Newsletters :: Channel Islands Scuba

05/14/11

Reminder- Saturday May 21st (next Saturday) is our parking lot sale, don't miss out on some great deals and savings as we give you 1% off for every year we have been in business (23 years), save up to 23% on most items. Stop by and check out the new store and our huge selection of wetsuits, regs, computers and everything else needed for your underwater enjoyment. Sale starts at 9am with BBQ lunch around noon. Enter for your chance to win some free swag, including a spot on our limited load 2-day trip to San Clemente Island ($450 value)! Be sure to enter the raffle for your chance to win.

Channel Islands Scuba will be one of the first dealers in the country to offer the Henderson Aqua Lock wetsuit system. If you don't like the cold water entering your suit, Henderson has come up with a revolutionary water sealing system that keeps the cold water out! These suits will be on sale during our parking lot sale (10% off), so be the first to get your hands on one of these spectacular new dive suits. For more information, visit the Henderson website. http://hendersonusa.com/series/aqua-lock/

04/02/11

Back by popular demand, our equipment specialist course takes you through the basics of your complete total diving system.We will break down a standard regulator and go through how it works, taking it apart, cleaning procedures, putting it back together and testing. We will cover wetsuit repair and patching, along with some visual tank procedures. DON'T miss this class if you've ever wondered about how that "thing" works.

When- April 26th and 28th
Where- Channel Islands Scuba
Time- 6:00pm
Cost- $125 includes certification card (printed onsite)
Stop by the shop to sign up

The Equipment Specialist Course

Don’t miss a dive due to a scuba gear issue.

Whether it's a blown o-ring, regulator problem, wetsuit tear or a broken fin strap, you can learn how to manage basic scuba equipment adjustments.

As an Equipment Specialist, you are prepared for the basic scuba equipment maintenance, care and adjustments you'll encounter every day. In addition, you'll learn interesting background information about how your gear works, how it’s repair and other information that helps you with your equipment investment.

The Fun Part

The more you know about how your dive gear works, the more

Comfortable you are with it
Performance you get from it
You can care for it

What You Learn

Review the theory, principles and operation of scuba diving equipment
Learn about routine, recommended care and maintenance procedures, and equipment storage
How to overcome common problems with equipment and recommended professional maintenance procedures (may include a demonstration of repair procedures)
Gain simple suggestions for comfortable equipment configurations and an introduction to new gear.

03/29/11

Ever wished you could see the underwater world of San Clemente? Explore beautiful Santa Barbara Island? Tired of diving Anacapa/Santa Cruz, well here's your chance to dive the unusual. Join me aboard the Horizon Dive Boat Sept. 23-25th as we venture from San Diego Harbor on this wonderful 2 day adventure. This will be an exclusive Channel Islands Scuba and Dive Team charter, with a limited load of 22 divers. We will leave on Friday at 5pm and return Sunday night around 7pm. Trip includes sleeping quarters, all food, snacks, air fills (nitrox extra), diving all day Saturday with night dive, and half day on Sunday. The boat will go wherever I want to go, so here's your chance to see things that you don't get to see at Anacapa/Santa Cruz. Cost is $425 per diver Dorm and $475 per diver Cabin.

Please e-mail, call or come by to secure your spot(s). Look forward to seeing you on the boat. I will be running dry suit classes, nitrox classes, deep diving classes and hunting classes on the boat. Call for details and specials

03/11/11

Bonaire 2011- We still have 2 rooms available on our Bonaire adventure set for July 3-11th. Don't miss out on this excellent diving opportunity, Bonaire's waters have been protected for 30+ years and offer more life than other Caribbean destinations. E-mail or call the shop for more information, time is ticking away, don't let that be your dream vacation!

We still have room on our March 13th boat charter aboard the Spectre. The boat leaves Ventura harbor at 7am and goes to either Anacapa or Santa Cruz islands where they do 4 dives, provide lunch, snacks and air fills. All this for only $120. ($110 club members)

Mark your calendars now for our HUGE parking lot sale, finally in our OWN parking lot. May 21-22nd we will be celebrating 23 years in business and want you to enjoy 23% off the entire store (some exclusions). Check out the new store, enter to win prizes, get some free stuff and grab a bite to eat while saving a bundle.

12/16/10

Hello Divers and Future Photographers,

First of all, thanks for all your interest and inquiries about Channel Islands Scuba’s Digital Darkroom Techniques for Underwater Photographers: CS5 Edition. My generation was the last to go through any degree of training with traditional film processing techniques. While I love digital and the possibilities that it offers, part of me feels like we lost half of the image making process when darkroom techniques were abandoned. This class is my attempt to regain some of that magic for underwater photographers.

The class will consist of bi-monthly workshops with topics such as color correction, black and white conversion, back-scatter removal, image sharpening, sharing and displaying your images and digital asset management. Classes will also include a helpful, constructive image critique where you can get feed back from the instructor and other photographers. All the instruction is centered around developing awareness of color, form and tone in students.

The first block of three sessions starts 6:30pm January 11th, 2010 and will cover an introduction to Adobe Photoshop CS5, developing images in Adobe Camera Raw 6.3, and an introduction to color correction. The cost per is $50 per session/per person or purchase two and get the third FREE! Call or stop by to sign up.

