Diving Big 'O in April - Risk of cancelled charter?

[reefseal]

I attempted to dive the Big O' a couple years ago through a trip organized by my local dive shop. We booked a charter to dive in April. My LDS contacted me as I had already started my first leg of connecting flight to inform me the captain cancelled the charter due to high winds, rough seas. The other divers in our group hat didn't get the memo in time and were already down there made the best of the situation and dove some of nearby springs (Vortex, Morrison..) so the trip wasn't a total waste. Plan B was actually cool but we would have preferred to dive the Big O.

My question to all of you.. Is April a risky time to go down? Would hate to have the same thing happen again. Would we be better off going early May.

Also, any recommendations on shop that does charters to Big O, does Nitrox fills, rents doubles and 30 cft pony/stage bottles.

thanks

 

[algulfdiver]

April is a usually a good time, water temp can be in the high 60's to low 70's. You can never say for sure about any time of the year no matter where You are, based on weather.
We rent doubles and have NITROX

 

[Hetland]

Any time is a risky time to dive the Gulf of Mexico. The only thing you can do to stack the deck in your favor is to dive outside of hurricane season. Though, occasionally, we have hurricanes outside the "season" LOL.

Gary (above) runs a good operation. His boat has a dual hull, so it gets you to the wreck a little faster, and usually much more comfortably than a single-hull. He also cooks up a mean lunch, takes good care of his people, and most importantly, does not cut corners or rush the divers. 99% of the dives I do are shore dives, or from my own boat, but when I pay to go diving, Gary's my top choice.

 

[wjefferis]

April is a good time to dive here, just as things are starting to warm up and the winter winds are dying down. It's the Gulf, and things are unpredictable. With that said I would say you have a good chance of making your trip around that time. Try watching the local sea forecast here: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/mob/ just click on the square of water below pensacola for current info (I would have posted up that actual link, but it was down for updates). You can also monitor this buoy for a pretty good predictor of our current sea conditions (its what the boat captains use for the most part) http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42039 and

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=42040

I have dove with Gary (algulfdiver) from Gary's Gulf Divers http://gulfdiver.net/ many times and really enjoy my trips out with him, but to be fair here is a link with the charter boats and shops in Pensacola and Orange Beach. Hope this helps:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/deep-dixie-divers/198536-all-inclusive-oriskany-thread.html

 

[reefseal]

Thanks everyone. You have all been helpful. Now need to check avail of flights and wait for buddy to get greeen light from work and the Mrs.

 

[seadoggirl]

I just checked my 2008 dive log. I dove it nine times on the H2O Below last April. May was 12. June was 21. If that helps to tell ya about the availability of trips. The bigger boats make it out more often ofcourse so you might want to look at one of us.

 

[evensplit]

"Bigger" is relative. I'd call the H2O Below more of a "midsize" :bigmonkey:

 

[seadoggirl]

Bite me JIM!

 

[reefseal]

I'm pscyhed. Have booked trip to go out weekend of 2nd of April. Hoping by then Morrison springs will be open so could go back there as well! Will for sure check weather before get on first leg of trip this time!

 

[seadoggirl]

"Bigger" is relative. I'd call the H2O Below more of a "midsize" :bigmonkey: