Catalina- Bottomscratcher

[DrBill]

I think the $125 or so it costs for a Southern California dive boat is an incredible bargain. I Know in Southern California the Whalers Dive Club has Wednesday trips now and then to San Miguel for even less than that.

You get to arrive the night before and go out to dinner with fellow dive friends, sleep on the way there, get up, have hot breakfast, do your first dive, have a snack while they refil yoru tank for no extra $, do a 2nd dive, have a hot sit down lunch, after another free refill do a 3rd dive or lay out and snooze, take a hot shower and put on clean cloths, then nap all the way back.

I agree that when you add in the option of sleeping on board the night before the dive trip, it works out pretty well.

I often recommend to divers from outside of SoCal that they consider one of the dive boats that lets them sleep on board. It is MUCH less expensive than taking the Catalina Express over to Catalina, paying for the parking, diving with one of our boats (although SCUBA Luv's King Neptune is well worth it since you will most likely get to dive with me, the infamous Dr. Bill), and paying the outrageous prices for hotel rooms here (at least during peak season).

[DiverJohn357]

It would probably suit many So Cal Divers if they artificial reefed the Bottom Scratcher. Then it would really be scratching bottom. The two best So Cal boats are the Great Escape and the Magician. Both charge the same price, but they offer better food and service. On my last dive the Magician Captain asked us where we wanted to dive. That is the first time a skipper had ever asked me where I wanted to go. And I have been on about a dozen local boats over the last few years.

[Sarah]

DiverJohn,

We can count on the Captain of the Magician here as a member.

[phrenicnerve]

Hey Dr.Bill - I did my certification with Haven's Reef under Brett Bovard. We went out on SCUBA Luv's King Neptune for certification. Nice folks. I suppose some day I will meet you, as I will be going back out there whenever I can.

[Archangel]

It would probably suit many So Cal Divers if they artificial reefed the Bottom Scratcher. Then it would really be scratching bottom. The two best So Cal boats are the Great Escape and the Magician. Both charge the same price, but they offer better food and service. On my last dive the Magician Captain asked us where we wanted to dive. That is the first time a skipper had ever asked me where I wanted to go. And I have been on about a dozen local boats over the last few years.

Thank you Joel and John for what you have written. After my ONE AND ONLY Charter on the BS, Greg and I made a pact not to bad mouth each other in public. . . .

So, I would like to rave over Ray, Kyaa, Lori, and Frisbee of the Sundiver. I charter this vessel exclusively and Ray has taken us places seldom visited in Southern California. . . if you want to hit Farnsworth, this is the boat to take you there.

On the bottom scratcher. . . .

Well, uh, nuthin

T

[Papa Bear]

There is some great history in that boat! Captain Greg Elliot bought the Golden Dubloon from Mel Fisher and ran it until he sold it for the Bottom Scratcher. He in the last couple of years put new engines in and new heads! The crew has been pretty stable over the years Debi and her sister have been the Galley winches for ever and our bunch of misfits taught her how to dive! I was there the first time she splashed down and there was "No way she was going to go down" but look at her now! Greg helped bury our friends mother at sea to Amazing Grace on his bag pipes, which have been the motivation for more than one diver to get off his boat quickly!

Usually the shop doing the charter is responsible for the DM! Bubba the little dingy has gotten a new motor in the last couple years, you should have seen the old one! Some of the problem is so many people bring every piece of dive gear they own limiting the deck space, learn to leave it home!

We shot a National Geographic show on board the old gal and with a crap load of cast and crew it was amazing we all fit!

The DM's maybe Tom or Jim both with the Riverside County Sheriff's department and very good divers, but if it were either you would have been checked each way for sure!

We have had some great adventures on the old girl and she has always gotten us home with a hot Spaghetti diner and Garlic Bread! So if your going looking for a new, fast, well put together dive boat? You pulled up to the wrong dock, but if you like a good crew and a crusty captain with a loud cookie who you can't get made at, then this is it! I just tried to get to sleep an hour earlier! It's about the Adventure, right? Not the best, just solid, and reliable!