Saw a new dive charter today.

[edwants2dive]

I've heard some "time & distance' comments. Mostly was 'you went too far' or stayed down too long. Every buddy-team pulling their own flag is expected in that area and not a valid complaint IMHO. Looking forward to your report. Special request> If there's a speargun rack on the boat can you take a picture of it, LOL!!

So I pulled the trigger (pun intended) and booked on Sunday also ( cause I want to meet and dive with Jim). We'll see how it goes. I am guessing they supply the flags if each team has to tow one. I expect they will say 1 hr from splash to deck on the dives like most in that area. As far as distance goes that is a result of the current although I have personally seen dive groups kick in a 3 knot current it's like riding a motorcycle over the reef.
Last thing ... the first dive that day will be my 100th finally in triple digits!!

 

[edwants2dive]

@Johnoly why don't you come join us!

 

[Johnoly]

@Johnoly why don't you come join us!

On a project for the next week and that's why I dove today, back at it the following week. We have the annual Manta Ray migration in 2 wks and then the mullet run with the spinner sharks following them . It always makes the TV news every year cause it's thousands of spinners sharks right next to the beach and TV loves the whole 'Jaws' theme from the news chopper's video..

 

[edwants2dive]

Hmm 2 weeks for manta migration.. That is my next diving weekend. Should make for some awesome sights diving.

 

[Ana]

That gunnel of yours would look pretty nice with a rescue dog standing up on it.....

I just saw this from January... Who would've thought you were predicting the future.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Went out today with AquaLife. @edwants2dive was able to join me. I’m sorry to say that I’m not a fan. Which really stinks because I was very much hoping that I was really going to like them.

Here are a few of the reasons:

1. Layout of the boat is not great. Actually thinking about it tonight, it’s actually pretty awful. All of the tank racks are in the center and it makes moving around the boat very difficult. With 13 people on board it very much felt like you were always running into or over someone else.
2. No verbal roll calls were done at any time. Not one leaving the dock nor after either of the dives.
3. No dive briefings were given whatsoever for either dive. Multiple times I had to ask the divemaster what we were doing, what the plan was? No communication to the entire boat whatsoever about the site nor about the dive parameters other than no less than 500 psi when reboarding the boat. That was actually covered during a very minimal safety briefing before leaving the dock.
4. On the second dive which was supposed to be a 40 to 65 foot reef dive the captain dropped everyone in 90 feet of water. No one found the reef line. There was some scattered patch reef around in 70 to 90 feet of water but no one got the dive that they were supposed to get.
5. For reasons I still don’t understand because it wasn’t explained, the divemaster was not able to attach the mooring ball to the Sea Emperor after two attempts. Something was mentioned about the current having something to do with it but the current really was very manageable. Thankfully we all dived it anyway. Ed and I brought our own flag and just hooked it off on the wreck at points, I did learn after the fact that the divemaster was able to secure a flag buoy to the wreck just not the mooring line & ball. Of course I didn’t know that before the dive because there was no briefing that’s why Ed and I brought our own flag. I did see the buoy attached to the wreck during our dive but I honestly thought that was from another group of divers. Regardless that at least was a decent dive.

Pros:

1. Cost … $69
2. Free parking right by the boat

I’ve attached a few photos. @Johnoly I took a couple photos of the spear gun rack.

Unfortunately I’m left still looking for a replacement for Pompano Dive Center. There doesn’t seem to be any charter operator that’s of that caliber in Pompano Beach. I’m afraid AquaLife isn’t it.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Fins off ladder is also a bit meh to me.

 

[Johnoly]

@Johnoly I took a couple photos of the spear gun rack.

WooHoo (I love Racks!!)....Lots of changes from their 1st start. Originally they only had seats under cover because it was an 'un-inspected' 6 pack boat and I could understand that center seat configuration. But now it looks like it's an 'inspected' boat so more divers. But I agree the outside seating configuration no longer makes sense. Let alone I'll bet it's a major pain in the butt to check fluids in the morning for the capt.

In my own opinion>>No roll call is a lawsuit just waiting to happen on a non returning diver and like 99% of suits the whole manifest will get depo'd and checked for deep pockets.

