Oil Rigs and Olympic Wreck!

A dive unlike any other in SoCal! If you're an Advanced-certified diver, prepared for open water conditions, come join us for an adventure!

You need a very solid level of experience, Advanced (or better) certification, and comfort. Exciting stuff... BUT THERE IS NO BOTTOM*.

The Pac Star rocks! They're a big boat with excellent safety, service... and TASTY FOOD! Captain Dave shares our emphasis on safety, and his experience has guided us well through many trips out in the open ocean.

BOAT WAIVER: In addition to signing a Power Scuba waiver, you must fill out the electronic Pac Star Waiver (once per trip) via this link: https://waiver.smartwaiver.com/w/5af2e1710815f/web/ . Try to do this BEFORE arriving at the boat.

Offshore Oil Rigs aren't dove often (because of the permission process required)... and yet they can house a remarkable underwater community under their platforms. Life on the thick support pylons and crossbeams is abundant.

You must be an experienced diver, hold an Advanced cert, and be comfortable diving in water that essentially has no bottom. Solid neutral buoyancy skills are needed.

This is 3-tank, open ocean diving with "live drops".

MANDATORY ITEMS: A good safety sausage and whistle. (At a minimum.) Don't show up on the boat without these.

CERT LEVEL: You MUST be Advanced certified or higher to go on this trip.

COST: $91.05

BOAT LOCATION: 22nd St. Landing, San Pedro, Ca.

BOARDING: You may sleep on the boat, starting at 8 pm on the evening before departure. Boat leaves the dock 7 am. Please treat the boat and its crew with respect, and you'll get it in return. Stay quiet after 10:30 pm so people can get rest for the next day.

BUNKS: Bunks are first come, first served. (A drawn curtain means the bunk is taken.) Couples and very tall members get first dibs on "cabins".

RIGS: Eureka & Ellen/Elly. Each with different "personalities". Gorgeous marine life resident with occasional spectacular "guests" floating through. Depth: Go as deep (or stay as shallow) as you like and are trained for. Boat captain recommends staying above the 110' crossbeams.

https://a248.e.akamai.net/secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/e/7/6/0/600_130919232.jpeg

WRECK: Olympic - With structure at the bow and stern, this mostly-pancaked wreck is a dwelling place for many fish species, including large lingcod (No take, only look.). Depth: 100 fsw.

FOOD: Continental breakfast when you first wake up (6:30 am). Full hot breakfast on the way out (7-8 am), or after the first dive at Captain's discretion. Full lunch. Snacks and drinks.

AIR TANKS: Boat has steel LP 72s (plus rating overfilled) for your use, or you may bring your own tank, which many of us do. Their compressor fills to 3,000 psi. (No HP fills.) If requesting a boat tank, you must request this of the crew BEFORE we get underway.

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 rigs. Boat has steel LP 72 (plus rating overfilled) Nitrox tanks for your use if you wish. Request one from the crew BEFORE we get underway.

BOTTOM LINE: Bring your own tank (or two) if you can

GEAR: Bring all your own gear (except for tanks if you so choose). Boat has some weights, but it's best to bring your own. (They also have rental gear, but you must call ahead.)

Scallops may be harvested on these dives with a valid fishing license.

BOAT: Pacific Star (http://www.pacificstardiving.com)

Would-be Car-poolers: Speak up in the comments section below!

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. You can bring a second tank and space will be made for it on the boat.

REFUNDS: 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. Two weeks or more = full 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).

To back out fully, you must change your RSVP and request a Paypal refund. Meetup apps do not currently have that function, so use your desktop/mobile browser and go to Profile --> Settings --> Payments Made/All Transactions --> find the payment and click "Contact Organizer for Refund".

Canceling 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.

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:

Show up on-time. Boat leaves at 7 am sharp.

Space is limited on a boat. Stow all your gear where directed to by crew. NO gear bags under the benches.

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 Bill has a chance to sell your seat.

BILL HERE WITH A QUICK CAUTION: 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/)

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ADMIN STUFF:

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. To obtain a form, go to the Files section in our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PowerScuba/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 of our Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PowerScuba/files/ (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.

Your participation constitutes your affirmation you agree to these above rules and disclaimers... and that your "+1", if applicable, agrees to the same.

This is a no-take (except for scallops, if you have a license) event.