44 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Hey gang...I am close to having all the 2012 trips posted which means open for booking. I have 2 trips for 2013 locked in and will have them booked and open by Feb 15. My next objective is to lock in venues and destinations for 2013. Other than Maldives in Feb and Lembeh in March we do not have anything committed to.

The following are destinations that have been seriously requested for 2013:

1. NC Morehead City Shark and Wreckdiving the Graveyard of the Atlantic
2. Galapagos
3. Belize (non-NYE timeframe0
4. Cooper River
5. Raj Ampat
6. Barbados
7. Cuba


The following are destinations we typically repeat annually:

1. Bonaire scheduled for April 20-27, 2013 to take advantage of lower season pricing
2. Roatan for fall
3. Cozy either for Halloween or another time - WE HAVE OPTED TO WAIT UNTIL 2014 SO JOIN US THIS YEAR IN JUNE!!!
4. Cayman Brac would like us to repeat our Single's Week (we are doing the first one this Aug)
5. Dominica has been over Memorial Day but they would like us to repeat however we can chg the dates if desired.
6. Cooper River - Easy to do and only 6 peeps
7. Atocha Dive Adventures on Mel Fisher's Nuestra Atocha looking for treasure


We do not have to repeat all our Single's Weeks but many people are starting to plan to do them annually and ALL of the vendors want us back again.

We want to do more *bucket list* trips but need to be careful that we plan them out far enough that people can plan for them.

So tell us where you want to go in 2013 and when so we can start to lock in 2013 NOW!!!

2013 FIRM CALENDAR SO FAR:

Dec 26 - Jan 2: San Salvador
Feb 15-17, 2013 OWU IL Consumer Show (yes if no travel overlap to Maldives)
Feb 20-Mar 2, 2013 Maldives
Mar 3/4 to 12/13, 2013 Lembeh
Mar 22-24, 2013 BTS NJ Consumer Show
Apr 20-27, 2013 Bonaire

ON THE LIST BUT DATES NOT SET:

1. NC Wreck & Shark Diving (probably July 4th timeframe)
2. Atocha Spanish Galleon Treasure Diving (probably mid to late July)


UPDATE AS OF 4-11-12:

1. The Bonaire peeps want to continue our Bonaire Tradition so we'll do it again in 2013. It will be April 20-27th, 2013. (I will add this to the calendar for 2013 planning purposes!)

2. We are most likely NOT going to do Cozumel in 2013...just so we can offer some newer destinations and offer it in 2014.

3. We ARE going to offer NC in 2013... I am working on dates but we may do it over the 4th of July again!

4. We will still offer our awesome Atocha trips but our wonderful Atocha Queen Sylvia aka Catfish may lead them so we can offer another trip during that timeframe.

5. Maldives and Lembeh air contracts are being negotiated so we expect to have something in a week or so. In the meantime we have some spots on hold for those wanting to do Siren Indo and I'll post that shortly.

6. We can easily offer Cooper River as it is only 6 spots unless we do not fill the trip this year.

7. Our friends at Dive Tech in Grand Cayman would love to have us back and I'll start a thread to see who would be interested in that.

8. I have had serious requests for Belize for non-NYE timeframe, Galapagos, Cuba (yes I now know how to legally run a trip there) and for Barbados (no lionfish) Dominica (no lionfish) and a lionfish HUNTING TRIP to kill them. This could be Mayaguana or Roatan.

Edited by WreckWench, 11 April 2012 - 09:40 AM.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

You have always done Belize during the winter, when I cannot go. I've heard good things about the southern areas of the Belizean reefs, since they're not dived on as much as the Ambergris Caye reefs. Could be done either resort-based or liveaboard, I think.

[WreckWench]

Not many liveaboard options and those that exist are very expensive but if that if what people wanted I could do that. There are a few other places we could do in Belize..some a bit rustic but a good price point. Anything in particular?

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

Not many liveaboard options and those that exist are very expensive but if that if what people wanted I could do that. There are a few other places we could do in Belize..some a bit rustic but a good price point. Anything in particular?

Nothing specific in mind....just know the reef extends all the way down to Honduras, so there must be some good diving other than Ambergris (which I dived right after I got certified in 2006). I don't mind rustic accommodations, if the diving is good!

[georoc01]

You have always done Belize during the winter, when I cannot go. I've heard good things about the southern areas of the Belizean reefs, since they're not dived on as much as the Ambergris Caye reefs. Could be done either resort-based or liveaboard, I think.

In 2009 we did it in May. The big difference was the weather. During the May trip it was a constant breeze that made for a rough surge to dive through. The NYE trip had better weather. In fact, one day it was like glass. Easily the best day of diving I've had in Belize.

FYI, I really liked Paradise Villas where I stayed the last trip. Wouldn't definitely consider that again for a repeat.

[WreckWench]

You have always done Belize during the winter, when I cannot go. I've heard good things about the southern areas of the Belizean reefs, since they're not dived on as much as the Ambergris Caye reefs. Could be done either resort-based or liveaboard, I think.

