105 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Fleshing out our upcoming 2011 schedule:


FIRM Christmas to New years trip to Belize
FIRM February liveaboard to Saba, St. Kits, St. Eustacia & St. Maarten
FIRM March trip to Bonaire
FIRM April trip to Truk
FIRM May trip to Palau
TBD - Memorial Day Trip
FIRM June - TBA
FIRM July - TBA
FIRM July trip to Atocha (Key West to hunt for treasure)
FIRM Aug- TBA
FIRM Sept - TBA
FIRM October Halloween trip to Cozumel
FIRM November - TBA
TBD - December or New Year's Trip


FIRM BUT NO DATE SET YET...

1. Cooper River (most likely June or Aug...looking at tides for 2011)



WORKING ON BUT NOT LOCKED IN YET...

1. Mayaguana for Labor Day Weekend 2011 on T&C EV Liveaboard

2. Do we want a Dec trip in 2011 or another New Year's Trip? If NYE...where????

3. I would like to offer another trip on Dan & Becky's Paradise Charters in FLL or Bimini. (We had a group go over Memorial Day and they had a great time.)

4. In conjunction with our possible Labor Day Trip to the Caribbean I have been looking at doing a turtle hatchling recovery project in Florida in Sept next year combined with some local diving. This can be a stand alone trip or combined with the Labor Day trip ie. fly into FLL area early and then out of MIA to wherever we have our Labor Day Trip.

STRONGLY CONSIDERING...

1. Possible Single's Week at Cayman Brac or Little Cayman in late summer early fall - WILL RESEARCH JIM'S FINDINGS THAT TURTLE KILLING IS STILL ALLOWED BY LOCALS & DEAD REEFS

2. Dominica - Problem is less than 2 bags and 100# checked luggage.

3. Costa Rica - This is another place that would love to do a Single's Week with us.

4. If we can't get Mayaguana for Labor Day would anyone want to repeat T&C over Labor Day Again?

5. I've looked at doing Hawaii a couple of times but its not an easy trip to put together as the hotel operators are not dive operators and vice versa. But this is still an option...keep in mind the water is warmest in the late summer or early fall.

[rkymtwy]

I would be interested in the Mayaguana trip. I've heard so many great things about that trip and I totally love liveaboards.

[georoc01]

If you didn't want to do land based Hawaii, there is always the Kona Aggressor..

[scubaski]

Repeat trip to Roatan, somewhere close by to d'town Utilla, St Croix just to throw out someland base options. THX..

[Parrotman]

I would consider T&C again. This trip was on my top ten list of most enjoyable. Not necessarily top ten diving but I had a great time. I would love it if you can prove me wrong on the turtle killing in Caymans but unfortunately there is still info available on the internet to support that, although nothing real recent and I still did not think that the diving was worth the trip to go there again.

The Kona aggressor might have some appeal. I can get to Hawaii easily and that would be a change for me, being able to get anywhere easily

As far as Dominca, that is maybe for me. I am not worried about the weight limit... I don't think Kamala believes that my dive bag only wieghed 28 lbs.

For 2011 most of my plans hinge on the Truk/lpalau trip. If I decide to do that trip it will play a major factor in any other trips I might make next year.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

If no Mayaguana, then I would repeat the T&C trip next year! Big critters, little critters, a fun group and a great boat. What's not to like???

[georoc01]

I would consider T&C again. This trip was on my top ten list of most enjoyable. Not necessarily top ten diving but I had a great time. I would love it if you can prove me wrong on the turtle killing in Caymans but unfortunately there is still info available on the internet to support that, although nothing real recent and I still did not think that the diving was worth the trip to go there again.

The Kona aggressor might have some appeal. I can get to Hawaii easily and that would be a change for me, being able to get anywhere easily

As far as Dominca, that is maybe for me. I am not worried about the weight limit... I don't think Kamala believes that my dive bag only wieghed 28 lbs.

For 2011 most of my plans hinge on the Truk/lpalau trip. If I decide to do that trip it will play a major factor in any other trips I might make next year.

Many of us are in that circumstance with Truk/Palau...

[ScubaHawk]

How about the Texas Flower Gardens....I want to see it before another oil rig takes it out. And, have we ever done a Puerto Rico trip? I've heard good and bad about the diving there.

[WreckWench]

How about the Texas Flower Gardens....I want to see it before another oil rig takes it out. And, have we ever done a Puerto Rico trip? I've heard good and bad about the diving there.

