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100% Safety

This is our highest priority. All Vessels have undergone thorough USCG inspections and have been upgraded with safety features as required by the United States Coast Guard. Channel Islands Expeditions employs highly trained and qualified captains, crew, and guides who take pride in their work.

The CIEx Commitment to Service and Safety

The Channel Islands have been a world-class destination for divers, kayakers, adventure seekers, and wildlife researchers for over 50 years. The relative isolation of the islands makes it necessary to have a highly trained and experienced crew. Our top priority is ensuring that you have an excellent trip and our crew is committed to fulfilling that mission.

CIEx hires, trains, and retains experienced professionals of the highest quality to work on our team. Each year our team trains in realistic scenarios to ensure readiness and preparation.  We believe that teamwork is vital to keeping our commitment to providing amazing service and safety. We provide ample opportunities for our employees to grow and work together, from staff retreats to guide training.  Each member of our team is tasked with and responsible for keeping the CIEx commitment to the highest standards of service and safety.

All of our trips come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If you think we missed the mark, let us know and we’ll issue you full credit to return on a future trip so we can give you our best.

Top Down Fleet Safety Management System (SMS)

CIEx implements a SMS that follows International and USCG standards. Our SMS is approved by our board of directors and is implemented by our Fleet Operations Officer. The CIEx SMS follows three major principles: Training, Prevention & Transparency.

Prevention

Captains, crew, and guides are always working hard to provide our guests with the perfect blend of adventure and safety. Our years of experience in and on the ocean and at the islands inform our decisions about whether a situation is safe or not. 

Training

We train so that we can respond efficiently and effectively which can make a huge difference in a diver or other type of emergency. We run drill scenarios regularly to keep our skills sharp and our teamwork cohesive. Training helps us identify ways to reduce risks which aids in our prevention plans. We sometimes run drills while on expeditions with guests, so you’ll get to see what we’re all about.

Transparency

Our commitment to transparency means that we are always providing feedback and reports to our Fleet Operations Officer. If anything out of the ordinary occurs, we know right away and can take whatever steps necessary to respond. Our crew stays in constant communication and makes sure that any time a new potential risk is identified, we update our SMS accordingly. We regularly hold debriefings with our Fleet Operations Officer, captains, and crew in order to ensure the highest standard of safety. 

Recent Vessel Upgrades

Centralized Fire Detection System

A centralized fire detection and alarm system was recently installed on both liveaboard vessels. Early detection of a fire on board is the most effective way to avoid emergency situations. This system utilizes smoke and infrared detectors on all levels. There are also pull stations around the vessel so that passengers can alert all crew of an emergency at a moments notice.

More Exit Hatches

Each vessel has been upgraded with additional escape hatches from the bunk rooms to the weather deck. More points of exit make getting out of the bunk room much easier in the case of an emergency.

Fireproof Charging Cabinet

The Vision is equipped with a Denios Fireproof Charging Cabinet. Equipped with a thermal detection and fire suppression system, the cabinet will shut off power and begin fire suppression if any smoke or excess heat is detected. The cabinet is equipped with a ventilation system in order to prevent harmful fumes from entering the galley in the case of a fire.

All dive accessories must be charged in the cabinet.

Safety Protocols

Roving Night Watch

All of our liveaboard trips strictly adhere to the USCG rules requiring a roving night watch. This means that a crew member is on watch duty at all times during the night. During their watch, the crew member will rove from the galley to the bunk room and onto the pilothouse, engine room, stern, and bow. The roving night watch person is trained to report on anything even slightly out of the ordinary, ensuring that the captain and other crew members are ready to react should an emergency situation arise.

Mandatory Safety Orientation for Guests

Ensuring the safety of guests is our highest priority and one of the ways that we do so is to make sure each and every guest understands all relevant safety and emergency procedures while onboard a CIEx vessel. Every trip has a mandatory safety talk prior to departure. For liveaboard trips, we run all guests through an abandon ship drill prior to departure. During this drill, guests will have the opportunity to practice opening and closing the various escape hatches in the bunk room of the vessel.

No Charging of Personal Electronics in the Bunk Room or past 9 pm.

In order to ensure a safe charging environment for personal and dive electronics, we no longer permit any charging of personal items in the bunk room. For liveaboard dive trips on Vision, dive gear can be charged overnight in our fireproof charging cabinet. Phones and other personal electronics can be charged until 9 pm in the galley.

Bunk Diagrams and Escape Hatches

Guided Kayaking and Hiking - Experience Matters

Experience

Our guides have decades of experience leading kayak trips at the Channel Islands and use their cumulative knowledge to safely evaluate situations. We train our guides to respond to all kinds of emergencies so that they are prepared for anything.

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Equipment

CIEx provides all of our guests top quality kayaking equipment including kayak specific wetsuits (farmer johns) and helmets. Our easy-to-use sit-on-top kayaks are ideal for safer cave exploration and ease of reentry.

vessel-support

Vessel Support

The “mother-ship” remains in close contact via VHF marine radio with the guides at all times. Our ship’s tender, a rigid-hulled inflatable boat with high power outboard motor, is a quick response tool providing support when needed. Our kayaking trips are all one-way, so we don’t usually have to paddle into the wind!