Nitrox Fills in Key Largo area

[kidsdream]

First of my spelling sucks, so here goes.

Quiescence (MM103) banks 30%. While I like to vary my mix a bit more than this, they are close to my condo and they consistently give me good fills. Captain Jeff from the Minnow frequently handles my ofther Nitrox fills and charges a fair rate (Keys basis).

Divers City and Conch Republic always have taken care me out of Tavernier. Note as Gary has said if you are diving steel tanks be prepared to wait for a cool down and then a final "bump".

Certainly none of these folks can match the pricing of Fill Express or the like further North but with gas prices if you are diving the Keys it certainly would not make sense going North (even to Florida City) just to a get fills.

While I like diving out of Jupiter and West Palm and the rates are often $10ish cheaper, the boats are frequently packed - just not my cup of tea. I would much rather pay a bit more and go out with 4 -5 divers on a 6 pack or just 6 - 9 on an 30' Island Hopper.

Also if you lived or owned property in the Keys, and paid the insurance, property taxes etc., you might realize that nobody is getting rich down there running a dive operation today.

Rant over.

 

[Orlando Eric]

I certainley understand trying to scrape out a living and compete in a market like the Florida Keys.

You can only trim your cost so much and the market sets the sales price the only thing you can do is make what you have worth more. There is nothing better to me than getting on a weekday boat in this area and the Captain say.. "You guys up for something different today?" "I got an interesting hit on a ledge system on the way in the other day.. lets check it out." Then there is the "Leave all your gear here and BoBo (the tank monkey) will rinse it and put it on our rack for you to use on tommorow morning's boat.

The boats that load you on and make the trip like the railed theme park rides of Orlando do not get my vote. (Pull the bar to your lap , ... Exit to your left please.)

I am not a six figure executive who can throw money to the wind but the difference between a $65.00 and a $55.00 boat $7.50 EANX fills and $12.00 EANx fills can be overcome if there is a worth to it. For $12.00 I want the fill within 1.0% and the PSI to be 3200~3400 in my 3300 tank. If I am paying $12.00 instead of $7.50 down the street and am getting the 2800 psi fills of 28% when it is marked 32% then why bother.

The same with the boat. If it is load all, do all, no guidance and get off my boat get back on boat ride I can have Ja-click-NAH-Suu-Click-Noazz Take me out with his hollow log and push pole.

I expect a captain who can drop us on the "good stuff" who gives us insight as to what it looked like yesterday, the current today, the temp today, and when I come up he is actually within eyesight. IF he intends to leave me there while he picks up Muffy and Buffy way over yonder he waves to me and lets me know I have been seen. The Captain (he/she) actually can operate the vessel and has some sort of Seamanship. I used the he/she with Tracy of the Delta Splash in mind darn fine captain.

I swear watching the boats back in at west palm on a calm day can make you laugh.

Back to the point, I think everyone here, even this lowly paid public servant, can and will dig in for that extra $25.00 a trip IF I get the extra $25.00 worth of professionalism and "give a damnest" out of the staff.

 

[DebbyDiver]

Yaknow, when I first became certified as a YMCA Basic Diver in 1980, boat trips were $25. At that time, I was a private boat owner and I thought $25 was not enough for the charter boats to make a profit. I honestly don't know how they make a profit at current day prices!

As a dive shop owner friend of mine put it, "Do you know how to make a small fortune in the diving industry?

"Start out with a LARGE fortune."

 

[dldiver]

okay- after calling around, i'm trying to decide if its even worth it to bring my tanks!

several of the boats have told me that it doesn't make a difference in the price of the trips if you have your own tanks or not. and the ones where it does, its only a $10 difference.
sounds like it will cost about $24 to get 2 filled...

i love and really want to use my steel HP80s... it just seems as if i will be paying more to use my own tanks and have them filled as opposed to just popping on the AL80s they already have on the boat.

how does that make sense??

 

[CBulla]

Bringing your own tanks is handy when you like a bit more gas on your back than an AL 80 had to offer or prefer the balance of say.. a steel 72. With my simple little 72 I don't have to wear a weight belt and I'm much more comfortable. When I dive my double 72's I don't have to change tanks between dives and I can dive a deeper dive AND get an hour drift or reef dive afterwards.. One time set up and multiple dives. I've had the pleasure of setting up my dives ahead of time and the dives not being changed when I get at the shop...sooo.. I plan my nitrox mix ahead of time and shazam, I'm good to go. Thats the advantage of taking my own tanks with me.

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Bringing your own tanks is handy when you like a bit more gas on your back than an AL 80 had to offer or prefer the balance of say.. a steel 72. With my simple little 72 I don't have to wear a weight belt and I'm much more comfortable. When I dive my double 72's I don't have to change tanks between dives and I can dive a deeper dive AND get an hour drift or reef dive afterwards.. One time set up and multiple dives. I've had the pleasure of setting up my dives ahead of time and the dives not being changed when I get at the shop...sooo.. I plan my nitrox mix ahead of time and shazam, I'm good to go. Thats the advantage of taking my own tanks with me.

Yeah, and No...

Conch Republic is the where I got mine filled for the last Invasion. If diving wrecks, you are more likely to dive EAN 30-32, they had the pressure banks to fill my 1442 psi tanks to those levels (I carry my own analyzer). Call/email the Admiral to see if they will meet your needs/price

 

[scubafool]

1442 psi tanks

Where can I find these?

I could get most of a fill with a bicycle pump in those.

 

[dldiver]

haaahhhaa! thank goodness for typos or we would have nothing to laugh at.

But i bet I could get in a nice long dip on the Grove with that tank!:11doh:

 

[BHB ScubaTroll]

Where can I find these?

I could get most of a fill with a bicycle pump in those.

Drinking an..d .. typi,..ng dun..t mex

3442 psi