LDS good experiences with Channel Island Trips

[jonahshark]

Hi all,

I'm just wondering if folks have done the Truth Aquatics 3 day trip with either Pinnacle in Novato, Cal Dive and Travel in Berkeley or Aqua Safaris in Santa Cruz, or did you just book through Truth Aquatics? Does it matter?

Thanks in Advance...

J

 

[jumsted65]

It all depends on who you wanna be stuck with on a boat for 3 days
I have no experience with the shops you listed.
If you have a buddy, your best bet may be to book directly through the boat. If you have enough friends to fill a charter, that's even better.

 

[zf2nt]

Well...the boats are really large enough that you're not particularly stuck with anybody. So I think that in general you can probably find a compatible subgroup of people and have fun no matter who organizes the charter.

However, I have seen some differences in the Channel Islands cruises based on the makeup of the people on the boat. I went once with a dive shop where the owner was on the boat and so got a chance to influence very strongly the choice of dive sites where we dropped anchor. He was more of a hunter than anything else, so we ended up going to several sites I thought were right boring just so he could look for scallops. Also, he was concerned with the long drive back and so convinced the boat captain to come back a little early on the last day. Then I did another cruise with the wild and crazy tour organizer over in Santa Cruz and had a totally different experience. He is a marine biologist and brought along his microscope, then gave some fascinating lessons based on little stuff he brought up with him.

So...my suggestion would be to think about what kind of diving you like to do, then poke around at the different dive shops in the area and see which ones have the same kinds of interests for the cruise that you do. You're going to have a great time no matter who organizes the trip, but I think it helps if you all have the same basic objectives.

Bruce

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

You're still stuck with the crew. I'd dive with the Conception regardless of which dive shop.

 

[Polocco]

I've dove through Novato Pinnacles. I've been on a couple of trips with this shop and have nothing but nice things to say about both the owner and the managers that I have delt with. My wife and I went on the truth last July and have scheduled the trip again this year. It was a great time. If you plan on sharing a bunk, you have to like sleeping real close to each other, otherwise book as singles and each have your own bunk.

 

[jonahshark]

I've had a positive experience with Pinnacles as well, they're just not going until end of May and I think I'd like to go sooner, they also have a few people doing their ow dive completion and I'd rather avoid that.

Thanks for all your input.

Best,

Jonah

 

[Ishie]

Booked the Truth 3 day through Dolphin with no trouble.

I think liking your boatmates could be an issue though. On the Truth, no trouble with anyone on board, but quarters were pretty tight.

 

[abman]

i'll dive with any of truth aquatics boats any where any time!!! i personally prefer the conception, with capt'n tommy at the wheel. but you just can't make a mistake with any of their trips, no matter where you are diving. everthing is 1st rate, from the food, the deck hands, the dive spots, i'd rather dive with them than any other boat diving the channel islands.

 

[Ishie]

It's a great charter.

I wouldn't do the "two person" bunk thing though if you're going with another person. The two person is smaller than a normal twin, and so it's coffin sized. It seemed to be about 50 percent larger than the one person while needing to be 100 percent larger. And you're bunking with 20 other people, so not sexy.

 

[jonahshark]

Thanks everyone. I'm going on the 21st-23rd. Anyone else? I'm leaving thursday around 7 and would be happy to carpool.