Silent World Review 11/28 - 30 With new ownership (long)

[ScubaInChicago]

I've had the pleasure of diving with SW with 10-13 footers and never felt unsafe. I believe the weather was called "Sporty" by the captain if I remember correctly. All that to say, if the OP didn't want or feel safe to do the dive, it was the OP's decision. My decision may have been different, as any other person reading this would have their opinion on the matter. Why is this the fault of Capt Todd (who I have no alliance with)?

 

[chillyinCanada]

The first problem I saw was the 45 minutes surface interval. The second problem was the paid dive guide couldn't complete the second dive for a decent amount of time, most likely due to the short SI.

These thoughts were followed with my belief that the captain was aware that the divers were leary of doing the afternoon dive. I believe the captain knew that he wouldn't have to take the afternoon dive but would be able to take advantage of the situation.

Were it me on this trip, at that stage I would have specifically asked the captain if we could exchange our pre booked third dive to the following day without penalty. I may be wrong but I thought that's what the OP believed he was getting.

 

[Mike]

The first problem I saw was the 45 minutes surface interval.

Typical off gassing interval in Florida Keys.

Also depends on timing. First off last back on the boat you're getting a shortened SI. Last off, first back on the boat you're getting a longer SI.

 

[scubadada]

My 2 cents - when we are going diving somewhere during a time of year where conditions are less then ideal, we book a minimal amount of dives if the dive shop has a lot of hard and fast rules about cancelled dives. We just book enough to ensure getting on the boat the first day and play it by ear after that, sometimes only booking the next days dives at the end of the first day. When conditions are rough and subjective I've learned this the hard way.

I live in Philadelphia and travel to a home in SE FL fairly frequently for diving. I do most of my diving with Underwater Explorers in Boynton Beach and, to a lesser extent, with Jupiter Dive Center. I generally sign up for all the diving I want to do on a visit ahead of time so that I do not run the risk of being closed out because the boat is fully booked. Luckily, from reasonably extensive experience, I know that both of these operators will cancel a trip if it is not safe and will notify me in a timely manner. If they go out, I go out, works really well for me.

Of course, this strategy doesn't work in a new location and/or with a new operator, that can be a crapshoot

 

[RDRINK25]

View attachment 172753

Looks safe too me... Did you do the afternoon reef dive after?

 

[sportxlh]

The first problem I saw was the 45 minutes surface interval. The second problem was the paid dive guide couldn't complete the second dive for a decent amount of time, most likely due to the short SI.

Acutally a 45 minute SI for Nitrox divers is pretty typical in all of Florida: at least the east coast and Keys. I just dove in Jupiter this morning and got a 45 minute SI between the dives (both dives lasted 52 minutes including the ascent and safety stop and I hit 90 feet on dive 1 and 85 on dive 2). I stayed 5 minutes outside of deco per my main computer and 10 minutes outside of deco on my back-up computer on the second dive. I also recall that I got a 45 minute SI when I made a double dip on the Eagle with Conch Republic earlier in the year and the same SI on a double dip of the Spiegle Grove with Silent World in May. On a dive such as the Spiegle Grove or Eagle or reefs in Jupiter, one needs to keep the dives somewhat shallow (around 90 feet on dive 1 and shallower on dive 2) if one wants any reasonable bottom time before hitting deco on the second dive, but a double dip is doable with a 45 minute SI.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Looks safe too me... Did you do the afternoon reef dive after?

We did actually, they were calling for 15-18' seas...My camera was a little worried it would get lost, so I wasn't able to take any pictures. But don't worry, it didn't get charged for wimping out on a dive

 

[RDRINK25]

We did actually, they were calling for 15-18' seas...My camera was a little worried it would get lost, so I wasn't able to take any pictures. But don't worry, it didn't get charged for wimping out on a dive

Thanks for reiterating what I have been trying to say this whole post. Any dive op's credibility should be checked if they are willing to go out in 18' seas!

 

[ScubaInChicago]

Thanks for reiterating what I have been trying to say this whole post. Any dive op's credibility should be checked if they are willing to go out in 18' seas!

They may have been 20-30's I didn't read their facebook page to see if it got downplayed. :lol:

 

[RDRINK25]

They may have been 20-30's I didn't read their facebook page to see if it got downplayed. :lol:

Downplayed by who you??? Just so you know if they would of downplayed it their Facebook would of been 6-8's but thanks for the update!