In addition, we will shortly be opening the CIS Digital Darkroom. This computer lab will have both Mac and PC machines with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom installed on each. Students and customers can drop in and edit their images in the shop as well as get help from the instructor if they have questions. The cost is $15 per hour without an instructor, $30 with an instructor. New CIS Dive Team members will receive 2 free hours for editing and 30 minutes of one-on-one with Dan an expert instructor. CIS Dive Team members photos will also be featured on the CIS website via slide shows, CIS Facebook page and live in the store.

I’m excited to help photographers get more out of their photography and hope to see you all there! Remember, there are no bad tools in the hands of a master, so bring WHATEVER images you have from ANY camera you own.

As always, please call the shop at 805-230-9995 or email us at info@cisdivers.com. Be sure to like us on Facebook at facebook.com/ChannelIslandsScuba and follow us on Twitter at @cisdivers. Also, follow local dive conditions reports as they come in by following hash tag #cisconditions on Twitter as well.

11/07/10

Hello Divers,

Here at Channel Islands Scuba we want to come up with new and exciting events for your family fun, so here we go.... we are going CAMPING! Let's go camping for the weekend at Leo Carrillo State Beach. We plan on diving, camping and having a huge BBQ and potluck on Saturday. So bring the family and come join us at Leo Carrillo for an awesome weekend of camping, diving and camaraderie.

Here are the details:

December 18-19 (BBQ and potluck on Sat. night)
Leo Carrillo campground (Diving anytime)
Go to reserveamerica.comto reserve your campsite soon for best availability.
We are planning on being close to loops 50-74 and 75-86.
If you can't camp, you can still come down for the BBQ and potluck Sat. night.
If you are interested in a travel trailer, they can be delivered and setup. for you. Looks like the rates are $160/night for a 25' and $190 for a 27'. Here is the link campingadventuresrentals.com
We will send out more information as we get closer to the event. Signups for the potluck will be at the shop or via e-mail.
We will have FREE seminars on beach and night diving for those that are interested.
Jay will have tons of his famous seafood recipes for all to enjoy.

If you plan on going or reserve your site online, PLEASE e-mail me and let me know. We really need to coordinate who is coming and get an accurate headcount.

10/23/10

Check out these awesome deals from Aeris! If you've been in the market for scuba gear but are holding out because price is an issue, you can't pass up this amazing deal for ALL your gear under $1000!

Dive smart and save some big bucks when you purchase these packages from a quality dive manufacturer.

10/23/10

Channel Islands Scuba is very happy to announce our new agreement with the Boy Scouts of America! We will be offering scuba certification to the troops located in Westlake, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Moorpark and Camarillo. CIS is extremely excited to work with the BSA and offer scuba classes for the scouts who are looking for the scuba merit badge. We will be merit badge counselors and can help your scout from beginning until end. We look forward to a long lasting relationship!

CIS will be working with individual troops from Ventura County and we are also starting a Venturing Club for the scouts that want to focus on scuba and continue through the ranks. A venturing club works as a side to the Boy Scout troop, with it's own structure and kids managing their own "club" within the Boy Scouts. This club will be open to all young adults from ages 14-20 boys and girls welcome. CIS will be hosting an Open House on November 10th, 6:30pm at CIS to answer any questions you or your young adult may have. We will have members from the Boy Scouts there to answer any questions you have as well. You don't even need to be a Scout to attend the meeting, just come by and check it out on November 10th! Hope to see you there and parents are always welcome to attend with their children.

06/10/10

Hello Divers,

I have stepped back and let two guys take over the dive club who are excited, enthusiastic and ready to roll with it. This is an exciting time for Channel Islands Scuba and for you, our loyal customers. Channel Islands Scuba will be sponsoring the club. Please visit www.cisdiveteam.com for more information and click the "newsletters" section to sign up for e-mail notices. The club will send out e-mails separate from the shop e-mails you receive now. I am just helping them get people and get started.

Mike Schechter is going to be the dive club president and is totally excited about the opportunity to get it rolling. He is currently undertaking his Divemaster certification and jumps on any opportunity to go diving that he can. He is one of the most enthusiastic divers/people that I know and frequently attends the "Best of So Cal Beach Dives" and other shop dives. We are happy to have him representing the club.

Larry Berlin is going to be our VP/Secretary for the club and is equally excited and up to the task. Larry is currently undertaking his Rescue certification and can usually be found diving with Mike. Larry is always willing to lend a hand and help out wherever he can. We are also happy to have Larry on board.

Are you certified, or are you a diver? What’s the difference, you ask? Well, join the Channel Islands Scuba Dive Team, and find out.

The Channel Islands Scuba Dive Team is open to all divers regardless of skill level or location. We want to form a tight knit group of divers who are passionate, those who embrace the sport of diving, and who want to share their experiences, learn, and grow better on each dive. Divers who are interested in maximizing what Southern California has to offer the dive community. We live in a truly unique location, and getting the most out of it is what we intend to do. Just think of it:

    * Wrecks
    * Oil Rigs
    * Hunting
    * Night Dives
    * Multiple Reefs and Kelp Forests
    * Volunteer Opportunities, and of course…
    * The Channel Islands themselves

... all amongst the unique ocean life we love.

