Tax Seminars

When & Where

Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI's)

Learn tax strategies while sailing in the warm waters of the Caribbean.

 Where:  The BVI's are just east of the US Virgin Islands                                                     

When: May 2004

What: Tax laws have changed and will change again. Do you know how to prepare yourself?  There are deductions available for travel, and other expenses.  Learn how to take them and save taxes.  Added bonus spend time with Douglas Greenspan.  Noted accountant (Lifetime member Strathmore's Who's Who) and tax arbiter.  He will be available to discuss your individual tax situation.

Cost:  $1,200 per person double occupancy includes: All lodging on board the boat, all breakfasts and lunches and 4 dinners on board.  Does not include meals on shore, diving equipment/sporting equipment, air fills, taxes, mooring fees or airfare.  Airfare runs approximately $500-$700.

The trip requires a 50% deposit when booking, with the balance due 60 days prior to departure.

We will be sailing around the islands including Yost Van Dyke, Virgin Gorda, and the southern Islands, in waters with temperatures in the mid to high 80's.

The boat shown at right is the planned configuration, a Lagoon 41 with 4 staterooms and 4 heads (bathrooms).  This is subject to change due to number of persons or lack of availability of the particular boat.  All boats used are newer catamarans or sail boats.

The diving is fabulous from the Wreck of the Rhone to the beautiful coral reefs and bountiful sea life.  Water clarity runs to 100+ feet visibility.

The local bars provide a fun nightlife and the many wonderful restaurants will please your palette. 

Dive training and openwater checkouts are available, but have to be prearranged.  Price for training depends on the number of students and level of training desired.  Please let Doug Greenspan know when booking.  Doug is a NAUI instructor with over 10 years teaching experience.

To book the trip an/or get information contact
Doug Greenspan.

Also check out BVI's for more information

Socorro Islands

This is an incredible trip if you are interested in large pelagic creatures.

Where:  250 Miles south of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

What: Tax laws have changed and will change again. Do you know how to prepare yourself?  There are deductions available for travel, and other expenses.  Learn how to take them and save taxes.  Added bonus spend time with Douglas Greenspan.  Noted accountant (Lifetime member Strathmore's Who's Who) and tax arbiter.  He will be available to discuss your individual tax situation.

When: November 2004

Cost:  $2,895/$2,995 (Per Person Double Occupancy) for Standard/Deluxe Accommodations, Air runs approximately $290.

Includes:  Live aboard dive boat accommodations on the Solmar V,  all meals, in room bath, in room TV and VCR, and all diving for 9 days.  (If I can Fill the boat, I will be able to get at least a 10% discount for everyone.

The Trip requires a $1,500 deposit  with the balance due in August. 
If you are interested in going, please send your deposit ASAP.  The trip is filling fast.

          Stroking the tummy of a curious Manta!                    Schooling Hammerheads near the Cleaning Station

Reports from Traveling Divers

The Magic of Mantas at Socorro 

How often can one have the experience of returning to a long-time favorite–and actually have it be better than the first time?

Some years ago, I traveled to Socorro and San Benedicto in the Revillagigedos Islands 240 miles South of Baja. 

Like Cocos and Malpelo, this is one of those special places which only aficionados of big animals ever visit.

The advent of the modern, 20-passenger Solmar V finally brought this elite audience the wonders of Socorro without discomfort. Large, stable, lavishly equipped, Solmar V 
enables divers to mount an all-out photo attack on one of the sea’s singular spectaculars. While enjoying this blessing of Nature, they could also lounge in air-conditioned 
salons, eat superb food and have a smooth, stabilized ride.  For an intrepid few, the rewards of diving San Benedicto are powerful indeed.  Around the island, the long-famed 
"Boiler" formation has now been joined by the Submarine Canyon in any manta lover’s Hall of Fame. 

The two sites are on opposite sides of the island, assuring good conditions for diving in a variety of wind and current conditions.

On this latest cruise, we visited remote Roca Partida with its cornucopia of open-water wildlife, and we visited varied shallow sites around Socorro Island. We all agreed, 
though, that the Submarine Canyon dives simply stole the show with an amazing one-two punch. 

First, at the end of a series of underwater pinnacles crowning the western wall of the canyon there is a hammerhead shark cleaning station, lube and oil service supplied 
by a swarm of barber butterfly fish. The sharks were at the cleaning site on most dives, reluctantly dispersing only when subjected to a Royal-Wedding-scale barrage of 
photoflashes.

Ah, but then… 
It seems that each time we made our way to film the sharks, jealous eyes were watching.  Invariably, we would gaze longingly as the last shark drifted away, then suddenly 
discover that one or more huge mantas had joined us.

There are now several places in the world which offer diving with mantas.  I confess that I have loved them all for their moments of serenity and grace.  They have generously 
conferred peace on troubled souls. Having said that, the mantas of San Benedicto are totally in a class by themselves. They are behemoths, often fifteen feet or more across 
the wingspan. 

They sweep toward you like jet-black fighter planes with white markings, and your heart rat-tat-tats no matter how many times you’ve seen them before. 

In all of the world’s diving, this is the ultimate manta encounter.

For those of you who have never experienced the thrill of interacting with these giants, I urge you to seize the opportunity. They come right to you, presenting themselves to 
be stroked, watching you carefully, often slowing to a dead stop and hovering a few feet away.

I spent countless hours trying to capture that perfect composition, some photo that would capture even a hint of what it is really like to swim with them. In the end, of course, 
I was reminded that no picture, no matter how artful, can substitute for being there.  A mere hint is all I can offer you, with my promise that you will always remember the 
moments you spent soaring with these great, graceful spirits… 

Channel Islands

Private trips to the Channel Islands can be scheduled at any time.  The cost ranges from $4,200 and up for the boat, diving, and my services as an instructor/guide for a week. 
Pricing for shorter trips. depends on number of days and day of week desired.  Trips can be as short as 4days.  Food is extra and can be supplied or brought by guests.

On our last trip to the Channel Islands, we had the great privilege of seeing a blue whale, in addition to the myriad of dolphin, garibaldi, seals, sea lions, rays, spotted sand sharks . . .

Contact: Douglas Greenspan doug@the-greenspan.com
P.O. Box 4656, Boulder, CO  80306
Denver Metro Area: (303) 444-3440     Entire US and Canada (800) EARTH29

Other Scuba Sites of interest: Ikelite Underwater Systems, Cressi-sub USA, Beuchat Diving Equipment, Underwater Kinetics, Pelican Products Dive Division, Suunto Computers, Aqualung, Seaquest, NiteRider Tech. Lighting Systems, Dive Rite, Pioneer Research, Zeagle Dive Equipment, Poseidon, Akona, Northern Diver, Armor Products, Sea and Sea Underwater Photography, Islander Kayaks, EWA Marine Cameras, Henderson Aquatics, Apollo, Genesis Scuba, Body Glove, Atomic Aquatics, Scubapro, Bare Sportswear Corp. Trident Accessories, 

Mantas at San Benedicto                 
This is a picture from our trip to Socorro, in January 03
a great trip, and a great group.   Photo by Doug Richardson

Send mail to Douglas Greenspan with questions or comments about this web site.                         
Copyright © 2003 The GreenSpan® Group
Last modified: January 31, 2008