Greetings from North Texas!

[mcohen1021]

Haha. I can't wait to get in water with more than 5' visibility. Did the OW dives at Scuba Ranch in Terrell and it was just nothing but green

Thats great vis!

You should see the dives I do for the waterski club in Ft Worth - 0 vis, you dont even know your depth or air pressure till you're back on top lol

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

kiss your disposable income and ever taking another non-diving vacation goodbye. but it's worth it.

 

[SlugLife]

I hear ya. I grew up surfing and body surfing and always found it weirdly peaceful underwater after being tossed by a wave.


Haha. I can't wait to get in water with more than 5' visibility. Did the OW dives at Scuba Ranch in Terrell and it was just nothing but green

Haha, diving in Texas tends to be 5ft of green/brown visibility. That said, I do enjoy having warm-water much of the year. In that way, it's a great place for practicing and leveling-up scuba skills.

kiss your disposable income and ever taking another non-diving vacation goodbye. but it's worth it.

There are definitely ways to keep your budget in check, such as buying the right used equipment. During the winter, it's a buyer's market.

 

[drrich2]

By the way, since you are in Texas, albeit north Texas so this option would be quite a drive, if you haven't heard of it yet, check out the M/V Fling.

Alert Diver Online 2010 - Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Texas - Alert Diver

Undercurrent Sept. 2014 - MV Fling, Flower Gardens, Texas - MV Fling, Flower Gardens, Texas: Undercurrent 09/2014

Alert Diver Online 2017 - Flower Garden Banks - http://www.alertdiver.com/Flower_Garden_Banks

CHUM's Flower Gardens Primer - CHUM's Flower Gardens Primer

TXDamselfish’s July 2022 MV Fling Texas Caribbean 2 Day Flower Gardens Liveaboard Trip Report - Trip Report - MV Fling Texas Caribbean 2 Day Flower Gardens Live Aboard Trip Report

 

[mcohen1021]

By the way, since you are in Texas, albeit north Texas so this option would be quite a drive, if you haven't heard of it yet, check out the M/V Fling.

Alert Diver Online 2010 - Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Texas - Alert Diver

Undercurrent Sept. 2014 - MV Fling, Flower Gardens, Texas - MV Fling, Flower Gardens, Texas: Undercurrent 09/2014

Alert Diver Online 2017 - Flower Garden Banks - http://www.alertdiver.com/Flower_Garden_Banks

CHUM's Flower Gardens Primer - CHUM's Flower Gardens Primer

TXDamselfish’s July 2022 MV Fling Texas Caribbean 2 Day Flower Gardens Liveaboard Trip Report - Trip Report - MV Fling Texas Caribbean 2 Day Flower Gardens Live Aboard Trip Report

FYI - BOTH engines being rebuilt or replaced at this time

 

[brucesnell]

By the way, since you are in Texas, albeit north Texas so this option would be quite a drive, if you haven't heard of it yet, check out the M/V Fling.

Alert Diver Online 2010 - Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, Texas - Alert Diver

Undercurrent Sept. 2014 - MV Fling, Flower Gardens, Texas - MV Fling, Flower Gardens, Texas: Undercurrent 09/2014

Alert Diver Online 2017 - Flower Garden Banks - http://www.alertdiver.com/Flower_Garden_Banks

CHUM's Flower Gardens Primer - CHUM's Flower Gardens Primer

TXDamselfish’s July 2022 MV Fling Texas Caribbean 2 Day Flower Gardens Liveaboard Trip Report - Trip Report - MV Fling Texas Caribbean 2 Day Flower Gardens Live Aboard Trip Report

I appreciate the recommendations!

 

[mcohen1021]

I appreciate the recommendations!

It is fantastic scuba

 

[drrich2]

I'd like to go, except the cancellation rate for the M/V Fling I've heard of (due to weather/sea conditions; in fairness, I don't want them doing out when it's unsafe, so this is not a criticism of their decisions) sounded pretty high (varies by season), and I live far enough away that I'd want to fly down, and do 2 trips (they tend to be short) back-to-back to justify the expense.

If I were fairly close driving distance, it would be a much more attractive offering, since I could book, then if I got a call the day before that they cancelled, I could reschedule without having to deal with flights.

If you go, write us a trip report. I don't see many about the M/V Fling, but every one I see is good.

Richard.

 

[txdamselfish]

Welcome Bruce to the best place on the interwebs to learn everything about diving! Congrats on your OW certification.

My hubs and I also recertified at Scuba Ranch after becoming empty nesters. We even did the season pass the next summer just to practice skills and become familiar with our new gear. Vis was not necessary. The family that owns it is top notch in professionalism and service.

If you are looking for great vis and warm water in our lone star state, look up the Meadows Center in San Marcos. While getting your dive itch scratched, you weed invasive aquatic plants in a spring fed lake. It is fantastic. Great little town. Local dive shop is closed on Sundays, we own 1 tank each and rent an extra one from Scuba Adventures for the weekend.

Thanks drich/ Richard for including my trip report link, you always provide detailed trip info here, honored to be a part of it. The Flower Gardens will be an annual trip for us. Never would I have thought that we have such a beautiful reef so close to our Gulf coast. New owner & crew of the Texas Caribbean/ Fling are skilled professionals.

 

[mcohen1021]

I'd like to go, except the cancellation rate for the M/V Fling I've heard of (due to weather/sea conditions; in fairness, I don't want them doing out when it's unsafe, so this is not a criticism of their decisions) sounded pretty high (varies by season), and I live far enough away that I'd want to fly down, and do 2 trips (they tend to be short) back-to-back to justify the expense.

If I were fairly close driving distance, it would be a much more attractive offering, since I could book, then if I got a call the day before that they cancelled, I could reschedule without having to deal with flights.

If you go, write us a trip report. I don't see many about the M/V Fling, but every one I see is good.

Richard.

So based on my 2 trips with Fling... One, the diving is really good. I think it is one of the highest giant strides in scuba lol... Two, yes they cancel often due to high seas and TRUST ME, they do not want to cancel and you DO NOT want to be out there in high seas, it's terrible - 2nd trip was cut short when the boat was rocking like something off Deadliest Catch. Three, cost has gone up significantly, around $800 pp. I looked this up so we could get in a few dives in July and I wound up in Cozumel for roughly the same amount (minus the food cost), and Cozumel, it's restaurants and the Caribbean will always trump the Tx Flower Gardens, driving 5 hrs and communal sleeping quarters for me.

We even did the season pass the next summer just to practice skills and become familiar with our new gear. Vis was not necessary.

You're always welcome to come dive Marine Creek with me when I have anchor work to do!