Hornby Island advice needed!

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nwscubamom
I've Got Gills
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Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:13 am

Hornby Island advice needed!

Post by nwscubamom »

Alright you veteran Hornby Island divers - any MUST DOs while I'm there, special dive sites or any tips?

They say we only need one tank - that we bring them back up to the lodge between dives for fills. Do I have to lug my tank up and down the dock several times each day?!!? (my knee would not be happy about this...)

Is there a good place to project photos on a wall or somewhere with an LCD projector?

What's the dive schedule like usually? Arise way too early? Do two dives then the rest of the day free? Or am dive, then afternoon dive or what?

Thanks for help!

- Janna :taco:
Janna Nichols
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REEF Citizen Science Program Manager
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-Aaron-
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Re: Hornby Island advice needed!

Post by -Aaron- »

Hey Janna,

We talked briefly about Hornby Island on your Channel Islands fish webinar this week :).

I put up a post with the video back when I went with March if you want to read through that: http://www.nwdiveclub.com/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=15349

Here is a link to some photos my dive buddy took on the trip: https://picasaweb.google.com/Infl3x/201 ... nbyIsland#

Regarding dive sites. There were some nice walls, but overall the most fun dives I had were with the Sea Lions. We dove next to the colony and would often be surrounded by 30-40 curious sea lions at a time. Sometimes there were a bit nippy and aggressive, but overall they were curious and playful. Also, they tended to stay in a certain depth of around 30 feet, so if you were feeling a bit overwhelmed it was easy to sink to the bottom or head out to a bit deeper water and get out of the fray. This time of year I don't know that you will have as many Sea Lions around, but it looks like prime season for Six Gill sharks. I am guessing you will be doing morning deeper wall dives and slightly shallower afternoon dives hoping to encounter some six gills. Should be fun. If I was going back I would try to find a time when Sea Lions were around and Six Gills, then I could do morning deep Six Gill dives and shallow off gassing dives on the Sea Lion colony :).

As far as the tanks go, the place you stay is right across the road from the marina. Tanks and do need to be brought up and down from the boat to the house between each dive. It is about a 100 yard walk with moderate uphill sections coming out of the dock and up the driveway. However, they have nice big tank wheelbarrows that carry them fairly easily. I'm sure there will be someone on your trip that doesn't mind towing the tanks up and down the hill.

For projection, there is a comfortable TV room upstairs that would be great, but I'm not aware of a projector or screen being there. I seem to remember we hooked up a video out to the TV and played a few pictures and video when I was there.

The dive sites are very close to the marina, so travel time to each location was generally 5-10 minutes. From what I remember we generally got up and had breakfast around 8 and planned to have the boat pulling out for the first dive around 9. Then we came back for lunch and relaxed a bit before the second dive. Optionally you can do a third night dive from the shore near the marina. You have to navigate over some smooth terraced rock structure to get to the water, but it is a cool shore dive with a wall and some nice sea life.

Overall I'm sure you will have a great trip. The Zielinski family and their staff are great and they really make you feel like you are guests in a home. The accommodations are nice and I really enjoyed the down time between dives just relaxing in their beautiful guest house. Have a fun trip, I'm off to the Channel Islands tomorrow :).
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nwscubamom
I've Got Gills
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Joined: Tue Mar 14, 2006 11:13 am

Re: Hornby Island advice needed!

Post by nwscubamom »

PERFECT! Great info, Aaron, thank you so much!!

- Janna
Janna Nichols
My underwater photo galleries
REEF Citizen Science Program Manager
Seen any cool critters lately?
><((((°>
-----------------------------
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diverden
Compulsive Diver
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Joined: Tue Oct 13, 2009 3:55 pm

Re: Hornby Island advice needed!

Post by diverden »

Thanks Aaron! Timely info... I'm headed there a week from Sunday!
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