3rd August 2008 : One day boat trip to Catalina - charter on the BottomScratcher

Organizer : Kate Lane

Dive Animals has joined with Qualcomm Scuba Club on this one day charter to Catalina.  The BottomScratcher (www.bottomscratcher.com) depart Long Beach at 7AM and returns around 6PM.  The boat has berthing, so if you wish,  you may arrive the night before and sleep on the boat FREE of charge.

COST : $70 (this is a GREAT deal !)

Includes : Breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks drinks, airfills and a divemaster

You need to bring : All your dive gear, one full tank and weights.  The boat has limited tank and weight rentals for $10.

Catalina is a fabulous dive destination and offers visbility and dive conditions that are reliably better than near shore sites.  This is an excellent opportunity at an unbeatable price.  Place are limited.  First come first served.

Contact : Kate Lane

Kate must receive your check for $70 to confirm a space on this shared Qualcomm/DiveAnimals trip.

16 August : La Bufadora,  weekend trip to local Mexico diving

Weekend of 16 August is our trip to the great diving of La Bufadora.  Its the best value foreign dive trip of the year !  Just 100 miles south of the border awaits some awesome diving,  the life is large and the company great courtesy of the big time Dive Animal John Leek.

Dive the colorfull wall and crag of La Burdadora;  email John Leek for full logistics and info

Reservations are made by sending a $30 deposit (Check to John Leek) to 3090 Admiral Ave, San Diego, CA 92123. You can drive down in about 3 hours to the compound by the dive shack. Let me know if you want a bunk or to camp. The $30 covers parking, camping fees at Rancho La Bufadora, car pool organizing, big breakfasts Sat and Sun, tank hauling, boatman tips, snacks, sodas, etc.

Not covered are boat fees ($30 for a 2 tank ride), your share of the insurance, gas and tolls in your vehicle, tank rentals or fills ($5), dinners, souvenirs, tequila, beer, etc.

13th September : Camping at La Bufadora
Reservations are made by sending a $30 deposit (Check to Bill Whitmarsh) to 4682 Finsen Avenue, San Diego, CA 92122. You can drive down in about 3 hours to the compound by the dive shack. Everbody camps. Bill will go home Saturday, but you can stay and dive Sunday.
Plan is to go down either Friday night and camp or early on Saturday morning (to be there by 8.30am). It is a two and a half hour drive early in the morning. It is also possible to drive down just for the day.

6-9 November 2008 - the always oversold fall trip to the channel islands courtesy of organizer Frances San Clemente

There's still room on the November 6-9 trip on the Horizon. This is always some of the best weather of the year, falling in our season of Santa Anas which brings flat calm seas and excellent visibility to the Channel Islands. These trips are great for photography, lobstering, and just general relaxation. Non-divers always enjoy these trips as well.

The boat departs on Thurday night and returns at 8pm Sunday.

The price stays the same, $520 for staterooms (I have 3 remiaining) and $480 for dormitory bunks. Fuel surcharge is calculated at the time of departure. It was $10/day on the last trip.

As always, a $300 deposit is required at time of reservation, made to Frances SanClemente. Mail to 9780 Caminito Doha, San Diego, 92131.
Email Frances
Come join the merry Dive Animals on their annual fall adventure!

14th - 16th November 2008 : Santa Ana time in Catalina Island - camping cabins

Note: The cabins must be prepaid by Oct 13. After that, you may not be able to get one.

Dive Two Harbors in Catalina this Fall, an inexpensive, ($200, Non divers pay $120) and fun dive weekend. . Depart San Pedro for Two Harbors on Friday, returning to the mainland on Sunday. Open to all divers, no particular club membership required.

The trip price includes round trip ferry transportation between San Pedro and Two Harbors via the Catalina Express, accommodations at Two Harbors camping cabins, sheets, blanket, towels, breakfast on Saturday and Sunday morning and a BBQ and on Saturday night. And you get the two tank boat dive, and there are free tanks, weights and kayaks for exploring all weekend. (but you pay $36 parking at San Pedro)

Outside of Two Harbors are undeveloped sheer cliffs with sea caves and secluded beaches. Hiking and Humvee tours are also available. Two Harbors is adjacent to the Wrigley Marine Reserve which prohibits anchoring or hunting and provides excellent diving/ snorkeling. (and a hyperbaric chamber) Each cabin has a refrigerator and a bunk bed, communal showers and restrooms. Two Harbors offers a restaurant with outside bar, a snack bar and a well stocked convenience store. See the official website Two Harbors
To reserve your bunk, (or double), send a $40 deposit to John Leek 3090 Admiral Ave, SD, 92123, or Paypay $42 to JLeek001@san.rr.com.

