102 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Wenchie -

Last summer an LDS booked the Philipean Siren motorsailer for a two week liveaboard. The trip (I understand) was a dream, a luxury liveaboard with lots of devil gas supply (free), broad diversity of diving from reefs to wrecks to muck. The tab for the 14 day trip was (I believe) $3,450 exclusive of air. Why don't we keep this vendor and trip in mind for a future jaunt? Can't you picture red sails into the sunset in PI?

I'm just sayin' err suggestin'

UP Diver

Will definitely look at them as a possibility! k

[SeaSeeker]

Hey WW,
Are you looking at anything for over the New Year? I do a trip every year from Dec 26 to after the first weekend of Jan. I know that seems a long way off, but I noticed the SD trip calendar getting really full. I really enjoyed the 2009 New Year's trip, and missed the SD gang when I did a live aboard on my own for 2010 New Year. The liveaboard I did was the Nautilus Explorer to the Socorro Islands - totally amazing trip! But the group on the boat was not nearly as much fun and special as the SD groups.

Let us know if your thinking of finding something for the New Year timeframe. If not I'll have to wander out on my own again.

ciao
Tammie

Yes we will be doing a New Year's trip. It will be landbased as the way the calendar falls this year the sat the trip starts would be xmas and I can't do that so will do a landbased with options for 4nites/3 days and up to a week. Working on pricing now. I have really forged a great relationship with our supplier in Belize so looking at that. The downside to this timeframe is high price for diving AND high price for airfare. I think I can get us a good price for diving so you only have to worry about airfare.

That is totally awesome!!! I'm up for Belize, and land based is fine with me. I am also looking for departure on the 26th and return anywhere up to Jan 5.

I'll look forward to seeing details and booking the trip.

ciao,
Tammie

[ArtRunScuba]

My special list of future dive trips is especially focused on a combo of Coiba and Malpelo on a liveaboard. Coiba is off the coast of Panama and Malpelo is off the coast of Colombia. One of the liveaboard diving Cocos formerly included some Malpelo trips in combination with Cocos, but I recently heard that they no longer do this. In any case, having done the Socorros, Galapagos, and Cocos, the Pacific Arc of big critters would be more complete with Coiba and Malpelo included.

The other big idea for me is a combination of the Bilikiki liveaboard in the Solomons combined with diving the wreck of the Calvin Coolidge in Vanuatu and a liveaboard in Fiji.

The various Philippines ideas, both on this thread and on the Philippines thread, are also quite attractive to me.

Meanwhile, off to Bonaire in a month and Egypt and Red Sea in just under four months on SD trips.

[WreckWench]

Hey WW,
Are you looking at anything for over the New Year? I do a trip every year from Dec 26 to after the first weekend of Jan. I know that seems a long way off, but I noticed the SD trip calendar getting really full. I really enjoyed the 2009 New Year's trip, and missed the SD gang when I did a live aboard on my own for 2010 New Year. The liveaboard I did was the Nautilus Explorer to the Socorro Islands - totally amazing trip! But the group on the boat was not nearly as much fun and special as the SD groups.

Let us know if your thinking of finding something for the New Year timeframe. If not I'll have to wander out on my own again.

ciao
Tammie

Yes we will be doing a New Year's trip. It will be landbased as the way the calendar falls this year the sat the trip starts would be xmas and I can't do that so will do a landbased with options for 4nites/3 days and up to a week. Working on pricing now. I have really forged a great relationship with our supplier in Belize so looking at that. The downside to this timeframe is high price for diving AND high price for airfare. I think I can get us a good price for diving so you only have to worry about airfare.

That is totally awesome!!! I'm up for Belize, and land based is fine with me. I am also looking for departure on the 26th and return anywhere up to Jan 5.

I'll look forward to seeing details and booking the trip.

ciao,
Tammie

Great this one is very doable and since I have the relationship with the vendor I can pull the trigger soon enough that people can work on good airfares. It will also allow you to be flexible meaning you can do a whole week or just part of it. We can start the 26th or even a few days later...meaning everyone can do what they want within reason of course.

