July 26, 2014 Sea of Cortez Charter

This was our fourth trip of the Sea of Cortez Season 2014.  This was the first trip of the Sea of Cortez for me.  With the administrative role, provisioning the trips, the construction of Quino el Guardian (our new vessel) and of course spending time with Joaquin I am unable to go on as many trips as I'd like.

We departed Saturday evening in time to watch the sunset.  Waking up at Refujio, off of Angel Island was majestic.  I am reminded of what compelled me to build this dream of bringing divers and sharing this incredibly beautiful place where the desert meets the sea.

After a wonderful day of diving we pile up on the inflatables with a couple bottles of wine to set out see the sea lions.  We've played with them plenty underwater but riding around Granito Island watching the sunset seeing the baby sea lions with their mamas as the bulls swim around us barking at us was so much fun.

The water seasonably warmer.  Biologist say it's due to "el nino". 

Our guests were mostly from the U.S.  We did however have one couple from Romania and another from France.  The girls outnumbered the boys on this trip so we made sure we took advantage of this and gave them a hard time.  In spite of the fact that this was a group of singles and couples from all over I had the privilege of knowing lots of our guests from previous trips we got along as though we were life time friends.

 

The week sped by in a flurry.  A few of the highlights were jumping mobulas everywhere.  We also would see the mobulas swim by on our dives.  It looked like small airplanes flying by. Lots of crazy playful sea lions.  Sperm whales alongside the boat.  We brought down the inflatables, attempting to swim with them, but every time we go close they would only give us tail.  Pat and Jim found the sail fin blennies they had been looking for all week.  We had the coolest night dive ever at el Lavadero.  We wrapped up the week swimming with the whale sharks. 

I will remember this week forever.  I have made new lifelong friends and was able to spend time with my beloved old friends.  I had the privilege of spending the week with Dick Long who is a legend in the dive community.  I would like to close this report with some of his words.  Dick has put words to how I have always felt.  Thank you Dick, Bonita, Susan, Kelly, Pat, Jim, Sorin, Melonia, Francoise, Jonathan, Rich, Charlie, Andrew, Dave, Elaine, Linda, Mary and Carol for the best week ever.

 

Susan, I LOVE THE SEA OF CORTEZ!!!! 

Words of Dick Long:

Our diving industry is very good at attracting people into scuba classes. We graduate these students to become “people who dive”. They really never learn what diving is all about. It is our opportunity to convert these “people who dive” into “divers”.

Why is that so important? Let me explain to you my personal priorities. It is all about the ocean. The ocean controls everything on the earth and we all know the ocean is dying. “Diving” is an art form. It is the most intimate activity between mankind and the ocean. Divers are the humans that do all of the diving. We are in it, and it is in us and we become part of the ocean. The diving industry is merely the support system for all of the divers, nothing more.

Why is all of this so important? It is because divers love the ocean and they will protect what they love. Therefore our opportunity is to convert divers into “Evangelists for the Ocean”. It is well proven that true evangelists can overcome incredible odds and have changed the world. Let us create more “Ocean Evangelists!”