Dive Review of Truth Aquatics/The Truth in
The Continental USA/Channel Islands, CA

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Truth Aquatics/The Truth, Mar, 2009, by Bob DeFeo, CA, USA ( Contributor 19 reports with 7 Helpful votes). Report 4697.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Terrific operation! They have three boats, Truth, Conception, and Vision. I've been out with Truth Aquatics seven times in the past three years and I always appreciate the value and the service. Truth Aquatics has been in operation since the 80s and are home-ported in Santa Barbara Boat Harbor. They specialize in diving the northern and southern Channel Islands, San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, Santa Barbara, Catalina, and San Clemente. They also do annual trips to Pt. Sur and other customized locations. In addition they offer snorkeling, kayaking, and hiking adventures on and around the same Islands and Santa Barbara. On this trip we took the two day dive cruise and dove around Santa Cruz Island. You board the vessel Friday evening and leave port at 4 am on Saturday. The 2 1/2 hour sail time allows for a full day of diving and a night dive. You can easily do 4 to 5 dives in one day---weather/conditions permitting. The boat departs the Islands for Santa Barbara between 1pm and 2:30pm, depending on what island you are on for the last dives. They goal is to have you back between 5 and 6 pm. Diving the boat...superb dive briefs and two to three deck hands assist with filling tanks & assisting divers. Safety swimmer/diver is suited up when divers are in the water and each boat as a rigid hull inflatable with outboard as a pick-up or mooring tender that's deployed along side during diving and when moored. Depth-finder screen is positioned so all on the dive deck can see the depth below the keel. Giant-stride entries done of the port & starboard gates or starboard bow gate. Mask risk tanks are conveniently positioned next to each gate. Exits are done via stern swim platform that sits about 1 1/2 to 2 ft below the water line with additional platform above followed by the three-step ladder to the dive deck. Crew pulls fins and weights, if desired. The Truth has two showers below the deck in the stern, a drying room for hanging wet suits (bring your own hanger) and an electric dryer for drying towels, clothing. There is one hot water shower on the dive deck on the Truth. Conception and Vision have two hot water showers on the dive deck. All boats also have cleaning tables and water hoses for cleaning speared fish, shellfish and lobsters when in season and taken by licensed fishermen or shellfish/lobster gatherers. Tanks can be rented at the dive shop at the dock or bring your own. Compressor on-board for fills and fills are checked and topped off by the crew. They give great fills. All dive gear is stored on the dive deck and tanks bungeed in typical racks. Each boat has a sun deck, galley and eating/gathering area with built in tables and sitting. Meals are fantastic and the crew will provide specialty meals for those with diet restrictions or vegetarian desires. Full or light breakfast fixings, full hot lunch, dinners, beverages hot and cold...wonderful desserts and plenty of munchies for snacking. No alcohol served BYOB, is desired. Ice available on board. Sleeping accommodations are below deck and are single or double berths/bunks with privacy curtain, reading light, pillows, blankets, foam Naugahyde-covered pads. Most divers bring sleeping bags. No wet gear permitted in the sleeping area. Dives are wonderful in the kelp forests along the numerous coves and dive spots up against the islands. Many seals and or sea lions, lobsters, sunstars, urchins, sculpins, anemones, stone fish, kelp bass, occasional black bass...sometimes horn, leopard, swell sharks. Colorful dives and great diversity of aquatic life. A photographer's dream scenario. Weather can change quickly here necessitating changing dive spots. But given the size of the islands and the experienced and service-oriented skippers and crew, they usually find another calmer spot right around the corner. Typically they moor the stern and anchor off the bow, keeping the boat in position making it easy to return. Truth Aquatics owner, Glenn, skippered out boat and his lovely wife and daughter, Dana and Ashley, were our chefs. Great people always asking what they can do for you. You feel like a very pampered guest when you dive with Truth Aquatics. Two day trip above was $396 and I did seven dives on the trip with some divers doing as many as nine. Great California diving. Requires 7mm suit with many using dry suits. You won't go wrong here.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	251-500 dives
Where else diving	Hawaii, Kauai, Philippines, Caymans, Texas, Puget Sound, Roatan, Monterey Bay, N. California Coast
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, rainy, cloudy, dry	Seas	choppy
Water Temp	54-55°F / 12-13°C	Wetsuit Thickness	7
Water Visibility	40-50 Ft/ 12-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	No restrictions enforced. Dive your own profile.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals	N/A	Tropical Fish	N/A
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Rinse tanks, tables, current for charging all present. Crew treats your camera like it was their infant...careful, respectful, knowledgeable with great support for photographers.

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Dive Review of Truth Aquatics/The Truth in The Continental USA/Channel Islands, CA

Truth Aquatics/The Truth, Mar, 2009,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Truth Aquatics/The Truth in
The Continental USA/Channel Islands, CA