Flower Gardens 5/13 to 5/14 on MV Fling
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OP
Dutchman:
When not diving, you're fixing your camera setup if you have one. LOL Other than that, the Fling (not sure about Spree) has flat panel TV with audio/video-in so we play pictures and videos during the SI. There's 2.5 hour SI (mandatory) between dives so with watching pics/video, sleeping, repairing, and eating, there's plenty to do.
I am not sure about bringing non-divers on the boat. They'll probably charge you since space is at a premium.
I'm not sure about snorkeling. I would doubt it. Call and ask: http://www.gulf-diving.com/
Richard
OP
subzero:
I dive dry.
Although on this trip, I sprung a small leak on my wrist seal but I was very warm.Everyone is different on thermal protection. I don't recall seeing anyone diving a 3mm but it will depend on your body. If you can do several dives a day at 75f, then you'll be fine. That's the only thing I can tell you.
I was the only dry suit besides one of the DMs. Most had dive times around the 30 min. range where as mine were 45 ~ 50 min. Some commented about being cold. I know that I wouldn't last in a 3mm in 75f for several dives. I could probably squeak out two dives with the shivers hitting me at the middle to end of the 2nd dive. YMMV
Richard
I have never seen anyone bring a non diving partner. It should would be an expensive snorkeling trip.
OP
LVX,
Putting all of the pieces together, I'm thinking you were the tall trip leader. Correct? If so, it's good to know you hang out here. Do you have any other trips planned? I'm heading to NC for some wreck diving (U-352 & others) at the end of month. I can't wait!
Cheers,
Richard
Putting all of the pieces together, I'm thinking you were the tall trip leader. Correct? If so, it's good to know you hang out here. Do you have any other trips planned? I'm heading to NC for some wreck diving (U-352 & others) at the end of month. I can't wait!
Cheers,
Richard
Hey Richard,
Yeah, that was me (Layne). I am going to be setting up a couple of rig trips later this summer and I have a couple more Flower Gardens trips planned. I am also going to be heading to Flordia this year to dive the big "O" if at all possible.
L
Yeah, that was me (Layne). I am going to be setting up a couple of rig trips later this summer and I have a couple more Flower Gardens trips planned. I am also going to be heading to Flordia this year to dive the big "O" if at all possible.
L
OP
LVX:
Layne,
When are you thinking of diving Oriskany? We're setting up for 4th of July weekend. It's mostly the Chumclub gang (heard of 'em? www.chumclub.org). Zendiver (Fling DM) is looking to see if he can get away from the office for that time as well. So, he and I may buddy up for that one and drive over. Are you Interested?
Richard
Very....
KidK9
Contributor
Great pics, thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the kind words Richard. I love a challenge and for this one, it paid off. I won't go into great details about the trip as I only did two (2) pleasure dives and the second one was nothing short of unbelievable.
Saturday's weather was ideal for diving with 1 to 2 foot seas, water temps in the mid 70's, and 70+ visibilty. Currents were running pretty good on both the West and East Banks but nothing unsafe for everyone to dive. We set up the boat for 2 dives on the West Bank and then headed to the East Bank for three more dives, one being a night dive. Richard has already posted quite a few of the pics that he took to comemerate Saturdays diving. After we got the boat all secure, everyone settled in for the evening with brownies, ice-cream and a movie. About 2AM, the Captain fired up the engines and headed for Stetson Bank.
Sometime in the middle of the night, mother nature kicked up her heels and the seas picked up for some ruff riding. Once we arrived at Stetson, the Spree had made a call for a particular buoy as they were going to be looking for and putting in another buoy so we went to number 1 only to find that the tag line was either missing or all wound up around the buoy. Captain Ken made a run for buoy #2. When we arrived, the seas had picked up even more which made it a challenge to get moored up, but we 'got er done'. The weather really wasn't cooperating very much with winds going one way and the stiff currents going the other. One of the lines that we put in the water, the camera return line which is about a 20 footer, was blowing so hard that the weight that keeps the line down was resting in about 5 feet of water, almost straight out. We waited for the call from the Spree to see if we were to go diving (at that particular time, we only had 5 out of 34 that even wanted to attempt it). Once the call came "Jump the divers" we finished getting the boat ready for diving. I finally had my turn and suited up to jump the side line.
