You are in for a really special treat!  For three days you will be diving off of the Pacific Star diving live-aboard and visiting the Cortez banks, and perhaps the other channel islands of San Nico Island and Catalina Island. the Cortez Banks is a  shallow seamount – a barely submerged island in the North Pacific Ocean and is about 100 miles west of Point Loma San Diego, USA, and about 50 miles south-west of San Clemente Island. It is known for clear water, vast kelp forests and abundant sea life.  It is considered the outermost feature in California’s Channel Islands chain. At various times during geologic history, the Bank has been an island – depending on sea level rise and fall. The last time it was a substantial island was around 10,000 years ago during the last ice age. It is quite possible that this island was visited by the first human inhabitants of the Channel Islands – most notably San Clemente Island, whose seafaring residents would have been able to see “Cortes Island” from high elevations on clear days.

The shallower reaches of the Bank comprise about 15–18 miles of sandstone and basalt and they rise from the ocean floor from 1000 fathoms – or just over a mile in-depth. The Bank has been described as a series of mountaintops, but really it is more of the shape of a wave-scoured mesa – with a few hard, basaltic high spots along its length. The shallowest peak, the Bishop Rock – rises to between 3 and 6 feet from the surface, depending on the tides. On very low tides, the rock can be visible in the trough of passing waves. Nine Fathom spot is about 4.5 miles northwest of Bishop Rock and also rises to about 54 feet below the surface. Both are noted scuba diving locations featuring clear water, vast kelp forests and abundant sea life.

CCR Friendly Trip

 

Arrival Information

For those traveling on the schedule below, you will be met at the airport and transferred to the Long Beach docks where you will board the Pacific Star.  In the morning, the local divers joining the cruise will arrive and the boat will depart for the Cortez Banks.

Flight Schedule:

• Houston to Los Angeles     UA1236     Departs 4:30 PM      Arrives 6:15 PM
• Los Angeles to Houston     UA1984     Departs 5:30 PM      Arrives 10:45 PM

Schedule

You will board the Pacific Star on the Thursday evening, and the boat will leave the dock in the early hours of Friday morning so you will be diving later on Friday.  Diving will continue through Sunday.

Accommodations

The Pacific Star will be you home for this trip.

What is included?

Your trip includes 4 nights on board, 3 days of three to four tank boat diving, meals, beverages

What is not included?

This trip does not include airfare, tips for crew, meals  on Thursday & Monday, transfers to/from the airport if you are not not arriving with the group on the schedule above; nitrox, rebreather gas, sorb, bottles rental.  CCR bottles are available for rental or purchase so there is no need to carry yours from home (i.e. less weight).

FARE?

• $625 per person, discounted for cash, $600 per person, discounted for cash & Club Membership
• Deposit is paid in full.