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Dive Review of Truth Aquatics/Vision in
The Continental USA/California Channel islands

Truth Aquatics/Vision: "Disappointed.", Aug, 2016,

by Theodore C Recupero, UT, US (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 8 reports with 1 Helpful vote). Report 9072.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 4 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 1 stars Environmental Sensitivity 1 stars
Dive Operation 1 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 1 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 1 stars
Comments Four years ago we had our best Cali trip ever, aboard Truth "Conception". See my post.
This time we expected no less, aboard a four day trip on the "Vision".
The boat had less than half a load. We were pleased that we wouldn't be crowded.
We go to dive. That is, we get aboard a liveaboard to get in as much diving as possible. We dive shallow rather than deeper to allow for long, frequent dives with little SI time. this time it did us no good at all, as more time seems to have been spent setting and retrieving bow and stern anchors than diving.
Day one: night dive included, 6 dives...... Breakfast before first dive. All dive operation stop for meals and no dives between dinner and night dive... I ain't happy.
Also after first dive they refill our tanks, an aluminum 80...to 3500psi....I spent several minutes rehashing my anger management training, then almost lost it all when the captain says "That's fine, we do it all the time". Our regs are rated for 3300.. the yolk strap is rated for 3500.........(I'm an AUP and PSI Tech) Then he makes the assinine claim, "They use those regs on HP tanks all the time". (Any shop guys out here want to tell me it's OK? I will report your comment to your insurance company.......)
I eventually calm down.. after that I got 2900 and Sue averaged 2600... OK, You lost any referrals from us...The boat moved after every dive, save 2. Not during meals, but an hour before...no diving during meals.....What should have been 8-9 maybe 10 dive days were 6 dive days. Frankly, if the gate ain't open, and my tank ain't filled... I'm being cheated.
We weren't the oldest ones aboard, but we weren't the youngest either. The captain kept talking about current....and one spot was noticeable. Not something I would ever worry about myself, but we had to move anyway. This is a DIVE boat, right?
One dive the third day was on a nice big underwater island. I found a recently lost 60 pound danforth with all the chain. I only had a 50 pound lift bag. I showed the pics to a couple crew members and they all thought we could go get it... Nope... we moved again....Not even a second dive here? Damn, he likes to burn fuel and piss me off.
Maybe I'm crazy, but anywhere that's worth stopping, and dropping/retrieving two anchors and all that, it must be worth at least two dives, one to the right, one to the left, or fore/aft... ... That's how we do it.... and to me, one pile of rocks and kelp looks a lot like the previous one.
24 hours before the end of the trip, someone must have forwarded my rather loud and obvious comments to management, because the captain stopped at a place for a dive that only 3 of us made, then we did a night dive there. The next day the same 3 of us squeezed in a couple more...
Do folks pay good money to sit on a boat and talk, rather than dive? They had good wine with them, but you can do that at home....
Food was OK, not what we make for ourselves, but other than a rice chicken mush, it was all well prepared. I should have stated preferences. I have brought MREs in the past. Maybe time to reconsider that practice...
I rise early, earlier than the crew and everybody else..so this didn't effect me..... about the time everybody else is getting up, the crew member starts cleaning the heads.. not after they go down, or before they rise...they were waiting to use the head being cleaned. Damn, let's think a little bit about the customers... Also, some crew had attitude and seemed to enjoy inconveniencing us, setting up on top of and pushing aside our logbooks, shirts and towels. Crew table? Label it....Also train your crew in etiquette, maybe some courtesy...One crew member tossed cold water on another, the scream made me jump. Then she tossed water on him through the window in the head.. Thanks..wet TP....
The ride back to SB was a cheap thrill for me, but some folks might not have liked the seas that afternoon. The crew doing cleaning operations, while we were underway and using those nice smelling chemicals probably drove most folks outside...
Once the "tip jar" went out, the service stopped. I usually tip very, very well. This time I tipped, but less than I normally do. I would have fired the guy in the ear buds and floppy hat on day one...Arrogant jackass is not my cup of tea.
We won't be on another Truth boat. Sad. I really enjoyed the first trip.. Everything goes to hell eventually.
Websites Truth Aquatics   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving USVI, Florida springs, Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic Wrecks, Colorado River impoundments, Missouri impoundments, mountain lakes, Great Lakes, California coast, Tahoe,
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas surge
Water Temp 61-69°F / 16-21°C Wetsuit Thickness 7
Water Visibility 25-75 Ft/ 8-23 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions They claimed no restrictions, but with the site selections and the Boat moving so often, and stopped so seldom, you couldn't have gotten bent if you tried. We were never less time remaining than 20@80 on our computers.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals N/A Tropical Fish N/A
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 2 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 4 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 3 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments We had a few high end picture guys aboard and with the light boat loading, they had 2 whole tables.....
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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