Feb 3rd...NorCal get together at Pt Lobos!

[SoCalAngel]

It should be noted though, that you will get less people if you do an advanced dive. I am up for just about anything, but I wouldn't want to put some of my fellow divers in a more challanging situation than they can handle.

Alrighty...I spoke with the Cypress Sea (Frank -owner) and got some pretty awesome pricing. He is going to set this up as an Open boat for us. If only 6 - 8 people sign up, we stay in the bay. More than 9 people, it becomes a south carmel intermediate to advanced dive sites trip. The trip will be listed as costing $100. It will include 3 dives, all AIR fills, and real food, water, and hot beverages between each dive. Nitrox IS avaiable for additional charges...that you pay on the boat at the end of the dive day.

Here's the cool part: If we have 6 or more people say they are part of the ScubaBoard group, the price will only be $85. GO.... :sblogo:

Cypress Sea CAN hold up to 20 divers...but we only need 9 divers to be a go. So, this is the plan.

If conditions are bad, obviously we won't make it to Lobos Rocks. However, Frank says if the divers are COLD WATER experienced (and I don't mean just got the advanced cert) and currents are running, but the divers on board are up to the challenge, we can do live boat drops. I've done about 20 live boat drops at the Oil Rigs (E's off Huntington Beach), and on drift dives in Thailand, so I am comfy with the idea...but If you're not, don't do the dive...duh!

Luvnthelife, Thanks for your offer...the Silver Prince is a nice boat. However, my experience with it two summers back is it is not well organized. There was not even water on board. My nitrox tanks were not there as I had requested. I had even called the shop about 4 hours before hand to double check. There was absolutely NO grub to eat between dives. AND they were more expensive, and only took us to Eric's pinnacles, then just outisde the Aquarium. Sorry, I have much higher expectations of a dive boat. To their credit, the cap't and crew were awesome and very knowledgable, but that doesn't keep me hydrated or fed


Chuck...don't come if you are concerned. Just don't. You voiced your opinions. SO, let it go and join us or don't. SCUBA does require caution. No doubt. You've voiced your concerns...however, any dive site has many faces. Some days you dive them, some you don't. You do have a link to a CDN page on Lobos Rocks. I found a link from your site. SO, whatever. We only need 9 divers to make this a go to Lobos Rocks. I know of 6 people right now, ready to sign up. So, I am not worried. If you want to join us, great! get excited...stop being a downer, please....



Everyone else....Let's make this a rockin' boat!!! I have been arranging dive boats for the cluybs I belong to down this way for years. I will do my absolute best to bring great weather...everybody remember this last weekend's conditions? Well, guess what? I was in Monterey and Carmel! I brought the wonderful So Cal weather with me...and I plan to do so again in Feb!

So bottom Line:

Sat. Feb. 3rd, 2007....Cypress Sea Dive Boat... 3 dives in south Carmel, garrapate areas, with main dive attempt to be Lobos Rocks....air fills included...food and soft drinks included...Nitrox available forr extra $$$...most importantly...diving with a bonafide SB group of funsters...for only $85!!!!!! Does it get better than this?

Let me know your thoughts....Frank needs us to wait until next Monday, so he can organize the 2007 calendar, so I'll wait to post the phone numbers for reservations...


Wooooo Whoooooo!!!!!!!!!:bandsmlz: :wave-smil :multi: :multi: :multi:

 

[renpirate]

Sounds good to me!

 

[typeA]

I'm a newbie, so I'm out... If you really do bring the good weather, I'll be enjoying it from the Monterey shore that day.

 

[Luvnthelife]

I respect your opinion of the Prince. Although you have high expectations I must say I could have gotten the boat at $80.00. Since the boat has been taken over last July we pick up Starbucks coffee every day the boat goes out. We have hot water available along with bagels and cream cheese. Some other goodies as well. Our new captain has been driving boats since he was 14 and ran almost every whale watching boat in the bay (Princesses of Monterey, Star of Monterey), I personally pick up the tanks in the van from the shop. I double check every request before walking out of the shop and heading to the boat. They have worked very hard to make it a positive change.

But this is your deal. I was just gonna see if we could compare what we got and maybe get the best deal for everyone going.

Danny our captain also loves to go to Carmel and we are out there along with the Cypress and Monterey, but usually alone. Danny is a very talented captain.

