March 8, 2004

Dear U.S. Dive Travel:

Now that I have had a chance to recover from and reflect on the trip to Guanaja, I wanted to follow up...on the experience we had at the Villa on Dunbar Rock....

First let me say that we feel very fortunate to have stumbled upon your website that day in September in pursuit of our well-deserved exertion to paradise. Your honesty, hard work and patience really made us comfortable about the choice of direction we decided to take and confidant that the relatively sizeable investment that was required was money well spent. As you know we learned the valuable lesson that in order to plan for these types of trips, communication should really begin at least nine months prior to departure.

Thank you very much for working so diligently and staying flexible allowing us to plan and execute the details of this trip in a matter of months before the trip. Your customer service is greatly appreciated and I personally look forward to working with U.S. Dive Travel on arranging similar trips in the future. With that said, onto the trip!

Travel from San Francisco, California to San Pedro Sula, Honduras was uneventful. I was very grateful after a long night and morning of travel that upon exiting customs, a representative from Atlantic Airlines was awaiting the "Riddle Dive Party." The anxiety of arriving abroad coupled with the loss of sleep was quickly diminished as the representative facilitated the transfer to Guanaja. Once arriving in Guanaja, we were greeted by the local airport workers who welcomed us and escorted our luggage to the Hill Billy. Where boat captain J.C. took us to our home away from home.

We had been staring at internet photos of Dunbar Rock since we made our deposit in October, but as you know, pictures can't possibly capture this paradise. What a slice of heaven... Upon pulling up to the dock, we were greeted by Carlos, Fernando, Freddie and a spotted ray gliding around the shallow reef. Carlos escorted up stairs to begin the tour while Fernando and Freddie took all of our luggage up the 60+ stairs to our rooms.

At this point, you can imagine the weight that had been lifted and we instantly slipped into another gear. To them just another day Guanaja. To us, the true definition of paradise. We were all pretty much speechless and you could tell that we were just trying to take it all in. Not a care in the world and a smile from ear to ear. Not that I have to remind you, but the accommodations are amazing. What a piece of real estate. We felt like we were in the middle of the Mediterranean. Definitely too good to be true from every angle... every point of view...

With a full night followed by full day of travel you could imagine that our appetites were starting to get the best of us. That's when we were saved by Tina and Dorothy. We know not to bit the hand that feeds you, and after eating the first supper, oh boy... they were top on our list to take care of in anyway possible.

We spent the entire evening getting to know the staff and with the laid back personalities that we brought from the states, we meshed into one big group instantly. This was confirmed upon the arrival of Dennis. I cannot begin to explain how it felt to hit it off with the entire staff from the moment we arrived. I've never had the vacation experience where relationships are sparked instantly. We had the feeling that they were as excited to meet us as we were to meet them! I don't think they knew what hit them when we showed up. The rapport between all of us continued to grow and evolve.

One night, we took all the staff out dancing together. An all expense paid trip for them to Bonacca. Not one meal was served without us clearing the table for Tina and Dorothy in the attempt to make their jobs easier. The company we had was really a pleasure to be around. At various times during the trip, the staff told us that they forgot who the tourist's were? WOW! They were having as much fun as we were. I could go on... an on... about the staff. What a gem! We really felt like we connected with them and look forward to sending them items from their new friends from California.

The food honestly blew us away. Three square meals a day and we didn't eat the same thing twice. The soups and entrees that they made were delicious. Not one meal was disappointing for any of us. That is pretty impressive to be able to satisfy five different taste buds without losing a step. Even breakfast was hot.... And the homemade tortillas! I'm hungry just thinking about them.

If there was one thing that did not reach our expectations, it would have to be the diving. Go figure that it had to be something totally out of their control. Like our trip to Roatan in 2001, it seems as if the reefs surrounding Guanaja have not had a chance to recover. Coupled with poor visibility (< 40 feet sometimes) and few encounters with macro life (eels, rays, etc...), the diving just couldn't keep up with the atmosphere on the surface.

Without a doubt, the highlight of our trip is the staff. We thoroughly enjoyed their company and I hope the feeling was mutual. Please extend our thanks for all of their hospitality. This by far will be the number one reason why we plan to go back. Special thanks to all of the following people: Dennis, Carlos, Fernando, Freddy, Tina, Dorothy.

Sincerely,

Feb. 14, 2004

dear john and sue,

some thoughts on a great vacation. we are totally rested and full of unimaginable memories. it turned out to the right choice for us, no question. one could quibble over value for the dollar but that wasn't the criteria for us. we wanted a place that was safe and do-able w our 7 month old; activities per our choosing; quiet and solitude at our choosing, good food and imbibe as we pleased... blackbird caye resort was all of that. and i think one week was just right.

the diving venue and boat captain made that aspect top notch. and talk about dive access, a couple of minutes and you're there. morays, hammer head, eagle rays, bat fish, turtles... even w two very windy days, the captain found do-able sites w/o compromising safety or visibility. (my last trip to belize was a safety nightmare.) i could go on and on but don't need to enumerate the details ....
thanks for helping us put this together. the choice (of blackbird caye) was a good one!

Steven C. Nelson and Sharon Durland
Son Simon C. Durland (age 7 months)
Madison, WI

Feb. 6, 2004

John:

Jan. 4, 2004

HELLO again from Bonaire.

Oct. 12, '03

Hi John,

Sept. 12, 2003

John:

How can I describe how wonderful the trip to Fiji and Lalati Island was?? I know you tried to tell me how wonderful the people are, etc., but it exceeded any high expectations you had set. I did cry upon leaving.....as they put handmade leis around our necks and the entire staff came out to the beach to sing us a goodbye song as we walked thru the water to the boat.....what wonderful people, what a wonderful place!

I wanted to make certain you had the info on the new owners--Clint and Jane Carlson--they've been full owners for less than a year -- they were the ones who built the spa (which is fabulous).....and they're originally from Minnesota! They still have Beato as the Manager of Lalati Island. If you have anyone considering going, I'd be happy to provide a reference....I already really talked you up to the other guests (no more than 10 guests at any time, to staff of 33!)....great diving-fell in love w/the lionfish and blue ribbon eel.

Anyway, thanks so much for all your help and the terrific recommendation -- best dive trip ever!

Lynn Dines
Huntington Beach, CA

August 13, '03

John,

The trip was fabulous! We were the only guests that week so talk about personalized service! The Villa on Dunbar Rock (Guanaja) is beautiful. The water was incredibly warm. I didn't use a wetsuit all week (in fact, when we got home, our pool was 82 deg and felt cold!). We had a wonderful time. Very relaxing.

