ISLANDER TRIP ISSUES PLEASE READ

I'd prefer 3 days

Yea, me too. That's what I signed up for. Pulled teeth to get the time off too.
Unfortunately I cannot change the originally scheduled time.

Well I hate to make this my very first post but I have to agree with Tote. Two day trip or extend the original date by one day.

If it goes 2 days,  I'm out,  I would just be bummed I was not going for 3 even though,   I'm sure the 2 days would be awesome,

  Kind of like coming in 2nd @ Elk,

  Just not good enough ...........

 .... Danglin

Though i'm closer living in Las Vegas, I still feel that if i'm gonna make the 5 hr drive, i'd wanna make the trip a decent one. Not saying 2 days would not be decent, but 3 days would be ideal.

I voted for a 3 day trip.

The original plan was a perfect one for us.  The new three day option creates issues for me, but, oh well, life is like that.  If we can fall back to the original dates, they would be our first choices.  Second choice for me is the new three day.  That is how I voted.

When does it start being winter out there?

When does it start being winter out there?

My experience sailing and boating off San Diego in November (and October) is that it can be absolutely magical weather wise- nothing better. It also has the potential to be winter, but not as likely. Luck of the draw, but I think the odds are in favor of magic.

Hello folks. I've been up in the Sierras the past week and off the net except for a brief check-in on Weds. Here's the situation:

On Weds John Coniff, co-owner of the Islander, called about a problem with the 6-day Guadalupe Island white shark trip preceding ours. For permitting reasons, Mexico insists that trip depart and return out of Ensenada. Here's how it affects us. The boat was scheduled to return to San Diego early Saturday evening, run a quick turn-around, and embark us that night. Obviously they can't be in two places at once. After debarking the shark trip Sat evening in Mexico, the earliest the Islander can return to San Diego is Sunday evening.

I told John I was very disappointed that they hadn't foreseen this potential problem. That I never would have announced the trip and accepted deposits had I known that another trip could impact ours. That people were traveling hundreds of miles to make this trip, and had already made arrangements to take time off from work. He knows he's put us in a bind.

John told me he'd try to move the shark trip up a day, but called back to say it wasn't going to happen. After getting huge publicity during Discovery's Shark Week, the charter master apparently filled this one with well-heeled backers of our dear friends at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

I don't care for the taste of this one bit, but don't have any ill will for John or Shane over their decision to favor the shark people. The 6-day is a longer trip at a higher rate, was on the calendar first, and is one of several run by their shark chartermaster. 

I feel awful about the inconvenience, and accept full responsibility. I'd like to extend each and every one of you my sincere apologies. John and Shane are sorry too; John admitted they messed up by scheduling the quick turn-around with permits for the shark trips still in question.

I'd like to offer two more possible options:

#3 - I can look into getting a group campsite for Saturday night. We can all fish La Jolla the next day, before loading up Sunday evening for a 2-day run on the Islander. The new trip cost including tip (it's not the crew's fault) would be $457, plus camping fees.

#4 - We pull the plug and try this again next fall. Not spring; for yellowtail and tuna, our odds will be much better in the fall.     

I haven't cashed any deposits. Please think on this a day or so and let me know how to proceed. Of course anyone who wants out, I fully understand.

And rather than using the poll option, which is open to everyone on the board, please post publicly or if you prefer PM your choice. Again, they are:

1. 2-day trip, same window, departing 1 day later.
2. Depart 11/16-3 day trip
3. 2-day trip with group camping Sat night and fishing LJ on Sunday.
4. Pull the plug.

EDIT: Option 1a, 2-day trip, returning Weds 6 am rather than Tues 9 pm. Adds 3-4 hours fishing time and avoids a hotel stay Tues evening. Due to the inconvenience, I'll try to get this nearly 2.5 day schedule at the 2-day price.

My vote:

4) Pull the plug

No hard feelings from me as I'm pretty flexible and did not have to make any advance time off for work. I had visions of making my first long range trip an EPIC one and look forward to next fall for such a trip, maybe even a longer one!