The only boat left in the Flower Gardens full time is the MV Fling and has canceled all charters to do oil spill clean up. (This is a common practice for them so aside from weather issues you also have to worry your charter and client's vacations will be canceled if the boat is called for a higher duty.)

We dove Mona and Western PR on the Nekton last December. It was a FANTASTIC TRIP! However the Nekton has gone out of business and so far no one has picked up that diving itinerary. Land based operators are difficult to deal with for groups over 6 people as they do not own the hotels so planning is far more difficult and the premier PR diving can only reliably be reached by liveaboard.

So neither FG or PR are great options at the moment....sorry hawkman! -ww

p.s. However as soon as good options ARE AVAILABLE...I will be all over both of them as I loved diving in both venues!

[WreckWench]

For 2011 most of my plans hinge on the Truk/lpalau trip. If I decide to do that trip it will play a major factor in any other trips I might make next year.

Many of us are in that circumstance with Truk/Palau...

I should have final pricing I am HAPPY with this week. Currently the level of rooms we need are not available so looking at other options to keep the pricing the most attractive we can offer. We will have this locked in asap so everyone can make appropriate decisions and we can start filling these trips.

[Diver Ed]

After reading Jims post about the turtles, I did a little search. I quickly found 6 month old information about turtles as food there. They are referring to farm raised turtles, that became a necessity due to the over fishing of turtles in the past. I did not follow through with my search to see if they still hunt the turtles in the sea, or if it is limited to eating farm raised though. Although I have eaten many animals, as well as critters from the sea, in my life, I will not eat turtle. I would rather see them live in the sea. I classify the turtle issue as something that would not stop me from going to the Caymans, but would have me opt for a different location if available. Just my thoughts. Ed

I would consider T&C again. This trip was on my top ten list of most enjoyable. Not necessarily top ten diving but I had a great time. I would love it if you can prove me wrong on the turtle killing in Caymans but unfortunately there is still info available on the internet to support that, although nothing real recent and I still did not think that the diving was worth the trip to go there again.

The Kona aggressor might have some appeal. I can get to Hawaii easily and that would be a change for me, being able to get anywhere easily

As far as Dominca, that is maybe for me. I am not worried about the weight limit... I don't think Kamala believes that my dive bag only wieghed 28 lbs.

For 2011 most of my plans hinge on the Truk/lpalau trip. If I decide to do that trip it will play a major factor in any other trips I might make next year.

[georoc01]

My understanding from touring the turtle farm was that they now have more meat from farm raised turtle than they need so they no longer hunt them, and in fact release to the wild the excess. They do have an active tagging program and if you find an untagged turtle they will let you name it. Don't know if its just propaganda or the actual case.

The thing about Caymans is that the conversion from the dollar is very high relative to the rest of the Caribbean. But I really love the rum cakes!

Edited by georoc01, 14 September 2010 - 12:55 PM.

[ScubaTex]

My LDS owner has a condo in Cayman. She tells me the native Caymans say Little Cayman & Cayman Brac is expensive!!! Last year on Grand Cayman, I found prices to be 50% higher than in the US.

Bill

[WreckWench]

CLEAN UP:

1. Truk and Palau dates are posted. The only thing left is to look at revising the itineraries to reflect NOT leaving Truk early but staying the full 7 days then doing the less than attractive routing via Gaum and starting the Palau part a day or so later. I will confirm this this week so we can open the trip up. So far Jim, Sandy, Stefan and a few others are ameniable to this so I'm 99% certain this is how we will go.

2. I hope to know if Mayaguana is an option this week...if not I would consider doing T&C again for Labor Day as we can get some decent discounts for that timeframe!

3. Is Cayman Brac and Little Cayman out of the picture now due to turtle hunting/farming and high prices? (The latter is why most resorts offer all inclusive plans...do I do any more research on these destinations?)

4. Dominica... I know I am dying to go and would like to look at this for early this summer...perhaps June or Memorial Day if they are not booked already. Anyone else?

We still need to fill out the balance of 2011. Any other suggestions???

Do we want to do Roatan again? St Croix? (they really do have great diving) Others?

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

I am looking for something late May or early June, and would do Dominica or St. Croix!

Sign me up for whatever you do for Labor Day, Mayaguana or T&C. I've dived with SD over Labor Day every year since I became a Member!