Here are a few tips that you can pass on to other guests:

• Don't plan on a direct flight San Pedro to Guanaja. All flights go through La Ceiba. Expect extra layovers.
• Nautilus makes the Sosa Airlines reservation but doesn't pay for it. You still need to pay at the counter. It was best to pay one way only, that way you don't have to keep track of the Sosa Airlines return tickets.
• Bring lots of small bills so you don't need change. Although everyone accepts American greenbacks, they only give change in (Honduran) Lempira. You can get your Lems converted at the end of the trip, but it is a hassle.
• Bug juice is unneccessary on the Rock. But make sure you use it on all beaches as well as in town. (we forgot to use it in Bonacca and got a lot of bites) ....

Thanks for making the arrangements for this wonderful trip.

Dave and Sandy Wolf
Sunland, CA

July 29, 2003

Hi John,

What a great trip, the Spirit of the Solomons, her crew, and the diving all were fantastic! John, I would like info for a trip on the Nai'a in Fiji. I dove on her last October, it was great. I am thinking about going again on their Nov 12-22 cruise, + air tickets.

Dr. Jeff Cohen
East Hanover, NJ

July 18, 2003

Hi!

Check these out for fun! [Julie & Regan sent 59 color photos by e-mail attachment.] We are back from our honeymoon (at Blackbird Caye Resort in Belize) and it was fabulous! The weather couldn't have been better! The Blue Hole was very cool and on the way to it, we crossed a pod of 8 killer whales!

Hope all is well!!

July 17, 2003

John and Susie: I just wanted to tell you thank you for recommending Blackbird Caye Resort. We returned Wednesday, July 16, safe and sound. The diving was wonderful, the food was outstanding, our accommodations were great and the staff was kind, courteous and willing to go the extra step. When we first arrived, there were only 6 of us. Saturday another group of 5 arrived. We all expected the new group to be sharing a boat with us, but David, the manager, decided since the two groups were so far apart in experience he kept it to our small original group who all had more than 500 dives under our belts.

It is definitely one of my favorites places now. We especially enjoyed the dives at Half Moon Caye and Long Moon Caye. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to REALLY get away from it all. A little isolated, but certainly NOT primitive. Thank you again.

Mary Walter & Mike Walter
David Simmons & Eileen Simmons
Tulsa, OK

June 11, '03

Dear John:

We love Quay West Suites- and have a primo room on the 17th floor -- brand new with glorious views of bridge and the Sydney Opera House! THANKS. Not only are the accommodations first rate, the weather has been perfect, perfect, perfect. (after two weeks of rain it has been a bright sunny 70° every day). We’ll keep you posted as we go along (in Australia).

Best to you,

Don and Betsy Morse
Scottsdale, AZ

May 14, 2003

Dear John and Susan:

Tom and I want to thank you for our fabulous trip to Fiji, wedding festivities and the complimentary bottle of sparkling wine in our cabin aboard the Nai'a live-aboard. We had the best time! What beautiful people and what fantastic diving. Highly recommended. Everything you did for us was superb. I'm finally getting a chance to say thanks. We'll be back...

Regards,

Patrice Boeke & Tom Alburn
Chevy Chase, Maryland

May 12, 2003

Hi John,

I just got back yesterday from Costa Rica. I had a FANTASTIC time on the Seahunter. Have a look at their website and read our trip report. Everything was great. I was really lucky because my roommate was really nice and also the rest of the group. The crew on the Seahunter was outstanding and I cannot wait to got back to go diving with them again. I loved the diving and everything we saw. It was really a great experience. I want to come back and go diving just in Cocos for a week or so. Thanks again for arranging everything so perfectly for me!

Now, I am planning my next adventures and wanted to ask you for some offers for 2 persons. My roommate from the Seahunter and I, have decided to do some trips together. She is German, too and from Cologne, too, so you can imagine that we had a great time.

1. Galapagos, 2 weeks diving and 1 week on the island(s). What is the best time to go and what packages do you have available for 2003/2004?

2. 1 week Palau, 1 week Truk, 1 week Yap. What is the best time to go and what packages do you have available for 2003/2004?

3. Do you offer any liveaboards in the Sudan part of the Red Sea?

Thanks again for everything! Hoping to hear back from you soon.

Nicole Anhalt
From Koeln, Germany

Working in Athens, Greece

Hi John -

Well, back safe and sound from the "Sun Dancer II" --

Great Boat!!!!!!!!!

We had a wonderful time - only disappointment was not diving the Blue Hole.
Will speak with you soon about our trip for next May on the Cayman Aggressor.

Stay Well !

March 20, 2003

John -

Overall, our trip to Guanaja was perfect except for us leaving our wetsuits behind. Thank you so much for your efforts to get them to us!

Our flight out of Houston into San Pedro Sula was uneventful. However, we waited in line for almost 2 hours to get through customs in SAP. No hold up just a long line.....From SAP we got the entire tour of the Bay Islands. We landed on Utila, where we accidentally got off not knowing where we were, but got back on in time. Then we flew to La Ceiba where we changed planes then we landed on Roatan, then finally on Guanaja, where Dennis and Dennis were waiting for us! All of our bags made it as well.

They quickly took us to the Villa at Dunbar Rock! Beautiful place. Dennis #1 was a great host, giving us a tour and telling us all the details of the place. He is also a fabulous dive master. Being a beginner diver, I was a bit nervous but Dennis #1 made me feel totally comfortable and at ease. The dive sites were calm and had beautiful coral with lots of sea life. We did 2 dives in the a.m., had lunch, took a nap upstairs on the swings, and then headed out for an afternoon dive. The afternoon dive was with Dennis #2. He was a quiet guy with limited English, but he communicated effectively underwater. The weather was fabulous -- it rained the first day we dove but that was it. We could easily see the mainland and Barbaretta. My favorite dive site was by far Diana's Reef. Dennis #1 and Dennis #2 took amazing care of our gear, storing it every night and cleaning it prior to our leaving as well.

On our last day, J.C. took us out for a cruize around on his boat the "Hill Billy." He took us to Bonacca Town and introduced us to some people, then we headed over to Poseda for a quick tour, then to Graham's Island for lunch, then he dropped us off in Savannah bite for our hike. Dennis 2 picked us up in Mangrove bite later that afternoon. Everyone we met was so friendly to the two crazy American tourists!

The only problem (on the trip) was when we got to the Sosa Airlines ticket counter, they had no idea who we were! Basically, we were two crazy Americans showing some piece of paper saying we were to have tickets waiting for us, but no one there knew what we were talking about. We could barely communicate in Spanish with them. Luckily, I had the Dunbar Rock Villa number. The Sosa Airlines ticket counter person called and chatted with someone there who said they were expecting us, so they put us on the plane without making us pay for the tickets up front. I'm sure that would never happen in America! I believe the confusion was the tickets were waiting for us in La Ceiba, which is where they thought we were flying into not SAP.