I might try to make the Steve Moyer Memorial kayak derby again this year instead.

Good luck to those of you who go forward with this trip.

Yeah, well, stuff happens.  Not your fault, Paul.  I really appreciate the time, effort, and now hassle that's gone into making this trip happen.

As far as I'm concerned, the longer the better, and I voted for the three day trip.  That said, If the two day trip is the only option with the side benefit of an opportunity to fish La Jolla with a group of NCKA bretheren, I'm still in. 

I got a taste for FRESH sushi.  No way I'm voting to pull the plug.


Randy

uhhhhhhhhhh, I'm with him........

Yeah, well, stuff happens.  Not your fault, Paul.  I really appreciate the time, effort, and now hassle that's gone into making this trip happen.

As far as I'm concerned, the longer the better, and I voted for the three day trip.  That said, If the two day trip is the only option with the side benefit of an opportunity to fish La Jolla with a group of NCKA bretheren, I'm still in. 

I got a taste for FRESH sushi.  No way I'm voting to pull the plug.


Randy

Sean and Paul

I'm in with Randy. I vote for the 2 day trip (original dates) with an optional camp-hotel/la jolla-dana point warm up. I would really like a 3 day trip and can do all of the options but it wouldn't be fair to those who couldn't make the the next weekend and have committed to this already. I understand the Guadalupe issue having fished there many times. I told Chuck and Joel that there are enough NCKA anglers to book a spring and fall trips on the Islander every year as well as 1 trip to Alaska. I would be happy to help organizing some standing trips for our group if needed.

Scott

Well if option 2 goes I am out therefore 2 becomes 4 for me.  I will fish La Jolla Sunday and/or Saturday anyway, option 3.  So 1 and 3 are the same also but with a more organized NCKA fishing event in La Jolla.  That may be fun.  I am not sure I want to deal with the extra gear etc. of camping so will probably crash at my friends house and drag him along for fishing there too. 

I really liked the original idea because of the travel to fun ratio and the potential to cover a huge area.  My rule is that you should spend at least as much time doing whatever it was you went to do as it took you to get there.  That applies for drives and ski trips and kayaking, fishing etc.  I am not sure how the mother ship works in the equation but 3 days seemed right.  With only two days it seems like a 12 hour run may be pushing it.  I am glad the weather odds are in our favor.  I still regretfully vote two days same slot because that is the only deal that will work for me schedule wise.  Let's go for it make the best of it and have a great time anyway.  There are always some things out of our control.  Are there any implications with regard to where we end up fishing?

I love you guys and all but I would hate you if you decided to go the next weed and I could not. 

But, I would understand.     

Are there any implications with regard to where we end up fishing?

Given decent weather, the Cortez Bank would still be in play for a 2-day trip. We do lose the flexibility of the 3rd day, which would have allowed us to fish the Cortez on Day 1 or Day 2. The final day of either trip, we would likely fish one of the Channel Islands to shorten our run home and allow more fishing time.

Thinking out loud here. We were originally scheduled to return around 9pm on Tues, leaving most folks to run home on Weds anyway. In the 2-day scenario, why not fish all day on Day 2 and return at 6 am Weds? That way we are only losing 2/3 of a day, not a full day, and everyone is home Weds evening anyhow.

Thanks, Pal for all your efforts.

I'm in for the trip, however we tweak it, but my wishes are:

1) 3 day trip, later option.

2) Two days plus a La Jolla appetizer.

3) Two day trip

Take care,

Paul

Thinking out loud here. We were originally scheduled to return around 9pm on Tues, leaving most folks to run home on Weds anyway. In the 2-day scenario, why not fish all day on Day 2 and return at 6 am Weds? That way we are only losing 2/3 of a day, not a full day, and everyone is home Weds evening anyhow.

Is that doable??? We were going to find a hotel to crash in Tuesday night and drive home Wednesday anyway. Sleeping on the way back, especially during sleeping hours, would actually save us the expense of an extra nights lodging.