Florida Dive Operators with user unfriendly policies

[Leighen]

If you are, why start this thread?

Asked and answered.

I had these policies because most divers don’t know what is in their best interest.

Some do. Did you make exceptions or was it a blanket policy? If you didn't make exceptions for the divers who knew what was in their best interest then your explanation makes no sense.

I believe you should be able to do exactly what you like without any pesky rules from some dive operator.

You're suggesting that I make my own rules regardless of what the dive operator says? So I should pay them what I think is fair, take over the helm and drive to my favorite wreck diving sites, and if necessary cancel inside the posted deadline and refuse to pay for the diving?

while you may be willing and able to make your own levels of risk,

You're saying that all the other dive operators in the Keys that do more than one wreck dive per day are being reckless by engaging in high risk activities?

I suggest your own boat so you don’t have to put up with dive operators.

I dive locally with my own boat. Florida is a plane trip for me. So it's not practical but thanks. Besides I found some great dive operators as I stated earlier in this thread, who are an excellent fit for me and my group, did you miss that part in your haste to chastise me for my risky diving activities on more than one wreck per day?

Are you coming from Wyoming for your trip, that is quite a way to travel?

No.

 

[Steve_C]

Thank you for your reply Mr. Chairman.

I have dived most of the Keys wrecks over the years and am quite familiar with the ones you mention. On our schedule for the upcoming trip are the Eagle x2 the SG x4 the Duane and Bibb x1, and the Benwood, possibly x2 with the second being a night dive. The wrecks don't change much (other than they fall apart over time) but Dive operations and their rules come and go, that's for sure. My thread was really about the companies that put divers on the wrecks.

But as long as you mentioned it, I am curious about some of the other real wrecks that aren't usually on the schedules of most dive operators such as the City of Washington, Trainwheel wreck and Pedro something, as well as any others that might not be much more than scattered pieces of metal but still better than whatever might be on my desk during a great day at work. I'd rather check out some of those as compared to a lackluster reef.

City of Washington is similar to the Benwood. When I dove it there were a couple of photogentic shots. Also a friendly goliath and large nurse shark. It was a bit further probably why it is not always run. At that time Horizon would run there if you set it up to go.

 

[FullThrottle]

...And the thing is, the demand in the keys is so high that operators don't have to compete for your business. They can set the terms as they please and still make money.

 

[Leighen]

Huh, that's odd. I wonder why so many show open schedules for the next couple of months.

 

[Wookie]

Huh, that's odd. I wonder why so many show open schedules for the next couple of months.

Those of us who frequent the place know that the weather pretty much blows from now through late April/Middle of May.

I never even scheduled dive trips this time of year. I took birders to the Dry Tortugas instead. The crossings sucked, but at least we could hole up in the harbor.

 

[Leighen]

Oh, we will be there the third week in April, hopefully we'll just miss the blowing then.

 

[Wookie]

Oh, we will be there the third week in April, hopefully we'll just miss the blowing then.

We call it 40 days of wind.

 

[Leighen]

Well if the diving is no good maybe I'll look you up we can have a beer or something and talk about dive boat operators and their policies.

 

[drrich2]

I don't think folks here can give you full closure as to why some dive op.s have restrictive policies you don't like, not being privy to private business decisions behind them. It's something divers often run into...as you'll see in threads talking about who does and doesn't allow solo diving in other places.

Yes, at times there could be an element of 'We've never done it that way,' and I imagine in the competitive Keys market op.s would specialize into niches a bit (that's what animals do in tropical rainforests where there are many species, each needing its own niche). I wonder if perhaps the risk of doing a 'double dip' deep wreck morning trip in terms of DCS is a concern? Or maybe they've gotten used to divers who like a shallower, and thus longer, 2nd dive, since those deep dives can be short.

Speaking of which, for wreck-interested people, anyone know whether any of the upper Keys operators rent big steel tanks? Back in 2013, IIRC Rainbow Reef Dive Center had me an AL-100 (which, per other threads, at 3,000 PSI would have around 91 or so cf, since fill pressure is rated at 3,300). The Spiegel Grove or Duane are dives I'd like to do again...with a 120-cf steel tank and EAN 32%. Deep wreck dives may be NDL-limited, but I still like plenty of gas on my back.

Richard.

 

[sportxlh]

Those of us who frequent the place know that the weather pretty much blows from now through late April/Middle of May.

I never even scheduled dive trips this time of year. I took birders to the Dry Tortugas instead. The crossings sucked, but at least we could hole up in the harbor.

One of my favorite dive trips was on the MV Spree to the Dry Tortugas....... you ran a fun, and safe, boat.