Wrinkles July '06 Dive Planning Thread - Catalina Island

[Glycerin]

I'm going to try to make it out Saturday... due to funds(ies) I won't be spending the weekend there.

 

[Mo2vation]

Thanks Ken, how do you transport everything around? Do you use a service or bring a dolly?

Billy

I've dived the park hundreds of times. I used to cart everything around. But for about $16, I have no schlep for the entire weekend. To me, its worth it. It would cost me $7 for a weight belt (per day) and I think $10 for a tank (per day)... I'll do a couple of dives Friday and at least 4 on Sat for my $16 transportation investment.

My routine has been refined to the following:

Gear:

* Dive bag - very large Stahlsac or hardside Samsonite (my current fav.)
* Camera gear - usually in a large tupperware tub, lately jammed into the Samsonite
* Camera backpack - Fits bodies, lenses and other small, valuable stuff. With me at all times.
* Small satchel bag for clothes, unmentionables and personal stuff (omit on day trips, otherwise goes to hotel and stays there)
* One or two tanks, depending on dive plans

INCOMING
I cab it to the point - so my schlep is quite modest. With two tanks, I'll need to make two trips to/from boat to the cab. With a single tank, I can schlep all to the cab stand in one trip and just get dropped off at the Point. Either way, I'll cab it to the Point and dump the tank(s) in the lockers Friday, then hop back in the cab and have them take me to the hotel and check in (unless I'm diving Friday afternoon... not sure who's coming in yet.) the cab over/drop off is fast and minimizes the schlep. I can wheel the bag of dive hear to and from the hotel to and from the point Friday for the night dive or Sat AM.


OUTGOING
I like to use Catalina Baggage (aka: "the sherpas") for the return trip. Call them from the Point at the end of your dive day, and for $6 they'll drive out, pick up and HOLD your dive gear until your boat leaves. So you're walking through town, eating dinner, have the night sans gear... no cab back, no gear hassles at the end of the day, etc. They are on the Mole, so your gear is a few steps from the return boat. (310 - 510-0766 put them in your speed dial....)


That's my routine. I hate having to schlep stuff around at the end of a dive day / weekend. I prefer to cab it to the point, and sherpa it back.

---
Ken

 

[headhunter]

Christian, that sounds like a very effecient system. I dont think I'll be bringing the EZ-UP or the saussages for this one.

Billy

This is the Wrinkles Dive with no BBQ because of the hassels of trying to do something like that. There are great little places to get something to eat nearby. So the only sausage you might want to bring is a safety sausage.

Definitely no EZ-UP at this one.

Christian

 

[HBDiveGirl]

I'll be waking up on the Express from San Pedro Friday morning...
...either the civilized 8:50AM boat,
...or the slightly more driven 0700 (which is actually 75 minutes after sunrise... not so bad

I'm staying at the Hermosa Friday and Saturday night.

Departing Sunday, 5:15PM, (unless I slide it back to the 6:45 boat...)

Final total?? 3 days/nights of DIVING, baby!!!! (oh, yeah :-D )

See ya'll there...
Claudette

 

[mccabejc]

Geez, I'm starting to get flashbacks about the last Catalina diving weekend and all the lugging back and forth of dive gear and tanks from the hotel to the point. And then lugging my nitrox tanks back and forth to the dive shop for fills. I wonder if we could make a deal with one of the golf cart rental folks to rent a cart or two for the weekend, just for lugging stuff back and forth...

Probably way too expensive, since they get what, $30 or $40 an hour or something like that...

There must be a better way..........

Maybe we can bring a bicycle and rig it with some kinda trailer or something....

Hmm.....

 

[drbill]

Wouldn't it be funny if I DIDN'T make this Wrinkles Dive? I'm usually on the King Neptune on the weekends.

If I do go out on the boat, I'll be up to join everybody for the evening festivities!

 

[Empty V]

Well due to certain limitations, I will only be able to spend the day there Saturday, but count my fiance(non diver) and me in for all day. The hardest part of the wrinkles dives is waiting for the date to come around. Thanks for setting this up Christian!

Billy

 

[HBDiveGirl]

If I do go out on the boat, I'll be up to join everybody for the evening festivities!

I'll bring my dark sunglasses in case the glare of the full moon threatens my retinas...
Ana is probably still suffering blind spots from the last Wrinkles Dive lunar display.

 

[Glycerin]

Thanks to HBbadInfluenceGirl

I'm in.... just got reservations for Friday and Saturday at the mosa
3 Day of great diving I can't wait

 

[radinator]

I'll be there Friday and Saturday, but have to head back on Saturday afternoon. So I'll miss the post-wrinkles festivities.

We just have to have Friday festivities for the early arrivers.