channel islands, ca. diving

[drbill]

Agree that the Peace is a nice boat to dive from. We were diving on Bird Rock yesterday aboard the King Neptune and the Peace pulled up to the site (at a respectful distance). I've enjoyed my northern Channel Islands dives on board their boat.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I'll be sure to post a trip report.

Not to discount Al's experience, but there are usually 2 sides to every story. It is just too bad the Truth Aquatics hasn't responded to his emails. It would have been good to read their side of the story. Their lack of response does make Al's story more plausible.

I didn't send emails, I sent letters to them and so has the shop owner and manager.

There are two sides and we would like their side explained. Why would the crew get off at Avalon and leave 6 of us alone on their boat with not a single crew members aboard? Then come back drunk, take off their clothes and run around naked in front of the passengers.

Since they can't and won't explain their side we're done.

Again though, I would dive the Conception with Jerry as captain. That is a sharp crew. The Vision is a joke.

 

[PhotoTJ]

I dove the Aquatica Saturday, Manny, the captain, put us right on the Black Sea Bass at Italian Gardens. Roomy berths, good food, (Baked chicken with rice and a cream-mushroom gravy), and excellent dives. And they will take your gear all the way to your car for you.

The Explorer is a good boat, not enough variety in the menu, otherwise a nice time.

The Peace is my favorite, excellent food, nitrox, great crew. They have a dive shop, and the staff there is excellent, as well.

 

[abman]

i've only dove with the truth aquatics boats. not by choice, but by chance. i haven't had the opportunity to go out with any of the other charters that dive the channel islands. i''ve heard a lot about the peace and the encore, but i have 0 first hand knowledge of there boats. i must admit, i have dove off of the vision with capt. tommy 5-6 times and have never had any kind of a problem that al has had. (not saying that he didn't have a problem). i just find it really hard to believe that they would behave so absoutley irresponsible and disrspectfull. what i find even more unbelievable is that truth aquatics hasn't bothered to even reply. they have always seemed to put their customers 1st. they sure in the heck didn't on al's trip. i can't help but feel bad for him and the other people that suffered the crap that they were put threw on that fatefull trip. i'm just glad that i wasn't on the trip with them.lol, i do have a trip scheuled on the vision next month for lobsters to the northern channels. makes me kinda wonder??????????????????? ken

 

[ScubaLuke]

I'll be sure to post a trip report.

Not to discount Al's experience, but there are usually 2 sides to every story. It is just too bad the Truth Aquatics hasn't responded to his emails. It would have been good to read their side of the story. Their lack of response does make Al's story more plausible.

A fair point and it's always possible that this was an isolated incident. Like you I'd really like to hear the Truth's side of the story or at least what they've done to fix the situation.

I'm in the SE US and I hadn't planned on diving California again anytime soon (but I do want to go again sometime) so I can afford to wait a while and read trip reports and then pick a boat.

Luke

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

We'd love to hear their side too. We'd like to know why the crew was drunk and why they left us alone on the boat while they went into avalon to get drunk.

We'd like to know why with Tommy and his crew we got to the first dive site 4 hours later than the conception did with Jerry as captain. Why on average the divers on this trip got 5 fewer dives in that we did on the conception? Why they were so rude?

We'd like to know how they plan to make it up to our customers.

Instead there is the overwhelming sound of silence from Truth Aquatics.

I think the big issue with them is they are now a huge operation and our shop only books two trips a year which works out to less than 1 percent of their business. So what? Big deal right?

 

[ScubaLuke]

We'd love to hear their side too. We'd like to know why the crew was drunk and why they left us alone on the boat while they went into avalon to get drunk.

The silence *is* kind of deafening.

Luke

 

[orangelion03]

In my brief diving experience, I have been onboard Bottom Scratcher once (for my OW class) and Spectre 5 or 6 times. Spectre has a good crew and decent food...since they go out of Ventura and motor out to Anacapa and SC, you get 4 dives in for your money. My only bad experience on Spectre was my own fault...on Spetember 10th, I fell off/through a ladder tween decks and severly injured my ankle. The crew and some passengers were very helpfull and made the trip back bearable. The injury will keep me out of the water for at least a month, 6 weeks more likely. Have tried to get on Peace, but they are booked full way in advance.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

OK we spoke with Truth Aquatics. They've been busy getting the Conception back in the water and this is why they took so long to get back to us. All concerns have been addressed and they're upset as hell. The crew is personally writing us all apology letters and Avalon is now totally off limits. They want to make it right with us.

So yes it was a total screwup but it's being handled.

Would I go back out with that particular crew? Maybe, probably not. But I'd now consider it as I doubt very much they'd screw up twice with us.

The Conception is still my favorite.

 

[drbill]

Al- Glad to hear that Truth Aquatics addressed the concerns you raised. I assume, based on the apology letters forthcoming, that the crew acknowledged their behavior in Avalon. Definitely a big "no no" as you described it.