6 Day / 5 Night Guadalupe Island Scuba Adventure This is a tentative itinerary that will be controlled by Mother Nature. Destinations, arrival and departure times may need to be adjusted accordingly. Day 1 - Welcome Aboard! 7:00 - 8:30am The crew will meet you at the top of our pier to assist you in moving your gear down the dock and onboard 'Horizon'. You will be shown to your accommodations and given any assistance in getting settled that you need. 9:00 - 10:00am Welcome Aboard / Safety Orientation and Departure You will be formally introduced to the vessel's crew. The captains will thoroughly cover all of the onboard safety procedures and equipment locations. They will also give you and idea of the daily routine, discuss where the amenities are located onboard, and will also give you a general outline of the first days events. You will also receive and introduction and orientation by the most important crewmember onboard, our chef! Don't forget that welcome aboard drink! All ashore that's going ashore... 11:00am Say goodbye to San Diego, and look forward to the next 6 days of fun, excitement, learning, relaxation and camaraderie. Guadalupe Island here we come!! 12:00 - 1:00pm Lunch and Coronado Islands Take out those cameras, binoculars and a good book. As we pass the Coronado Islands you'll enjoy the sites of our near shore oasis. As we slowly cruise passed these islands that are only 13 miles to the south of San Diego, you have the opportunity to check out the breeding grounds of the California brown pelican, sea lions, harbor seals along with numerous other sea birds.
1:00 - 6:00pm Cruising South! Enjoy the slow pace of the cruising life! The captains and crew will be on the lookout for the myriad of cool animals that we may encounter along the way. Even if your napping, know where your camera and binoculars are located as that pod of 1000 common dolphin, a solitary blue whale, mola mola floating lazily on the surface or beautiful albatross may be just over the next swell! Set up those cameras, check and re-check your dive equipment. If an equipment problem is to be found, now is the time to do it. Please speak with a crewmember if you require assistance. Mother Nature permitting, the divemasters will give a thorough dive briefing. If the motion of the ocean is not conducive to a group gather, the dive brief will be postponed until arrival to the island. 4:00 - 5:00pm Hors d' oeuvres 6:30pm The Dinner Hour, Come Hungry! The chef will present to you the finest cuisine that can be prepared on a constantly moving surface! Shortly after dinner and during dessert, the Captain will make his way into the salon to fill you in on 'Horizon's' southerly progress and to give you the approximate time of arrival to Isla Guadalupe. If time allows he'll also take a moment to give you a bit of captainly wisdom on a topic of his choice. BEWARE, if he's feeling surly, you may receive lessons in walking the plank...or worse yet...KEEL HAULING! Day 2 - Isla Guadalupe!6:30am Continental Breakfast7:30 - 8:30 Hot Breakfast 7:00 - 9:00am Arrival to the island. Get up early so that you'll be able to take in the first spectacular views of Isla Guadalupe as we approach from the north. On a good clear morning you should be able to see her from 20 miles away as her highest peak rises over 4000 feet from the oceans surface! If the dive briefing was not given yesterday afternoon, the divemasters will give the briefing as we travel south down the islands leeward side. After anchoring at the first dive site it will take us approximately 45 minutes to deploy our skiffs, and to get set up for the day of diving. 9:00am - 5:00pm Dive, Eat, Dive, Eat, Dive, Eat, Dive, Eat!!! And dive some more! The captain will typically visit two dive sites during the day and possibly one more for the night dive. An average day will see you having the opportunity of making 4 day dives and one night dive, conditions permitting. 6:30pm Dinner Hour After dinner and before the night dive, the Captain will join you in the salon and will discuss the days events with the group, and will let you know what to expect the following day. 8:00pm'ish Night Dive, Dessert and Star Gazing! A night dive at Guadalupe is not to be missed as long as you have the energy. Night dives will be offered, conditions permitting, on the first three nights at the island. Clouds of Guadalupe cardinalfish, free swimming moray eels, lobster, horned sharks and octopi are in abundance during the night dives. Dessert will be offered to the non divers while you are gone. Don't fret, the chef will set aside your delectable delight for devouring upon your return! During the night while at Guadalupe, the Captain will quite often turn off most of 'Horizon's' external lighting for two reasons: Star gazing at Guadalupe Island, 150 miles from the closest light source is quite often other worldly! Storm petrels roost on the island during the evening hours. The lights of the boat cause them to become disoriented upon their return from a long day of foraging upon the open ocean. With the lights left on, we would find ourselves covered with these black feathered little beauties by morning. Day 3 - Wake Up Early For The Guadalupe Sunrise!It is highly recommended for you to arise before sunrise to witness the beauty of a Guadalupe Island awakening. At this amazing place, the reds are redder, the blues are blue'er, and the sunrises can be out of this world! 6:30am - 8:00pm Refer to Day Two 9:00pm Open Carousel on our Digital Projector Show us your days work or presentations from other trips you've made around the globe. Trust me, everyone loves to see a pretty photo. Day 4 - Skiff Shore Tours and Diving!6:30am - 8:00pm Refer to Day Three 7:00am Early Morning Skiff Shore Tours Wake up early, grab some continental breakfast and join a tour led by one of our crewmember along the shoreline of Isla Guadalupe. You'll have the chance to view the islands geology up close, bang off a zillion photos of the very photogenic Guadalupe fur seal and possibly get a look up close at a northern elephant seal haulout beach. Day 5 - Early Morning Skiff Shore Tour or Tour Along Coast From Big Boat 7:00am At the Captain's discretion either skiff shore tours or Big Boat Coastal tours are the call of the morning. 8:00am - 5:00pm Let's go diving! 5:30pm Dinner and Dessert While you are dining, the crew will be diligently working to secure the vessel for transit. 7:00pm Departure for San Diego. Adios Isla Guadalupe! Day 6 Slow Pace Travel DayMid to Late Afternoon Arrival to San Diego 7:00 am Continental Breakfast 8:00 - 9:00am Hot Breakfast 12:30 Lunch 3:00 - 7:00pm Arrival to San Diego | CONTACT US TODAY FOR DATES, PACKAGES AND MORE INFORMATION |
Photographs courtesy of Horizon Charters
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