- Messages
- 1,844
- Reaction score
- 520
- # of dives
- None - Not Certified
I only have one word to describe my experience with Cristal Clear Charters yesterday morning... Outstanding!
Tropicaledit & myself decided to take advantgage of the free dive on Thursday and from the moment I called on Friday to make the reservations until the moment we began to drive back to FT. Lauderdale we were met with nothing but courtesy.
We were lucky to pick Saturday to dive as it was perfect! The seas were flat calm, the water was 74 degrees and hardly any wind even tho the report called for 10 to 15 knot winds and rain.
The Cristal Clear Charters facilities were awesome... A nice little store well stocked with all your last minute items, clean bathroom, firendly staff and best of all a huge 42 foot dive boat with George the capt. and Matt the DM.
We arrived at the dock around 7:50 AM after a bit of searching for Segate blvd. (Don't ask the locals for directions... all they know is mile markers and land marks. Instead ask for The Pilot House) The crew was already there readying the boat and there was an instructor and his student who for some reason called their dive. So, initially it looked like we were going to have a private charter which made me feel bad for Cristal Clear even tho the crew tried to make me feel better about it. I didn't want them to loose money on 2 free divers. Luckly, by the time 8:30 rolled around we had a group of about 10 divers and 2 snorklers.
We headed towards Molasses Reef based on the previous days reports about schools of spotted eagle rays. After a quick trip and a briefing about the site and conditions we dove in... Since the day was bit overcast the vis wasn't as good as it could have been, but still 40' to 50' vis is nothing to complain about. Also, no current to speak of.
The schools of eagle rays were not preseent, but we did spot a few southern stingrays, as well as the usual residents of molasses including the goliath groupers and the huge snappers, cudas, parrot fish, lobster, etc... Some divers spotted nurse sharks as well.
The second dive took place in one of Capt. George's spots which is outside the sanctuary so divers were able to take lobsters. They boated 5 or 6 of them.
As we headed back, the trip was punctuated with a remarkable show by a group of bottle-nose dolphin which the capt. spotted. They proceeded to ride our wake just inches of off the transom jumping left and right for about 5 minutes. One of the divers was able to snap a few shots and I'm working on having him email me the pics... I'll post them when I get them.
This was a wonderful trip and I couldn't recommend Cristal Clear Charters more highly. They have earned my business.
Wys.
Tropicaledit & myself decided to take advantgage of the free dive on Thursday and from the moment I called on Friday to make the reservations until the moment we began to drive back to FT. Lauderdale we were met with nothing but courtesy.
We were lucky to pick Saturday to dive as it was perfect! The seas were flat calm, the water was 74 degrees and hardly any wind even tho the report called for 10 to 15 knot winds and rain.
The Cristal Clear Charters facilities were awesome... A nice little store well stocked with all your last minute items, clean bathroom, firendly staff and best of all a huge 42 foot dive boat with George the capt. and Matt the DM.
We arrived at the dock around 7:50 AM after a bit of searching for Segate blvd. (Don't ask the locals for directions... all they know is mile markers and land marks. Instead ask for The Pilot House) The crew was already there readying the boat and there was an instructor and his student who for some reason called their dive. So, initially it looked like we were going to have a private charter which made me feel bad for Cristal Clear even tho the crew tried to make me feel better about it. I didn't want them to loose money on 2 free divers. Luckly, by the time 8:30 rolled around we had a group of about 10 divers and 2 snorklers.
We headed towards Molasses Reef based on the previous days reports about schools of spotted eagle rays. After a quick trip and a briefing about the site and conditions we dove in... Since the day was bit overcast the vis wasn't as good as it could have been, but still 40' to 50' vis is nothing to complain about. Also, no current to speak of.
The schools of eagle rays were not preseent, but we did spot a few southern stingrays, as well as the usual residents of molasses including the goliath groupers and the huge snappers, cudas, parrot fish, lobster, etc... Some divers spotted nurse sharks as well.
The second dive took place in one of Capt. George's spots which is outside the sanctuary so divers were able to take lobsters. They boated 5 or 6 of them.
As we headed back, the trip was punctuated with a remarkable show by a group of bottle-nose dolphin which the capt. spotted. They proceeded to ride our wake just inches of off the transom jumping left and right for about 5 minutes. One of the divers was able to snap a few shots and I'm working on having him email me the pics... I'll post them when I get them.
This was a wonderful trip and I couldn't recommend Cristal Clear Charters more highly. They have earned my business.
Wys.
