Bottom Scratcher Apr 7

[Wkndbum]

Anyone else here booked on this Charter?

My first time diving SoCal, so I have a couple questions about the boat & the diving (yes, I read the sticky)

We plan to stay aboard Fri night, bring a blanket/pillow?

Do they have lockers or something to keep valuables (keys, billfold, cammera) in while diving? Need to bring a padlock?

Do they assign bunks & gear donning seats or is it first come, first served?

Do I need a primary light or is a back up enough (packing for flight, trying to keep it to a minimum)?

My son & I will buddy up but we would like to tag behind a diver that has been to the area before, (at least for one dive). Think anyone would be receptive to that?

Any other suggestions?

Tks,
Terry

 

[BITE ME]

first come first serve. there are blankets and pillows on board. i always bring a sleeping bag along as well.

no lockers.

a backup light will be fine to look into holes and such.

let the DM know that you would like someone to go with you if you don't find someone on your way out to the island.

lots of food... you will gain 5 lbs!!! have fun!!

 

[Robert Phillips]

Blanket and pillow is always a good thing. They have them, but wool army blankets are not very comfortable (known from a few years in the army.)

No need for lockers. Put your dry stuff in a duffel or a backpack, shut the curtains on your bunk and everything is cool. No worries about thiefs on board. If something goes missing before you are back at port and the rat may be found and made to swim back to port.

Like he said. First come, first served.

Depends on how you dive. If you don't use one don't take one. A small light for looking under overhangs and into crevices is nice, but not entirely necessary.

The divemaster will usually give a very good briefing of the sight before the gate opens. With areas of interest and a layout of the area, you should be good for any sight they anchor at. If you really feel the need to follow along, just tag behind a group that looks like they know the area or discuss before hand and ask if you can tag along. Most of the popular sights have great things to see very close to where the boat will anchor and you can spend 45 minutes to an hour and never get more than 50 yards form the anchor line.

If these are your first dives in kelp, you would do well to avoid going too far away from the boat unless your navigation skills are above average. A good method to staying near the boat and not getting lost and having to surface to get your bearings only to descend to avoid the canopy is to venture into the forest and come back out again near where you entered, going only a short distance then returning to a clearing. Then find another opening and venture a ways and return to the near where you entered. This way you can see quite a bit without fear of getting stuck a great distance from the boat and having to do the "kelp crawl" because you used up most of your air on the outbound trip.
Keep track of where you are going, where you have been and where the boat is, and most importantly how much air you have in relation to how long you have been traveling. If you do find yourself a great distance from the boat, it is much easier to drop below the canopy, providing you have enough air, to swim to the boat that to get caught on the surface with not enough air and a have a long surface swim over kelp.
The Bottom Scratcher has a chase boat "Bubba" that will get you if you are in trouble or need a tow, but don't use that as an excuse to get in trouble. (I'm not suggesting that you will, but I think this good advice and would give it to a friend.)

Good luck and have fun!

Robert

 

[Wkndbum]

Good info! Tks guys

Terry

 

[orangelion03]

Hope you like bagpipes...


The Capn is a retired law enforcement officer and professional piper, and he likes to practice while divers are in the water.

 

[Divmstr223]

Hope you like bagpipes...


The Capn is a retired law enforcement officer and professional piper, and he likes to practice while divers are in the water.

Dude...if he's playing the bagpipes, I'd be staying on the boat so I can break out the blue face paint, kilt, and scream FREEDOM!!! as the divers surface from their dive...

 

[cadiver67]

Hey Terry,

Don't worry too much about needing a guide, everytime that I have been on the bottomscratcher the dive spots have been nice and easy.

The kelp isn't everywhere - so if you don't feel like being in the kelp there is plenty to see poking around the rocks and such.

Debbie is in charge of the galley and she cooks up a storm. You'll have lots of fun.

 

[Makin Raider]

Dude...if he's playing the bagpipes, I'd be staying on the boat so I can break out the blue face paint, kilt, and scream FREEDOM!!! as the divers surface from their dive...

OMG that's funny!!!

 

[SCUBAJENNIFER]

Dude...if he's playing the bagpipes, I'd be staying on the boat so I can break out the blue face paint, kilt, and scream FREEDOM!!! as the divers surface from their dive...

You're not right....

 

[Wkndbum]

Had a great time Sat.

Did one dive @ Ship Rock & two dives @ Blue Caverns. It was my first time diving kelp & I loved it. Vis was better than I expected, 50+ in some places.

Great boat crew, good food. It did seem a bit crowded but only had 27 divers & everything worked out ok.

Yep, got to hear the Greg on the Bagpipes a couple times.

Terry