Gulf Coast Diving

[diveaustin]

Scuba Barbie once bubbled...
Steven;
What is the size of your boat?
The reason I ask is my husband bought a boat and is trying to convince me to take it out to the gulf.

I am wondering the minimum size boat is for the gulf?

You can take a john boat on a good day....but a 20 footer is always better....ok with a good captain in 4-5 ft seas. Maybe a little tricky for the novice...so 2-3ft seas are good for one that lacks the exp. The bigger the boat the better...you have to have a good cap. though....a Coast Guard class is mandatory in my book for going out that far.

Good Luck and be safe,
Matt.

 

[ScubaTexan]

He said this would be his family's first ocean dives.

The Flower Gardens is NOT where you want to take your first ocean dives....trust me on this one! :freaked:

 

[Dee]

The boats used to be the Rinn boats. They were sold and are now going by the name of Gulf diving. Gulf diving and the Sea Searcher are the primary charters out to the Flower Gardens. All three boats are converted 95ft. oil rig crew boats.

 

[diveaustin]

ScubaTexan once bubbled...
He said this would be his family's first ocean dives.

The Flower Gardens is NOT where you want to take your first ocean dives....trust me on this one! :freaked:

Been there many times. I thought they could use this as a starting point for shopping around and finding what best suited them. (the web site I gave anyway...A starting point ) Im sure he...as an adult will figure it out... that is what is best for he and his family. But, the seas and current are not bad at all this time of year...no worse than a rig dive in August. Whatever though. Just MHO Oh...I wonder how many newly certified OW divers jet off to Cozumel every year. 3-5 knot currents...seems to be a stiff break in. Anyway...the Gardens are a AOW dive anyway. Peace brother

 

[Rick Murchison]

Scuba Barbie once bubbled...
Steven;
What is the size of your boat?
The reason I ask is my husband bought a boat and is trying to convince me to take it out to the gulf.

I am wondering the minimum size boat is for the gulf?

Size is of little consequence in measuring seaworthiness. We used to routinely go out in 16 footers with the right hull, while there are plenty of 30 footers that should never leave the lake. (Not the Great Lakes... our little lakes down here in the hinterlands). And seamanship is the other key. Knowing the water, the weather, tides, etc can make is safe for a much smaller boat - lousy seamanship makes the Gulf dangerous no matter what you're in.
Rick

 

[Rick Murchison]

ScubaDan once bubbled...
How should I go about finding a good boat and location to go out on?

There are divable rigs within three miles of the jetty at Port Aransas. Took my bride there for her first ocean dives, as a matter of fact. They're in about 60' and small enough you can't get lost on 'em. (Assuming they're still there - last time we dove 'em was '90)
Rick

 

[diveaustin]

ScubaDan once bubbled...
New Orleans is 16 hours and 44 min. Corpus Christi is 16 hours 4 min. so that doesn't make much difference. I was thinking there would be somthing I could take out of Galveston since it's right on the coast. Would it be any better to go futher like Port Isabel?

Port Isabel is just north of the Mexican border...thats a good 3 hour drive from Corpus. Thats quite a drive if you didn't already know. Maybe your flying though... Just food for thought if needed.

Good times.

 

[GeekDiver]

I haven't used these people before but here is a link

http://www.deepbluedivecharters.com/

Deep Blue Dive Charters

Owner/operator: Lee Brumlow, USCG Licensed Captain, PADI Advanced Open Water Diver for 9 years, with over 250, logged shipwreck and oil rig dives. I do this because I love to dive. I will be in the water with you.

Service Provided: Shipwreck and oil rig diving out of Freeport and Matagorda (Colorado River) Trips vary from 20-50 miles offshore depending on the water/weather conditions. Trips depart at 5:00AM and are generally an all day affair.

Depth of Water: 60-125 feet

Boat: 35 foot Chris Craft Scorpion with twin 300hp outboards. Average speed is 25- 35mph. This is an open boat, no head, no a/c, no frills. The boat does have a small cabin in case someone wants to lay down. And the boat does have a Bimini top for sun protection.

Skill Level Required: Beginner/Intermediate to Advanced Open Water. Depending on the skill level of the group the captain will decide the best dive sites. Visibility and current vary greatly and the goal is to find the best dive site with safety being the first priority.

What you can expect: Water temperatures between 80-90 degrees most of the time. Typical oil rig dives last 25-45 minutes depending on your depth. It is common to see 1000 or more fish in a single rig dive. I can almost guarantee you will see Bottle Nosed Dolphins. And if you are lucky you may see large Rays, turtles and maybe even a Whale Shark. The boat is not a ship so expect it to be in a rocking environment most of the day. Dramamine or the Patch is highly encouraged.

Weather: Weather is the biggest factor determining if it is safe to make a dive trip offshore. The captain will make a decision the day before and again on the morning of departure. Approximately 50% of all scheduled trips are cancelled due to weather conditions. The best months are July, August and September and we try year round.

Diving Equipment: Bring your own. Tanks are available. Spearfishing is optional.

Rates: $115.00 per person. This is a minimum and includes 2 full tank dives. $35.00 per person for a 3rd full tank dive. NOTE: 3rd dives are optional depending on customer, conditions and time. Tanks are available for $12.00 ea.

Reservations: Trips are available all year round. All trips must be reserved at least2 weeks in advance. A $75.00 deposit will hold your spot. Deposits must be received at a minimum of 1 week before departure. Deposits are not refundable unless requested 3 weeks prior to departure (this ensures that the remainder of the group gets to dive, even if 1 or 2 people elect not to go at the last minute).