Thanks for setting everything up! Yes, it is prob'ly easier to fly into La Ceiba. Our next trip will be to Belize, so I'll let you know when. Have a very fruitful day!

Shan

March 6, '03

Hi John,

We're back!! We had a wonderful time. Grand Turk, the Arawak Inn, SeaEye Diving (the folks who took us to Gibb's Cay to swim with the sting rays and reef snorkeling), and the food-- everything was GREAT and exceeded our hopes and expectations, and I cannot thank you enough for your help, recommendations and support through the entire process.

(In the next few days I will email pics.)

Again, many thanks!!

Beth Frankovic & Lisa Sullivan (sisters)
Bethesda, MD

Oct. 14, 2002

hi. heather and i got back from the trip to curacao this weekend. i wanted to let you know we had an amazing time. the lions dive resort was fantastic (housekeeping was so conscientious, when they saw i had glasses filled with water in the fridge, they put a full pitcher of water in there). the dive shop and our instructor were great as well. i felt safe and well looked after the whole time. we had so much fun on the open water dives, and wanted to see so much, we ended up doing a night dive, deep water dive and some others to qualify for our advanced certification! i am so completely hooked on diving now and can't wait for my next trip. so, thanks again for the great recommendation and all of your help.

Rachel Welensky
& Heather Ruch
New York City, NY

13 May 2002

John,

Finally caught up with work and home after the trip and wanted to thank you for arranging a great trip for us. Like so many vacations it was too short. The hotel was just right for the kind of vacation we wanted - on the beach, casual, dive shop & boat right there, great staff, seaquarium next door, quick free shuttle to Willemstad etc.... Met some nice folks from Montreal, Germany & Netherlands on the dive boat. Diving was the best - great visibility, abundant plant & animal life, short boat trips. Nancy got in some great snorkeling at each dive site and enjoyed the other folks so much and saw what a good time we were all having she will probably get certified later in the year.

We'll recommend U.S. Dive Travel, Curacao, Lions Dive Resort, and Ocean Encounters to anyone willing to let us describe our great trip :-)

Michael and Nancy Woomer

March 19, 2002

John, thank you very much for your help....I found you to be helpful, cheerful and easy to deal with. We'll get the forms back. We hope to enjoy the trip very much, and I look forward to booking again with you.

Regards,

Tony Gallea
Upstate New York

Dec. 28, 2001

John and Susan --

Just a quick note to say thank you for all of your assistance in organizing my Guanaja trip!!! Nautilus Dive Resort was fantastic and the staff EXTREMELY friendly and professional (especially Denis). Despite hurricane michelle which hampered the dive visibility and weather, I shall definitely recommend the resort and area for future divers. I hope all is well and i look forward to many other dive trips with you in the future.

Happy New Year! I wanted to wish you and your family a great 2002! Thanks so much for your help arranging my Honduran trip. Again, I had a great time at Guanaja and would recommend Dunbar Villa to any diver!

Take care,

Michelle M. Jeong
San Francisco, CA

Sept. 18, 2001

John & Susan,

Wanted to let you know that we got back from the honeymoon safe & sound. We heard about the WTC disaster our first morning on Hawaii. It was surreal watching something so close from so far.

Overall, we enjoyed our honeymoon tremendously. Nothing -- and we mean NOTHING -- can top Lizard Island! Wanted to give you a quick heads-up -- more pictures will follow. Hope you and your family and co-workers are doing okay given the (World Trade Center) disaster.

Shane & Anna Shih
East Hanover, New Jersey

Sept. 10, 2001

John & Susan,

This is Shane & Anna writing from Lizard Island. We just finished our first dinner since our arrival. Just wanted to say: YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!!!! So far on this trip, we've had great accomodations at Ayers Rock, Sydney (Yes, we did have a view of the Sydney Opera House from our room! Too bad we only booked one night there) and now we are here on Lizard Island. You were right, ever since we arrived, we've been treated like royalty -- and we are still overwhelmed by the weather, the scenery, the land, the water, the room (yes, very private as you alluded to), the service -- and to top it all off, the special touches you two have made for us: the lovely card in the room, the spa treatments (we're doing that on Thursday), the sparkling wine in the hotel room, and the surprise congratulations cake at dinner tonight!!! Everything seems so perfect, we are having a hard time believing we are actually here, and that there's such a paradise on earth! Thank you two so much for all your help so far, we've been having a blast (and looking forward to more)!

One question: I know it's not customary to tip in Australia, but you did mention that the service on Lizard Island & Silky Oaks will probably warrant tipping. What is the appropriate time and amount to tip people? Dinner? Divemasters? Porters? How much is appropriate? Mind you, we're not holding you to a particular amount -- but any suggestion you have will be helpful for us to determine a range -- otherwise, we are grasping in the dark here!

Anyways, off to bed now. We are diving the inner reef tomorrow morning and snorkeling in the afternoon. So much to do here, but it feels so relaxed. Great feeling! Thanks again for making our honeymoon so special!

Shane & Anna Shih
E-mail from Lizard Island, Australia

Sept. 6. 2001

Dear John,

We had a great time in Australia. Were able to do 6 scuba dives on Heron Island and on a live-aboard from Cairns; & our son, who is 12, was also able to dive. The reef was amazing, and Heron Island was beautiful and very well-managed. We hope to dive again soon, and will contact you if we need to arrange another trip.

Thanks, Kai Zinn
Pasadena, CA

August 22, 2001

Hi John,

Just wanted to let you know the trip was really great. The diving was excellent. Not the concentrations of fish I had expected, but such variety! My dive guide was terrific, as were all the people at Nusantara Diving Center (Manado, Indonesia). I was very very satisfied. A few things you might want to mention to people about the place is that (a) it's on a mangrove swamp, not a beach; and (b) they don't have mosquito nets. I didn't mind the swamp, but had pictured a beach so it might disappoint people if they're picturing a beach and it's not there. Also, being a mosquito magnet, I would have brought my own net, had I known. But it was still great! Also, FYI, they will take you diving in Lembeh Strait. I went over for a day, which was $20 extra. You can go for more too. Don't know how much that is.

Another question. I was wondering where you would recommend for Christmas. My baby sister turns 8 on Dec. 24th and loves fish. I suggested to my father that perhaps we should go away for her birthday this year to somewhere I could take her snorkeling and also go diving. Thanks again for arranging a great trip for me.