[WreckWench]

Rodney...I may have to have you come work for me...you are loaded with good ideas! The only downside I see is that I can't pay you anything...the hours are long and the work is not easy.

Oh well...at least a girl can dream!

p.s. seriously...great ideas. Lets see if anyone else is interested as well.

p.p.s. I spoke with several Columbian vendors at DEMA and while the diving looks great...I'm a tad nervous about going to Columbia still. Have you researched how safe it is? k

[scrappykidz]

As another idea, I was talking with a friend last night about potentially doing Catalina next April.

Found this package for $400pp for two nights, 1 day boat diving and unlimited shore diving. We were debating how much to make it a 3 day trip with 2 days of boat diving.

http://www.catalinad.......3&Itemid=82

Any thoughts or other ideas?

I have always wanted to do Catalina as a group trip...I will look at this!

Any chance of something happening with this? I have scheduling conflicts for the March trip and don't see anything else I would be qualified enough to join in on prior to the Fall ... April in So Cal would work though.

Last time I was to Catalina, I got there on skis

[ArtRunScuba]

Rodney...I may have to have you come work for me...you are loaded with good ideas! The only downside I see is that I can't pay you anything...the hours are long and the work is not easy.

Oh well...at least a girl can dream!

p.s. seriously...great ideas. Lets see if anyone else is interested as well.

p.p.s. I spoke with several Columbian vendors at DEMA and while the diving looks great...I'm a tad nervous about going to Columbia still. Have you researched how safe it is? k

The boats that I have looked at start the trips and end the trips our of Panama City, Panama. While Malpelo is Colombian waters, this is not the area where there is concern regarding Colombia.

[WreckWench]

As another idea, I was talking with a friend last night about potentially doing Catalina next April.

Found this package for $400pp for two nights, 1 day boat diving and unlimited shore diving. We were debating how much to make it a 3 day trip with 2 days of boat diving.

http://www.catalinad.......3&Itemid=82

Any thoughts or other ideas?

I have always wanted to do Catalina as a group trip...I will look at this!

Any chance of something happening with this? I have scheduling conflicts for the March trip and don't see anything else I would be qualified enough to join in on prior to the Fall ... April in So Cal would work though.

Last time I was to Catalina, I got there on skis

April in SoCal would be too cold for this www. PM sent! kamala

[georoc01]

As another idea, I was talking with a friend last night about potentially doing Catalina next April.

Found this package for $400pp for two nights, 1 day boat diving and unlimited shore diving. We were debating how much to make it a 3 day trip with 2 days of boat diving.

http://www.catalinad.......3&Itemid=82

Any thoughts or other ideas?

I have always wanted to do Catalina as a group trip...I will look at this!

Any chance of something happening with this? I have scheduling conflicts for the March trip and don't see anything else I would be qualified enough to join in on prior to the Fall ... April in So Cal would work though.

Last time I was to Catalina, I got there on skis

April in SoCal would be too cold for this www. PM sent! kamala

Lols..looks like my plans may be for diving in South Carolina in April, where I'm sure the Lake will be so much warmer!

[WreckWench]

Lols..looks like my plans may be for diving in South Carolina in April, where I'm sure the Lake will be so much warmer!

Why would you be diving in SC in April? Taking a class with someone I know near and dear to me?

But depending on whether you need depth or not, the hothole is 69 degrees today so would be MUCH warmer in April. The lake is 47 degrees but it would be much warmer too!

[georoc01]

Lols..looks like my plans may be for diving in South Carolina in April, where I'm sure the Lake will be so much warmer!

Why would you be diving in SC in April? Taking a class with someone I know near and dear to me?

But depending on whether you need depth or not, the hothole is 69 degrees today so would be MUCH warmer in April. The lake is 47 degrees but it would be much warmer too!

If I had my preference, I would be doing this on the SD Bonaire or Nekton trips, but unfortunatley the timing of those trips are on periods I can't take off from work. But the Halloween Cozy trip still looks good!

[georoc01]

I noticed that the Spree is doing the Oriskany in 2010 out of Pensacola. Any thoughts of doing that trip with them in 2011? A nice big boat like that would make the boat rides more tolerable!