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Dive 'n' Dash Channel Islands! Sept. 5-9

Sep 2007 5
Wed 12:00 PM
Location
Sand Dollar dive boat

1100 Nagoya Way
San Pedro, CA 90731
703-999-5273

This is a private home or office

Estimated attendance
 14  people attended.
5.00 5.0013

Who organized?
Michael Feld

**UPDATE 8/23**
This trip will be CLOSED to new RSVPs on Thursday, 8/30.

Have you ever wondered what it's like to swim through a kelp forest? Experience the unique diving of Southern California's Channel Islands, consistently rated in the Top 5 of Scuba Diving Magazine's Top 100 Reader's Choice Awards in multiple categories, including Top Destinations for Beginners (North America). We'll spend three diving days on the liveaboard dive boat Sand Dollar out of picturesque Ports O'Call Village in San Pedro (Los Angeles Harbor).

Some things we might see: sea lions, harbor seals, dolphins, giant sea bass, horn sharks, leopard sharks, bat rays, electric rays, moray eels, scorpionfish, sheep crab, guitarfish -- and all the small creatures inhabiting the kelp forest environment (if we're really lucky, we might see blue whales and orcas topside).

Pictures: Channel Islands underwater photos

This 3-day liveaboard trip includes the following:

* All meals: Not just three meals per day... plenty of great snacks between all meals. And we're not talking frozen burgers, canned soup and potato chips.
* Tanks, weights, all air fills. Nitrox fills also available at an extra charge (1 fill $10, 3 fills $25, 6 fills $40).
* Diving, diving and more diving (including night diving).

SoCal dive boats are not luxury liveaboards. You won't have your own stateroom, but you will have your own private bunk with curtain. Double bunks available for couples or those who want to share. The Sand Dollar features one cold shower outside and two hot showers belowdecks; full galley with seating for 22, two heads, heating and air conditioning, and a fantastic full-service crew.

Our schedule:

* Fly into LAX or Long Beach Airport on Wednesday.
* Board the boat in San Pedro as early as noon and no later than 11 PM Wednesday night.
* Boat leaves while we sleep, and we wake up at the first dive site Thursday morning: the sea lion rookery of Santa Barbara Island! (video)
* Dive! Dive! Dive! Thursday through Saturday: Santa Barbara Island Thursday morning, Santa Catalina Island Thursday afternoon/evening, San Clemente Island Friday all day/evening, finish back at Catalina all day Saturday.
* Back in port by 5 PM Saturday evening; enjoy the many restaurants and shops at Ports O'Call Village, stay overnight at local hotel (not included).
* Fly home Sunday (try to schedule your flight in the afternoon, so you can dive more on Saturday).

**Cost for this trip is $499 per person.**

Air fare, hotel and transfers to the boat are not included, but sample air fares run $300-350 as of mid-July. Rooms at Vagabond Inn (within walking distance of Ports O'Call Village) are approx. $65 for that Saturday night. Super Shuttle and Prime Time Shuttle both offer van shuttles from the airports to the boat (Ports O'Call Village, 1100 Nagoya Way, San Pedro, CA) for about $25 one way for the first person, with $9 per each additional person.

**Each individual going on this trip is required to have dive insurance (DAN or other).**

Feel free to send any questions to Mike Strickland.

RESERVATION & PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS:

All deposits and installments are NON-refundable. Please purchase trip insurance to ensure you don't lose your money due to illness or other legitimate reasons.

* We're past payment deadline, so full payment of $499 due upon RSVPing "Yes"

[Pay by check and receive $20 off! (all payments must be made by check to qualify)]

* PLEASE DO NOT RSVP "YES" TO THIS EVENT UNLESS YOU PLAN TO PAY IMMEDIATELY. RSVPs will be removed for those who do not pay and/or contact us within two days of RSVP'ing.

Forms to fill out and return to Oceanblue Divers:

Oceanblue Divers Diving Liability Release - Initial where indicated, sign & return to Oceanblue Divers

Oceanblue Divers Terms and Conditions -- Sign & return LAST PAGE ONLY to Oceanblue Divers

PAYMENTS:

Credit card payments:

Click to download Oceanblue Divers Credit Card Authorization Form -- Fill out & fax to [masked]

or

Click to pay online using Eventbrite

Payments by check:

Make check out to "Oceanblue Undersea, LLC" & send check/money order to:

Oceanblue Undersea
P.O. Box 1153
New York, NY 10009

FAX #: [masked]

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Who attended?

  • 14 attendees
    • “ I'm so happy everyone enjoyed this trip as much as they did, and I look forward to introducing more people to the kelp forests of California -- especially when they hear what a great time they missed by not going on this awesome trip. ”
    • “ Wonderful diving and very well planned. ”
    • “ This truly was an awesome trip! The dive sites were beautiful and there was so much cool stuff to see...sea lions, bat rays, horn sharks, giant sea bass, etc. The Sand Dollar crew was great...very accomodating and laid back. My only complaint is that the trip was over too soon. I can't wait to go back! ”
    • Jen (+1 guest)
      “ This trip was ideal as my first big dive experience. Everyone on the trip was so supportive and willing to give me advice on diving and equipment. The dive locations were chosen to accomadate all levels of divers, with a variety of conditions, depths and wildlife. I had such a wonderful time, I am already planning my next dive trip. ”
    • “ The dive sites went beyond my expectations...just gorgeous and so unique! The crew was uber cool and so willing to please. ”
    • “ Great group of people and well organized by Mike and the Sand Dollar boat crew. Diving was outstanding, gobbies that out-color their tropical counterparts, lusher than most reefs and close encounters with the pinniped-kind. ”
    • “ excellent - well organised start to finish, incredibly professional and very relaxed when we were out there. A great trip, many thanks Mike for organising ”
    • rog
      “ Big ups to the whole gang (especially B-Squad! Represent!). Gotta give the Sand Dollar its propers, too. Learning to dive in a new place is always groovy, but between the amazing conditions, the comfortable setting, the proximity of sea lions, and the fantastic company this trip was way beyond the area of groovy and well into the realm of Far Out. Here's to hoping we go back soon! ”
    • “ Great Job Mike! An excellent and well planned trip- turned out to be a great group as well- a perfect first trip with Oceanblue. Staff of the Sand Dollar were everything you could hope for and the diving was sweet! ”
    • “ Exceeded expectations. The water was warmer than Dutch Springs and the landscapes were even better than all the pictures I'd looked up before the trip. Sea lions, sharks and tons of kelp - it was magnificent!! ”
    • “ This trip was definitely a highlight of my life thus far! Every moment and person and sea lion was purrrfecto! Will be remembering it 4eva! ;) ”
    • “ Amazing! Great boat, great dives, great group. Can't wait to dive some of the other Islands on the next trip! ”
    • “ I second the motion/emotion of everyone else's comments. Mike, can't thank you enough for pulling this together - GREAT job. New Oceanblue friends, so sorry the geographical inconvenience forbids me from sharing a drink at one of your happy hours. Have a shot of Sailor Jerry for me. Everyone else, check out the diving in the Channel Islands - it's an amazing seascape not to be missed. ”