As for your comment to Chuck he was just being cautious for you. We live here and dive here every week. I dive almost 4 or 5 times a week. We see the people that think they can handle the conditions and take others with them to only have accidents. We have had just in the last 2 to 3 months 6 deaths. Some close to home. So please forgive Chuck and I if we are way more cautious than those who don't live here and see the ambulances pulling divers off boats and out of the water. Seriously please forgive us for our concerns.

I am sure Frank will not take you out where you want to go if it is not safe so you are correct. Our captains and locals here know what is safe and what is not. The Cypress is very well respected here and a great boat to dive on. They listen to the conditions not the people. Thank goodness. So anyone with concerns after Chuck and mines concerns please remember. The captains know what they are doing if anyone else doesn't. They will ask for experience and if not everyone is up to par they will not take you to a dive site that is not at everyones level.

So to everyone going! Have a safe dive trip. I hope all goes well. Diving is suppose to be fun & positive. Also remember that when you learned to scuba dive you were told that locals are probably the best to talk to. I do everywhere I dive. They are there year round and know the sites like their own backyard.

Have a blast!!!!!!!!!! Hope to hear about the trip or maybe I'll see you guys at the dock.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Don't get me wrong. I'm not say "don't go to Lobos Rocks". I am saying "it's a very
advanced dive". On a really flat day, with no current, it would be intermediate. But
flat and no current can both change radically over the dive. I think it was Kawika who
had it go from intermediate to ripping current over the course of the dive. He now has
the "Lobos Rocks" current line several hundred feet long.

An advantage of the commercial boats is that they can live boat it. That doesn't
work so well with a recreational boat where everyone wants to get in the water. If
you do live boat it, pay attention to what the captain says to do and where to go at
the end of the dive.

 

[Luvnthelife]

Nicely put Chuck. Last weekend we were out that way diving the Greater Pinnacles and it was flat when we were there. And Danny knew that the wind was going to pick up while we were down and explained it all to us. Low and behold dropped down to 80 feet swimming through the alleys and here came the swell at 15 feet then when we got on the Prince it was windy as heck. 3 of the divers didn't make it off the boat they were already sick from the long ride out there.

 

[SoCalAngel]

Hey All....

I hope everyone has an Awesome Holiday! I am so glad to have the next two weeks off work...hopefully, I'll get some diving in...if the weather allows it!

Time to start calling Frank, to reserve your spot on the Cypress Sea for Feb. 3rd. Just tell him you are with Laurel and ScubaBoard, so he knows to give you the discount. He says he'll be using your credit cards to hold the spot, but won't charge you until the dive day, so we can get the best price possible.

So, $95 is the normal price (and is what is listed on their website: http://www.cypresscharters.com/) . That is for 3 dives, includes Air fills, beverages, and food (inlcuding snacks and lunch). Nitrox is available for an additional $10 a fill.

Any Water Sports phone number is: 408-244-4433. I am so excited!!!! Be sure tot ell your friends and get them to join us! Remember, this is a Carmel/Big Sur trip. Read the page on their website about "types of trips" and how seasoned a diver you should be, m'kay?

 

[RoyN]

Advanced diver certification is recommended

Uh oh, unless the dive instructor can certify me to advance before February, I'm out of the water for a while on this trip....

P.S. I know it says recommended and I can just say I'll make it, but seriously, I'll play it safe until I have been certified for it. :no

P.S.S. Not only that, I don't want to die like the wife of my uncle's friend who drowned at Point Lobos three years ago.

 

[Ben_ca]

Uh oh, unless the dive instructor can certify me to advance before February, I'm out of the water for a while on this trip....

P.S. I know it says recommended and I can just say I'll make it, but seriously, I'll play it safe until I have been certified for it. :no

Bravo Roy,
Don't feel presured to do too much too soon... Get experience with some seasoned buddies on the bunny slopes. There will be other trips...

Ben

 

[SoCalAngel]

Bravo Roy,
Don't feel pressured to do too much too soon... Get experience with some seasoned buddies on the bunny slopes. There will be other trips...

Ben

I agree! The dive spots will still be there when you are ready for them.

However...having good dive skills and being an "Advanced" certified diver are NOT the same. I got my OW and Adv. certs back to back in Thailand. It wasn't until about 50 dives later that I felt like a seasoned diver and another 100 after that I realized I still had more to learn :11:

Roy, do you dive in Monterey a lot? I seem to be up that way about every third weekend diving. PM with your info and I'll let you know next time I'm up there. I am actually thinking about doing the Friendly Friday dive on Jan 5th, conditions permitting...It's a newbie friendly dive day.