Once in the water, I made my way to the mooring line, untied the line and proceeded down the mooring line to tie her off at around 30'. On my way down 1 solo Spotted Eagle Ray came into view and then 4 more that were flying in formation just over the top of the pinnacles. I stopped and watched them for several minutes and then proceeded about my duties. Once I got the side line tied in, I headed for the u-bolt to get the vitals (water temp, visibilty, depth, currents, etc...). Almost to the bottom, I came across a very nice size Loggerhead heading out to the pinnacles. Once I had retrieved the information I needed to do my briefing, I started back up the line only to encounter 3 hammerheads at about 35 feet in the water column. What a site. Now with me working, I didn't have my video camera so I knew no one was going to believe me, but I told them all anyways in the briefing. Well, some must of believed me because we went from 5 divers to 14 real quick.
We jumped the divers and about 30 minutes later they started coming back. All we kept hearing was "HOLY ****, it was like a parade down there...Mantas, Eagles, Sting Rays, Sharks, Turtles, Moray's everywhere." Man was I glad that the critters stuck around for everyone to see.
Once everyone was back on board, we suited up for our dive. It was simply awesome. We had about a 55 to 60 minute dive. I'll let the video speak for itself as to how great the dive was.
May 14 Stetson Dive (37.511KB) or you can visit my video page at http://www.zendiving.com/videos/zdvideos.htm. It is the last video on the page. Just click on the photo to open the videos.
Saturday's weather was ideal for diving with 1 to 2 foot seas, water temps in the mid 70's, and 70+ visibilty. Currents were running pretty good on both the West and East Banks but nothing unsafe for everyone to dive. We set up the boat for 2 dives on the West Bank and then headed to the East Bank for three more dives, one being a night dive. Richard has already posted quite a few of the pics that he took to comemerate Saturdays diving. After we got the boat all secure, everyone settled in for the evening with brownies, ice-cream and a movie. About 2AM, the Captain fired up the engines and headed for Stetson Bank.
Sometime in the middle of the night, mother nature kicked up her heels and the seas picked up for some ruff riding. Once we arrived at Stetson, the Spree had made a call for a particular buoy as they were going to be looking for and putting in another buoy so we went to number 1 only to find that the tag line was either missing or all wound up around the buoy. Captain Ken made a run for buoy #2. When we arrived, the seas had picked up even more which made it a challenge to get moored up, but we 'got er done'. The weather really wasn't cooperating very much with winds going one way and the stiff currents going the other. One of the lines that we put in the water, the camera return line which is about a 20 footer, was blowing so hard that the weight that keeps the line down was resting in about 5 feet of water, almost straight out. We waited for the call from the Spree to see if we were to go diving (at that particular time, we only had 5 out of 34 that even wanted to attempt it). Once the call came "Jump the divers" we finished getting the boat ready for diving. I finally had my turn and suited up to jump the side line.
Once in the water, I made my way to the mooring line, untied the line and proceeded down the mooring line to tie her off at around 30'. On my way down 1 solo Spotted Eagle Ray came into view and then 4 more that were flying in formation just over the top of the pinnacles. I stopped and watched them for several minutes and then proceeded about my duties. Once I got the side line tied in, I headed for the u-bolt to get the vitals (water temp, visibilty, depth, currents, etc...). Almost to the bottom, I came across a very nice size Loggerhead heading out to the pinnacles. Once I had retrieved the information I needed to do my briefing, I started back up the line only to encounter 3 hammerheads at about 35 feet in the water column. What a site. Now with me working, I didn't have my video camera so I knew no one was going to believe me, but I told them all anyways in the briefing. Well, some must of believed me because we went from 5 divers to 14 real quick.
We jumped the divers and about 30 minutes later they started coming back. All we kept hearing was "HOLY ****, it was like a parade down there...Mantas, Eagles, Sting Rays, Sharks, Turtles, Moray's everywhere." Man was I glad that the critters stuck around for everyone to see.
Once everyone was back on board, we suited up for our dive. It was simply awesome. We had about a 55 to 60 minute dive. I'll let the video speak for itself as to how great the dive was.
May 14 Stetson Dive (37.511KB) or you can visit my video page at http://www.zendiving.com/videos/zdvideos.htm. It is the last video on the page. Just click on the photo to open the videos.
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