Thanks for the help, everybody. What I ended up doing after messing around on Orbitz, Travelocity & Priceline (after Trip Advisor) was book a room with Extended Stay America - Santa Barbara - Calle Real. In rough numbers, a non-refundable room was around $175, a free cancellation till near arrival time around $195, then you got around $25 or so taxes & fees, comes out somewhere in the neighborhood of $220 - 225'ish or so, I had just a few 'Orbucks' so I went with Orbitz.
Looks like it's inland aways & over half-way toward the airport route via what I assume is a major highway. Always assuming I'm reading the map right, etc...
So, at least something is nailed down.
From a dive tourist's perspective, looks like a one night hotel stay cost ought to be factored in with the price of the live-aboard trip if booking trip I put a deposit on.
Which is the Aug. 16 - 20, 2016 Limited Load Southern Channel Islands trip. I believe it just recently showed up on the Truth Aquatics map, and I was the 1st to book it if I understood correctly. Lord willing & providing, I hope to try out that California diving I've been reading about off & on the past few years.
If anybody else is interested, here are a few excerpts from my e-mail exchange, dealing with Truth Aquatics directly:
Here are the answers in regard to our 5-Day trip in August...
1.) Whats it cost?
The current price per person is $1,123, which includes all meals and regular air fills.
2.) I assume its not yellowed guaranteed to go (unlike the other posted trips) because its limited load (fewer paying customers). While there are no guarantees, any rough estimate as to how likely it is to go out? Id need to put in for vacation time in advance, book airfare out of Nashville, TN, etc
A pretty good chunk of money to bet on the trip, basically.
This is one of our featured trips and that's the reason it's on our calendar this far in advance. We have been running this trip for many years and never had to cancel it due lack of participation. At least 13 passengers needed to guarantee trip.
5.) Im told Sept. (especially late) through October is good for viz. & still not as cold, any thoughts on what I might sacrifice in viz. & conditions if I come in August? (Note: I know the weather doesnt come with guarantees, either).
You will find great conditions from late July to late October. Usually the water temperature is higher towards October, but it's safe to say that you won't be disappointed with diving conditions during summer months.
6.) About how many dives would be offered on that trip?
You should expect 5-6 dives every full day at the islands. The last day you may have 3-4.
7.) What day & time does the boat come back in to harbor?
The Vision is scheduled to return to Santa Barbara on August 20th around 5 PM.
8.) Given the risks of booking way in advance vs. risks it booking up, roughly how fast do these trips tend to book up?
As I said this is a featured trip with very loyal divers. It's one of the few trips that Truth Aquatics founder and owner run. No one is booked yet, but as soon as the word spreads out it might sell out fast. You can always check with me about its status.
At some point Ill need to setup a plane trip. If we can board at 10 p.m. Monday 8-15-16 (Monday), how much earlier could we board? I want to allow plenty of time for my bags & I to arrive, but if I take a cab ride down, Id like to know when I can get on the boat.
That Saturday 8-20-15, the Vision should return around 5 p.m. Can divers spend the night on the boat & head out in the morning, or are they expected to pack up & get off that same evening?
... you're welcomed to board the night before around 8 PM or earlier if the boat is ready. Your trip is scheduled to depart at 10 PM on August 15th. Unfortunately, you won't be able to sleep aboard once the trip returns to Santa Barbara as we need to prepare for the next departure.
There are lots of options for accommodation near by... lower Castillo St. and Cabrillo Blvd are the most convenient place to stay as you're very close to the boats... please, see the attached map of the area... you probably will find cheaper options away from downtown area.
SB Airport is actually in the town of Goleta (approx. 15 miles from the boats)... the easiest way to get here from SB airport is by taxi... another option is flying to LAX and taking a bus to SB (about 2-3 hours ride).
I asked about the option of hiring a guide; I was given contact info., & e-mailed him.
Thanks you for the email. For multi day dive trips we charge $240 Per day. This cost takes into account the time investment, bunk/food costs, and the diving service as well. The service comes with three guided dive per day.
A little about myself; I have been diving these islands for over four years and have logged nearly 1,000 dives out here. The benefit of having a guide here is great. We have a lot of amazing things to see in our waters, some of which are easily missed my our visitors. Also the diving styles (in regards to the type of diving e.g - walls, pinnacles, kelp forests and more) can vary drastically between islands and even between dive sites. Having someone who has been to these places many times before can add greatly to your overall experience. I don't know if you are a hunter, but if you are, we also will do guided spear fishing during these trips if you are interested.
To secure the service we do require a 50% deposit, just the like the trips do too. Please let me know if you have any questions.
I can see where a well-seasoned guide could do a lot for a professional photographer or other person needing to maximize a trip experience, guides have to eat, too, and I didn't ask what happens if a few people want to share a guide, since I plan to travel alone. I don't plan to hire one since it would roughly double my trip cost, & I'm aiming for budget control in 2016.
Richard.
P.S.: I didn't post people's names since it seemed impolite to me, not having requested their consent.
