Seduced by SoCal - Trip report is up!

[TSandM]

It took a while to put together, and it's way too long to put on SB, so it's on our website.

The short version: We were shown extraordinary hospitality by the SoCal diving community, spearheaded by Ken and Claudette, who organized the whole trip for us. We dove Vet's Park (octopus, jellyfish and sand dollars). We did Dead Man's Reef (great DIR dive companions, tons of structure, and the world's longest surface swim). We went out on the Peace to Anacapa, which was breathtaking, and on the SeaBass to the oil rigs, which were something out of a science fiction movie, with 100 feet or more of viz. And on the last day, we did Catalina, and I got my dream of watching the sunlight stream down through the kelp on the Garibaldis.

We met many wonderful people, among them Michael Kane and Tobin George, and we had a bunch of very enjoyable meals.

We WILL be back!

 

[radinator]

Hurray! I'm mentioned!

Still reading...just wanted to be the first post...

EDIT: Now that I've read it, I have to say that I enjoyed the descriptions of the dives I wasn't on, and I laughed while reliving the ones I experienced. I had a great time diving with all you guys.

And hats off to Claudette and Ken who made all the arrangements.

 

[rahuck]

Wonderful trip report. Thanks so much for sharing it. May I ask how long you have been diving DIR?

 

[Ben_ca]

Wow talk about Hollywood... It reads like the social pages of Scubaboard..... Okey now that Lynne's reports out where's all the other pictures?

Wonderful trip report. Thanks so much for sharing it. May I ask how long you have been diving DIR?

Long enough to bring up her picture when you google

 

[TSandM]

I started on the DIR road with my 20th dive, in August of 2005, I think. I took Fundies in November of '05, mainlined the KoolAid, and never looked back.

 

[HBDiveGirl]

Joy


I will always treasure the memories of this trip.

Thank you, Lynne, for receiving all that this beautiful world has to offer, and giving to all of us your appreciative, buoyant heart, and your artistic descriptions.

Each day was like an uniquely charactered flower, remarkable in its own right.
The shimmering ribbon of your report brought all the events and treasured people together, creating a transcendent bouquet.

omg, we had fun!!!!!



Thank you, my dear friend.

~~~~~~
Claudette


P.S. Lobster season opens in October.
Just thought I'd mention that in case you know anyone who might like lobsters.... cooked with butter, lemon and garlic....

 

[SparticleBrane]

Wow Lynne, that sounds like a fantastic trip. I'm glad you had a good time!!
It also sounds like it was plagued with drysuit issues (yuck).

A comment if I might: it sounds like the dive boats out there really spoil you guys. I don't know of any dive boat here in NC that has a compressor/banks on board. We have to bring all our own tanks for however many dives we're planning on doing...I'm really wishing someone would put a compressor on board to fill people's tanks during the SI.

I'm curious--what is the average time spent on the boat getting to the site?

 

[radinator]

SB, Depends on the targeted site. I've been on boats that have arrived at nearby sites in 20-30 minutes, and others that took 8 hours to get out to San Miguel Island. About 1.5-2 hours is the average. The longer trips are rarer.

 

[HBDiveGirl]

I'm curious--what is the average time spent on the boat getting to the site?

By the numbers, most commercial dive boats from Ventura travel 1'10" to 2 hours to dive Anacapa and Santa Cruz Islands. To dive islands more than 2.5 hours away, (scheduled less often) boats usually leave after midnight to arrive at sunrise.

From LA/San Pedro/Long Beach: Most commercial boats run to Catalina, usually at 2 to 2.5 hour trip. It's 3 to 4 hours to reach the back side of the island and sites such as Farnsworth Banks (scheduled less often.) San Clemente and Santa Barbara Islands can be reached in about 5 hours. Boats leave at midnight and arrive at sunrise.

A smaller percentage of LA boats run to closer sites, such as the local wreck and oil rigs we dived from the Sea Bass. 15 to 45 minute run times. A couple of 12 packs don't have compressors, but most all dive boats offer tank fills of lp tanks, and up to 2900-3200 psi in hp tanks. Only a few boats offer 32% in addition to air.

San Diego boats most often dive Wreck Alley and the near-shore kelp beds. Run times as short as 15 minutes. They are closest to the Coronado Islands. Catalina is an overnight trip for a San Diego dive boat.

It's a great place to dive.

~~~~
'Dette

 

[SparticleBrane]

Most of the rides here are several hours but can range from a few minutes to 4+ hours depending on the speed of the boat and location of the wreck. None that I know of offer air or nitrox on board. It's BYOTBWDF. ("bring your own tanks because we don't fill!")

I know it isn't GUE/DIR approved but the standard gas off the NC coast is 30% due to the depth of most wrecks. When the boat leaves the dock they might not know where they're going to go. 30% usually leaves most options open. It isn't too far off from 32% so I suppose you could add a minute or to on to your minimum deco stops if you wanted to compensate, but I really don't think it would be an issue.

Kudus to Ken and 'dette to putting all this together!