Have you ever wondered what it's like to swim through a kelp forest? Experience the unique diving of Southern California's Channel Islands, consistently rated in the Top 5 of Scuba Diving Magazine's Top 100 Reader's Choice Awards in multiple categories, including Top Destinations for Beginners (North America). We'll spend three diving days on the liveaboard dive boat Sand Dollar out of picturesque Ports O'Call Village in San Pedro (Los Angeles Harbor).

Some things we might see: sea lions, harbor seals, dolphins, giant sea bass, horn sharks, leopard sharks, bat rays, electric rays, moray eels, scorpionfish, sheep crab, guitarfish -- and all the small creatures inhabiting the kelp forest environment (if we're really lucky, we might see blue whales and orcas topside).

Pictures: Channel Islands underwater photos

This 3-day liveaboard trip includes the following:

* All meals: Not just three meals per day... plenty of great snacks between all meals. And we're not talking frozen burgers, canned soup and potato chips.
* Tanks, weights, all air fills. Nitrox fills also available at an extra charge (1 fill $10, 3 fills $25, 6 fills $40).
* Diving, diving and more diving (including night diving).

SoCal dive boats are not luxury liveaboards. You won't have your own stateroom, but you will have your own private bunk with curtain. Double bunks available for couples or those who want to share. The Sand Dollar features one cold shower outside and two hot showers belowdecks; full galley with seating for 22, two heads, heating and air conditioning, and a fantastic full-service crew.

Our schedule:

* Fly into LAX or Long Beach Airport on Wednesday.
* Board the boat in San Pedro as early as noon and no later than 11 PM Wednesday night.
* Boat leaves while we sleep, and we wake up at the first dive site Thursday morning: the sea lion rookery of Santa Barbara Island! (video)
* Dive! Dive! Dive! Thursday through Saturday: Santa Barbara Island Thursday morning, Santa Catalina Island Thursday afternoon/evening, San Clemente Island Friday all day/evening, finish back at Catalina all day Saturday.
* Back in port by 5 PM Saturday evening; enjoy the many restaurants and shops at Ports O'Call Village, stay overnight at local hotel (not included).
* Fly home Sunday (try to schedule your flight in the afternoon, so you can dive more on Saturday).

**Cost for this trip is $499 per person.**

Air fare, hotel and transfers to the boat are not included, but sample air fares run $300-350 as of mid-July. Rooms at Vagabond Inn (within walking distance of Ports O'Call Village) are approx. $65 for that Saturday night. Super Shuttle and Prime Time Shuttle both offer van shuttles from the airports to the boat (Ports O'Call Village, 1100 Nagoya Way, San Pedro, CA) for about $25 one way for the first person, with $9 per each additional person.

Feel free to send any questions to Mike Strickland, the diver leading this trip.

RESERVATION & PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS:

All deposits and installments are NON-refundable. Please purchase trip insurance to ensure you don't lose your money due to illness or other legitimate reasons.

* $200 deposit due upon RSVPing "Yes"
* $299 final payment due August 6

** Pay by check and receive $20 off! (all payments must be made by check to qualify)

* PLEASE DO NOT RSVP "YES" TO THIS EVENT UNLESS YOU PLAN TO PAY YOUR DEPOSIT WITHIN ONE WEEK. RSVPs will be removed for those who do not do so.

Forms to fill out and return to Oceanblue Divers:

Oceanblue Divers Diving Liability Release - Initial where indicated, sign & return to Oceanblue Divers

Oceanblue Divers Terms and Conditions -- Sign & return LAST PAGE ONLY to Oceanblue Divers

PAYMENTS:

Credit card payments:

Click to download Oceanblue Divers Credit Card Authorization Form -- Fill out & fax to [masked]

or

Click to pay online using Eventbrite

Payments by check:

Make check out to "Oceanblue Undersea, LLC" & send check/money order to:

Oceanblue Undersea
P.O. Box 1153
New York, NY 10009

FAX #: [masked]