Pensacola Update - 21 May 2010

[evensplit]

Update from Pensacola - May 21, 2010

The local area is clear, the beaches and wrecks are still clean, and PHYSICALLY, the oil has had very little if any effect. The fishing closures have not included Pensacola waters.

Financially and emotionally the disaster has been much harder hitting.

Many of the local charter boats have taken up jobs working for BP (with crazy amounts of money being thrown at them). There are still a few dive boats that have not been picked up by BP yet.

Capt. Douglas Hammock of the "H2O Below" turned down a chance to go to work for BP so he could keep the charter business alive here, and he's been running trips - not full most days, but he's getting them out.

Despite what the press says, the diving has been great, spearfishing is still going strong, and the Oriskany and other wrecks are loaded with marine life.

 

[GLENFWB]

Thanks to Captain Doug for keeping his boat running. Captains are in a real pickle now trying to decide what to do. We need to support the ones who are still making trips!

 

[sontek]

Captain Doug is the best around!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Thanks for update!

 

[OldNSalty]

I would love to support them if I could find someone going out during the week. While driving over to Gulf Breeze I saw a bunch of people standing around holding signs talking about BP not hiring local Cpts. When I got to the dive shop and asked about a charter they kind of scoffed and told me 'Good luck in finding anyone taking divers out right now.'

I know its a little early in the year but honestly, I've called every shop in P'cola...

 

[mike_s]

Many of the local charter boats have taken up jobs working for BP (with crazy amounts of money being thrown at them). There are still a few dive boats that have not been picked up by BP yet.

.

same thing in Destin.

ScubaTech's boat has contracted out with BP to be paid to "sit in port" as a "vessel of opportunity" on call in case needed to spread boom. However, no oil anywhere close....

the boats are being paid based on vessel length (according to the news reports), so at 45' longer boats get paid more to "sit in port" than the smaller boats do also.


sucks for customers though.

I would love to support them if I could find someone going out during the week.

Try Scuba Emporium out of Cresteview. I saw their boat moving in the harbor in Destin last week. the Miss Teak I think is the name of it. (It had a diesel line leaking, but I think they got it fixed).

While driving over to Gulf Breeze I saw a bunch of people standing around holding signs talking about BP not hiring local Cpts..

BP just got busted (or one of it's subcontractors did) for hiring people in Panama City that were not local. They arrested 10 or 12 of them for illegal or false ID's. (Illegals).

SWS was the contractor that was busted.


They apparently were "busing them in" from out of state.


http://www.wjhg.com/news/headlines/94364134.html

 

[JnScott]

Per Scubatech's Website

Deep Horizon Gulf Oil Spill
As of today, May 24th. 2010, the oil spill remains many miles off to the south west and not directly impacting the Destin area. We are running SCUBA Diving and Snorkeling charters as usual. The beaches are beautiful and the water is getting warmer, so lets go diving!



"We hope and pray that the efforts to cap the leak and control the existing oil spill are successful".

I plan to dive with them this Saturday.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Scubatech has been using the boat from Crestview in place of theirs. Was surprised to see that notice, as they did not have a boat for this Sat or Sun as of Sunday afternoon.

 

[ReefHound]

Does anyone think BP really needs these boats or do you think they have identified those that might be most affected by lost business and "buying them off" in advance?

 

[Pullmyfinger]

Try viking diving in pensacola. You'll have to google them, I can't
Post a link from my blackberry.
Point of contact is Capt. Tim Thorsen.