We plan on two monthly dives - one boat trip and one shore dive. As the club grows, so will the offerings (over-night / multi-day boat trips, dive travel, etc.). And, we plan to keep our dives fresh with different opportunities - let’s dive the “Best of So Cal Beach Dives,” dive on the Grummans off the Channel Islands, get some scallops off an oil rig, or hit wrecks from Point Conception to San Diego.

Of course, we’ll have monthly meetings - to socialize, find dive buddies, share stories, and hear from experts in the area. We plan on guest speakers, specifically those that can help our members find more dive opportunities, and improve their skills and knowledge. And, to celebrate the beginning of “wet suit season” and “dry suit season,” we’ll plan on cookouts at a local beach.

Here’s a sneak peak of what we’re planning:

    * Lobster Season Tune Up: Weekend trip to Catalina in September, group night dive in the Marina Park; guest speaker on the tricks to getting your lobster into the bag; and, to cap it off, a night dive (boat or beach depending on availability) once the season starts.

Looking for dive buddies, or get input from the team on a dive topic? Our web site (www.cisdiveteam.com) will enable you to stay in touch with the community we are building, plan dives, and keep up-to-date on the latest happenings.

We’re also happy to announce that Channel Islands Scuba will be sponsoring the team. Members will receive 10 free air fills, 10% off on non-sale merchandise (some exceptions apply), a dive team t-shirt, specials on dive vacations, and members only events.

So, join us, and find out how easy and enjoyable it is to dive year round in Southern California. Our first meeting will be 28-Jul-2010, 6:30 pm, at Denny's on Moorpark Rd. in Thousand Oaks (corner of Moorpark and Thousand Oaks Blvd. -- 50 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks). We’ll have some more information for you soon, and hope to sign you up for the team.

Thanks,

Mike Schechter- President
mike@cisdiveteam.com

Larry Berlin- Secretary
larry@cisdiveteam.com

06/20/2010

Hello Divers,

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there. (especially my dad!)

Channel Islands Scuba will be starting a Rescue class on June 30, please call the shop for information if you are interested and would like to signup.

Thanks again to all those who showed up for our clam dive, unfortunately Mother Nature had her way with us again. We will reschedule this dive for the very near future....so stay tuned! Just a note for future dives, we will be scouting the spot before the announcement, which in turn will lead to shorter notices. This should help with the amount of cancelled dives, but unfortunately probably rule some divers out with short notices. I will try my best to let you know the days/times when I plan to scout the location, but the notices in the future will probably be much shorter. I think this is the best and only action we can take to get more dives in.

Channel Islands Scuba is trying to plan a dive vacation to the wonderful Caribbean island of Bonaire in March 2011. I would like to know if anyone would be interested in the following itinerary, we can change the dates if necessary:

7 nts Plaza Resort Bonaire – Laguna Suite (March 18-26)
Daily breakfast buffet
Tuesday night beach BBQ
7 day vehicle rental per suite
6 days unlimited air-fills for shore diving
Free Nitrox

The package price is $1,790 per diver based on double occupancy.

Some of us at Channel Islands Scuba would like to know if anyone would be interested in going to Laughlin this summer? The rooms are cheap, Lake Mojave is right around the corner and there are some cool things to do. We could rent jet skis, with enough people rent a pontoon boat, go diving in the lake....yes dive the lake! The viz is usually great, the water is warm and you find all sorts of interesting things down there, mostly sunglasses. A friend of ours found a pair for glasses worth $400 bucks one year. This would be something different and fun that we can do as a group. Please let me know if you are interested in this as well.

Hello Divers,

We have several announcements in this newsletter, including our raffle winners from the May 8-9th Patio Sale. We had a great weekend, so thank you to everyone who came out and showed their support.

Channel Islands Scuba raffle winners are:

Dan H.- CIS logo t-shirt
Brian F.- Atomic flex fit hat
Bob H.- CIS logo t-shirt
Bill- Airform sandals
Dave M.- Akona Duffle
Thomas C.- CIS logo t-shirt
Corey S.- Diver's essential dive pack
Rich H.- CIS microfiber towel
Kevin A.- CIS logo t-shirt
Eileen S.- Pelican 2010 LED
Jim P.- Atomic frameless mask
John J.- CIS local boat trip
Jay F.- Atomic split fins
Ken K.- Kapitol Reef snorkel
Chris C.- Aeris AT400 Sport regulator- GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

Thank you for participating in our raffle, congratulations to all our winners!

Channel Islands Scuba "Best of So Cal Beach Dives" series continues on May 16th at Isla Vista in Santa Barbara. Be ready to enter the water at 9am and after this dive we will head south towards the Biltmore dive site. I will post a GO/NO GO status on Saturday before the dive on the website calendar, voice message at the shop and Facebook.

For continued savings throughout the year, Channel Islands Scuba will be posting a monthly "closeout list" that will have some great deals and savings. Keep your eyes posted for these specials and save on brand new gear that will be sold at very discounted prices.