Take care,

Sarah Preisler
Venice, CA

August 9, 2001

Hello John,

Just returned from Curacao and wanted to let you know Lions Dive Resort is a pretty nice place. Very clean and well organized. The dive shop was also very efficient.

Thanks.

Tom Willyoung, agent
Cruise Holidays
Cupertino, CA

July 20, 2001

John-

I have one very major complaint for you about the Nusantara Diving Center & Kungkungan Bay Resort trip I just completed.......... I ALMOST DIDN'T BRING ENOUGH FILM!!!!! I had no idea what was in store & was completly blown away. I ran out of film often before running out of air which is the ultimate endorsement for a serious u/w photgrapher given my bottom time is usually about 40 minutes. For me one(among the many) fabulous things about the set-up at both resorts was the fact that for most of the dives I had my own personal Indonesian dive guide. I could even say to him "find me an orange frog fish" & most of the time he would do it or come up with strange critters that would be even better alternatives! That's just the start.... after finding the critter he would help maneuver it into a better photo position & hang there until I was done!!! I never had to carry my 20 lbs of housing. The tragedy here is that I will never be able to dive anywhere else in the world... I have been utterly spoiled as a u/w photographer. PLEASE KEEP THIS PLACE A SECRET!!!

Kungkungan Bay Resort is fabulous & when I return I would primarily stay there. Nusantara as advertised is very friendly & terrific though the rooms are iffy. I was a bit shocked first nite at NDC but then got used to it. Kati took good care of me & assigned me the best macro-dive guide he had. I think the accomodations are more 1 star than 2 star but the service, attention, friendliness more than compensate.

So I am one happy camper though tainted for life... what's next after diving in the most concentrated area of venomous & strange marine creatures on earth????? I never had time to do any land exploration except on the day before departure...

Good job John! You're my main travel-man amigo!!!! Muchas gracias!!!!

Michael Goodman
Hopkinton, MA

July 20, 2001

Hi John --

Well, long time no talk and I apologize for not getting back with you any sooner. What a wonderful trip to Manta Resort and the Tikal Ruins!!!! We fell in love with the place and Gordon was so surprised. He only found out we were heading to Belize in the Houston airport. I had him walking throughout the corridor until they made the last call for Belize City, than I grabbed him and went to the gate. The diving was fabulous, the food wonderful and the people outstanding. Gordon has worked through all the underwater video and created a 30-minute tape. Would you like a copy?? Everyone on the trip and the Manta Resort is getting a copy. The weather was perfect too.

The only problem was that we dove in "peka peka" season and Gordon and I were eaten alive. Tony was so wonderful and upon our return to Belize City had us whisked off to the hospital for an appointment with the dermatologist. We were prescribed steroids and cream and back on our way to Windy Hill in a matter of an hour. The doctor was very impressed with my bites, I had them all over my back and down my arms. Gordon had them on his legs. We have great pictures.

The Windy Hill trip was fabulous, the ruins are so humbling and we were continually awestruck. Our guides couldn't have been more thorough and patient with our questions. The guides suggested some books for us to read to get a better understanding of the Mayans. We have been bit. A side note, we arrived on that Friday and Carolyn (?) picked us up at the airport. We asked her what to do the next day since we didn't; have to be at the Manta boat until 2. She suggested Jaguar Paw. So, she helped us rent a car and the next morning was were up and out at 7 am, drove to Jaguar Paw and hiked than cave tubed down the river and back down in Belize city by 1. That too was such a cool experience. Just a suggestion for a side trip.

So that was the adventure in a nut shell. We have fallen in love with the country and are ready to pack up here and move. I have referred a couple of people to you and I hope they have followed up. Along that line, we need some information and help in diving Bequia and the surrounding area...day trips. My sister in law and here family have vacationed and lived on the island for over 30 years and she and my brother are having a post-wedding party there some time in March or April. They aren't familiar with the diving at all. Any help or thoughts would be great.

Thank you again for everything and hope all is well on your end.

Fondly,

Lynn & Gordon Taylor
Richmond, VA

P.S. The kids did great and we did great, only called 2 times and I think that was the best thing.

June 18, 2001

John,

We just returned from our trip to Honduras and wanted to let you know just you much we appreciated all of your help and consideration, especially the extra effort you took when our original flight was cancelled at the last minute. How you arranged with Mayan Caribbean Tours to meet us in San Pedro Sula and the hotel accomodations until we could get a flight to Guanaja was a real life saver. We couldn't imagine how we would have managed this on our own. Eli Gonzalez from Mayan Caribbean was so kind and friendly, our own family couldn't have taken better care of us.

The Dunbar Rock Villa on Guanaja was everything we hoped for and more. The room was perfect, the food was wonderful and Denis, our divemaster, was great. The diving off Guanaja was spectacular with beautiful unspoiled reefs and an incredible variety of sea-life--we saw turtles on three different dives! Back at the Villa, Dorothy and Tina took wonderful care of us, in spite of our minimal Spanish. We will recommend Nautilus and the Dunbar Rock to anyone who is looking for a relaxed and inexpensive diving vacation.

The additional side trip to Copan Ruinas was the perfect ending to a perfect trip. The village of Copan Ruinas is beautiful, the accomodations at the Marina Copan Hotel were great. We had a wonderful tour of the ruins with Eli, his knowledge of the Mayan culture was encyclopedic, like having our own personal anthropologist/archeologist. Our last memory of Copan is a morning horseback ride up to the Hacienda San Lucas, with a delicious traditional Honduran lunch on the porch. The view of the Copan valley is spectacular.

We had such a great time that we cannot wait until we are able to come back to Guanaja and Honduras. Thank you again for making this such a memorable experience for us.

Jim and Susan Medley
East Windsor, New Jersey

June 15, 2001

John & Susie:

Thank you very much for everything - our group's dive trip this past May was absolutely, positively, the BEST EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From start to finish - everything was just WONDERFUL! The crew, the food, the diving, the boat, the weather, just one fabulous week. Can't wait til next year - undecided where our destination will be - but when we do decide, we will be contacting you to book it for us. Your professionalism along with your sincere caring about your clients makes it a pleasure dealing with you. Thanks again and best of health to your family and everyone at U.S. Dive Travel.

Rosemary Bellini and The New York Dive Group
Queens, New York

May 2, 2001

John:

Wow, you're German is awesome! I wanted to really thank you again for being soo helpful and nice to us (for the Cocos Island trip). We really highly appreciate it !!

