Myrtle Beach

[munselln8]

Thanks "anytime",
The Maritime report for Wednesday is awesome with 1'-2' seas and <10 knots. Hopefully visibility will improve. We won't bother going out if vis. isn't >15'. Not to be snobs but we are on "Vacation" after all and don't want it to be work...Thanks again.

 

[Sparhawk13401]

I was on the Sherman on Saturday. The ride out was fine, the water was 84F, but the vis was pretty poor. Easily less than 15'.

We went with Coastal Scuba and they were a pretty good crew.

 

[Beowulfe]

Just got back from Myrtle beach. I actually went out two different days, one with each of the companies. I can say two totally different experiences. First, I enjoyed all the dives. They were great. The difference was in the crew.

Coastal Scuba made me feel extremely rushed and under pressure to get my dives in and done. I believe that was because they have a 1/2 day of scuba and 3/4 fishing trip lined up on the same day. We were told we'd have 90mins from the time the dive ladder hit the water before we left. And as soon as the last diver was onboard, they gunned the engines with ladder still in water and pulled it up as they went.

Express Scuba was the complete opposite. This was our dive and they were not pressuring us to get in and out. Obviously the scheduling had been done better so the crew had plenty of time to get back and turn over the boat before the next outing. I did enjoy Express's boat better. it was larger and easier to navigate but maybe I am just a snob that way.

Both crews were knowledgable but Coastal did a better per dive briefing in my opinion. You definitely tell it was more of a memorized script than of the cuff speech. The DM gave explicit instructions as to how to exit and enter the boat. At the dive site, Express gave the better dive condition update. All in all, it was worth it. If I go back to Myrtle beach, I would definitely use Express again. I may or may not use Coastal.

 

[munselln8]

Beowulf,
I think we must have been on the same trip with Coastal. My wife and I went out on Wednesday the 8th. and dove the Sherman. We got the same spiel that you did. I recall the "salty dog" of a DM saying 140 min. from the time the ladder hits the water, and he then went on to lay out a "dive profile" for those "Pumpin' air" as 30 down-30 up-30 down. My wife and I dove air and kept a solid track on the trusty diive watch. We both found that we were finishing up our 30 min down with 1200 psi in the tank. Yes, we would have enjoyed more time (especially the second dive-as my wife was hunting buried treasure...LOL). I think I agree with pretty much everything you said regarding Coastal. They were professional, the pre-dive was solid but yes...they had a "NO BS" time schedule and yep, they took off with Ladder still in the water...haha with the Salty Dog DM yelling...GO, GO, GO!!! like he was in a Tom Clancy novel...haha..
Otherwise...It was a good trip (specially considering my experience last year). 15-20 ft vis. saw bunches of Cuda and a couple tigers (adolescents). My wife and I would go again. Now, if Express is less time pressuring then I will definitely consider them.
Say...you weren't the fellow Yanking on my Regulator that last dive were you?..LOL.

 

[iztok]

Coastal does this all the time. Run the dive boat in AM and fishing in the PM and they don't leave much time for diving.

 

[munselln8]

In Fairness I should mention, the "Salty Dog" I referred to was very professional, very polite and helped my wife get into and out of her gear (something I normally have to do) and even made sure to to walk her back and forth from the dive platform as she went in and out., Something I greatly appreciated. I tipped them well, just for that

 

[SilverNU]

Glad I found this thread.. I will be in Myrtle Beach the last week of September (next week) and wanting to do a dive or two. Ive never been this late in the year to the beach and am wondering if its too late to find a good dive... ?

According to the Express Water Sports and Coastal Scuba schedule.. I can choose from Rush Reef (Express) or Sherman (Coastal) or Barracuda Alley (Coastal).

Does anyone have any info on any of these sites or about diving this time of year in Myrtle Beach?

thanks

 

[SilverNU]

Express dive has changed to Tugboat/Airplane...

still.. looking for info

 

[anytime]

The tug and airplane is a fun dive. The tug is connected to the airplane by a rope and is about 100ft away. There is also a barge that is connected by a rope to the tug. Lots of flounder and jacks on the site. It is a good inshore dive.

I would stick to express for a charter op.

 

[Beowulfe]

The tug/airplane/barge was a good dive. We also saw several large barracuda and oyster toad fish. The tug is large enuff you can do some limited penetration or just explore around it. I would recommend it over the Sherman unless you are artifact hunting.