USA West Coast Poll - Trip Report Challenge First Quarter 2011 - We Need your votes!

[SpearMax]

GO SLOW - READ EACH TRIP REPORT LINKED BELOW - CHOOSE CAREFULLY

YOU HAVE ONLY ONE VOTE PER POLL - NO DO-OVERS ARE ALLOWED

The Trip Report Challenge First Quarter 2011 USA West Coast nomination process finalists are below. I congratulate these finalists and have started the above poll for you to vote for "the best" in accordance with the following rules:

Official Rules for the Spearboard Best Trip Report Challenge

http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=126333

D. Voting is up to the voters; no one can force or rally a vote, please visit all nominated trip reports and vote for the best one in your opinion. Please vote based on quality of the report and not popularity of people, fish or areas that you are most familiar with personally.

You MUST have 50 posts to vote

and you can vote in all three regional polls per this rule:

all members with more than 50 posts are then able to vote one time for their favorite trip reports among the fifteen final nominations (5 reports x 3 regions).

Be sure to vote in the other two regional polls linked here:

Voting Poll - USA East Coast ---> http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=130914

Voting Poll - International ---> http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=130721

Please vote once in all three polls. They will close on 8-31-11.


Thanks for your participation!


USA WEST COAST FINALISTS FIRST QUARTER 2011

REPORT #1

Author: Aussie
Thread Title: Dorothy, You Aint In Kansas Anymore: A rookie's intro to Kelp Beds.
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=120619
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Date of Trip report thread origination: 03-07-2011, 02:08 PM
Description: Aussies Intro to Kelp Hunting
Reason for Nomination: Entertaining description of a new guys cold welcome to spearing in the kelp forests of southern california

REPORT #2

Author: Bill McIntyre
Thread Title: Blood on the boat
URL: http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=121136
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Date of Trip report thread origination: 03-17-2011, 12:05 AM
Description: Bill's account of the season's first blood
Reason for Nomination: Although Bill's posts are often rage-inducing to a selected few (or many) on the board, his trip reports are generally well received. This is due to the fact that they are well written, informative, inspirational and often times, injected with snarky humor and pretty pictures. As a result, any of his reports deserves to be nominated. This one stands out due to having the first reported white seabass of the season. Keep in mind, this is when the days were short and dreary, water was dirty and frigid. Most people have hunkered down in the comfort of their own home, munching on the last freshly caught lobsters; all the while waiting for an excuse to go diving again. In short, it was the report that launched a thousand ships.

REPORT #3

Author: Devildiver
Thread Title: Newport Trip report - 3/23
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=121662
Region: USA West Coast
Date of trip report thread origination: – 3/23/2011
Description: Diving with first time diver in Newport
Reason for nomination: Casey introduced a brand new diver from Ecuador to spear fishing for the first time, and on his first shot he got a legal ling cod! A classic example for all of us about how to introduce a new guy into the sport!

REPORT #4

Author: Kirby
Thread Title: San Diego Report. New Calico PB and a Bunch of Bugs
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=118027
Geographic Region: USA West Coast
Date of Trip report thread origination: 01-13-2011, 01:25 AM
Description: Kirby harvesting and cooking
Reason for Nomination: Kirby heads out with a few buddies, has an awesome dive, great catch then makes art from catch and throws a dinner party! This is how it should be done..

REPORT #5

Author: ApneaAddict (Carter)
Thread Title: Vermilion Fever 2/11 and 2/21
URL: http://www.spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=120010
Geographic Region: USA West Coast/Big Sur
Date of Trip report thread origination: 02-12-2011 and 02-22-2011
Description: Carter, Bryan, and Harold diving the Big Sur coastline
Reason for Nomination: Diving for vermilion in my experience is very difficult, and these guys make it look easy. Carter even filmed while he was spearing, and made an awesome video (not included in the report) to forever remember those dives. These guys have a desire to dive like few others, and I believe that the majority of us can relate.

[SpearMax]

Please do not post in this thread to help assure compliance with this rule:

B. No rallying or mobilizing other members to second a nomination or vote for a finalist whatsoever is allowed either internally on Spearboard or externally. Any evidence of this may result in disqualification.

But, I may bump the voting poll threads to the top of "New Posts" periodically to remind members to cast their votes.

If you want to make a comment or ask a question that does not promote voting for your favorite finalist, please do it here in this thread at this link: http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=130919