Best,

Prof. Michaela Hau
Princeton, New Jersey

March 6, 2001

Dear John and Susan:

Thank you so much for all your hard work in helping us arrange our holiday to Belize. We had a lovely time, and came back feeling relaxed and mellow - just what the doctor ordered! I attach a photo of us at the end of our trip, on the boat en route to the airport to take a little 12-seater plane up to Belize City.

Roz & Richard Allibone
London, New York City

March 5, 2001

Dear John:

Thanks very much for the suggestions. I'll follow your advice. I worry about leaving my camera stuff behind for fear of theft.......I would also like to say thank you for all the personal service you have given us. I have used a lot of dive travel agencies in the past and you have been by far the most helpful, friendly and informative.

Best wishes,

Prof. Denny Chasteen
Durham, NH

Feb. 1, 2001

Hi folks.

Hope the Minnesota snow is tolerable. Ironically, I moved from Wisconsin to Oregon about ten years ago to escape the winters and be closer to the mountains/oceans/trout. Still, I've come to realize that home is where the heart is, though I don't think I'm the first to think of it (or coin the phrase). My answer- move the family to Oregon. About half of them have made it so far.

I really enjoy your site, both for the "fantasy" aspects (I don't tend to take exotic vacations these days as I'm starting a new career), and for the practical approach to the subject matter. Your list of ways to avoid dive trip "bummers" had me smiling and wishing the internet were prevalent when I lived in an old fishing hut while diving in Bali in '90. It was very non-touristy, and the people were wonderful, but the rats and ever-present smell of drying squid around my shack made the trip a little rough on my travel companion.

I'm looking to take a real dive vacation this year but have a fairly tight budget, i.e. I'd like to stay in the $1,000-$1,200 (including air) range. Micronesia is my first choice (Kosrae looks like heaven on earth), but I'm pretty sure just the airfare will leave me broke. Any ideas? Do you have a current brochure? Let me know, and again, thanks for maintaining a truly great site.

Take care,

Peter Lirain, OR

Oct. 24, 2000

John:

Just got back from our family vacation in Costa Rica (Playa Hermosa). Trip was wonderful. Diving was great. Only been one place that I may have seen more wildlife in 16+ yrs of diving. Some of the exceptional sightings were whale shark got to swim with him -- manta rays -- in fact more species of rays than I knew existed -- frog fish -- turtles --- dolphins -- octopus -- more species of angel fish than I've ever seen etc. etc. etc. Visibility was poor so lost dive group a lot but had no problems finding the fish. You need to change your website on Costa Rica and Bill Beard and extol the virtues of Earl and Bobby Joe the new owners. They couldn't do enough for us even invited my son and his fiance to their house for dinner. Helped out some equipment failures and were indeed excellent hosts. Sorry I went against your wishes but the Adrenal volcano was spectacular as was the harness trip across the rainforest treetops. We had good weather rained only a couple of nights. Just wanted to fill you in and thank you we had a great time!

Regards.

Mike Gelardi
Magnolia, Texas

Sept. 29, 2000

Hi John:

We are back home and had a fantastic time! Got your messages on our answering machine when we got home, thank you very much for the concern. We are one of the few people in the world who do not have a cellular phone. I guess it is just being lazy on our part. When we called you last Wed. AM, we were calling from Houston airport. Actually you gave lots of correct encouragement to me on the phone, and we made the AA personnel call Island Air (I had the phone # in my purse), and they told the AA person about the Island Air flight being delayed until 3 PM, the AA person told them if we were late it was not our fault. We actually got there with 10 minutes to spare, and American promised to cover the hotel in Grand Cayman if we were forced to do an overnight. It all worked OK, although we did lots of running and rushing. Those AA personnel continued to insist that they could not bring Island Air up on their computer screens??? so I guess it is good to have Island Air's telephone # on you.

Little Cayman Beach Resort was fantastic!!!!! They said we had been slated for "room 308", but then they had a honeymoon couple come in so we lost it. They put us in 215, which was oceanfront, although had the view mostly obscured by palm tree leaves. However, it was right by our friend's rooms. The room is very beautiful inside, the decor was stunning. Very large, with TV, frig, microwave, coffee maker, couch, king-sized bed.

The food was the best we had ever had on dive vacation, they provided wonderful veggie entrees at every lunch and dinner. And the desserts!!!! They were absolutely wonderful!! All of us much have gained 5 lbs or more!!!

And Paul Watters did let me use his office computer to send an e-mail to my folks, he was very gracious and kind. The dive boats were great, very comfortable. The dives were very beautiful, the coral the best we had ever seen. The visibility was only about 50 ft, though. We did see some of the algae that is affecting all the Caribbean waters, I guess from the temps being too high? Still it is beautiful diving. We saw eagle rays, southern stingrays, turtles, huge friendly groupers, lots of varied tropical fish. The dive staff was friendly and accommodating.

However, they only offer night dives on Tues and Thurs, so we only got one. They would not do any others, even when a bunch of us asked for one on the weekend. The island was like going back in time, very quiet. We took some bikes and toured it, saw the museum. The little plane rides on Island Air were fun and smooth. The day we left, the little plane took off 2 hours late, which might have messed up our friends' connecting flights, but ours were OK. The Island Air people just kinda do what they want when they want to do it, it seems they do not have to answer to anyone.....

All-in-all, it was the best trip we ever had, thank you so much for all your help!! Next year we will call you again. We had a little windfall this year, but will probably have to go for cheaper next year. I am thinking maybe Manta Resort in Belize, if we can afford it.

Thanks very much, you guys are great!!!!!!!!

Stephanie and Fred Richards
Austin, TX

Aug. 17, 2000

hi john--

i just wanted to tell you that mindy and i had a wonderful trip to belize and it went very smoothly. thanks for all your help. everything was great. one suggestion: we took a day trip to barton creek cave from windy hill on the recommendation of several people and it was fantastic. it is a huge cave that you canoe into with wonderful formations. so i recommend telling people to go there.

thanks a lot -- best,

Halle Hand-Siegel
New York, NY

July 14, 2000

John and Susan:

Back from Belize and Manta Resort..... Manta Resort is a terrific place--dynamite staff--kudos to Egbert/Angie in restaurant, and Wyatt as divemaster--wonderful people and highly professional (as an aside, Wyatt, once he figured out that the rest of the boat was experienced divers, worked 2 days one on one with a new diver to help her get and stay down...on third day she was one of the rest of us--wouldn't have made it without Wyatt's attention and terrific patience).

What a tropical paradise that is so completely (and I do mean completely) away from daily routine, you can't help but relax! Great group of people to dive with all week--must attract a certain type of person, as we all got along famously.

