled to an 76's-worth of gas) for your use on the boat or you may bring your own tank. (If wanting to use their tank, LET THEM KNOW BEFORE WE LEAVE SAN PEDRO ON FRIDAY!) Caveat: Their compressor only fills to an LP steel's pressure limit. Maybe 3,000 psi if things are going well that day. No 3,450 PSI fills on this boat unfortunately. Boat pumps Nitrox into O2-clean tanks (only). $8 per fill. You may bring your own O2-clean (dedicated) Nitrox tank, but bring it full.
MINUTIA 1: I'll need your full name.
MINUTIA 2: I'll need full names of all your guests. (You are responsible for their payments.)
MINUTIA 3: (Foam earplugs can be helpful as partying noise from other cabins can manifest.)
MINUTIA 4: I have placed the berthing assignments in https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/files/.
MINUTIA 5: The Saturday dive boat will BOARD at 7:30 am and 12:30 pm The Sunday dive boat boards at 8 am.
MINUTIA 6: I can't predict whether people will fill all the spots in the cabins and on the boat. If we end up with excess money from this trip it will be considered as donations to the group's general fund.
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REFUND POLICY
If you back out within 30 days of us leaving you will forfeit half your trip cost* in order for us to entice another diver to take your spot. If you back out within 20 days you will forfeit your entire trip cost (If no diver takes your spot). (*All refunds subject to a .31 Paypal fee and 9% admin fee (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/32049962).) To back out fully you must change your RSVP to the right AND request a refund.
Moral of the story: PLEASE don't back out once committed. It makes life very difficult for the organizer.
Pointers:
Bring your certification card
Don't overpack
Hydrate really well for the boat trips.
Take Bonine if you think you're at all inclined toward seasickness. If you aren't sure... take some Bonine (or similar)!
Eat a decent, non-greasy breakfast before boarding the Pac Star.
Bring something to keep you warm between dives (overcoat, boat jacket, etc).
Bring a torch for peering into nooks and crannies.
End your dives close to the boat (unless you enjoy long surface swims).
ALWAYS bring your dive essentials: A safety sausage, knife, and whistle (at a minimum)!
Don't forget to tip the boat crew if they do a good job for you. This one's just as important as any other point in this list. The DM is there for your safety. Take care of him/her!
Boat Etiquette Reminder:
Show up on-time.
Space is limited on a boat. Stow all your gear where directed to by crew.
Keep gear out of the walk-way
Put your fins on at drop-in point (not forward and then flip flop over people's feet and gear).
Don't rinse your mask or other gear in the CAMERA BUCKET!
Don't clog up the marine head with baby ruth bars or similar.
If you have to puke, do it downwind (leeward).
If you have to cancel, do it well before the cutoff time so Bill has a chance to sell your seat.
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ADMIN STUFF:
The Virtual Donation Jar (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/9702303) will be out (for the Meetup site costs and general fund). It's strictly voluntary, but is very much appreciated and needed: DONATION JAR (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/9702303)
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If you have not filled out a liability release for Power Scuba Meetup, please follow this link to the file, print, sign and bring to the event, along with your C-Card (scuba certification card). You only need to do this once a year: Liability Release and Assumption of Risk (http://files.meetup.com/1307107/New_Liability_Release.doc)
You must also read this: Disclaimer and Clarification... AKA Terms and Conditions (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/5914647)
Anyone with a medical condition possibly counter-indicitive to diving must have a doctors signature on a diving waiver form and submit signed form to Bill Powers (or an organizer) before they may attend any Power Scuba event. YOU MAY NOT ATTEND AN EVENT WITH AN UNDISCLOSED MEDICAL CONDITION. Doing so is grounds for expulsion from the group. Here is our medical statement: Medical Statement (http://files.meetup.com/1307107/Medical%20Statement%20and%20Questionnaire.pdf) Therein you'll find a Doctor Waiver form as well.
Attending any scuba event Power Scuba facilitates constitutes attendee's affirmation they are medically fit to dive, have read the Terms and Conditions, and have submitted a signed Liability Release to an organizer.
Important Note: It is not the organizer's role to lead your dive. He/she merely facilitates you getting to the pre-dive meeting location. The Organizer will not assign you a buddy nor will he/she be leading the dive as a "group dive". Visibility and liability do not allow for that. Nor will the Organizer tell you whether you are skilled enough to make any particular dive. That is for you (only) to decide. When you enter the water, you (and your buddy) are on your own. You must plan and execute your dive with your dive buddy only. Once members arrive at the meeting spot, the Organizer becomes simply another diver.
Your participation constitutes your affirmation you agree to these above rules and disclaimers.... and that your buddy(s) (if applicable) has read and agrees to the same.
UPDATE: I've put a spreadsheet with all assignments and other details in our Files section. Give it a hard look. Let me know if you have any concerns with how I've arranged things. Thanks, gang.
*** THIS IS A NO HUNTING TRIP, EXCEPT FOR SCALLOPS AND LOBSTER IF YOU HAVE A LICENSE... but not directly in Emerald Bay, which is a reserve. ***