2-Day No-Profit Dive Boat to Catalina! Backside (Farnsworth, etc) & Frontside!
Details
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You should be a decently-skilled diver and ready to be a safe and good buddy to someone!
The Pac Star rocks! They're big with excellent safety, service... and TASTY FOOD!
Boat DEPARTS at 5 am on Saturday. (Maybe even a little earlier.)
7-8 dives on Catalina Island! A no-profit trip! (You should be sold already!) We'll dive the best spots... including Farnsworth and backside. ARE YOU IN?!
The Captain suggests we'll get 5 dives in on Saturday and another 3 in on Sunday.
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MANDATORY ITEMS: A good safety sausage and whistle. (At a minimum.) Don't show up on the boat without these.
COST: $244.67
Sites: 2 on Farnsworth/backside, then three on frontside (Saulta Verde, China Point, etc) on first day. Second day is three more on the front side!
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BOAT LOCATION: 22nd St Landing San Pedro, Ca Take I-405 N toward Long Beach. Take exit 32B to merge onto I-710 S (be careful of the exits ramps. It comes on you quickly.) Continue onto CA-47 S/Seaside Fwy and over Vincent Thomas Bridge. At the base of the bridge, take exit for Harbor Blvd toward Catalina Island/Ports O Call Village/San Pedro. Turn right onto N Harbor Blvd . Continue on S Harbor Blvd. Continue onto Miner St/Viaduct St. Take a right on 22nd St. Boat is docked behind 22nd st Landing Restaurant. Drop your gear off on the corner and find parking across the street.
BOARDING: You may sleep on the boat. (Starting at 8 pm the night before we board.) Boat leaves the dock 5:00 am SHARP on Saturday. Possibly even a bit before 5 am. (Please treat the boat and its crew with respect and you'll get it in return.) If you board the boat the night before we leave, maintain silence about the decks after 10:30 pm. No drunken revelry to disturb those sleeping right below (and above) you please.
BUNKS: Bunks are first come, first served. Couples and really tall/large people get first dibs on the modest cabins. Speak up in the Comments section to ask for one.
FOOD: Three fulls on Saturday and breakfast & lunch on Sunday. Snacks and drinks provided. If you have any food allergies, please let the boat know.
AIR TANKS: Boat has free steel LP 72s (overfilled to a 76's-worth of gas) for your use or you may bring your own tank. Caveat: Their compressor only fills to an LP steel's pressure limit. No 3,450 PSI fills.
NITROX: Boat pumps Nitrox into O2-clean tanks (only). $10 per fill. You may bring your own O2-clean (dedicated) Nitrox tank, but bring it FULL. No fills on the way to the first dive. (They have steel LP 72 Nitrox tanks for your use for the cost of the fill. Tanks are overfilled to about a 76's-worth of gas.)
NOTE: If you want to use a boat tank, tell a crew-member BEFORE WE LEAVE THE DOCK.
BOTTOM LINE: Bring your own tank if you can.
GEAR: Bring all your own gear (except for tanks if you so choose). Boat has some weights, but probably best to bring your own.
BOAT: Pacific Star (http://www.pacificstardiving.com)
Join us for this fun trip!
Would-be Car-poolers: Speak up in the comments section below!
UPDATE (from the captain): We {the boat crew} are usually done with dinner by 7pm so come on down. There are dock carts and I will have people in the parking lot to help with gear and directions from 8pm to 10pm. (Before and after, you're on your own.) Also, you can bring a second tank and space will be made for it on the boat.
If you back out less than one week before departure (or "no call, no show") you are on the hook for the money. No refund unless your seat fills. Less than two weeks and you get 1/2 your money refunded. To back out fully you must cancel your RSVP here and request a Paypal refund. Two weeks or more = refund. All refunds subject to a .31 Paypal fee and 9% admin fee (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/32049962).
Cancelling an Event: When and why Power Scuba might do it (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/20706002)
Pointers:
• Bring your certification card.
• If you are diving nitrox, bring your nitrox card.
• Hydrate really well.
• 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.
• Bring something to keep you warm between dives (overcoat, boat jacket, etc).
• Bring a torch for peering into nooks and crannies.
• End your dive 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. Boat leaves at 5 am sharp.
• Space is limited on a boat. Stow all your gear where directed to by crew.
• Keep gear out of the walk-way, damnit.
• 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 the event host has a chance to sell your seat.
_____________________________________
Bill here with a quick note: If you aren't completely comfortable with the kind of diving described above please sit this one out. Your safety is my first concern. There are plenty of shops and instructors who'll be glad to train you up to the level this event requires. Look 'em up here: Shops & Instructors (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/6696656)
Dive Boat/Trip Tipping Guidelines: Tipping Info & Advice here (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/21783462/) ___________________________________
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)
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. Go to the Files section (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/files/) of our site and scroll down to get to the Release: CLICK HERE (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/files/)
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-indicative 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. Our medical statement is also found in the Files Section: Medical Statement (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/files/) . Scroll down until you find it. (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. When you enter the water, you 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.
For Boat Dives: A few dollars have been added to each person's cost. This is a voluntary donation on your part. This money goes directly into the group's Boat Underage (is that even a word?) fund to protect against non-full trips. No other use is made of this money.
Your participation constitutes your affirmation you agree to these above rules and disclaimers... and that your buddy (if applicable) has done the same.
This is a no-take (except for scallops, if you have a permit) event.