Diving was terrific, beautiful coral/sponge, great animals--tons of reef/nurse/black tip shark, sea turtle, spotted eagle ray--different from other places I've been. Only downside is 6 days of diving the same reef became a bit boring--wouldn't go back for that reason, along with the fierce no-see-ums, which ate us alive day 1 before we religious enough on spraying down.....scratch scratch.....

Now onto next dive trip planning (I need to have one out there in the future to keep me going).....

2 potential destinations--Red Sea (with Egypt side trip??) or Bonaire just diving)....I know, completely different ideas, but bear with us... Also, with your new eco-tour/adventure travel initiatives, what do you have re' safari in Africa??

Once again you came through for us like a charm.....I arrived in Belize City about 2 hrs after the boat was to depart for Manta....I'm walking out of airport with complete confidence that it will all work out, when I hear a man saying "anyone for Manta?"--I of course being the only one there....he walks me over to a nice woman who takes me to the van with all the luggage--10 min drive to the dock where everyone is waiting, and then we're off on our 3 hr boat ride to Manta........and the return worked even better when I was able to get on earlier flights from both Belize City and Houston on standby and was home 2 hours earlier than expected :)

Thanks for all your help......

Lynn Dines and Lynn Kippenhan
Huntington Beach, CA & Fishers, IN

July 6, 2000

Dear John,

I just got back from PNG (Papua New Guinea). And I can't wait to go back. The diving was everything it was touted to be, and more. Thank you for facilitating this fabulous experience. On some days we had 200+' of visibility, the variety and abundance of sea life was awe inspiring.

The trip there was a bit suspenseful, the Philippines Airline flight was delayed 16 hours, effectively giving me 2 hours to clear immigration and customs in Manila, and catching the Air Niugini connection. Needless to say, it was a stressful day. A fog delay in Port Moresby caused me to miss the Rabaul connection, but I got on a later flight, and got to the boat at 4:00 PM, sailing time.

A piece of advice for any future trips you plan to PNG: Always connect thru Australia. There are daily flights form Cairns to Port Moresby, and multiple flights a week from Sydney and Brisbane. If I had missed the once a week connection in the Manila, it would have been over right there. I think the same is true for the Singapore connection. Tell your clients that if may cost a little more, but with 4 connections, they need all the belts and suspenders they can get!

I'll send some photos when I get them scanned in...

Thanks again!

Yung Yip
Afton, MN

June 21, 2000

I wanted to send my deepest thanks for an absolutely unbelievable week

onboard the star dancer. I was a member of the Ezell /John Butler group the week of June 10-16. Ben's dry sense of humor was great. Sigy's smile put me in a good mood. Eric was so goofy I laughed my "---" off numerous occasions. Andrew's food hit the spot every meal. The Star Dancer has an awesome crew and I will definietly pass on the word to friends of mine looking for the perfect dive vacation.

Sincerely,
Lance McDonald

May 12, 2000

from ct. - just a note to say thank-you for having the fastest and most thorough pages on the net!! i have done a lot of research for dive travel and travel in general, and have found your pages everywhere! they are the most informative and fastest out there! i really do appreciate the volumes of info. you have put out. right now, i'm looking at diving grand cayman. it will be for 12 days in early july (w/ a non-diver). i am interested in the most abundant and colorful reef life that a snorkeler could enjoy also - stingray city would be fun.... considering coconut harbor resort w/ 6 day dive pkg. i must keep cost down and found this to be reasonable. ( i'd rather dive fiji, but...) any further suggestions? you guys are great! God bless, and take care.

from shelley keeney

May 4, 2000

Dear John and Susan,

This was our repeat trip of last year and what a difference a year makes. The boat, Antares Dancer, was in fine shape. New compressor and new dive tender. Tender had all the little features we had hoped for like an awning and a railing along the waterline. The crew were new except for Ron the Dive Master and David the cook. All of them were attentive, helpful and capable. I can't say enough about how well we were treated. Warm towels after each dive and if they had been able to get into our wet suits for us, they would have. The food was delicious, plentiful and varied. The crew took wonderful care of everything. Peter Hughes runs a first class operation, boats and crew, and I really do appreciate his extending me the opportunity to see what he'd done with the "work in progress" .

The weather was another matter. The wind blew very hard. The beautiful blue-green water turned a light shade of olive. On one dive the viz was not much more than ten feet. But on other dives it went to about 50 feet. Didn't see the big fish we saw last year but did see a large (I guess they're all large under water) hammer head shark and a sea turtle. I still think that Los Roques is a prime place to dive and we just happened to hit it on the wrong week because, the last day, as we anchored off Grand Roque, the wind dropped, the sea calmed down and you could see bottom. Oh well. I think I'm all Roque-d out for now and next look toward the Pacific, points unknown at this time. I definitely would like to go on another Peter Hughes live-aboard and still want to make the Yap-Palau trip.....

Once again thanks for putting this package together for me. It was a wonderful time and I look forward to your helping me with my next dive trip.

Tom Stephen-Hassard, CA

Feliz Navidad.

We had a great adventure in Honduras. The usual challenges & "opportunities" but a great experience for our family. The diving was good but not spectacular. We met some great people & made new friends in Roatan. No one should miss the Copan Ruins & the opportunity to spend time in the less-developed areas. Great people, & interesting history & culture.

May God bless you in the coming year.

The Grubbs Family
Mike & Becky, David & Kelsey.

North Sioux City, SD.

John,

Just a quick note to thank you for arranging our dive trip to Matangi Island, Fiji.  Everything was wonderful.  The people in Fiji were amazing.  Incredibly friendly and relaxed.  The reefs and fish life were beautiful.  I can't wait to go back.  I look forward to booking another trip through you in the future.  Enjoy that fabulous, warm Minnesota winter.

Cheers,

Bruce A. Power
San Francisco, CA.

Sept. 13, 1999
 

Dear John,

I just wanted to send a belated THANK YOU for the wonderful trips to both Kosrae and Kona.  Everything went just as you said it would;  the people were great and the diving was world class.  I can't wait to book my next trip though your company.  I'll be moving to Kona in November to start the instructor certification course....how did the move to Minnesota turn out? Thanks again for your help,  kindness,  and support.  :)

Sam Gregory
(Now a resident of)
Kona, Big Island, HI

Sept. 13, 1999

John:

Thanks for all the terrific arrangements for our dive trip to Cozumel.  We'd highly recommend El Presidente Hotel -- real luxury for the price, and Aqua Safari did a fine job taking care of the diving needs -- good divemasters with flexibility along with attention to safety. Drift diving there was a first for me -- prefer no drift -- I want to explore longer -- but the conditions the entire time we were there were perfect--sunshine, flat seas, etc. Thanks so much for the help. Thanks so much, that we want to book the next one (always have to have a dive trip on the calendar to stay sane).  What would you recommend for Lynn x 2 for the week of July 1-8, 2000, in either Belize, Bonaire, or Lynn K wants us to consider South Seas...we don't want a live-aboard. We're looking for great diving, not too ugly travel....your thoughts?

