3x CLIPPER DIVES SAT 16 AUG $200

[LVX]

Not that it matters, but in mid July (12th), the vis was great down to 120. Probably around 60 ft or more. After 120 down to the bottom at 134, vis dropped to a few feet. Vis changes every day out there. I was with Tim a couple of years ago diving some of the other wrecks down there and one day vis was less than 10 ft but you could see the blue water just a few hundred yards away. The next day the blue water had pushed over and we had 70-80 ft in the same area...

 

[ReefHound]

Don't you dive the Gulf? It seems like you would since you live in Houston. If you do, you would know the conditions change quickly. You'd also know that the best time to dive the Gulf is this time of year...at least when there hasn't been a major storm.

Just because conditions weren't optimum this weekend doesn't mean they haven't improved. The last time I was in SPI vis was horrible. By the very next day it had improved dramatically. I'm not doubting the folks who reported vis was bad this weekend. If they say so then I believe them. I have no reason not too...just like you don't have a reason to doubt the OP. What makes it OK to take one person's word, but not another?

I've been in the gulf many times, in all kinds of conditions, even dived the Clipper. I know how fickle the gulf is and how vis can vary. And people thinking about spending good money on this trip deserve to know as well. That's all my point is. If one is going to relate how vis has been 50' this summer one has an obligation to also note how vis has sometimes been 5'. I hope everyone going is greeted with calm seas, no current, and 100' vis. But they should also be prepared for rough seas and lousy vis, or to accept an alternate dive site with better conditions.

I am not questioning Tim's accuracy or integrity. I don't know what Tim actually said to the OP or in what context. He hasn't posted a report for the last trip so there is nothing to dispute about it. I know that he truly wants divers to have safe and satisfying dives. I'll also note that while my friend reported 5' on the Clipper, they found a rig with 40' so Tim will do his best to find you blue water.

 

[k-valve]

I am not questioning Tim's accuracy or integrity. I don't know what Tim actually said to the OP or in what context.

Really? That's not what you said earlier...

I'll question it...

Gotta make up your mind. Either you're questioning it or you're not.

My whole point from the beginning is that the one thing we can count on is that the conditions in the Gulf change quickly. One day it's good...the next it isn't...and visa versa. Just because it was crappy on Saturday doesn't mean squat...not even for Sunday. I don't know, but I think most people would anticipate poor conditions olut there after a major storm...for all the reasons ctref4 listed and because the thermoclines are going to get stirred up. Fact is, this is the best time of year to dive the Gulf (Clipper, FG, rigs, etc). Seas and viz are usually at their best now unless a big storm is rollling through.

What aggravated me the most was that anyone would feel entitled to question someone else about a subject they know nothing about (i.e. the viz out at the Clipper on Monday) and then discourage other divers from going on a dive scheduled almost two weeks later. If I misread that from the other two posters (ctref4 & paulw) then I sincerely apologize.

 

[paul19may]

Disclaimer and balance added to the original post regarding visibility and the potential lack of it. Thank you all for your input.

 

[ReefHound]

I was questioning the OP's understanding of what Tim said and in what context. Nobody knows what the vis was out there Monday, unless Tim was out there Monday which I doubt.

I didn't see where they were telling people not to go. They were just letting people know of the most recent conditions. What exactly is your problem with that? If people are as informed and understanding of how vis can vary as you suggest, then there should be no reason to sell the trip by touting 50' viz when the most recent report was 5' vis.

 

[ctref4]

K-valve, Thanks for the understanding, But your right! Although, when Paulw posted about the trip coming up, I was updating and explaning what I heard from a local instructor with plenty of experience on the conditions at the time of his dive. And for him to tell me that it was a wast of money, I thought it would be nice to explain to someone planning a trip, that the last dive on the Clipper was not all it could or would have been prior to Dolly coming ashore. I was not trying to scare or discourage anyone from planning a dive. For that matter, any planned dive might not be as good as it could have been due to water conditions or weather. I sincerely apologize if that is the way everyone took my post. IF I was going to plan a dive I would want to check the weather and conditions, especially after a big storm came through, before I went diving. I am going to Travis this weekend and there is no guarantee that the viz there is going to worth a darn. Mostly from experience and a storm just went through there dumping rain and lots of run off water could possibly screw up the conditions. But we wont know until we get there. Sorry!

C

 

[ReefHound]

Excellent disclaimer. I do not think it will deter any serious local diver (I spent $200 and ended up with one dive on the Clipper with less than 20' viz and was delighted) but maybe will avoid disappointment from the "resort" diver type thinking it'll be like a day trip to Cozumel.

 

[k-valve]

Wow...you really are a piece of work...

I was questioning the OP's understanding of what Tim said and in what context. Nobody knows what the vis was out there Monday, unless Tim was out there Monday which I doubt.

What gives you the right to question anyone about anything? Is there something special about you that we don't know? Why would you doubt Tim would go out there Monday? It's his business. I would think he'd want to know what the conditions are...especially if he thought they were improving.

I didn't see where they were telling people not to go. They were just letting people know of the most recent conditions. What exactly is your problem with that?

I never said they were "telling people not to go." What I said was that it didn't make sense to me to "discourage" people from planning a trip two weeks out with reports of crappy conditions. I'm not going to repeat the entire explanation for you just because you either didn't read or can't comprehend the reasoning. We know the conditions out there change rapidly.

If people are as informed and understanding of how vis can vary as you suggest, then there should be no reason to sell the trip by touting 50' viz when the most recent report was 5' vis.

I guess you must be the resident expert on all things about the Gulf, huh? I imagine there are several people on this board who would disagree with that. Your statement insults the intelligence of the rest of us. You don't have any special knowledge or understanding that others don't have.

I didn't feel like anyone was trying to sell a trip. Paul has nothing to gain. He's just going down there with some folks and made it known that there were spots available and shared what he was told about the conditions. We post trip reports and talk up get-togethers all the time. This is no different except for the fact that you felt the complusion to interject your bs into the conversation.

BTW, I have an email sitting in my mailbox now directly from the dive operation telling me that vis is around 40' and they are expecting it to continue to improve as the silt settles after the storm. I have no reason to doubt their word, so I'll take it as the truth. You can take it anyway you'd like.

 

[k-valve]

Excellent disclaimer. I do not think it will deter any serious local diver (I spent $200 and ended up with one dive on the Clipper with less than 20' viz and was delighted) but maybe will avoid disappointment from the "resort" diver type thinking it'll be like a day trip to Cozumel.

I think you should add the following disclaimer to all your posts:

This post is just the opinion of one :mooner: and does not represent those of the other members on this board.

 

[freedvr]

Bottom line is, I have jumped in on the Clipper to tie off and had 40 ft of viz. By the time the first group of divers came out of the water they reported less than 20 ft. and by the end of dive three we were back up to 40. I have never dived anywhere near as schizophrenic as the GoM in my life.

We have not been back out to the Clipper since Saturday and won't be out again until this coming Saturday. My best guess would be that with the calm seas and weather, conditions would have to be improving....however, I have lost that bet before. The only real truth is no one will know the conditions on the Clipper until they are in the water equalizing, making their descent on the downline to her observation deck. And whether it is 5', 50' or 500' of viz, it sure as hell beats sitting behind a computer speculating about it all day.