Anacapa Diving

[HBDiveGirl]

Not sure how the responses to the original poster's question devolved into sand-bagging on the Spectre Dive boat...

So....

Hi, I'm Claudette, and I'm an active local diver.

Really active.... having dived from the Spectre at least 15 times a year for the past 3 years. It's in my regular rotation of boats and shore-diving that gets me in the local waters hundreds and hundreds of times each year.

In my 40 or 50 times on this boat, The Spectre has proven itself a fine boat for one-day diving of Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. (Early on, I did have one rough day due to a scheduling error and a very packed boat... but that's never recurred in the three years since. Scheduling by telephone or online has worked perfectly year after year.)

The website clearly states whether the plan includes 4 dives (a "full day") or 3 dives (a "3/4 day") for each scheduled date, but includes the standard caveat that conditions may alter the plan. On a full day I get 4 one-hour long dives, usually at 4 different sites unless the conditions are deteriorating as the day goes on. All this with only 75 minutes travel time each way. And for only $115, including air and food.
I'll take this anyday over the 2.5 hour slog to Catalina for only 3 dives... charging $120 to $140.

Captain Ted knows the local dives sites extraordinarily well and selects the best sites that conditions allow. His dive site briefings are always accurate and filled with good suggestions for how to dive the site. He's put us into more sea-lions than any other boat I've dived from. On calm days, he's put us immediately on interesting and exposed sites that boats can rarely reach. He skillfully keeps divers out of ripping currents as needed. Captain Ted and his crew double anchor faster and more effectively than I've ever seen any other boat do this. The stern anchor is exactly ON the dive site, and I've never seen the boat swing even when the current changes direction.
His electric winch also means the can pull in the anchors much faster than other boats, adding even more effective dive time to your day.

The Spectre's BBQ'd tri-tip and chicken lunch is one of the best in the fleet. (The Peace and the Horizon Rule the SoCal seas with respect to superb food on a dive boat... but I'm on the Spectre to dive, not dine. But I have to tell you that the BBQ smells sensational when I hit the swim step after dive #2.)

The crew fills tanks fast and well.
They are efficient at tracking divers off and on the boat.
They have hoisted my 39lb X-scooter up the swim step and onto the deck 30 or 40 times in the past year with smiles and good cheer.

I like diving from the Spectre, and I'll be aboard that Big Blue Boat every chance I get.

Hope you get out there and dive the beauty of Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands, Stussy!

~~~~
Claudette

 

[Teamcasa]

Thanks for that post Claudette, I am planing on going with them soon. Knowing you like them means alot.

 

[fnfalman]

I must reiterate again that my experience with the Spectre (four or five times now, I can't remember) resembles Claudette. Captain Ted was very pleasant to chat with as far as dive sites and various diving/boating aspects go.

I don't care for the tri-tip because I think that it's a crappy cut of meat, but that's a personal culinary opinion and not a reflection on the Spectre because plenty of people love tri-tip. BUT they do season the BBQ and cook it well.

I have yet to be on a "bad" boat although I do have my preference. The Mr. C doesn't have a galley that's worth a damn, but the crew is efficient and competent. The Sea Bass is too small for my preference because I get seasick real easy, yet its crew is also competent and efficient.

 

[Sam Miller III]

.... I was at Anacapa on a multiple day trip with Truth Aquatics in August and saw three black sea bass while working along the edge of the kelp looking for bat rays. In more than a couple hundred dives at Anacapa, that is the first time I ever saw one, much less three.... .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anacapa has been known for its large herd of BSB since the beginning of recreational diving.

They generally could be found in front of "Frenchies cove" --who was a real person and lived in the cove until the National Park Service acquired Anacapa around 1965 --and they could also be found in front of "Quarter Acre."

The ones I have experienced was always in the middle of the summer during breeding season in rather deep water in a pronounced current and as you described along the very outer edge of the kelp beds.

I recall so vividly so many years ago and so many diving generations ago one 350 pound specimen probably the alpha male hanging around the herd, pectoral fins gently moving in the current to maintain his position --what a magnificent creature! As the author Romain Gary stated the "Elephants are the roots of heaven," therefore the California divers "Black Sea Bass are Roots of the Ocean..." and should be protected..

 

[under water]

My only diving in California to date was on the Spectre. I slept on board 2 nights. It's included in the cost of diving and is a great way to save $$ on hotels if you can handle dorm type accommodations.
I have only good things to say about the boat and the captain.
Communications prior to the trip was good.
On the boat you are treated as a responsible adult. Whether you are or not is up to you.
The food was fine. It's not the Cunard line ya know.. (and I have been on those)
Dive sites were great and he did get us in the middle of playful sea lions and did allow us to dive a full hour if we wanted. It was May and those with wet suits were usually coming up well before air was an issue. I had a drysuit, so was pretty toasty, in the water and on deck.
The California marine fauna & flora was much more colorful than I expected and was a real delight.

It was a long way down on that first 'giant step' though :shocked2:
Hang on to your mask!