Flower Gardens on the Spree- March 15-16th

[Wookie]

Bud, Bud Light. Miller Lite, Shiner, and, new this year, a selection of fine wines in a screw top bottle. We have been skipping the spring night dives due to tiger sharks, but two-bit's dive counts are correct.

 

[BIGG_BUDD]

Sweet!

 

[khacken]

Capt Frank, I am scheduled to go the 17th-18th trip. What parameters do you use for deciding to scrub the trip? Do you go out in 3-5ft seas? Just asking because I am really looking forward to this trip.

For the night dives, is it dangerous to dive when tiger sharks are around, or is it more that people are afraid of them? I am guessing the sharks get the munchies at night or something.

For those saying the price is high. Ask yourself this. Can you see schools of hammerheads, tiger sharks, and a resident manta ray for $550? Not to mention the incredible hard corals at the Flower Gardens. Also, I don't have to take time off work for this. For me money well spent.

 

[Hemlon]

Well said, khacken!

 

[Mauifish]

Bud, Bud Light. Miller Lite, Shiner, and, new this year, a selection of fine wines in a screw top bottle. We have been skipping the spring night dives due to tiger sharks, but two-bit's dive counts are correct.

AARRRRGGGHHH! I see here the Captain of the Merry boat Spree is in our midst!!
I want to thank you and your crew for a wonderfull jolly good time on your boat this past weekend, the beer was cold, the grub was great, and the water was ---cold.
AND you promised sharks and came through !!! Mahalo!!

 

[Teknadv3x]

The diving is seperate than the cruise. I figured for a couple of hundred dollars more why not dive in Cozumel and Playa Del Carmen and have a comfortable cabin to stay in on top of more days. Go to www.carnivalcruiselines.com the price starts at 299.00 for 5 days on the ship Ecstasy leaves October 29th; there will be a cool halloween party from what I hear. I will be diving with www.scubawithalison.com in Cozumel and with www.tankha.com in Playa Del Carmen (Progresso). I have dove with them on many ocassions and they are nice.
.

Now, that is what I am talking about, win win, mama goes shopping and I go diving.
Quality time on the trip out and Quality time on the trip back home. Everybody is happy.

Dave

 

[Wookie]

Gulf Diving policy is to scrub in anything forecast over 4-6's. That means we stay home in 4-7's sometimes - read on. We feel that re-boarding the boat is dangerous in seas over 6 feet, and besides, it makes the crew cranky, and no one likes a cranky crew. We look at 4 different forecasts, including NOAA National Weather Service, the Navy, and two seperate forcasting agencies we pay for. We also call the NWS forecasters in League City for advice on close calls. The other consideration is wave period. If you have 4 foot seas in a 4 second period (square waves), the boat wiggles and shimmies and divers get dehydrated. Conversely, if you are in a swell (hurricane somewhere else in the Gulf) you may have 8 foot waves in a 15 second period that are perfectly safe and comfortable to dive in. Anyone wonder why I get ulcers at 9:30 on a trip day? Obviously, our number one priority is passenger safety. I don't need, want, nor deserve the reputation of diving is unsafe conditions.

 

[Debraw]

I have only seen 6 foot one time on the boat and I never want to see it again. I scrubbed the night dive because of it and many did not. It was unreal, the back deck was going under and then the next wave would bring the ladder out of the water. I saw a busted chin and a tooth turn black by the next morning from getting hit with the ladder. Lots of fins washed away and the crew scrambling to pull people and gear out of the water. All people and ALL GEAR, were saved. Lots of divers putting on brave faces that trip but it was rough!

 

[redacted]

I have only seen 6 foot one time on the boat

It was a little rough. But on the bright side, we didn't run out of brownies and ice cream.

 

[khacken]

Gulf Diving policy is to scrub in anything forecast over 4-6's. That means we stay home in 4-7's sometimes - read on. We feel that re-boarding the boat is dangerous in seas over 6 feet, and besides, it makes the crew cranky, and no one likes a cranky crew. We look at 4 different forecasts, including NOAA National Weather Service, the Navy, and two seperate forcasting agencies we pay for. We also call the NWS forecasters in League City for advice on close calls. The other consideration is wave period. If you have 4 foot seas in a 4 second period (square waves), the boat wiggles and shimmies and divers get dehydrated. Conversely, if you are in a swell (hurricane somewhere else in the Gulf) you may have 8 foot waves in a 15 second period that are perfectly safe and comfortable to dive in. Anyone wonder why I get ulcers at 9:30 on a trip day? Obviously, our number one priority is passenger safety. I don't need, want, nor deserve the reputation of diving is unsafe conditions.

Thanks for the post! I was very impressed with the safety on my last outing with the Spree and look forward to the next trip, if not this weekend, then sometime soon! I am glad I am not the one that has to make the decision.