Channel Islands Scuba will schedule more dives to the Oil Rig, Star of Scotland and San Diego wrecks soon, keep your eyes open for these exciting dives! CIS will have room on the June 26th charter aboard the Spectre if you are interested call the shop.

Hello Divers,

We have several items in this issue, so please scroll down and check them out!

Channel Islands Scuba is adding Riffe to our speargun line, so anyone looking to purchase one of these fine products, now is the time. I will be placing our initial order in the next couple weeks, so if you are interested in any of the Riffe products, get your pre-order in NOW! I will give you 10-15% off for this initial order only(depending on product ordered). Gearing up for summer, make sure you have a quality speargun. CIS will be holding several spearfishing events this summer.

Channel Islands Scuba will be hosting our "Best of So Cal Beach Dives" again and this time we are going for clams. Our dive location is La Janelle where the giant Pismo Clams are located in abudance. The plan is to get our clams on June 19th at La Janelle, then make our homemade clam chowder for a BBQ at Leo Carrillo on June 27th. We will have divers ready to answer any questions about beach diving or getting clams onsite, so beginners to advanced, everyone is welcome. I will send out additional information about where to meet and times when we get closer to the dives.

Getting yourself ready for summer? Channel Islands Scuba still has incredible savings on computers, lights and wetsuits. Stop by and check out the huge savings and say hello.

Future trips- Channel Islands Scuba is looking at several travel locations for our future travel needs, some of them are a Bahamas liveaboard, Bonaire, Wakatobi, Cozumel, Thailand, Indonesia, Palau and Maldives. If you are interested in any of these or any other spectacular location please let us know.

Hello Divers,

Channel Islands Scuba will be one of the first dive shops in CA to have the new Atomic Aquatics computer--The Cobalt. If you have not seen this beauty check it out http://www.atomicaquatics.com/computer.html CIS will be taking deposits in anticipation of a mass buyout of this special unit when it is launched sometime in October. Retail price on this unit will be $1,200 and it will raise the bar in the computer market! Here are the details...

The Cobalt Diving computer is the first of a new generation of computers that are easy to use, intuitive and easy to read. The menu driven display is self-explanatory at every level and can be mastered in just a few minutes. This simplicity is in contrast to its powerful capabilities and the many advanced user functions available to those who wish to use them.

-Brilliant full color OLED display provides the high contrast, sharpness and brightness that can be viewed at almost any angle
-Built in Lithium ion battery provides 40-60 hours of dive time and several years of service before needing replacement. Battery can be quickly recharged with the AC charger or slow charged by plugging into the USB port of any PC.
-High pressure quick disconnect comes standard
-On-board 3D digital compass
-Menu navigation
-Powerful dive planner allows pre-dive planning of almost any dive, including repetitive and multiple days
-The dive logbook will store up to 600 hours of detailed dive profiles in memory
-Leakproof magnetic buttons
-Air and Nitrox to 99% 02
-Preprogram up to 3 gas mixes
-Gas switch underwater
-Customizeable user options
-Automatic altitude adjustment
-Maximum operating depth 330' (100 meters)
-Recreational RGBM (Reduced Gradient Bubble Model) created exclusively for Atomic Aquatics

Channel Islands Scuba has always wanted to put together a "family" dive trip and several customers have asked for a trip in the summer months, so here you go. Let's dive the exotic Bonaire in June or July 2011 and bring your kids for FREE! You pay for their airfare and diving and they stay in your room for free (2 kids per room- 16 years and younger). Here is what is included on the trip and I am trying to negotiate an even lower price...

CHANNEL ISLANDS SCUBA- BONAIRE 2011

R/T air from LAX
7 nts Plaza Resort Bonaire – Villa with kitchen
Daily buffet breakfast
Managers cocktail party
6 boat dives & 1 night dive
Free nitrox
Unlimited beach dives
7 day vehicle rental including insurance
Aquakids program for kids age 5-12 ($130)

$1,520 per diver based on a 2 bedroom villa with quad occupancy
$1,380 per non-diver based on a 2 bedroom villa with quad occupancy
$1,680 per diver based on a 2 bedroom villa with triple occupancy
$1,540 per non-diver based on a 2 bedroom villa with triple occupancy
$1,840 per diver based on a 1 bedroom villa with double occupancy
$1,700 per non-diver based on a 1 bedroom villa with double occupancy

JUN & JUL – Children 16 & under stay for free except for the government tax of $6.60 p/p per day.
Please e-mail and let me know if you are interested, we can go in June or July. If we get a large enough group we can knock down the airfare. So let's go diving in beautiful Bonaire--I'll see you there!

CIS is looking to run another equipment class in the next couple months. We had great success with our last class and we have had several customers express interest. If you want to know the basics of gear, how it works, what it looks like inside and how to better care for your gear, this is the class for you. Class with certification card (can count toward Master Scuba Diver rating) $125. Please let me know if you are interested in this and we will setup our schedule.

Finally, something that has always been tossed back and forth, is the shop operating hours. So we are going to ask YOU our divers and customers. Please respond back with your preferred selection so we can better serve you, our customers. Your vote counts, so please e-mail and let us know. Here are your choices...

Store Hours-
We will always switch hours during these seasons
Winter Schedule 10am-6pm (October-May)
Summer Schedule 11am-7pm (May-October)

Please e-mail what number you would prefer...

Store open 7 days a week with limited hours on Sat and Sun
Store open Tues-Sun with limited hours on Sun
Store open same as usual Mon-Sat with same hours

Be sure to cast your vote, we would like to accommodate you better and this will give us a great start at the new location. We cannot make an accurate decision without your HELP!

Thank you for your time. Please respond back if you are interested in Bonaire, the equipment class or the store hours. Good Diving!

First of all, thanks for all your interest and inquiries about Channel Islands Scuba’s Digital Darkroom Techniques for Underwater Photographers: CS5 Edition. My generation was the last to go through any degree of training with traditional film processing techniques. While I love digital and the possibilities that it offers, part of me feels like we lost half of the image making process when darkroom techniques were abandoned. This class is my attempt to regain some of that magic for underwater photographers.

The class will consist of bi-monthly workshops with topics such as color correction, black and white conversion, back-scatter removal, image sharpening, sharing and displaying your images and digital asset management. Classes will also include a helpful, constructive image critique where you can get feed back from the instructor and other photographers. All the instruction is centered around developing awareness of color, form and tone in students.

The first block of three sessions starts 6:30pm January 11th, 2010 and will cover an introduction to Adobe Photoshop CS5, developing images in Adobe Camera Raw 6.3, and an introduction to color correction. The cost per is $50 per session/per person or purchase two and get the third FREE! Call or stop by to sign up.

In addition, we will shortly be opening the CIS Digital Darkroom. This computer lab will have both Mac and PC machines with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom installed on each. Students and customers can drop in and edit their images in the shop as well as get help from the instructor if they have questions. The cost is $15 per hour without an instructor, $30 with an instructor. New CIS Dive Team members will receive 2 free hours for editing and 30 minutes of one-on-one with Dan an expert instructor. CIS Dive Team members photos will also be featured on the CIS website via slide shows, CIS Facebook page and live in the store.

I’m excited to help photographers get more out of their photography and hope to see you all there! Remember, there are no bad tools in the hands of a master, so bring WHATEVER images you have from ANY camera you own.

03/29/11

Hello Divers,

Ever wished you could see the underwater world of San Clemente? Explore beautiful Santa Barbara Island? Tired of diving Anacapa/Santa Cruz, well here's your chance to dive the unusual. Join me aboard the Horizon Dive Boat Sept. 23-25th as we venture from San Diego Harbor on this wonderful 2 day adventure. This will be an exclusive Channel Islands Scuba and Dive Team charter, with a limited load of 22 divers. We will leave on Friday at 5pm and return Sunday night around 7pm. Trip includes sleeping quarters, all food, snacks, air fills (nitrox extra), diving all day Saturday with night dive, and half day on Sunday. The boat will go wherever I want to go, so here's your chance to see things that you don't get to see at Anacapa/Santa Cruz. Cost is $475 per diver

Please e-mail, call or come by to secure your spot(s). Look forward to seeing you on the boat. I will be running dry suit classes, nitrox classes, deep diving classes and hunting classes on the boat. Call for details and specials.

03/01/2011

05/14/11

Reminder- Saturday May 21st (next Saturday) is our parking lot sale, don't miss out on some great deals and savings as we give you 1% off for every year we have been in business (23 years), save up to 23% on most items. Stop by and check out the new store and our huge selection of wetsuits, regs, computers and everything else needed for your underwater enjoyment. Sale starts at 9am with BBQ lunch around noon. Enter for your chance to win some free swag, including a spot on our limited load 2-day trip to San Clemente Island ($450 value)! Be sure to enter the raffle for your chance to win.

Channel Islands Scuba will be one of the first dealers in the country to offer the Henderson Aqua Lock wetsuit system. If you don't like the cold water entering your suit, Henderson has come up with a revolutionary water sealing system that keeps the cold water out! These suits will be on sale during our parking lot sale (10% off), so be the first to get your hands on one of these spectacular new dive suits. For more information, visit the Henderson website. http://hendersonusa.com/series/aqua-lock/

04/02/11

When- April 26th and 28th
Where- Channel Islands Scuba
Time- 6:00pm
Cost- $125 includes certification card (printed onsite)
Stop by the shop to sign up

The Equipment Specialist Course

Don’t miss a dive due to a scuba gear issue.

Whether it's a blown o-ring, regulator problem, wetsuit tear or a broken fin strap, you can learn how to manage basic scuba equipment adjustments.

The Fun Part

The more you know about how your dive gear works, the more

Comfortable you are with it
Performance you get from it
You can care for it

What You Learn

Review the theory, principles and operation of scuba diving equipment
Learn about routine, recommended care and maintenance procedures, and equipment storage
How to overcome common problems with equipment and recommended professional maintenance procedures (may include a demonstration of repair procedures)
Gain simple suggestions for comfortable equipment configurations and an introduction to new gear.