Lynn Dines & Lynn Kippenhan
Huntington Beach, CA &
Indianapolis, IN
 

Sept. 5, 1999

John and Susan,

Wow, what a great time on Taveuni island (Fiji)!  I think Melony would have liked a little more white sand beaches at her disposal, but our trip was absolutely grand! Our 5 days of diving were great, we had a day on Korolevu; we visited many areas: a local village, the natural waterslide, the new waterfalls tour near the resort(awesome!), Bouma Park with the Tavaro falls trek with three falls(I adventure-raced it to the top falls and back in about 45 minutes), and of course we had to visit and experience the Lavena coastal walk and swim into the falls area. Also, we went horseback riding, played golf at Taveuni estates, and oh yeah, we just became vegetables at the pool watching the sun set over VANUA LEVU.

We had a really great time, and DID NOT  want to come back to Japan. The wedding was super and with the trip, it was the best two weeks in a loooooooooooonnnnnggggg time. Thank you for your suggestion, it was perfect.

Now, for the next trip. Melony and I are deciding what to do over the holidays. Melony really, really wants to go home for Christmas, but we both don't want to be home for two or three weeks, so we are looking to go south into the Caribbean. We are thinking maybe Dominica, St. Lucia, Roatan, Turks and Caicos, for diving and island adventure fun, kind of like Taveuni. What do you suggest for us money-minded travelers? Please advise, we hear that things are really booking up quick, thanks again for all of your help, again, it was great and we owe you guys much,

Sincerely,

Aaron & Melony Ward
Hyogo, Japan

June 23, 1999

Dear John,

I finally got a few free minutes to let you know how my vacation to Nautilus Dive Resort went.  I had the best time.  The storm cleared the silt off the reefs & the corals & sponges are healthy, abundant & colorful.  The reef fish are still plentiful & there is a lot of little fry visible, so the circle of life is continuing.  The water was a balmy 84 degrees at 80 feet.  Visibility on Bayman's side was 80-100 feet with the other side being 40-50 feet. Divemaster Denis & I visited some sites that have not been visited since the storm.  I am happy to report that the caves & swim throughs are intact & open for business.   The resort is pretty much running as per usual & all the rooms are repaired.  It was so sad to see the trees stripped & overturned.  The food was excellent as was the service of the staff.

The airline connections were great & pretty much on time.  I did have a small problem with Continental in Houston on my trip down.  I checked in at 0600 hours on the Sunday.  I had my gear packed in a Rubbermaid Rough Tote container.  My clothing & regs were all in my carry-on which is smaller that the standard.  The attendant asked me what was in the container.  I told him dive gear.  The attendant proceeded to inform me that dive gear is treated as excess baggage, that they would weigh it, calculate the fee based on overweight rates & then charge me half.  This was an extra $50 U.S.D.  I told the attendant that I had nothing else to check & he cheerfully informed me that I was still entitled to my two free checked bags.  But, I pointed out, this was my only checked luggage.  I was informed that Continental has been charging for scuba gear since about December.

Guanaja is back up & running.  The diving is spectacular.  Nautilus was everything I remember it to be.  There are remnants of the storm left behind, however, they are not interfering with the day-to-day operations.  Divers should be encouraged to visit the island & experience all that it has to offer.  With little more hassle than a trip to Roatan or Utila, they can experience what I can only term as Paradise.
 
Regards,

Joanne RUMBELOW
Toronto, Canada

June 12, 1999

Hi John (and Susie):

We had a wonderful time on the Big Island -- Hawaii rocks! (pardon the volcanic pun).  The diversity of terrain and climate and scenery is truly amazing, as you indicated.  We stopped at many state parks and drove about 500 miles.  The hotel was nice, especially the view from our room.  The luau was great and the buffet breakfast was good (though we ate too much!).  All in all, a very memorable and relaxing vacation.  Mahalo!  I assume you've already made the move to Minnesota or will soon be making it. I hope the weather isn't too hot for you!  We will be staying with Sue's sister's family near Minneapolis from June 21-23.  If your phone is hooked up, let us know your new number before we hit the road (June 16) and we'll give you a call when we arrive.
 
Aloha,

Wes & Sue Cross
West Seattle, WA

April 30, 1999

Dear John Hessburg,

My 7 friends have arrived from Belize (Manta Resort). They were very satisfied with the whole trip and everything went smoothly. I would like to thank you very much on their behalf for your patience and professionalism. I wish everyone worked the way you do.

Best wishes,

Alper Omer
Slovak Republic

P.S. Hoping to work with you also in the future.

April 26, 1999

John,

Thanks for setting Katie and I up with a great dive package to Roatan. I would like to know if you could suggest a vacation destination for my family and I in January. We would like to go somewhere that is not ultra touristy, yet not overly rustic. Four of us our scuba divers and three like to snorkel. I have looked into Bonaire, Belize, Tobago, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, St. Vincent and a few others.  I would appreciate it if you could recommend a resort destination that provides excellent scuba diving, snorkeling, and great weather in January.

Thank you for your help.

Matt Rockey

April 26, 1999

John and Susie:

Just wanted to let you know that Erika and I loved our trip to Blackbird Caye Resort (Belize) earlier this month.  The diving was excellent.  We did a lot of shelf diving (flat, wide shelf at about 40' or so) and a few walls. Plus, of course, we dove the famous Blue Hole.  Blue Hole, actually, was something of a disappointment.  It's deep. It's (potentially) dangerous, and it's more spectacular to be above than to be in.  But, on the bright side, we saw two reef sharks and a lot of nurse sharks on that dive.  Plus, there are some interesting rock formations at about 130'.  The food was excellent, the staff friendly and the accommodations comfortable.  It's nice to go on a vacation and visit some place that completely takes care of me.  Thanks for setting this one up.  Blackbird Caye and Nautilus Resort were both "10" trips.

Christopher Fluetsch & Erika Kegel
Davis, CA

April 22, 1999

John:

We had a great trip.  Fantasy Island Beach Resort (Roatan) was excellent and so was the diving.  Great dive staff at FBIR.  Even though we had strong winds from the east that caused 4-6 waves some days and stirred up the waters we could see 80-100+ feet.  In calm weather one might see China. The attached is short piece my partner wrote for a friend who asked about our trip.

