ScotFest ’26 Registration is now open!
On Saturday, November 7th, at 7:00PM, 24 intrepid adventurers will board the USCG certified dive vessel the Peace, select a private bunk, receive a mandatory safety briefing, then get some sleep to wake up to a fresh cooked breakfast at Santa Barbara Island, Sunday, November 8th!
ScotFest is an annual event centered around exploring the ocean and all things Scottish, held at the Channel Islands National Park!
NOAA predicts El Nino conditions this fall 2026, warmer water, more sea turtles and pelagic fish!!
Your ticket includes:
Santa Barbara Island
ScotFest is scheduled to go to: SANTA BARBARA ISLAND, the southernmost island in the Channel Islands National Park, 75 miles as the cormorant flies from the peaceful town with the same namesake. We expect to see: whales, dolphins, sea turtles, yellowtail, angel sharks, lots of different fish, kelp forests, nudibranchs, lobsters and much more! Water temperature is expected to be about 62 degrees and visibility of 75 feet is not uncommon. The island dock was damaged by a storm in 2015, so we can’t hike on the island, but we can scuba dive and snorkel for about 5 hours in the pristine waters around the island!
Destination is Santa Barbara Island, or at the Captain’s option, an alternate location if adverse sea or weather conditions are anticipated.
ScotFest has chartered an entire commercial dive vessel for this year’s event; so it will be you and just 23 other righteous individuals plying the high seas to explore the waters around the LEAST visited island in the Channel Islands National Park. California Spiny Lobster Season opens Friday, October 2nd, and Santa Barbara Island is the place to get your limit of big lobsters!
ScotFest is all-inclusive event, everyone is invited to ScotFest… yet only a few are lucky enough to know about it… so if you are reading this email, you are lucky. Please do not spread the word to unsavory characters, but feel free pass this email along and invite other excellent folks.
Diving will be beginner to intermediate.
Snorkelers are welcome! Though the dive sites will be optimized for scuba.
Bubble watchers are welcome!
Transportation
ScotFest transportation is provided by the Peace Dive Boat LLC, www.peaceboat.com, vessel boarding begins at 7PM on Saturday, November 7th and arrives back at Ventura Harbor at 6PM on November 8th.
Everyone is invited, so grab a friend and join us for the VERY BEST one day dive trip in California, maybe even the whole world!
This is the ONLY one day dive trips scheduled to Santa Barbara Island this year!
Payment
Passage is booked directly through me, aka Scott Engelman.
Trip total cost is $399.
There are 20 diver spots and 4 bubble-watcher spots. Divers are $399, bubble watchers are ½ price at $199. Scuba gear is available for rent at your local dive shop and Ventura Harbor.
Venmo payment is preferred: sengelman_2018. If you need other options, ask.
This trip WILL sell out; it is the only single day scuba trip SANTA BARBARA ISLAND this year. The cost of the trip is determined by the daily charter rate divided by 22 divers, I make no money on the trip, but hold all the financial risk.
Contact Scott for any questions or concerns! 303.718.3156