03/29/11

Ever wished you could see the underwater world of San Clemente? Explore beautiful Santa Barbara Island? Tired of diving Anacapa/Santa Cruz, well here's your chance to dive the unusual. Join me aboard the Horizon Dive Boat Sept. 23-25th as we venture from San Diego Harbor on this wonderful 2 day adventure. This will be an exclusive Channel Islands Scuba and Dive Team charter, with a limited load of 22 divers. We will leave on Friday at 5pm and return Sunday night around 7pm. Trip includes sleeping quarters, all food, snacks, air fills (nitrox extra), diving all day Saturday with night dive, and half day on Sunday. The boat will go wherever I want to go, so here's your chance to see things that you don't get to see at Anacapa/Santa Cruz. Cost is $425 per diver Dorm and $475 per diver Cabin.

Please e-mail, call or come by to secure your spot(s). Look forward to seeing you on the boat. I will be running dry suit classes, nitrox classes, deep diving classes and hunting classes on the boat. Call for details and specials

03/11/11

Bonaire 2011- We still have 2 rooms available on our Bonaire adventure set for July 3-11th. Don't miss out on this excellent diving opportunity, Bonaire's waters have been protected for 30+ years and offer more life than other Caribbean destinations. E-mail or call the shop for more information, time is ticking away, don't let that be your dream vacation!

We still have room on our March 13th boat charter aboard the Spectre. The boat leaves Ventura harbor at 7am and goes to either Anacapa or Santa Cruz islands where they do 4 dives, provide lunch, snacks and air fills. All this for only $120. ($110 club members)

Mark your calendars now for our HUGE parking lot sale, finally in our OWN parking lot. May 21-22nd we will be celebrating 23 years in business and want you to enjoy 23% off the entire store (some exclusions). Check out the new store, enter to win prizes, get some free stuff and grab a bite to eat while saving a bundle.

12/16/10

Hello Divers and Future Photographers,

First of all, thanks for all your interest and inquiries about Channel Islands Scuba’s Digital Darkroom Techniques for Underwater Photographers: CS5 Edition. My generation was the last to go through any degree of training with traditional film processing techniques. While I love digital and the possibilities that it offers, part of me feels like we lost half of the image making process when darkroom techniques were abandoned. This class is my attempt to regain some of that magic for underwater photographers.

The class will consist of bi-monthly workshops with topics such as color correction, black and white conversion, back-scatter removal, image sharpening, sharing and displaying your images and digital asset management. Classes will also include a helpful, constructive image critique where you can get feed back from the instructor and other photographers. All the instruction is centered around developing awareness of color, form and tone in students.

The first block of three sessions starts 6:30pm January 11th, 2010 and will cover an introduction to Adobe Photoshop CS5, developing images in Adobe Camera Raw 6.3, and an introduction to color correction. The cost per is $50 per session/per person or purchase two and get the third FREE! Call or stop by to sign up.

In addition, we will shortly be opening the CIS Digital Darkroom. This computer lab will have both Mac and PC machines with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom installed on each. Students and customers can drop in and edit their images in the shop as well as get help from the instructor if they have questions. The cost is $15 per hour without an instructor, $30 with an instructor. New CIS Dive Team members will receive 2 free hours for editing and 30 minutes of one-on-one with Dan an expert instructor. CIS Dive Team members photos will also be featured on the CIS website via slide shows, CIS Facebook page and live in the store.

I’m excited to help photographers get more out of their photography and hope to see you all there! Remember, there are no bad tools in the hands of a master, so bring WHATEVER images you have from ANY camera you own.

11/07/10

Hello Divers,

Here at Channel Islands Scuba we want to come up with new and exciting events for your family fun, so here we go.... we are going CAMPING! Let's go camping for the weekend at Leo Carrillo State Beach. We plan on diving, camping and having a huge BBQ and potluck on Saturday. So bring the family and come join us at Leo Carrillo for an awesome weekend of camping, diving and camaraderie.

Here are the details:

December 18-19 (BBQ and potluck on Sat. night)
Leo Carrillo campground (Diving anytime)
Go to reserveamerica.comto reserve your campsite soon for best availability.
We are planning on being close to loops 50-74 and 75-86.
If you can't camp, you can still come down for the BBQ and potluck Sat. night.
If you are interested in a travel trailer, they can be delivered and setup. for you. Looks like the rates are $160/night for a 25' and $190 for a 27'. Here is the link campingadventuresrentals.com
We will send out more information as we get closer to the event. Signups for the potluck will be at the shop or via e-mail.
We will have FREE seminars on beach and night diving for those that are interested.
Jay will have tons of his famous seafood recipes for all to enjoy.

If you plan on going or reserve your site online, PLEASE e-mail me and let me know. We really need to coordinate who is coming and get an accurate headcount.

10/23/10

Check out these awesome deals from Aeris! If you've been in the market for scuba gear but are holding out because price is an issue, you can't pass up this amazing deal for ALL your gear under $1000!

Dive smart and save some big bucks when you purchase these packages from a quality dive manufacturer.

