Isla Cedros and San Benitos. Yellowtail Bonanza! aboard the Horizon

[matt mattison]

Hey all I wanted to pass along the info about this killer spero trip going on, that was passed on to me by a good friend Kyle Faust.

here are the details at a glance for the trip. Trip leaves July 21 and returns on the 28th. It is 7 nights 7 days aboard the Horizon all meals and everything included for $1960 cabin or $1885 for a dorm. limited load of 20 divers 3 chase skiffs and rod and real fishing on the way down to Isla Cedros and San Benitos. Yellowtail Bonanza!

Islas San Benito and Isla Cedros

The Pacific coast of Baja...beautiful, wild an experience... Islas San Benito and Isla Cedros, the cornerstone of the freedive experience.

Compared to California's Channel Island of 75 years ago with vast schools of temperate pelagics, lively reefs chocked full of temperate and sub tropical species and the healthiest kelp forests that you will find ANYWHERE.

These expeditions are designed for active divers, beginner to advanced with the prerequisites of good health, as the diving can be very strenuous and good fun! Camaraderie, fun and the Baja experience are what bring back spearos time and time again. In the past divers have shot huge White Sea Bass and Yellow Tail. Hook and lined Yellow Fin Tuna and Dorado on the way down.

About the boat: The Horizon is an 83 ft Dive boat with,
Equipment and specifications
• 3250 gallons of diesel fuel with 1500 nautical mile cruising range
• 10 knot efficiency cruising speed
• 700 gallon freshwater storage
• 1100 gallon per day freshwater making system
• 120v electrical system
Crew
• 2 United States Coast Guard certified captains
• 2 deck crew
• 1 chef
• 1 - 2 stewards
• 1 - 2 dive masters on dive voyages
• 1 - 2 naturalists on eco tours
• Captains and all crew are drug tested
• CPR certified
Amenities and services
• Eight carpeted and air-conditioned cabins
• Additional open berthing with privacy curtains and reading lights
• 2 restrooms with hot water showers
• 1 hot water deck shower
• Clothes dryer
• Entertainment center in salon
• E-mail and satellite telephone communications available
• Soda fountain and ice makers
• Meals, fountain drinks, coffee, tea and snacks included on all trips
• Specialty beverages available
• Spacious sundeck
•
Dive amenities, services and equipment
• Multiple battery charging stations
• Large freshwater rinse barrels
• Wetsuit/drysuit drying service
• 2 Bauer compressors with 4400 cu. ft. air storage system
• DNaX Nitrox available
• Air and nitrox fills to 3500psi
• Tanks, weights, and belts provided
• 1-3 inflatable chase boats for pick-up/delivery to and from dive sites
• Underwater diver recall system
• Refrigerated and live-well game storage

Trip dates July 21, 2011 – July 28 or 28 early am.( 28 is day 8 date is being confirmed)
Day 1: Departure San Diego
11:00am - 12:30pm Boarding
1:00pm Departure - An afternoon of relaxation, preparing your equipment all punctuated by fantastic food and great ocean scenery!

Day 2: Isla San Martin, Isla Geronimo, Sacramento Reef or Offshore
You’ll get a few hours in the water searching for yellowtail, white seabass, barracuda and lunker kelp bass if the conditions are worthy. If not, the day will be spent offshore fishing for tuna, dorado and yellowtail as you head south toward the islands.

Days 3 - 6: Islas San Benito and possibly Isla Cedros
San Benito is legendary for its schools of yellowtail and white seabass. Isla Cedros...well think big. The water is typically green but the fish are big! 30 – 50 pound yellowtail are not uncommon, large white seabass roam its extensive kelp forests and the top side scenery is some of the most beautiful along Baja! Your dive day will typically start around 8:00am with a break for lunch at 12:00pm and then an afternoon of diving with dinner at 7:00pm. After dinner on day 6 we will head north toward Isla San Martin or a coastal destination.

Day 7: Isla San Martin, Baja coast north of Isla San Martin or a day of offshore fishing
If the coastal conditions are not conducive to good diving we will opt to spend the day offshore in search of tuna, dorado and yellowtail. If the sea is friendly you may have the opportunity to experience true blue water diving on free floating kelp paddies!

Day 8: San Diego
We’ll arrive in port 6:00 – 7:00am with debarkation no later than 9:00am.

Days: 7 Nights: 7
Cabin: $1960
Dorm: $1885

Price includes
Meals
Non-alcoholic beverage
Weights

Not Included
Beer / wine
NITROX
Dive Equipment
Crew Gratuity
satellite telephone
Fuel Surcharge (if necessary)

Kyle Faust
201-317-5715
Kyle@Hatchcustoms.com
Kyle@Horizoncharters.com

[polarbear]

I didn't think the Horizon did this trip anymore. Is it an open charter???

[polarbear]

As a note my photo was 2 years ago on the horizon at Cedros with a 38 pound tail

[carlsbadspearo]

Yup its an open charter with no shop affiliation or charter master. This is just a trip for guys/gals wanting to go to Baja and shoot some WSB and Yellow tail and catch other Pelagics. I have been contacting sponsors for this trip and the prizes for the on boat raffle are starting to come in. for starters we have a 5mm wet suit and a blue water gun.

["Yard-Sale Josh"]

How do you win the prizes? Is it a Jackpot type deal?

[The Freediver]

The Horizon is an epic boat and they know who to run a charter well. Good food and service. The strictest of viewing from their divemaster which proved challenging at times, but relieving know you are in good hands nevertheless.

[carlsbadspearo]

I'm thinking just a raffle on the trip. One of the Nights. there will also be a pot for biggest fish. by raffle I am taking all names and tossing in a hat.

[undrH2Ohntr]

Sounds awesome....thanks for putting it together, I wish I could go.

[Dwikkles]

If I could afford it, I would be there.

[carlsbadspearo]

Just so we are clear the raffle is free and is just the people on the trip. Also you do not need to pay in full now just a 30% deposit.

[carlsbadspearo]

Originally Posted by The Freediver

The Horizon is an epic boat and they know who to run a charter well. Good food and service. The strictest of viewing from their divemaster which proved challenging at times, but relieving know you are in good hands nevertheless.

Thanks for the kind words. Myself and the crew strive to please.

[deckhandmike]

Sounds great nice to hear no dive shop/charter master BS to deal with.

[ApneaAddict]

2 years ago this Horizon trip coincided with my family's trip down to Baja. I can't comment from experience about the Horizon's operation, but they were nothing but friendly and helpful to us when we down there together and Kyle was amazingly helpful and generous as we were planning for our trip this past summer (he spent an hour+ on the phone with me giving me advice on everything from dive spots to safe anchorages).

Cedros and Benitos are incredible places. At Benitos the yellowtail are so abundant that you will literally get tired of shooting them. Once that happens, though, you get to enjoy crystal clear water and spectacular underwater scenery. As for Cedros, imagine a place where you're searching for (and finding) halibut every ~20 minutes and between spotting halibut, you've got 30+ pound yellowtail slowly cruising by to check you out. That's honestly how it was. Oh and the nearly infinite numbers of calicos and other reef fish at both places were tremendously stupid by so-cal standards.

You can watch my youtube videos if you'd like to see some footage of what those islands are like.

[carlsbadspearo]

Suunto just Donated a D4 for the on board raffle!! stoked.

[fishnstix]

im only interested if bodega bay pro dive is hosting