 Printer-Friendly | Back  Just when you think things are as good as they get, life surprises you. I have dived the Horizon for many years and have always thought highly of the vessel and her crew. On a recent trip I discovered that even the best could get better.The Horizon was built in 1980 as a diving and fishing charter boat. She was acquired by the Grivetto family in 1989 and has been family owned and operated ever since. Greg mostly handles the office work these days, while Captain Chris does a fine job on the water. The Horizon is 80 feet long and 25 feet wide, and offers lots of deck room to suit up and store your dive gear. The vessel has more area for storing cameras and charging strobes/batteries than you will ever need. There are three large shelves on deck and two large shelves in the galley just for cameras. There is also plenty of table space between meals to work on your cameras, and a large rinse tank for cameras only. Hunters will be happy to see the large, live game wells/bait tanks and huge walk-in freezer. All will be happy with the easy-to-climb dive ladders. There is a lot of room below deck as well including eight private cabins. These have solid doors, are well lit, and are a welcome feature for couples. There are also 12 conventional, but roomy bunks. The Horizon was recently remodeled and upgraded. One of the shower/head combos was split into separate head and shower. There remains an additional head/shower combo and outdoor showers to get the salt off your face between dives. On long-range trips the Horizon only takes 20 passengers, giving each a lot of space. On shorter trips she may take as many as 30, but for a two-day trip there is still lots of room. The Horizon has two, new diesel engines that are both low polluting and fuel-efficient. She also has a new, deeper keel and propellers that add both to fuel efficiency and vessel stability. She also has a new 2000-pound davit for shark cages and large-format cameras. Chris Thompson is the first captain and runs a fun and safe ship. Captain Chris began sailing at age seven, has a degree in marine biology, and spent most of his life on the water. His love of the sea, commitment to customer service, and infectious simile will make each and every trip enjoyable. The service on the Horizon is exceptional. Even before our trip began the crew met us at the landing, helped with parking, and carted our gear to the boat. The excellent service continued throughout the trip with meal service, assistance with donning and removing gear, and there was always a watchful eye on us while we were in the water. While most dive boats provide high quality food, the Horizon sets a high bar. Chef Cory Grodske pays attention not only to taste but also presentation. Pancakes, French toast, waffles, and made to order eggs and omelets are featured for breakfast. For dinner, look for prime rib, rib eye steaks and fresh fish. His soups were exceptional. One night he put on a sushi/sashimi spread that would have pleased a Shogun. The Horizon does offer beer and wine, but only after diving. Besides their regular trips to the Channel Islands, the Horizon and her sister ship Ocean Odyssey are the only U.S. vessels to make regular incursions long distance into Mexican waters. The fantastic reefs and spearfishing around Isla San Benito and Guadalupe are legendary, and they are planning a trip to Alijos Rocks next year. Both vessels also run white shark trips to Guadalupe in the fall. Join the adventure and sign on to one of the Horizon’s Channel Island or Mexican trips, and enjoy the diving and service. She berths at H&M Landing at the foot of Emerson in San Diego, just minutes from the San Diego Airport. Check out their web site at www.horizoncharters.com, on which Captain Chris downloads daily dive reports. For information or reservations, e-mail divesd@aol.com or call 858-277-7823. Bruce Watkins is a frequent contributor to California Diving News and is author of the books A Diver's Guide to Monterey County and A Diver's Guide to Northern California. © Copyright 2006, all rights reserve, by Saint Brendan Corporation, P.O. Box 11231, Torrance CA 90510, mail@saintbrendan.com. No part of this may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system/website, or transmitted in any form by any means without prior written permission of the publisher. IMPORTANT NOTICE: The contents of this publication/website are opinions of the individual writers. The publishers of California Diving News and its contributors assume no responsibility for any mishap claimed to be a result of use of this material. Diving is an adventure sport and with it comes inherent risks. Improper use of diving equipment or improper diving techniques may result in serious injury or, in extreme circumstances, death. Readers are admonished to use their own best judgement in each individual situation. |
