Rainbow Reef Dive Center buys Ocean Divers

[sportxlh]

For the record, I've done wreck doubles with RR in the past. Once was a SG and Duane combo and once a double on the SG. I'm not sure if those were special occasions or not, but they were nice days

 

[caruso]

I'll be diving with RR next month. I believe one trip I booked was a double on the SG. I've never dove with them before so I won't be able to give a comparison and I did consider other operators, but since I'm a solo diver I figured I rather buddy up with a free guide rather than someone I may not be happy about diving with.

Lots of divers choose Rainbow Reef because they don't charge extra for the dive guide. They are one of the few that do this. Others charge $50 and up for the same service.

As far as a double on the SG with RR? Not typical and on their website, their schedule for next month shows not one double on the SG. When I book a dive trip if possible I book it well in advance and I choose the sites and I know exactly where I'll be diving (weather and conditions not withstanding).

One reason I have been leaning towards the smaller dive ops in the Keys is because they're more flexible and often give the first divers to book the trip the choice of dive site, which can be a double on a wreck. The larger ops such as the ones that are the subject of this thread typically do not have the same flexibility. In fact RR has "Captains Choice" pencilled in as their default dive for many of their upcoming scheduled dives. It's not "Divers Choice".

For the record, I've done wreck doubles with RR in the past. Once was a SG and Duane combo and once a double on the SG. I'm not sure if those were special occasions or not, but they were nice days

If you didn't request it then you signed on after another group booked the double wreck dive. RR has an extensive website with their full schedule posted months in advance, I doubt you'll see any double wreck dives on there, like I said there are none for next month.

 

[azstinger11]

We aren't doing doubles but we are doing SG, Bibb, & Duane on 3 consecutive days. Right now those are all our first dives of the morning, then following with 3x reef dives (1 after the wrecks and then 2 in afternoon). We'd prefer more wrecks or some other deeper stuff, but as a first-time visitors/divers to the keys still is an appealing schedule. We are also doing a double on the Vandenburg, 2 trips with out of Jupiter, and of course, a shore dive at Blue Heron Bridge. Let's just call is the SE Florida sample pack lol.

 

[CuzzA]

Lots of divers choose Rainbow Reef because they don't charge extra for the dive guide. They are one of the few that do this. Others charge $50 and up for the same service.

As far as a double on the SG with RR? Not typical and on their website, their schedule for next month shows not one double on the SG. When I book a dive trip if possible I book it well in advance and I choose the sites and I know exactly where I'll be diving (weather and conditions not withstanding).

One reason I have been leaning towards the smaller dive ops in the Keys is because they're more flexible and often give the first divers to book the trip the choice of dive site, which can be a double on a wreck. The larger ops such as the ones that are the subject of this thread typically do not have the same flexibility. In fact RR has "Captains Choice" pencilled in as their default dive for many of their upcoming scheduled dives. It's not "Divers Choice".



If you didn't request it then you signed on after another group booked the double wreck dive. RR has an extensive website with their full schedule posted months in advance, I doubt you'll see any double wreck dives on there, like I said there are none for next month.

Yes, the trip I booked was SG and then a Captain's Choice, but when I called and asked they said a double has already been requested by a group.

I asked about diving solo and they said not without a self reliant cert. Other ops were a flat out no. So that's pretty much the sole reason I went with them as I would prefer a six pack, but with the free guide it made a little more sense.

 

[The Chairman]

As far as a double on the SG with RR? Not typical and on their website, their schedule for next month shows not one double on the SG.

It's a matter of timing and boat voting. If they leave late, it's just not possible. If they leave on or before time, then the boat gets to choose. I've dove doubles on the SG with them a half dozen times when I lived down there.

 

[caruso]

I asked about diving solo and they said not without a self reliant cert. Others ops were a flat out no.

What Florida Keys dive Op denied a certified solo the opportunity to dive solo? I'd avoid them simply for their crappy policy and lack of respect for the time, effort, and expense to obtain the certification.

It's a matter of timing and boat voting. If they leave late, it's just not possible. If they leave on or before time, then the boat gets to choose. I've dove doubles on the SG with them a half dozen times when I lived down there.

Then there's this.But again, I'd prefer to get it nailed down in advance with an Op that will promise to get me to the wrecks if the conditions allow for it rather than "if we leave on time and the majority vote is to do wrecks". Also a half a dozen times isn't all that many for a diver who lived in the area and presumably did 100s of dives with them.

 

[The Chairman]

I didn't much like the SG. It was better on its side.

 

[drrich2]

I didn't much like the SG. It was better on its side.

That surprised me. My SG dives were on my 2013 trip; all upright. One day we had a choice between the Duane and the Bibb; I'd been told the Duane has more animal life and was the better dive by a staff, and the Captain indicated the Bibb becomes interesting after you've done the Duane some times. Since those were basically 'twin' ships in fairly close proximity, the Duane upright and the Bibb on its side, I inferred that being upright was somehow preferable...though I've never figured out why.

We picked the Duane, by the way. I never dove the Bibb.

So with that context, why did you prefer the Spiegel Grove on its side?

Richard.

P.S.: My 2013 trip, with Rainbow Reef, we did a 'double dip' on the S.G. one morning - 9/22/13 per dive log.

 

[luscioman]

These I believe are the old boats they replaced with new boats.

The island hopper is a 2017 with under 200 hours. The Newton is a 1999.

 

[The Chairman]

So with that context, why did you prefer the Spiegel Grove on its side?

It was less contrived. I divide ships on the bottom of the ocean into two categories: Screamers and fakes. Boats that go down with passengers and crew screaming are the real wrecks. The SG is a fake: an artificial reef. Its appeal on its side was that it wasn't as sanitized that way. Now it's just an underwater jungle gym. My best dive on the SG was with @Capt Jim Wyatt who served on that ship in the Navy. In fact, my appreciation for it went up a few notches. But it's still there on purpose and not by an act of war, piracy or accident.