The water was in the 80s, the vis was great, the fish were in surreal abundance, and the people made it one of our best trips ever, not just for us but for each other. We got so many thank you notes and it made us happy to know that our friends enjoyed themselves. It’s exactly what we strive for. Here we share just a few…

Yes, Mr. Twain, travel is an exploration and a discovery and for divers, dreams come true. What diver doesn’t have a Wish List? There are more exciting destinations than vacation time. So when we get to check off one of those dream places on our list, the trip has to be perfect. We try hard to make our trips a memorable and hassle-free adventure. We take care of all of the arrangements—flights, accommodations, diving, transfers, land tours—our friends just show up at the airport and go. Well, that’s the way it’s supposed to be. Sometimes the unexpected happens. If it has to do with trip arrangements, it’s our job to fix it. But it’s up you, the traveler, to plan properly before leaving home so nothing comes up due to oversight that you could have avoided. Below is our:

Pre-trip checklist of stuff you really, really need

With baggage weight limitations getting more restrictive all the time and excess weight fees skyrocketing, it is tempting to leave behind some of the things you might need and will definitely miss if you don’t have them. We don’t suggest you pack more, just pack more wisely. There are so many things we used to bring, like a portable tape player with speakers. Now we take an ipod.  I used to pack a portable iron. Now our clothes are wrinkle-proof microfiber. We never take hardcover books. Paperbacks only. And we select ones that both of us would like to read so we can trade. We take one pair of shoes, other than the ones on our feet. You get the idea . . .

1. Documents. Passport, photo ID, immunization card, tickets, credit card, dive certification card, medical insurance card. Get one of those document holders you wear around your neck so all the docs are in one place, handy and hard to lose. Make photocopies of these documents, store a copy in your carry-on luggage,  leave one copy at home.
2. Money. You can exchange US currency for the currency of the country you are visiting at the airport. We suggest you bring at least $20US in singles for tips to bellhops, airport porters, and so on. Tips in US money are welcome everywhere.
3. Don’t bring a lot of cash. When you travel with Joe Liburdi.com, most of your trip is prepaid. On a liveaboard meals are included. Not included would be alcohol, Nitrox, T-shirts, tips to the crew. Most boats accept credit cards.
4. When you use a credit card to travel, check that the card you plan to use doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. That is usually 3% of the purchase. Capital One does not charge a foreign transaction fee.
5. Prescriptions. Make sure you refill your prescription medications and pack them in your carry-on.
6. Over-the-counter meds. Better to pack the extras than find you didn’t and wish you had: insect repellent, sunscreen, hydrocortisone cream for itch, antibiotic ointment, Sudafed, Imodium, aspirin, swimmer’s ear drops, Dramamine, and Benedryl antihistamine  tablets, an antidote for an allergic reaction to a cut, sting or bite.
7. A small bottle of mouthwash, and it’s not to keep your breath fresh. It’s for your toothbrush. Even if you use bottled water to brush your teeth, and of course you know you should, you should sterilize your toothbrush by soaking it in a glass with mouthwash. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself from ingesting foreign bacteria.
8. Pack a sweatshirt or lightweight jacket for the airport and airplane.
9. Name tags for all your luggage with not just your home address but with your destination, too. If you and your luggage get separated, you don’t want it sent home; you want it sent to where you are going. Place a tag inside the luggage, too, in the event the outer tag comes off.
10. Batteries. Batteries for your dive computer, camera, strobe, underwater light—self-explanatory.
11. Power strip and converter. If you use rechargeable batteries, you will need to recharge them. Do not count on your destination hotel or boat to furnish what you will need.
12. Gear extras. Mask strap, fin straps, spare mask, regulator mouthpiece. And electrician’s tape! Can’t tell you how many things I’ve fixed with that!
13. If you’re traveling with a buddy, why not make a list of the necessities and split it? Why do two people need to bring shampoo? Or defog? Or toothpaste? Or tools?  Don’t duplicate. Share.
14. A camera. If you don’t take pictures of where you’ve been and what you’ve seen and who you were with, you will be really, really sorry.

Every once in a while something comes along that makes me flip. And this is one. It’s totally new, simple, and fun to use. You can take pictures on land, or put it in an Ikelite underwater housing and take it diving!

The Flip Video Ultra 2nd Generation Camcorder is simple and easy to use. There are no complicated menus or settings to navigate and no delicate media to worry about. With basic functions and a fixed focus lens, all you need to do is point the camera and shoot. The Ultra features a 4GB internal flash memory that can hold up to 120 minutes of full VGA, 30fps MPEG4 video. Because the footage is already in an Internet friendly format and size, it's ready to post to social media sites instantly. Just connect the flip out USB arm when you're done shooting and let the built-in FlipShare software guide you through the process of posting to sites such as YouTube, editing, e-mailing and more. If you're looking for a simple, affordable, and fun way to share your memories, the Ultra is the way to go.