10/23/10

06/10/10

Hello Divers,

I have stepped back and let two guys take over the dive club who are excited, enthusiastic and ready to roll with it. This is an exciting time for Channel Islands Scuba and for you, our loyal customers. Channel Islands Scuba will be sponsoring the club. Please visit www.cisdiveteam.com for more information and click the "newsletters" section to sign up for e-mail notices. The club will send out e-mails separate from the shop e-mails you receive now. I am just helping them get people and get started.

Mike Schechter is going to be the dive club president and is totally excited about the opportunity to get it rolling. He is currently undertaking his Divemaster certification and jumps on any opportunity to go diving that he can. He is one of the most enthusiastic divers/people that I know and frequently attends the "Best of So Cal Beach Dives" and other shop dives. We are happy to have him representing the club.

Larry Berlin is going to be our VP/Secretary for the club and is equally excited and up to the task. Larry is currently undertaking his Rescue certification and can usually be found diving with Mike. Larry is always willing to lend a hand and help out wherever he can. We are also happy to have Larry on board.

06/20/2010

Hello Divers,

Happy Father's Day to all the dad's out there. (especially my dad!)

Channel Islands Scuba will be starting a Rescue class on June 30, please call the shop for information if you are interested and would like to signup.

Thanks again to all those who showed up for our clam dive, unfortunately Mother Nature had her way with us again. We will reschedule this dive for the very near future....so stay tuned! Just a note for future dives, we will be scouting the spot before the announcement, which in turn will lead to shorter notices. This should help with the amount of cancelled dives, but unfortunately probably rule some divers out with short notices. I will try my best to let you know the days/times when I plan to scout the location, but the notices in the future will probably be much shorter. I think this is the best and only action we can take to get more dives in.

Channel Islands Scuba is trying to plan a dive vacation to the wonderful Caribbean island of Bonaire in March 2011. I would like to know if anyone would be interested in the following itinerary, we can change the dates if necessary:

7 nts Plaza Resort Bonaire – Laguna Suite (March 18-26)
Daily breakfast buffet
Tuesday night beach BBQ
7 day vehicle rental per suite
6 days unlimited air-fills for shore diving
Free Nitrox

The package price is $1,790 per diver based on double occupancy.

Some of us at Channel Islands Scuba would like to know if anyone would be interested in going to Laughlin this summer? The rooms are cheap, Lake Mojave is right around the corner and there are some cool things to do. We could rent jet skis, with enough people rent a pontoon boat, go diving in the lake....yes dive the lake! The viz is usually great, the water is warm and you find all sorts of interesting things down there, mostly sunglasses. A friend of ours found a pair for glasses worth $400 bucks one year. This would be something different and fun that we can do as a group. Please let me know if you are interested in this as well.

Hello Divers,

We have several announcements in this newsletter, including our raffle winners from the May 8-9th Patio Sale. We had a great weekend, so thank you to everyone who came out and showed their support.

Channel Islands Scuba raffle winners are:

Dan H.- CIS logo t-shirt
Brian F.- Atomic flex fit hat
Bob H.- CIS logo t-shirt
Bill- Airform sandals
Dave M.- Akona Duffle
Thomas C.- CIS logo t-shirt
Corey S.- Diver's essential dive pack
Rich H.- CIS microfiber towel
Kevin A.- CIS logo t-shirt
Eileen S.- Pelican 2010 LED
Jim P.- Atomic frameless mask
John J.- CIS local boat trip
Jay F.- Atomic split fins
Ken K.- Kapitol Reef snorkel
Chris C.- Aeris AT400 Sport regulator- GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

Thank you for participating in our raffle, congratulations to all our winners!

Channel Islands Scuba "Best of So Cal Beach Dives" series continues on May 16th at Isla Vista in Santa Barbara. Be ready to enter the water at 9am and after this dive we will head south towards the Biltmore dive site. I will post a GO/NO GO status on Saturday before the dive on the website calendar, voice message at the shop and Facebook.

For continued savings throughout the year, Channel Islands Scuba will be posting a monthly "closeout list" that will have some great deals and savings. Keep your eyes posted for these specials and save on brand new gear that will be sold at very discounted prices.

Channel Islands Scuba will schedule more dives to the Oil Rig, Star of Scotland and San Diego wrecks soon, keep your eyes open for these exciting dives! CIS will have room on the June 26th charter aboard the Spectre if you are interested call the shop.

Hello Divers,

We have several items in this issue, so please scroll down and check them out!

Channel Islands Scuba is adding Riffe to our speargun line, so anyone looking to purchase one of these fine products, now is the time. I will be placing our initial order in the next couple weeks, so if you are interested in any of the Riffe products, get your pre-order in NOW! I will give you 10-15% off for this initial order only(depending on product ordered). Gearing up for summer, make sure you have a quality speargun. CIS will be holding several spearfishing events this summer.

Channel Islands Scuba will be hosting our "Best of So Cal Beach Dives" again and this time we are going for clams. Our dive location is La Janelle where the giant Pismo Clams are located in abudance. The plan is to get our clams on June 19th at La Janelle, then make our homemade clam chowder for a BBQ at Leo Carrillo on June 27th. We will have divers ready to answer any questions about beach diving or getting clams onsite, so beginners to advanced, everyone is welcome. I will send out additional information about where to meet and times when we get closer to the dives.

