San Diego visit   8/11/11
Hi All (although intended for Bob, anyone who can help is open to do so)!
From August 21-29 I'll be visiting lovely San Diego and was hoping someone could point me to some good fish stores in the area!
<Mmm, yes. Aquatic Warehouse, TriCity Tropicals, Octopus's Garden, Fountains are my faves in town... I'd also take in the Birch Aquarium at UCSD/SIO>
Google hasn't really been much help and as an avid marine aquarist I keep finding one store that seems to be the one to check out(aquasd). I know San Diego is Bob's stomping grounds and hoped he could widen my list a little!
On a side, my girlfriend is booking a snorkeling trip while we're there, so
I guess the question is, will this be worthwhile?
<If the swell is down, Children's Pool and La Jolla Cove are my faves>
I generally have low expectations for something like this, but with her trying to do something nice I'd like this to be enjoyable!
Thanks!
James
<Welcome. BobF visiting... in Maine!>

Travel, rating hotels 03/26/2008Crew, especially Bob, I didn't see anything specific in your "travel" section of the site and was curious as to your opinion of the different groups that certify hotels and other travel destinations as to their impact on the environment. Are they honest? <Mmm, no... not always> Are some better than others? <Yes... AAA... Lonely Planet... as far as they can be up to date> Is this an issue of no one really knowing how to fact check their recommendations? Thanks and keep up the good work, Forrest <More a matter of "laws/rules" of economics... "follow the money" as usual... If folks are paying directly or not for review... there's something to be gained/lost. See "Undercurrents" re their not accepting ads... BobF>

Re: PhilS and RMF disc. re UW photo gear, now travel luggage for     2/16/08 Gracias senor! I was looking at these more for a) travel weight and b) the ability to add the floats to bring the rig to neutral buoyancy. Take a look at this wetpixel thread: http://wetpixel.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=17347 <Mmm, do like their ball ends, but not the floats... I think you'll find that rig "buoyancy" is a non-issue. BobF> OK, now how do you carry all this gear abroad? Hard cases (ie Pelican or Storm) just seem to say "steal me!" <This is so... I use Samsonite hard cases... there's some deals at time through their outlet store in Carlsbad... with lots of cheesy stickers on them... for ID and to throw off the thieves. Samsonite is an okay consumer brand, that I've had good service from... in terms of repairs, replacements. Oh, you might benefit from a perusal of this: http://wetwebmedia.com/travelchklists.htm BobF>

Re: Stocking An Angel, Koran, diving in the PNW...  8/15/07 Thanks again! So happy to hear this will work. It's certainly an addictive hobby... I want everything! Haha. I have the 90gallon and 200gallon... With two 24gallon quarantines... Wife will let me get another big tank or two when we retire (in 30 years). Until then, tough choices! <Always> Just out of curiosity... If marine fish are properly taken care of... How long would you expect them to live? 10 years? <Some only a few years... quite a few a couple of tens...> How was your diving trip to Hawaii? <Very nice, thank you> Just got back from Vancouver Island (Hornby Island). <Ahh! I do encourage you to pick up "Beyond The Outer Shores"... mostly about Ed Ricketts... http://www.fetchbook.info/fwd_description/search_9781568582986.html> Was hoping to dive with some 6-gill sharks, but non could be found... Did manage to see a pretty good size Pacific Octopus and a few wolf eels though. My first time for both! In all honesty, I think that Octopus was the scariest creature I have been diving with (more so then the lemon sharks or grey reef sharks)... I've heard stories of those arms grabbing regulators out of mouths, etc... <Mmm, if so... just out of curiosity> Unfortunately, the summer months bring greenish water and my pictures didn't turn out at all :( David Brynlund <Another time... BobF>

Travel BCD Can you help me with the name and manufacturer of a very very light weight BCD for travel, Please.        Henry <I like the Sea Quest line all the way around here... there are lighter products, but none with the combination of reasonable weight, size and features I like. Bob Fenner>

Currency exchange Antoine Bobster, any advice on how to cash foreign currency inexpensively? <Yes... travel extensively... spend it in the countries of origin... really> I got a check written in British pounds and my bank wants $20 plus another bank fee/exchange plus 4-6 weeks to proffer funds. That all seems a bit steep to me. <It's... the going rip-off... you can try the Thomas Cook frequently stolen-from club... or if you're going to do quite a bit of trade in the currency/countries... have the folks send you the currency, or deposit it in accounts there... Or credit your credit cards... I've done all of these... and just spend the money then/there now...> They did suggest that I could take the check into the big city <G> and find a bank there that may be cheaper to exchange the cheque. The funny part is that I'm not joking. <There is no such thing... it's a rip... period... and as a partial, small-time player not much you can do.... THE BANKS ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND, my friend... let's get out of here. Bob F> Ciao, bub Antoine

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Inexpensive Fares to/from SG/Maldives Hi Air Lanka is offering a cheap package to the Maldives out of Singapore. For S$675 you get 3 nights stay in a luxury hotel on one of the islands on top of the tickets. That works out to about US$300 per pax. More info at www.srilanka.lk Perry