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God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 6:48 pm
by Max Bottomtime
After the sale of God's Pocket Resort last year, the new ownership group had to wait for more than three months to get their permit approved. By the time the red tape unraveled, a couple hundred thousand dollars in deposits were returned. Those of us who left our deposits were finally rewarded with the best vacation of our lives. The new crew worked tirelessly to ensure we were comfortable, overfed and somehow kept Browning Pass as smooth as glass.

The new management group, Claus Eckbo, Antione Moret and Yolaine Cabana have worked hard over the winter to get the resort up and running. Yolaine serves as maid/dining room service/resort manager. Chris Miller is the deck boss on the boat while his wife Belinda somehow makes incredible meals for a dozen divers and staff in the small kitchen. B is not only the best chef we have had at God's Pocket but her deserts ruined my diet. Chris and B also worked on the Nautilus Swell in the same capacity. Captain Dan Kannon worked with Chris and Belinda on their liveaboard Sea Venture three decades ago. He has a 300T license and has captained cruise ships and 80-meter yachts around the world. He now runs the Hurst Isle masterfully, dropping us in the right spots at the right times. Thanks to Dan, I finally saw my first Grunt Sculpin early in one dive. Naturally, I had the wrong lens on my camera. Merry had better luck.

Our first week was shared with many Southern California photographers including Phill Colla, Richard Salas, Ken Ashman, Jami Leslie, and Marla Matin. Merry and I were feeling a bit intimidated when we saw the list, but we held our own. I'm still jealous of Merry's Grunt Sculpin photos.

With the great food, flat seas and wonderful crew, we wish we could stay all year. There are many weeks still available for those who wish to see not only the best cold water diving in the world but in my not so humble opinion, the best diving period. Bill and Annie left some big shoes to fill when they retired last year, but it will not be long before divers relate their tales of their days at God's Pocket with the new group. They all have many years of experience diving the area. We even dived a few sites that we had never been to during our previous trips.

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We had lake-like conditions for most of our two week stay

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At Fantasy Island, current kept me from reaching the wolf eels, but this GPO provided a treat instead

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Epigamia magnawere everywhere

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Springtime in Browning Pass brought lots of spawning. Anemones, snails, sea cucumbers, lingcod, and nudibranchs were spewing out the next generation.
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Metridium farcimen, Plumose anemone

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Calliostoma ligatum, Blue topsnail

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Sea cucumber eggs floated past like little antihistamine capsules

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Onchidoris bilamellata

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Dendronotus albus

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Armina californica

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Gorgonocephalus eucnemis

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Limacia cockerelli

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Hermissenda crassicornis

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Acanthodoris nanaimoensis

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Dan, Yolaine, Belinda, and Chris

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 6:53 pm
by orcasc205
Amazing photos, both above and below the surface. God’s Pocket is definitely on my list of places to visit.

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:04 pm
by Sharkb8
Thanks for sharing this on the board. I've seen your work on Scubaboard and IG and it is really great! Hopefully next year I will also be able to make it up there.

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 8:50 pm
by Jan K
Wonderful trip report, gorgeous photographs. Thanks for sharing and welcome to the club. NWDC that is. :)

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2019 9:11 pm
by YellowEye
Hi Phil!

Awesome photos and trip report! :partydance: I've only been hearing great things about the new crew.

I see a lot of familiar gods pocket alums there in your people photo. Fun times! Chris and B are the perfect pair to help get it back up!

I've got trips lined up in the fall and next spring and likely more thereafter. Maybe see you there sometime?

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 12:11 am
by Vjw
Glad it was such a great trip! Spectacular photos!!! :joshsmith:

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:44 am
by ScubaJess
Beautiful pics and fantastic reports. I love God's Pocket. So glad to hear the new owners are awesome. I'm so excited to go back in the fall.

Hope to dive with you sometime.

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 7:50 pm
by Gdog
Welcome to NWDC, and wow, fantastic shots! I was one of those who had their deposit returned. After seeing your shots, I really want to get up there! Nice work, great report!

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Wed Apr 17, 2019 8:40 pm
by Max Bottomtime
We had a second trip scheduled for last August that was postponed twice. We had them hold our deposit. The gamble paid off. It was the best vacation I have ever had. We'll be back again next March.

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2019 9:09 am
by Penopolypants
Yay!! I'm so glad they're up and running, and awesome! Great photos too! I love the opalescent nudi and the kelp especially.

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2019 9:29 am
by Scubak
Wow!!! You pictures are superb! Amazing!
I have never been and now want to put that on my list to get to soon!
Kirsten

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2019 11:40 am
by Tangfish
So glad to know the operation is not only running but running well from the sounds of it.

Great photos and welcome to NWDC. Maybe I’ll see you at Long Beach?

Gdog, let’s make good on our deposits we got back!

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:04 pm
by derekcs
Love the lighting on the red Irish lord and striped nudibranch photos. Glad to hear things are running smoothly already. Cool to see some of the people I follow on Instagram there!

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:41 pm
by BillZ
Wow - Chris and Bea are now running Gods Pocket - You couldn't ask for a better couple to run the resort.

I still remember Bea's awesome food from the between-dive sugar shack on the Nanaimo dock - the best surface interval ever!

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2019 6:48 pm
by Max Bottomtime
They will be there until the end of the month before heading to work at a fishing lodge. I talked to Claus and he wants to try hiring them full time.

Re: God's Pocket is back, and better than ever!

Posted: Sun Apr 21, 2019 10:34 am
by Max Bottomtime
Tangfish wrote:So glad to know the operation is not only running but running well from the sounds of it.

Great photos and welcome to NWDC. Maybe I’ll see you at Long Beach?

Gdog, let’s make good on our deposits we got back!
I just heard from Claus. He has two spots open for June 16-22.