• 4GB Internal Memory. Records up to 120 minutes of full VGA, 30fps MPEG4 footage to its 4GB built-in flash memory.
• Ease of Use. Features these simple controls: record, playback, pause, fast forward, rewind, zoom and delete.
• Flip Out Arm. When you're ready to transfer video to your PC or Mac, simply flip out the USB arm to share your memories via email or social media sites.
• 2" LCD Display. Easy to see place to compose and play back your videos.
• FlipShare Software. Helps you share your videos by walking you through the process of emailing, editing, capturing still images, and uploading to social media sites.

Ikelite Video Housing for Flip Ultra & Ultra HD  Video Cameras is compact ( just 5.5" wide x 4.25" high x 3.0" deep, weighs less than 1lb  above water and is neutrally buoyant underwater) and backed by Ikelite's long-standing reputation for excellence. A full line of accessories allows you to really get creative with your underwater video.  All camera controls are fully functional through the housing and depth rated to 200ft (60m). Easy open latch and drop in camera loading make set-up a breeze. Includes silicone lubricant, lanyard and removable UR/Pro color correcting filter for tropical blue water settings. This housing is compatible with second-generation Flip models U1120 and U2120 only.

Review by Evan Sherman

The Flip Camera and Ikelite Housing Package (with Flex Arm, Tray and Pro Video Light) are available from JoeLiburdi’s Dive & Photo for only $699.95!

Any underwater camera system you buy from Joe Liburdi’s Dive & Photo  comes with two hours of free instruction. He always starts with care and maintenance . It is essential that you know how to keep it dry. He then takes you step-by-step through assembly of the system, the controls and functions, and then how to take pictures.

If you already have a system and need some help, Joe is available at $50 per hour, with a minimum of two hours. He will tailor the instruction to suit your needs. If you are a beginner, he will work on the basics. If you are an experienced underwater photographer, he will review your images, critique them, then focus on those areas of imaging taking that you need. Call 949-476-8500 for an appointment.

If you are a videographer, we have Evan Sherman. For many of you, he needs no introduction. Evan is a professional videographer. His clients include PADI (underwater) and KIA Motors (topside). If you are not familiar with his talents, take a look at his website: www.SeasickProductions.com. Evan is available for video production and post production instruction at $60 per hour. He can be reached at 949-842-2112 or email: seasickfilms@aol.com.

What do you do with the pictures once you have taken them?  Review them and forget them? Come take our class on how to put your pictures into an exciting picture presentation preserved on DVD.  The instructor for the class is Rick Valasek, Joe’s own teacher. Course 1 is called: Import/Storing and Image Enhancement. It covers

• Tagging/catalog software and tactics
• Resizing and non-destructive cropping
• Color Correction and enhancement (including HDR procedures)
• Tonal Compression for inkjet printing, as well as publication printing
• Masking (the best kept secret of photo enhancement)
• Exposure strategy - once you know this...it will change the way you shoot forever!
• Correcting lens distortion (making those curved edges behave!)
• Removing things and putting things in your photos (not to fool people but to enhance them)
• Effects - everything from soft focus, to ultra-sharp line art effects
• Sharpening your photos - three ways to use unsharp masking and LAB color modes to “save” that once-in-a-lifetime shot
• Setting up your photos to print or integrate into a presentation program (two very different procedures).

The software used is very inexpensive software (some of this is actually free). Call  Joe at 949-476-8500 for details.

2272 Michelson Drive
In the Michelson Marketplace
Irvine
Phone • 949 . ISO . 8500

Regular retail cost: $1340

The Joe Liburdi’s Signature California Drysuit provides the best ratio of features to value in a drysuit. Its design and flexible material allows a diver to move incredibly freely in the water and on land, yet is robust enough for repeated hard-core wreck diving. The Freedom includes high-end features that are normally only found in suits costing twice the price.

• Front-entry
• Heavy Duty YKK Zipper
• Lightweight yet rugged Trilaminate material
• Reinforced knees for durability
• Low-profile 360-degree inflation and exhaust valves
• Internal elasticized waistband and suspenders for improved fit and comfort
• Durable, comfortable latex neck and wrist seals
• Large bellowed carrying pocket on right leg
• Standard leg pocket with Velcro closure
• Neoprene socks included
• Sizes: XS through 4XL, King 1, and King 2
• Full Pinnacle Aquatics warranty

And only Joe’s Signature California Drysuit package includes (elsewhere sold separately):

• Free lightweight under garment
• Free drysuit overboots
• Free 7mm zippered drysuit hood
• Free drysuit suspenders

See it at Joe Liburdi’s Dive & Photo, 2272 Michelson Drive in Irvine.

Joe Liburdi’s Dive & Photo gives scuba lessons. We teach Open Water through Divemaster. Our classes are limited to four students only, to ensure that each student gets as much individual attention as he or she needs. We have contracted with the Newport Beach Tennis Club to use its pool for classes. The pool is a Junior Olympic-sized saline pool, lighted and heated. The Club is located at 2601 Eastbluff, Newport Beach.

The PADI Drysuit Specialty consists of one pool session and one open water session. The cost is $150. If you purchase a drysuit, the cost is only $40.

Call Carl Felien for info: 949-476-8500 or email him at : carl@JLDiveandPhoto.

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