Plan Ahead: Bonaire in Aug 09 Organiser : Frances San Clemente

Past events include :

17th May 2008
The big EVENT will be our 2008 picnic on Saturday May 17 at La Jolla Shores.  The boats run all day offerring dives to Quast Rock, the kelp beds, offshore from the Cove, the Canyons and for early birds a special trip to Scripps canyon by boat.
The raffle has always been a lot of fun;  the first and second prizes being very, very nice equipment; other prizes have ranged from trips on the Horizon thr' safety sausages & aircards.
The coffee began at 7AM and the BBQ gets going around 11AM.  DASC provides the food, the drinks and the diving.  You provided the fun. If you are unable to renew your membership at the picnic,  please print and mail the membership form

 

 

2007 dive trips and events we've enjoyed:

Annual DASC picnic at the shores
Was May 12th, Free boat dives, prizes, food

18-19 August. La Bufadora - Mexico weekend trip and we will do it again next summer
Organiser John Leek

Dive La Bufadora with John Leek. Anybody from any club is welcome.
August 18 is the annual chili cookoff for the expatriate community, sample all the homemade chili you can deal with.
La Bufadora lies south of Ensenada, just 3 hours drive from San Diego. We do this every year. Car pooling can be arranged, if you contact us soon enough. Sleep in the bunkhouse, or set up your own tent in front.
La Bufadora is a natural blowhole, making for a Mexican tourist attraction, housing shops and restaurants, but nearby is Rancho la Bufadora and the launch site for boating out to underwater pinnacles and beautiful diving. (How much does it cost, really? What are the details? Check The Skinny ) I take $30 up front to make it happen, and all other costs are nothing but the dive shop, shopping, dining, driving costs.

For more information, see our Bufadora Page or go to the website for Dale's Dive Shop = www.labufadoradive.com. Address further questions to Organiser John Leek

(gorgeous movie from La Bufe : courtesy of Chris Brechtel, you gotta see it, then you'll understand !)

10-18 August 2007 Bonaire Trip

Organiser : Frances San Clemente

From Frances :

Dates: Aug 10-18 Cap'n Don's Habitat Price includes 7 nights, 6 days. Breakfast, 2 boat dives, free nitrox.
Double Occupancy (one bedroom bungalow, air conditioned) $1042 Diver 778 Non-Diver Quad Occupancy (2-bedroom bungalow, air-conditioned) $ 790 Diver 526 Non-Diver Flight Details: Continental Airlines
Aug 10-11, 2007: Lv SAN 5:05pm, Arr HOU 10:14pm, Lv HOU 11:30pm, Arr Bonaire 5:15am.
Return Aug 18, 2007: Lv Bonaire 7:30am, Arr HOU 11:35am, Lv HOU 12:35pm, Arr SAN 1:49pm Group air rate: $893pp or 37,500 frequent flyer miles Resort Deposit: $300 per person, refundable until June 1, 2007 Contact Frances at fsanclemente@san.rr.com or 858-735-5568 and send deposit to Frances at 9780 Caminito Doha, San Diego , 92131

26,27,28 May 2007 : Memorial Day 2007 Horizon Charter

Organiser : Frances San Clemente

From Frances :

Waiting to receive the contract to nail the price, but heres what's included:
Trip leaves on Friday night and returns on Monday night. Fuel surcharge has been incorporated.
Price includes all beverages, beer and wine. Imported beers are still extra.
Private cabins (two people only) will be in the $500 range. Shared cabins (3-4 people) will be less. Bunks will remain in the $460 range.
I don't have pricing yet for the private cabins, but $520 would be a good guess. Shared cabins will be approx $500. Contact fsanclemente@san.rr.com

12 May 2007

The big EVENT was our 2007 picnic on Saturday May 12 at La Jolla Shores.  The boats ran all day offerring dives to Quast Rock, the kelp beds, offshore from the Cove, the Canyons and for early birds a special trip to Scripps canyon by boat. 

The raffle has always been a lot of fun;  the first and second prizes being very, very nice regulators;  other prizes have ranged from trips on the Horizon thr' safety sausages & aircards.

The coffee began at 7AM and the BBQ gets going around 11AM.  DASC provided the food, the drinks and the diving.  You provided the fun.

If you were unable to renew your membership at the picnic,  please print and mail the membership form

 

This summer: DASC sponsored Rocks, Rips and Reefs

26-29 October : Southern Channel Island on board the HorizonA great opportunity to enjoy relaxed diving with your DASC buddies on board our local dive charter, the Horizon.  The Channel islands offer some of the best southern California diving made really easy aboard the comfortable Horizon.

7-8 October 2006: La Bufadora - CAMPING trip

La Bufadora with the Dive Animals.  The weekend of 10/7 saw the last 2006 expedition to one of the best dive sites on the Pacific Coast. La Bufadora lies south of Ensenada, just 3 hours drive from San Diego.
La Bufadora is a natural blowhole, making for a Mexican tourist attraction and offers excellent underwater pinnacles, arches and drop-offs full of nudibranchs, tunicates, cowries, dorid, scallops and of course the HUGE starfish. 
- last trip sold out - There was no bunkhouse this time, no omlette breakfast, no sodas you didn't bring, no hot showers, etc.
More details at La BufSkinny and at La BufadoraDive

27 July : "Making of Deep Sea 3D" - special presentation at Sumner auditorium, Scripps Institute of Oceanography