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Classified Destination, Adventure Guaranteed: Black Ops Dive Travel by Gil Zeimer , ScubaStoryteller.com and Zeimer.com, CA
W HAT ARE “BLACK OPS?” Think secret, clan- destine, off-the-books military or intelligence operations where the government denies any in- volvement. Think James Bond. Think “The Agency” (CIA).
high-stakes adventure where nothing was known except the dates and the price. “Beyond that, it was all a mystery,” explained Lauren. “The destination, itinerary, and even their fellow operatives remained Extremely Classified until the mailing list recruits uncovered the truth through clues, challenges, and games each day. Best of all, to further add to the mystery, the operatives didn’t find out where they were going until they got to the airport!”
Think “Mission Impossible.” That’s all Hollywood fiction.
But one Albuquerque company has dived in with both fins to offer an annual Black Ops trip for the past three years. I
asked Lauren Vail, co-owner of ScubaCo Travel and its ScubaCo Dive Shop, and her partner, Yas- many (“Yas”) Fuentes, what the catalyst was behind this cool idea.
“We wanted to determine whether they were resourceful enough to crack the codes,” she continued. “If they were adven- turous enough to embrace the un- expected… if they’d get excited reading ‘This is not your average vacation – it’s a journey where your instincts, curiosity, and adapt- ability will be put to the test.’” In that mailing, the ScubaCo Travel team telegraphed “What to Expect,” with all the markings
How Black Ops Was Born. “The original concept behind this trip came from one of our instructors who wanted to sur- prise his friend with a special birthday dive trip to an undis- closed location,” said Lauren. “We loved that idea so much that it evolved into a Black Ops trip.” “We’re located about six miles from Kirtland Air Force Base, which employs between 20,000 to 23,000 active-duty military, civilians, contractors, and Guard/Reserve personnel. Since many of our customers are stationed here, we thought a Black Ops dive trip would grab their interest because they often hear, ‘Show up and find out.’” Yas added, “This type of trip was a perfect complement to ScubaCo Travel’s offerings because we created our company to give dive retailers and traveling divers a higher level of service than the standard wholesaler model. So instead of simply booking trips and stepping away, our team supports customers from departure to return, helping with airport delays, special occasions, certifications, emergencies, and on- trip coordination.” A Redacted Letter Masked Key Facts. For its first Black Ops trip in 2024, ScubaCo Travel mailed a plain manila envelope to prospective operatives with a redacted “Top Secret” letter highlighting a one-of-a-kind,
of a top-secret military operation: Daily puzzles and riddles revealing each day’s mission. ▪ Thrilling, immersive experiences in a secret location. ▪ A team of equally adventurous, like-minded mystery seek- ▪ ers. Unparalleled excitement as the adventure unfolds in real- ▪ time. Yas declared, “We closed the first letter with 'Invite Only’ – stay tuned for delivery of directives, get ready to dive into the unknown, and asked them to contact us to accept the mission of a top-secret trip they only knew would include a seven- night stay, food, and round-trip airfare departing from the ABQ International Sunport.” To ratchet up the mystery even more, operatives were told not to share any information with their friends or dive
buddies, and to use secretive code names. Exciting, But Not Inexpensive Trips.
Though the first Black Ops trip in 2024 cost $4,000, it sold out in three weeks. Lauren and Yas flew with 18 operatives to Cozumel for diving, sea turtle hatching and releasing, a local
29 | SCUBA DIVING INDUSTRY
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