So did you get surface interval snacks, LOL!!

 

[seeker242]

Damm, boat sounds like a cluster#@&#. No roll call vs free parking next to boat, hmm.

 

[edwants2dive]

Went out today with AquaLife. @edwants2dive was able to join me. I’m sorry to say that I’m not a fan. Which really stinks because I was very much hoping that I was really going to like them.

Here are a few of the reasons:

1. Layout of the boat is not great. Actually thinking about it tonight, it’s actually pretty awful. All of the tank racks are in the center and it makes moving around the boat very difficult. With 13 people on board it very much felt like you were always running into or over someone else.
2. No verbal roll calls were done at any time. Not one leaving the dock nor after either of the dives.
3. No dive briefings were given whatsoever for either dive. Multiple times I had to ask the divemaster what we were doing, what the plan was? No communication to the entire boat whatsoever about the site nor about the dive parameters other than no less than 500 psi when reboarding the boat. That was actually covered during a very minimal safety briefing before leaving the dock.
4. On the second dive which was supposed to be a 40 to 65 foot reef dive the captain dropped everyone in 90 feet of water. No one found the reef line. There was some scattered patch reef around in 70 to 90 feet of water but no one got the dive that they were supposed to get.
5. For reasons I still don’t understand because it wasn’t explained, the divemaster was not able to attach the mooring ball to the Sea Emperor after two attempts. Something was mentioned about the current having something to do with it but the current really was very manageable. Thankfully we all dived it anyway. Ed and I brought our own flag and just hooked it off on the wreck at points, I did learn after the fact that the divemaster was able to secure a flag buoy to the wreck just not the mooring line & ball. Of course I didn’t know that before the dive because there was no briefing that’s why Ed and I brought our own flag. I did see the buoy attached to the wreck during our dive but I honestly thought that was from another group of divers. Regardless that at least was a decent dive.

Pros:

1. Cost … $69
2. Free parking right by the boat

I’ve attached a few photos. @Johnoly I took a couple photos of the spear gun rack.

Unfortunately I’m left still looking for a replacement for Pompano Dive Center. There doesn’t seem to be any charter operator that’s of that caliber in Pompano Beach. I’m afraid AquaLife isn’t it.

Thanks to @Divin'Papaw for diving with me yesterday honestly that was the best part of the day. I am going to add some of my thoughts to Jim's review below adding my view to his excellent points.

1. Spot on! Talk about a cattle boat, getting from the shaded seats to the swim deck was like going through a cattle chute. Also no storage space at all under most of the seating.
2. What else can I say here except that is just plain negligent\stupid! I did see the DM count people but if your count is short how do you know who is missing.
3. I wonder here if the DM actually had any familiarity with the first site ( Sea Emperor/Aqua Zoo) guessing not. The dockside briefing was as Jim said minimal it was like he was just checking of a box "safety brief" done. Oh they did also say no Deco dives I will give them that but that is the only thing I will give them.
4. Yep what got me on this also was this statement "just swim west you will find it' that is not a briefing. I attribute this to an inexperienced captain who doesn't know the area. That is no excuse though reading the depth finder would show you the bottom contours oh and depth. I also feel it is irresponsible to drop divers in the water on a second dive that is way deeper than the water on the first dive site(70').
5. Again back to the DM's familiarity with the site did he have any? As for the current I believe I heard him say it was "ripping" well if you have ever dove down here you know what a ripping current is and that current was not it! I think it was said as an excuse as to his inability to tie off and maybe for the group we had on the boat from out of the area who had not dove in currents like they can get here.

Ok now a couple of notes of my own.
1. The boat owner: He has a bad rep down here from most things I have heard. Yesterday just affirmed my own experience with him 6 years ago that I alluded to earlier in the thread. I won't go into details of it but let's say I almost gave up diving because of him. I decided to give "him" a second chance like I do with most businesses but he won't get a third!
2. There was no gear rinse station at the dock (unless I missed it).

In closing let's just say I will not be diving with them again especially after Jim told me I was ready to graduate to diving in Jupiter.