While this statement appears to be rooted in common sense wisdom on the surface, I happen to not agree with it completely. There have been times when commercial captains have refused to go out "due to weather" but I still went out & my silly little boat did fine on that same day. when only one boat is going, it makes me want to reevaluate the situation and give greater scrutiny, but it is not an automatic hard no for me to go with those guys that day. This applies to other types of boats as well, not just the dive guys.
Palm Beach Dive Thread
- Thread starter Divin'Papaw
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OP
You make it sound like no one else has to deal with traveling long distances and getting blown out. I used to drive long distances to dive all around the Great Lakes or to NC for wreck diving. I was regularly blown out 30-50% of the time on those trips. A group of buddies and I once drive 15 hours to NC for a 4-day wreck diving trip. We never splashed once. It happens. I will always happily find something else to do onshore than take risks to go out when the vast majority are not running. YMMV.
OP
Pavao
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I can sympathize with the situations you may find/have found yourself in, but I gotta say, it’s heartbreaking reading this, “worth a try”.
It isn’t about comfort, while bouncing boats aren’t all that fun and some of us can tolerate that better than others, or may HAVE to endure that while others needn’t do so, there’s a limit of how rough it is doable to go out on a dive boat, not from a comfort perspective, but from safety, and when the scales tip towards unsafe, how can we deem it “worth a try”?
Not only the risk for injury increases, but if an incident were to happen, and I don’t mean an incident related to rough seas, any incident we expose ourselves to on any given dive, you now will find yourself in a situation made a lot worse because of the conditions, if picking up divers in rough seas are hard enough, imagine rescuing an unconscious diver when the boat platform is bouncing 6ft up from the water, just to give one example.
Pavao
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A lot of people saying that, but idk man, I’m seeing a lot of lobsters, and I’m just generally going on a straight line given I’m carrying the float ball, this past weekend current was screaming, I saw about 20 lobsters on first dive, at least 1 person got his limit on that dive. Second dive I personally snared 5 and we didn’t even make it to what the actual lobster spot was, due to the strong currents.
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Back to Palm Beach diving
I've been diving Boynton, Palm Beach, and Jupiter for 16 years now, year around. When my primary charter cancelled due to conditions, usually this was Boynton, I would scramble and try to book with another operator. Sometimes I could get a ride in Jupiter, more often this was in Palm Beach. Sometimes seas were not as bad as predicted, sometimes they were, or worse. I've been ejected off the ladder or hit by the ladder several times. I've maneuvered around the boat, risking life and limb on the bouncing deck.
This might nearly always work out OK for younger, strong and fit divers. Unfortunately, I am not as young, strong and fit as I once was and no longer take those risks. Now, when my primary charter cancels due to conditions, I simply thank them for assuring my safety. This gives me the opportunity for a nice bike ride with a stop at the Boynton inlet to check sea conditions. I frequently see large, breaking swells before continuing my peaceful ride.
I've been diving Boynton, Palm Beach, and Jupiter for 16 years now, year around. When my primary charter cancelled due to conditions, usually this was Boynton, I would scramble and try to book with another operator. Sometimes I could get a ride in Jupiter, more often this was in Palm Beach. Sometimes seas were not as bad as predicted, sometimes they were, or worse. I've been ejected off the ladder or hit by the ladder several times. I've maneuvered around the boat, risking life and limb on the bouncing deck.
This might nearly always work out OK for younger, strong and fit divers. Unfortunately, I am not as young, strong and fit as I once was and no longer take those risks. Now, when my primary charter cancels due to conditions, I simply thank them for assuring my safety. This gives me the opportunity for a nice bike ride with a stop at the Boynton inlet to check sea conditions. I frequently see large, breaking swells before continuing my peaceful ride.
tekkydiver
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Not unlike many Yankees who come to Florida and piss and whine on Dive and Fishing Boats, stores and restaurants and act like they are all owed...
johndiver999
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Pavao
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Lol I can see that, but wasn’t my intention. In fact I’m saying because a lot of experienced hunters are saying that, makes me curious if I’m just being this lucky to always be on the few or only “lobster line” out there now.
It's obviously not that black and white. The lobsters move around.
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