Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary

[kevindive]

Good day,
Has anybody dove Flower Garden Banks? Did you do a multi-day charter and who did you go out with? What time of year? What was the water temperature? Looking for recommendations and information as I start to plan a trip.

Thank you
Kevin

 

[Wookie]

Good day,
Has anybody dove Flower Garden Banks? Did you do a multi-day charter and who did you go out with? What time of year? What was the water temperature? Looking for recommendations and information as I start to plan a trip.

Thank you
Kevin

Ran a liveaboard there for many years. It's 110 miles out, so multi-day is the best, but if you're made of dough, I can send you the name of a boat that will take you out for a 3 tanker. It will cost you about $1500 and maybe $500 a head for more than you.

The Fling is the last man standing as far as liveaboards go. They are a 34 passenger weekend or 3 day boat that runs reliably June-September, unless there is a hurricane. They schedule other weekends, but the weather being what it is, trips are cancelled with a 6 foot forecast. You can reach Sharon at 979-233-4445.

The reef is deep. 5 dives to 90 feet are offered, Nitrox is highly recommended. The reef is one of the healthiest in the world, expect hard corals, a few whips, large fish, small fish, and resident Manta rays. I always found that the weeks before coral spawn were the best for Whale Sharks, but they are hit and miss.

Temp drops as low as 67 in the winter, 83 in the summer, and I never wore a wetsuit. I didn't do 5 a day, either.

 

[kevindive]

Awesome...thank you very much.

 

[George Monnat Jr]

Our good dive buddy had his first three tries cancelled due to weather, twice while he was driving to Galveston. That prevented us from trying, but it's still on our list.

 

[Wookie]

In 10 years we cancelled 83% of spring and fall trips. Longest dry spell for one diver was 18 cancelled trips.

 

[txgoose]

Longest dry spell for one diver was 18 cancelled trips.

That is messed up! And incredible tenacity.

 

[George Monnat Jr]

In 10 years we cancelled 83% of spring and fall trips. Longest dry spell for one diver was 18 cancelled trips.

Did that diver finally do the dive and say it was worth it? I certainly hope so.

 

[drrich2]

I'd like to try the Fling someday, but I live far enough away it'd involve airfare, I'd need to do 2 trips back to back (such as a 2 day and a 3 day) with no more than a day between to make it worthwhile, and the cancellation rate has thus far made it too rich for my blood.

Some links I keep on hand to read up about it (hope they still work):

Alert Diver Online 2010 - Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Texas - Alert Diver | Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Texas
Undercurrent Sept. 2014 - MV Fling, Flower Gardens, Texas - http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/dive_magazine/2014/FlowerGardensTexas201409.html
Alert Diver Online 2017 - Flower Garden Banks - Alert Diver | Flower Garden Banks

Richard.

 

[Wookie]

Shark season. Spring trips are schooling hammerheads and fall trips are schooling silkies. YMMV

 

[Kevin Floyd]

For what it’s worth: I have not gotten out there yet. Scheduled 4 times, each was canceled do to weather. Not a big deal for us as we are basically local (in Houston, less then 2 hour drive to the dock). Weather in the Gulf can change fast. I think it would be hard to schedule an air trip just to dive flower garden without the constant stress of cancellation.

And it’s not like South Texas gives you a lot of secondary options if the FG trip is cancelled.

I guess you could drive to Lake Travis but that’s just a completely different dive.