===============================
 
Honduras was great.  The island of Roatan has got to be one of my favorites in the Caribbean.  Undeveloped enough that it was charming and unassuming but with sufficient infrastructure and facilities that there were few inconveniences. (one good road runs the length of the island with, good gasoline stations, several well-stocked grocery stores, very little traffic on the roads, clean with little litter).  Most of the 25,000 population live in about five towns scattered on the coast so that large areas of the island are undeveloped.  Gets enough rain that it is fairly green but not enough to be a rain forest.  Hilly (some rather steep) but not mountainous).  Great beaches (white sand) with coral reef about 100 yards out.  Good snorkeling, extraordinary diving, great sailing.  More marine life than I've seen anywhere in the Caribbean.  Very safe, can leave you rooms unlocked.  People are friendly without being obsequious.  The per capita income is high by Honduran standards so although there is poverty if was not oppressive and there was little to no begging.  There is a big push to get gringos to purchase land and build houses so we will see how long its current conditions last.  Relatively few resorts (mostly oriented towards diving) but several large ones are on the drawing boards.  It is poised to become more than a dive location.
 
Unfortunately, the wind was blowing rather forcefully for most of the week. As a result, the visibility was down from it usual 200 ft to 50-100 feet due to bottom being stirred up where we were diving.  The wind calmed for about a day and the visibility improved 100 percent.  Great wall diving. We dove on the lee side of the island one day and it was fantastic.  Lots of big grouper, rays, turtles, large nurse shark, lots and lots of lobsters and crab, very nice coral (both hard and soft).  Reef starts at sea level and rapidly falls off to 300 ft.  Lots of overhangs.  As good a diving as I've seen in the Caribbean despite the visibility problems.  I would go back in a heartbeat.
 
I can make myself available for any of your suggestions.  The Roatan trip didn't cost any more than going to Cozumel.  The airfare was more expensive ($700) but the food, lodging, and diving was less (a little over $100 a day total).

James & Sheila Hoben &
Donald S. Bradley

Alexandria, VA

Feb. 4, 1999

Hey John -

Well, it looks as though the Aussie Experience was a winner for everyone involved.  You and your team did a great job for Dennis. Now it's my turn.   Not that I am interested in something as extravagant as his trip, my husband and I, along with a few other couples are interested in a trip sometime May-June.   One couple suggested that we go on a cruise and I'm game for that, but she said to get to all of the good islands, we would have to depart out of San Juan.  I checked into flights to San Juan and they cost as much as our flight to Hawaii (which I thought was outrageous!)  The cost is around $650.00 to $700.00 per person.   Dennis thought that you would have some great suggestions for me... I know you're busy, and I'm really in no rush.    Oh....just FYI... I'm not married to a cruise!

Take care - Hope you had a wonderful New Years!

Monica Lovoi
Houston, TX

Feb. 4, 1999

John and Susan:

I love getting messages from you guys, always so upbeat, positive and a great attitude. Just add a good smile and that's the definition of a perfect Public Relations and combo-sales person. That's what Nadine and I always try to be. Thanks for our day's inspiration.

Best regards always

Bill & Nadine Beard
Bill Beard's Diving Safaris
Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica

Feb. 1, 1999

Dear John and Susan,

Hello. This is Debbie Adams. You arranged a family trip for us to the Bay Islands in '98 aboard the Bay Island Aggressor for Family week.  Unfortunately the San Pedro-Roatan airlines, Caribbean Air, went under less than 2 weeks before our trip. Thanks to your expertise and connections, our vacation was saved! The arrangements you made through Mayan Caribbean Tours  were a lifesaver, and more than expected.
 
I apologize if I forgot to send a thank you earlier. Our vacation went off without a hitch! No luggage was lost for more than 1 hr., and the kids fell in love with the Aggressor crew. Bradley (age 12) even experienced puppy-love for the first time. Needless to say, we want to do it again! This time our oldest son, Matthew wants to go, even though he does not dive (and, I promise to purchase trip insurance immediately).
 
I would like to arrange a trip for the summer of 2000. I am sure it is too early, as I have seen nothing posted on the Aggressor web page regarding family weeks. What we are looking for this time is a total of about 2 weeks for a family 5 (2 adult divers, 17 yr non-diver, 15 yr diver, 12 yr new diver looking for open water certification). A week on an Aggressor (or other dive charter, preferably something other than the Bay Islands, just to give us different experiences) with Chelsea, age 12, receiving open water certification on the boat, and a week ashore at a resort, condominum, or house for a family of 5. Budget-wise we would like to keep things reasonable, so I do not mind cooking a few nights if we locate a condo, or house.
 
Please keep us in mind as things become available. Hopefully, planning in advance will allow us to take advantage of opportunities as they come up. Thanks again.
 
Morris & Debbie Adams
Kent, WA

Jan. 15,1999

Hi John & Susan...

Thank you very much for all the great information on yourselves and on the booking process.  I look forward to working with you in the very near future...I like your style!  I am planning a group get-together on Friday the 22nd,  to get a good idea of everyone's expectations, price range, favored locations to visit, etc.  I will present the information you have provided me with and we will go from there.  After I have everyone's input I will be in a better position to provide you with all the required information you need to get us quotes, etc.  Thank you for spending time with me on the phone.  I have found most travel agents don't have "time" for their clients and you were a refreshing change.

Once again, I look forward to working with you!

Sincerely,

Lesa Perrault

Jan. 5, 1999

Attn: John Hessburg

Happy New Year!

Once again you came through for us like a charm. Lynn D and Lynn K thoroughly enjoyed LaPaz, the LaConcha Hotel and diving with the Cortez Club. Great location, great people, great low key town, great food, great price (all except the airfare--you don't want to hear about Lynn K's disastrous return travel through the midwest storms of last weekend and additional expense to get home only one day late!)

Diving was terrific--wetsuits and all. We told James that you had recommended them to us--runs a good shop. Gabby is the best of the dive masters.  Conditions improved each day we were there--made it out to Los Islotes to dive with the "sea dogs", to the pinnacles to see the barracuda--and they made a number of appearances, and to Las Reinas looking for seahorses.

Thanks again for the recommendation and help getting it put together.  Next trip--thinking about Cozumel for a long weekend, ie; 4 days, around Labor Day--can you help us out?

Lynn Dines & Lynn Kippenhan
Huntington Beach, CA  &  Indianapolis, IN

Jan. 1, 1999

Dear John,  

I was just perusing your website and dreaming as I am so fond of doing.  I see that my Garden of Eden -- Nautilus Dive Resort (Guanaja, Honduras) -- will be back up and in business again as of March 1999.  Would you please start the machine in motion for me to retu