The daytime event is called as “Chamber Day” and runs as it has in the past. (And don’t forget the date - Wednesday, May 6.)

SoCal’s finest dive boats donate their services for the day. They are (in alphabetical order): Bottom Scratcher, Great Escape, Magician, Pacific Star, Psalty V, Sand Dollar, Sea Bass, Second Stage, Sundiver, Sundiver Express, and Sundiver II. Here’s the way it works. (And for those who can’t actually take the day off, there’s always the Flying Dutchman. More on that later.)

You pay $90 for the day (all the proceeds go to the Chamber) and choose the boat you want to go on. (Book early because once a boat fills, it’s unavailable. Although we’ll hold a reservation for you for 72 hours, after that time, spots are only guaranteed when they are paid in full.) This year, all the boats are doing food-and-air-included so we’ll also collect $30 from you for that (making the total tab $120).

In general, the boats will leave their respective dock at 7AM and head for Catalina. (Some boats may allow you to board the night before and sleep on board.) You’ll get a commemorative Chamber Day 2009 t-shirt, five raffle tickets (you can buy more on your boat or at the Chamber), and make two dives at Catalina.

Sometime during the day, your boat will stop at our Catalina Chamber in Big Fisherman’s Cove. You’ll all disembark for a 75-minute overview of Chamber operations. L.A. County Lifeguards will explain their job, rescue helicopters and crews from the Coast Guard and Sheriffs will be on hand, and the Chamber crew will show you the Chamber itself, including taking you inside and pressurizing the Chamber to a depth of 1-foot. (Yes, you’ll have to clear your ears. It’s really weird and we can’t explain it logically. However, if you think you’re getting narked, then we’ve got to talk.)

Most of the boats will arrive back at their docks between 5 and 5:30PM. We try to radio all the boats on the way back to tell them their raffle winners. All raffle prizes will be available in front of the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach at our drive-up raffle prize pick-up table. But we can’t do any of this unless you sign up for the event by calling 310/652-4990 or by going to our secure server. Come alone, or come with a friend, but just come.

But if you can’t do the daytime event (or if you do the daytime and want to cap it off with a fabulous evening) . . .