Getting yourself ready for summer? Channel Islands Scuba still has incredible savings on computers, lights and wetsuits. Stop by and check out the huge savings and say hello.

Future trips- Channel Islands Scuba is looking at several travel locations for our future travel needs, some of them are a Bahamas liveaboard, Bonaire, Wakatobi, Cozumel, Thailand, Indonesia, Palau and Maldives. If you are interested in any of these or any other spectacular location please let us know.

Hello Divers,

Channel Islands Scuba will be one of the first dive shops in CA to have the new Atomic Aquatics computer--The Cobalt. If you have not seen this beauty check it out http://www.atomicaquatics.com/computer.html CIS will be taking deposits in anticipation of a mass buyout of this special unit when it is launched sometime in October. Retail price on this unit will be $1,200 and it will raise the bar in the computer market! Here are the details...

Channel Islands Scuba has always wanted to put together a "family" dive trip and several customers have asked for a trip in the summer months, so here you go. Let's dive the exotic Bonaire in June or July 2011 and bring your kids for FREE! You pay for their airfare and diving and they stay in your room for free (2 kids per room- 16 years and younger). Here is what is included on the trip and I am trying to negotiate an even lower price...

CHANNEL ISLANDS SCUBA- BONAIRE 2011

CIS is looking to run another equipment class in the next couple months. We had great success with our last class and we have had several customers express interest. If you want to know the basics of gear, how it works, what it looks like inside and how to better care for your gear, this is the class for you. Class with certification card (can count toward Master Scuba Diver rating) $125. Please let me know if you are interested in this and we will setup our schedule.

Finally, something that has always been tossed back and forth, is the shop operating hours. So we are going to ask YOU our divers and customers. Please respond back with your preferred selection so we can better serve you, our customers. Your vote counts, so please e-mail and let us know. Here are your choices...

Store Hours-
We will always switch hours during these seasons
Winter Schedule 10am-6pm (October-May)
Summer Schedule 11am-7pm (May-October)

Please e-mail what number you would prefer...

Store open 7 days a week with limited hours on Sat and Sun
Store open Tues-Sun with limited hours on Sun
Store open same as usual Mon-Sat with same hours

Be sure to cast your vote, we would like to accommodate you better and this will give us a great start at the new location. We cannot make an accurate decision without your HELP!

Thank you for your time. Please respond back if you are interested in Bonaire, the equipment class or the store hours. Good Diving!

First of all, thanks for all your interest and inquiries about Channel Islands Scuba’s Digital Darkroom Techniques for Underwater Photographers: CS5 Edition. My generation was the last to go through any degree of training with traditional film processing techniques. While I love digital and the possibilities that it offers, part of me feels like we lost half of the image making process when darkroom techniques were abandoned. This class is my attempt to regain some of that magic for underwater photographers.

The class will consist of bi-monthly workshops with topics such as color correction, black and white conversion, back-scatter removal, image sharpening, sharing and displaying your images and digital asset management. Classes will also include a helpful, constructive image critique where you can get feed back from the instructor and other photographers. All the instruction is centered around developing awareness of color, form and tone in students.

The first block of three sessions starts 6:30pm January 11th, 2010 and will cover an introduction to Adobe Photoshop CS5, developing images in Adobe Camera Raw 6.3, and an introduction to color correction. The cost per is $50 per session/per person or purchase two and get the third FREE! Call or stop by to sign up.

In addition, we will shortly be opening the CIS Digital Darkroom. This computer lab will have both Mac and PC machines with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom installed on each. Students and customers can drop in and edit their images in the shop as well as get help from the instructor if they have questions. The cost is $15 per hour without an instructor, $30 with an instructor. New CIS Dive Team members will receive 2 free hours for editing and 30 minutes of one-on-one with Dan an expert instructor. CIS Dive Team members photos will also be featured on the CIS website via slide shows, CIS Facebook page and live in the store.

I’m excited to help photographers get more out of their photography and hope to see you all there! Remember, there are no bad tools in the hands of a master, so bring WHATEVER images you have from ANY camera you own.

03/29/11

Hello Divers,

Ever wished you could see the underwater world of San Clemente? Explore beautiful Santa Barbara Island? Tired of diving Anacapa/Santa Cruz, well here's your chance to dive the unusual. Join me aboard the Horizon Dive Boat Sept. 23-25th as we venture from San Diego Harbor on this wonderful 2 day adventure. This will be an exclusive Channel Islands Scuba and Dive Team charter, with a limited load of 22 divers. We will leave on Friday at 5pm and return Sunday night around 7pm. Trip includes sleeping quarters, all food, snacks, air fills (nitrox extra), diving all day Saturday with night dive, and half day on Sunday. The boat will go wherever I want to go, so here's your chance to see things that you don't get to see at Anacapa/Santa Cruz. Cost is $475 per diver

Please e-mail, call or come by to secure your spot(s). Look forward to seeing you on the boat. I will be running dry suit classes, nitrox classes, deep diving classes and hunting classes on the boat. Call for details and specials.

03/01/2011