Liveaboard Trip: Amazing San Benitos Islands! (Cabins)

This event page is for the CABIN BUNKS on Horizon.

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Rare trip to San Benitos Islands! Limited-load!

You must have a valid passport for this trip.

Cost: $1,268.00

This is a 5-day specialty scuba trip aboard the Horizon. (3 1/2 dive days!) San Benitos (West of the Baja Peninsula) brings a variety of wonderful diving to the table with unique kelp forests and untouched wilderness. Divers commonly see an interesting mix of temperate fish as well as sub-tropicals, silky & white tip reef sharks, wahoo, and tuna. Diving in the dense kelp with such good visibility reminds you of getting into a really dense jungle in Central America combined with flying like you experience in a dream. Swimming under the roof of the kelp, looking out at blue water, and interacting with the prolific resident life is a very special diving experience.

San Benitos has been characterized as "San Clemente Island before the fishermen came". It's remote, the islands are largely unpopulated, and the underwater life is abundant!

The Horizon is not your average local dive boat. She's built for multi-day trips out to sea and has a wonderful salon, galley, bunks, and dive accommodations. At 85 feet long she's well-suited for this kind of trip. In other words... SPACE! (Especially so this being a limited-load trip!)

SAN BENITOS ISLANDS: A trip report from a diver (http://www.vibrantsea.net/benito.html)

Horizon writeup of the event (http://horizoncharters.com/item/jun-17-22-2014-powerbonitos)

BOARDING: Boat boards at 6 pm on Tuesday night.

DEPARTURE: Boat departs approx 90 minutes after boarding.

RETURN: We'll arrive back at the dock around 7 pm on Sunday.

DURATION: 5 days. (Night dives, baby!)

PRICE: $1,268 each total (This is for the cabin bunks only. The dormitory bunk spots are parsed on a separate event page.)

$103.00 right now to secure your spot (non-refundable)

Balance due IMMEDIATELY to Power Scuba at 12546 Heatherton Court #41 San Diego, Ca 92128. Like, by tomorrow noon, no lie!

FOOD: All meals included. The Horizon has great fare. If you have special food requests (vegan, etc) please let them know well ahead of time and they'll be happy to accommodate you.

NITROX: Nitrox provided for an extra (reasonable) charge. They spit out 32% using a membrane system.

EXPERIENCE: You should be Advanced level (skill-wise as well as cert-wise) or better, have a solid amount of experience, and be comfortable in water depths ranging from shallow to 100 feet or more. This is REMOTE diving, gang. Emergency services will be a distant dream.

RESERVATIONS: Simply RSVP here (first) then pay via the Paypal interface that pops up. (Safe and secure. I've used it for years.)

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MINUTIA:

Bring a valid passport. It must have 6 months validity from time of our return.

Pillows and blankets are provided (though some people bring a sleeping bag).

Foam earlpugs are always a good addition to your toiletry kit.

Tanks (AL80) and weights are provided, but you're welcome to bring your own tank and weights.

A meal before you board would be appropriate ,but I'll check with boat and see if they'll have anything for us as we take off.

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The Ten Commandments of RSVPing: Click here, gang. (https://www.meetup.com/Scuba-Diving-San-Diego/messages/boards/thread/6564706)

If you back out less than 30 days before departure (or "no call, no show") you are on the hook for the money. NO REFUND. (To back out fully you must cancel your RSVP here and request a Paypal refund.) If you back out less than 90 days before the boat leaves you will be refunded half your boat fee*. 91+ days= 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).)

Pointers:

BRING YOUR CERT CARD AND PASSPORT.

Hydrate really well.

Take Bonine if you think you're at all inclined toward seasickness.

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... MANDATORY!

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:

Don't be late.

Hydrate really well. Frequent peeing is better than DCI.

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, tampons, or similar.

If you have to throw up, do it downwind (leeward), NOT IN THE HEAD.

If you have to cancel, do it well before the cutoff time so Bill has a chance to sell your seat.

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. Click here: 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: 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 the medical statement to be used as a reference only: Medical Statement (http://files.meetup.com/1307107/Medical%20Statement%20and%20Questionaire-%20PADI.pdf) Therein you'll find a good example of a Doctor Waiver form.

Attending any scuba event Power Scuba facilitates constitues attendee's affirmation they are medically fit to dive and have submitted a signed Liability Release to an organizer.

For Boat Dives: Any overage (usually less than $50) resulting from our local dive boat trips is put into a dedicated Group Boat Fund. This allows us to make up the difference if we don't completely fill up a future boat charter. No other use is made of this money.

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.

Your participation constitutes your affirmation you agree to these above rules and disclaimers... and that any guests you bring (if applicable) have done the same.