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April 07, 2022

Article Chula Vista

MGBW Continues Celebrating Working Women of the Waterfront – Ocean Odyssey

MGBW continues their celebrations by highlighting yet another Woman Working the Waterfront, and the waters! Dina Grivetto owns and runs Ocean Odyssey, a SCUBA, Sport Fishing and Marine Science Floating Classroom. We asked Dina a few questions about Ocean Odyssey and here is what she had to say:

To my understanding she is a family owned but women ran company, is that correct? How many women are involved with the success of the company?

The Ocean Odyssey was founded by my parents Lou and Sandy Grivetto in 1995, before that they had several other sportfishing and SCUBA diving boats dating back to 1971. My father passed away in 2010. My mother, Sandy, had been in declining health since 2007 and slowly turned over the day-to-day operation of Ocean Odyssey to me around the same time. I have been captaining Ocean Odyssey since 2002 and have been involved in the back-office operations since I was old enough to work, yes child labor is real in fishing families, so it was a natural progression for me to become the Operating Manager. I still consulted with her for advice, she didn’t get to be a multi boat owner by not being savvy. Sadly, after battling numerous health issues for the past decade, she passed in May of 2021. I have inherited her legacy, but it takes a village.

I found this link that gave me a brief intro in the Marine program that you do.
https://www.oceanodysseyfishing.com/marine-science.shtml
When did you start doing this program and how did it come about?

My parents had heard about the Floating Lab through a mutual friend and sportfishing boat owner that was running a similar program in LA Harbor and was really intrigued, they wanted to diversify and not just use their current boat for fishing. At that time, they didn’t have a large enough boat that could accommodate that type of field trip. That soon changed with the purchase of a larger vessel. In 1981 they purchased the 65-foot M/V Horizon, and the San Diego chapter of the Los Angeles County Marine Science Floating Classroom was created.

What is the bidding process like? Who spearheads the program?

The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE), Outdoor Schools program is who awards the Ocean Odyssey the contract. They took over the contract from LA County Schools in the 1990’s. San Diego County schools can contact them to make their classroom reservation. I also own San Diego Floating Lab, Inc. for groups that cannot contract with the SDCOE but would still like to reserve a field trip. Although, I refer most local groups to the SDCOE to make their reservation as I am one person working in my office and the volume of calls and emails received is more than I can handle. I have plans to grow Floating Lab and take more charters in house, but that would require hiring more staff and with the staffing crisis as it is right now I think this plan will sit on pause for a little while longer. Also, with the COVID restrictions as they are, the volume of trips that we were taking pre COVID has dropped by 3/4, so until restrictions are lessened, my mother’s baby will stay in semi-hibernation. But I have ideas to grow!

Aside from the great days on and off the sea with Ocean Odyssey, Dina enjoys working out. She enjoys fitness and anything to do with it. Check out the Ocean Odyssey website for more information on their services.

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