CLICK HERE TO READ REPORTS FROM PREVIOUS FOREIGN TRIPS

When you travel with Reef Seekers, all you need to do is get yourself to LAX (well, after you've paid us for the trip of course). Then turn off your brain (within reason) because we'll take it from there. All of our trips are escorted, usually by Reef Seekers owner Ken Kurtis, so that you don't have to deal with the minutia and hassles of putting together a vacation. (The idea is for you to relax.) Generally, the prices you see quoted include airfare, diving, meals for live-a-boards (some of the land-based trips also include meals), airport transfers, and crew tip/gratuity. Prices quoted are cash or check. Credit cards are okay but will be billed at a slightly higher rate. To get the exact details on a specific trip, either e-mail  Ken or call him at 310/652-4990.
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CANCELLATION POLICIES ON ALL FOREIGN TRIPS:   120 days or more prior to departure: Forfeit initial $500 deposit.    90-119 days prior: Pay 50% of the entire published trip price.    60-89 days prior: Pay 75% of the entire published trip price.    59 days or less: Pay 100% of the entire published trip price.

2012 will mark the third consecutive year that we've made our way down to the fresh water springs of central Florida to snorkel with the Manatees and to explore the caverns (not the caves) of the Branford area. We start by flying into Orlando and then driving to crystal River, where hundreds of Manatees spend the winter. They're gentle giants and - as long as you follows the rules of encounters - we'll be able to get two days of up-close-and-personal interactions. Mid-week, we'll head north, first stopping at Rainbow River where we'll do a 2-hour drift dive down the river with visibility that can sometimes exceed one hundred feet and we're you'll see sand boils, fresh-water springs, and Long-nosed Gar. We'll the go to Ginnie Spring for our introduction to caverns diving and will wind up exploring the legendary Orange Grove Sink and Troy Springs just outside of Branford. It's a really great way to spend the week diving areas not on the normal dive shop's vacation itinerary. Trip includes rental vehicle (shared), hotels, some meals, diving, park admission fees, our own boat in Crystal River. This trip is generally limited to no more than 8 divers and is already half-full.

                            FLORIDA 2011 TRIP REPORT       FLORIDA 2011 PICTURES

Yap is one of our favorite places in the world to go dive. It's a bit of a schlep to get there, but it's definitely worth the time invested in the journey. And while a lot of shops go to Yap[ only for a few days on their way to somewhere else, we like to make a full week of it. (If you'd like to add on a week in Palau, Truk, or some other place nearby, we can certainly accommodate that.) Yap is probably best known for it's fleet of resident mantas and we'll get to observe them up close as their cruise in to one of two cleaning stations for a touch-up. But mantas aren't the only thing Yap has to offer. Mandarinfish mate nightly on a reef only a few minutes from our hotel, there's some great muck (macro) diving, and the southern reefs of Yap rival anything else in the western pacific. And did we mention the shark feed where as many as 50 sharks will be zooming only a few feet from your nose? On top of that, Manta Ray Bay, our home for the week, is without a doubt the nicest dive resort we've ever stayed in AND we've got the best rooms set aside just for us. We cap this around 10 divers so check your schedule and see if you can put Yap on your sked for 2012 as well.


                                       YAP 2010 TRIP REPORT         YAP 2010 PICTURES

Dominica will be a new stop for us in 2012 but from everything we've heard about it, it can certainly become one of our "regulars". It's an island-nation that's as beautiful above the water as it is below. Gorgeous reefs, wonderful critters both large and small await our discovery. We'll do two boat dives in the morning and then can spend the afternoon doing shore dives on the resort's house reef or can take some time to explore the waterfalls and forest canopy that make Dominica so magical. As with all of our trips, a small group means space is limited so don't get shut out.

(Full disclosure - Pix to the left are from Bonaire but should represent what we'll likely see.)

We also love going to Indonesia. In fact, we think it's one of the best places in the world to dive and our friends at Murex - the resort from which we'll be diving - take phenomenally good care of us. 2012 will mark our sixth trip to the region and we wouldn't keep going back if there wasn't stuff worth seeing.

One great thing is that we've got a fabulous combination of reef diving (at Bunaken National Marine Park) and muck diving (small critter stuff at such legendary spots as the Lembeh Straits and Bethlehem). the reef dives will offer not only incredible visibility and unique marine creatures, but will likely be the type of diving that you dreamed about when you first got certified. the muck diving will offer you glimpses of creatures (like Pygmy Seahorses, Bangaai Cardinalfish, Flying Gunnards, the Wunderpuss, Coconut Octopi, and more) that you may not see anywhere else in the world.

The general plan is for three boats dives every day with an optional extra house reef dusk dive before dinner each night. On top of that, at the back end we'll spend three days in Singapore exploring all that that vibrant city has to offer including such things as Raffles, the Singapore Zoo, the Singapore Flyer, a Singapore River Cruise, and more.

READ THE 2011 TRIP REPORT          SEE THE 2011 PICTURES

We do love going to Bonaire, and that's probably why we do it just about every year. In 2012, August seems to be our best window of opportunity. (Bonaire is out of the Hurricane Belt so that's not an issue.) The diving is very good, reliable, relatively easy, and there's always something to see. the other nice thing is that we've gone often enough that we not only know the places and "secrets" spots to go see, but we also know the ones to avoid so you maximize you use of time. We'll once again by staying at Buddy Dive and will have their "Dive-and-Drive" package with 11 boat dives and unlimited beach diving. And we will make every effort to get to best that Bonaire has to offer and we'll extend every effort to make sure you get to see seahorses and frogfish.

READ THE 2011 TRIP REPORT           SEE THE 2011 PICTURES

This year will mark our 25th time heading south to La Paz, Baja Sur. The diving can be spectacular, the crew of the Don Jose takes phenomenally good care of us, and it's just an all-around great experience. We'll fly down on Saturday, October 6 which gives us an opportunity to spend Sunday out on a panga in snorkel gear looking for Whale Sharks. (We had good luck in 2010 & 2011.) Then we'll board the Don Jose to get ready for our early Monday morning. We might start off at the Fang Ming. Then it's on to Los Islotes and some of the most amazing sea lion encounters in the world. We'll try to make our way back up to Las Animas (where the Pinnacles is a world-class breath-taking journey through countless schools of fish), El Bajo, Swannee Reef, and wherever else our whims may dictate. During the trip, we might see hammerheads, manta rays, dolphins, marlin, squid, jawfish, and who knows what else? In the Sea of Cortez, you simply never know what might be lurking around the corner. And because we're on a boat the whole time, we get to places out of reach of the day boats of La Paz and dive areas that few divers get to experience.

READ THE 2011 TRIP REPORT         SEE THE 2011 PICTURES