In 2009 we did it in May. The big difference was the weather. During the May trip it was a constant breeze that made for a rough surge to dive through. The NYE trip had better weather. In fact, one day it was like glass. Easily the best day of diving I've had in Belize.

FYI, I really liked Paradise Villas where I stayed the last trip. Wouldn't definitely consider that again for a repeat.

Yes Belize has more offerings than Ambergris but as George said with daily flights (especially important for holidays) and great weather for the dead of winter...it was an easy choice. Plus one of our awesome members lives in AC so it was a natural. And since Belize is not on the calendar for 2012...its a good option to consider for 2013.

AND IF YOU HAVE A PLACE IN MIND LET US KNOW! It makes the task of researching a lot easier!


p.s. George Blue Tang was just as nice as Paradise Villas...both are great repeat destinations for me as well!

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

Just asking you to mix the calendar up a bit! You always do a week in Cozy over Halloween or Belize at Christmas/NYE. Those are two of the less expensive Caribbean trips, but many of us can never make those dates/trips....I'm wondering what all the fuss is about!

I'm sure the resort/dive operators would love to have our group any time of year....we're just that much fun!!

[Greg@ihpil]

Kamala,Is Roatan being considered for Nov.?

The following are destinations we typically repeat annually:

1. Bonaire scheduled for April to take advantage of lower season pricing
2. Roatan for fall
3. Cozy either for Halloween or another time
4. Cayman Brac would like us to repeat our Single's Week (we are doing the first one this Aug)
5. Dominica has been over Memorial Day but they would like us to repeat
6. Cooper River
7. Atocha Dive Adventures on Mel Fisher's Nuestra Atocha looking for treasure

[WreckWench]

Just asking you to mix the calendar up a bit! You always do a week in Cozy over Halloween or Belize at Christmas/NYE. Those are two of the less expensive Caribbean trips, but many of us can never make those dates/trips....I'm wondering what all the fuss is about!

I'm sure the resort/dive operators would love to have our group any time of year....we're just that much fun!!

Good point! NYE is tough due to flights and pricing being so high. So we got into the Belize option for several years as an easy default. This year is San Salvador Bahamas.

And we are not doing Cozy over Halloween but rather in June/July to mix it up.

So you are seeing some of our long standing favorites different times of year. And we are looking for new destinations which is why EARLY planning is so important! Of course none of this has been lost on the but its taken a while to really reach a point of being able to do it.

So hopefully people will sort of know where they want to go in 2013 now since most have already made their 2012 plans.

Even if we only flesh out half the calendar we are still way ahead of the game!

[grim reefer]

Cooper river?

[Parrotman]

the biggest issue for me in doing anything in the Caribbean is that airfare is so expensive. Add that to the fact that I have been diving in most of the Carib it does not make it as attractive. For my trip to Anilao last year the airfare for me going all the way to the Philippines was $300 cheaper than my airfare to T&C. Going to Indonesia is cheaper than going to Bonaire. That being said, I will look at any trips going in that direction. I would like to do Raj Ampat. I know that is considered a bucket list trip for most. But it can be done with out paying an arm and a leg. Anilao was great and inexpensive. I can not travel anytime between November 1st and January 31st and most of June. But if you get something going around the Coral Triangle I would be interested.

Jim

[divengolf]

Kamala,
I did the Rocio del Mar LA in the northern Sea of Cortex last summer. Decent diving and good variety of fish, critters plus whale sharks. Fly to PHX, relatively cheap. Then shuttle to Puerto Penasco, Mexico. Shuttle is $100 RT. The LA is about $2200, but that can be negotiated for a group.
Now the boat has some problems, the biggest is limited compressor capacity. If they fix that, and they said that they were gong to do so, it might be worth considering.
If you're interested, I'll give you a full dump in Bonaire.
Harry

[divengolf]

http://www.uwphotogr...z-workshop-2012
Here's another possibility in the Sea of Cortex. I would not do Club Cantamar, but there are others in La Paz
I'm going to AnilaoPhilippines in May with UPG (Scott Gietler) and I can quiz him on their trip to La Paz last fall if you're interested.<div>Harry</div>

Edited by divengolf, 03 February 2012 - 06:17 AM.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

I'm going to AnilaoPhilippines in May with UPG (Scott Gietler) and I can quiz him on their trip to La Paz last fall if your interested.
Harry

Say "HI" to Scott for me! You'll enjoy the critters in Anilao, and the Crystal Blue resort is very camera-friendly.

[WreckWench]

I'm going to AnilaoPhilippines in May with UPG (Scott Gietler) and I can quiz him on their trip to La Paz last fall if your interested.
Harry

Say "HI" to Scott for me! You'll enjoy the critters in Anilao, and the Crystal Blue resort is very camera-friendly.

This destination and resort are HIGH on the radar range. Great pricing and great photography and great country! This WILL be a destination possibly in conjunction with Truk in early 2014 or even 2013.

All feedback is appreciated.