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Approximately 300 miles, 22 hours by boat,
out of Cabo San Lucas. Not necessarily on Smooth waters so pack the Sea Sickness
pills
(Pics from the Solmar V web pages - link provided) |
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Where in the world is it:
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Food:
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Information:
Diving Solmar V Mantas This Weeks weather report In Cabo. Map of Cabo San Lucas. The Beaches of Cabo San Lucas. Cabo FAQ's ...Frequently Asked Questions About Cabo San Lucas. Ask Us A Question About Cabo. |
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Comments: Wouldn't necessarily do it again as it's a hassle to get there and back, water wasn't that clear all the time, and some current which I've come to like less and less... drift dives are Kewl, but fighting it???? Nope !! I don't think soooo.... |
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And so, we're off and running. Left Seattle noonish Friday, arrive LAX 2 hours later, flown by a Fighter Pilot - normally a 2:20hr flight, we were about 20 min late and still got there within 5 minutes of Sched arrival time.. Good Show.. on the way out, I asked if he was Fighter Pilot and he just smiled and nodded Yup.... made my day. Was supposed to meet a friend for dinner, betting 6 months
earlier that they wouldn't show and sure enough, was not disappointed... canx the day
before... so next morning off to LAX Airport... nice and early... 0500hrs.........
jumped on the flight, had a beer and ready & rar'n to go... heheh |
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Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Airport International.... Arrival of the motley crew... Hot and tired, even for a 2 hour flight... It'd had been a tough day already... heheh... |
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| 40 minutes to downtown Cabo on a quiet Saturday afternoon.... where's the Boat??? | ||
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Then down to the Waterfront Docks... the Enthusiastic overly exuberant divers... meandering toward the boat... |
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to our living quarters for the next 7 days... Introducing the 112-foot Solmar V, the newest and most luxurious live-aboard dive vessel in the world. Only Solmar V offers 12 individual staterooms with full private bathrooms, color TVs and VCRs. (this is according to the ad etc....) |
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..and after all that HARD Dock work, HOT weather and a little too much free time on our hands, we were in a vision quest for the local ambiance... we thought we'd start at the local watering hole.... Margaritville...!!!! |
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| ... and a welcomed stop it was. After bathing in Margaritas, chips and guacamole, and Casa Dias...
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| ...and a few watering holes for the NON-Cigar smokers... |  |
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| Ahhhh.... finally, heading out to sea....
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... and, of course, the famous Arch - even with the margarita and beer, we couldn't convince the El Capitan to try and SHOOT through the "Eye of the Needle" (Thank Gawd) | |
| .... And we're Off and running.... whew.... life's tough, but a man's gotta do ?? ...what a man's gotta do
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Wasn't necessarily going to be and gentle
ride... 22 hours worth of Rock'n and Roll'n before the first stop... ... And the first stop is.... |
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| The Boiler.... so called as a pinnacle table top is about 10-20' below (sown to about 300') and the healthy surge, some currents well up and causes it to boil... THIS is where the Giant Manta's hang out.... Note the white caps in the middle of the bay...
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Mornings Breakfasts always had fresh fruit
and some combination of Eggees... etc... sometimes cereal was the best choice... for
various reasons... There were VCRs in each stateroom and 2 in the lounge area. |
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| Getting ready for the
dive, in the water, on the line ...a playing with the Mantas we go..... |
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| and this was more or less the the dress code for the whole 7 days... Learned to pack 7 t-shirts, 2 swim trunks and that's about all to wear on the boat... |
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... If nothing else, although somewhat subdued for this Snap shot some of us LEARNED Real Fast how to order ... Cervesas |
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| ... and after a night learning and practicing
that magical phrase ....Mas Cervesas !!!! Those with a more creative flair for the Morning Dive Briefings, generously graced the rest of us with their truly Artistic talents by adding a little more detail - so that divers REALLY knew what they were looking at and looking for..... But of course, wearing a White T-shirt may have something to do with it... certainly not the Magical Phrase "Mas Cervesas ..." heheh.... in any case, we were able to Plan the dive and dive the Plan... more or less......
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Ahhhhh... Roca Partida.....
this little rock, out in the middle of nowhere, was the highlight, for me, of the trip.
This silly little rock had sharks, white tips, Hammer Heads AND 2 Whale Sharks, one
reported at 30' and the one I saw was apx 50' - and yesssss he/she most assuredly was
"..the one that got away"... Just like a Disney show in clear 100' water.
This big dark shadow appears off in the distance (like looking in a distant fog..
something big and dark - this way comes....) leisurely swimming right towards us to about
50' away - the photographers went knuts, getting frontal shots, above, below, side views -
I, of course, was camerless, so borrowed one from that Photographer Extrodinair - Fred
Hanna (Whale shark & white tips below) |
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| Just a pic of one place I wouldn't want to
be stationed if in the Navy... A Navy base personnel's assignment was to come out an check that everything's OK... that we're not an advance fleet planning to attack Mexico. We do the same, so understandable... They just give their clearance and blessings and are off.. they were kind enough to help a diver with an ear problem... |
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... at night, with the boat anchored off shore and the lights on, Flying Fish would fly.... right into the boat (also one just missing a person in the ear) - stunned, the Nite Sharks, 5' or so, would come out and clean up the mess. Along with the Dolphins that would chase the Flying Fish - heheh and would catch them too... fast they are... | |
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Being out in no-mans land, doesn't necessarily mean s smooth ride... (I know, I know... big deal... but Ohhhh hour after hour of it.. ;-(( ) |
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... and finally arrival back on Saturday
Evening. A night on the town and visit to the Notoriously infamous "Splash Club" - but that's another story - the next day was spent waiting for the 6:30pm Sunday night flight back to LAX. It was late in arriving and then was delayed by some #@%$& Yuppie, who bought a ticket at the last minute, but wouldn't voluntarily get off the plane when it was discovered they were overbooked by 1 seat. I say this because I missed the last connecting flight out of LAX to Seattle and had to stay the night at LAX. Damn Yuppies, you'd think they'd be able to plan ahead longer than 10 minutes at a time, get their life together, and stop thinking of themselves as the Focal Point of the Universe... Have a good one.... |
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I'm Outta here......
Till the next time.... |
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