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

[scubadada]

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.

With EAN36 this is perfectly normal. I've done these dives many times. With JDC, these dives are time limited rather than gas or deco limited. All my dives are 52-53 minutes as bottom time is limited to 45 minutes.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

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!

Hope you're able to get the sand back to the ocean soon now that you've vented in an online forum.

 

[Mike]

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,

There is no risk of being closed out of a trip being fully booked in regard to what you quoted from what I wrote about diving during bad weather conditions. If you read the OP's initial post he had 2 people on a boat that takes at a minimum 16 divers and on the second day he had 5 divers. That's typical of what I was referring to.

 

[RDRINK25]

Hope you're able to get the sand back to the ocean soon now that you've vented in an online forum.

And too you for being a badass and toughing out 18' seas!

 

[scubadada]

There is no risk of being closed out of a trip being fully booked in regard to what you quoted from what I wrote about diving during bad weather conditions. If you read the OP's initial post he had 2 people on a boat that takes at a minimum 16 divers and on the second day he had 5 divers. That's typical of what I was referring to.

Mike, You did not fully think out your comment

I sign up several weeks ahead of time while I'm still at home in PA. These are popular boats and will often be sold out if the weather and conditions are good. I don't want to lose the opportunity to dive these trips because I waited too long to book. The weather and conditions can't be predicted that much ahead of time. If I show up and the weather is bad, I'm free to cancel up to 24 hours prior to the dive. Most of all, I'm confident that my operators will cancel rather than go out in unsafe conditions. This is a no lose situation for me with operators I trust. When I make the trek down to FL, I want to dive

Good diving, Craig

 

[F106A]

I can't imagine what it's like to deal with The Public but the shops know all along it ain't no picnic. I also think that the FL Keys shops deal mostly with "Tourist Divers" and all the negative connotations that label implies. So... My past experiences and shop protocol: Aqua-nuts (former op @ the former Kelly's) - a big boat (42' Newton), crew telling divers, "5-7' seas this morning. You might want to reconsider going out." Several people did and got their money refunded even though the boat went out and completed both dives. Smart, safe decision. Conch Republic Divers (See Capt Gary's post - #24) - their big boat. We arrived at the Eagle and the DM decided it was too sloppy for some of the (novice) divers. We tried a reef but there was surge and viz was poor. The DM scrubbed the dive and everyone got refunds. (This is an example of the many reasons I use Conch Republic and will continue to do so.)
I think Silent World was completely within their rights, per their web site policy, to keep the money when the OP called the trip. I also think it was stupid of them to not at least have given the OP a choice to scrub the trip with a full refund, more so considering the conditions and the size (~27'?) of their boats. And ... I can't remember a S.I. ever being that brief for two deep dives in the Keys.

 

[Mike]

Mike, You did not fully think out your comment

I sign up several weeks ahead of time while I'm still at home in PA. These are popular boats and will often be sold out if the weather and conditions are good.

I fully understand what you said - the difference is I am talking about when weather and conditions aren't good, and am not talking about last minute forecasts but time of year. For example we could be talking about Florida anytime during the winter, or another location outside of Florida and be referring to the rainy season, or the off season, I'm not referring to a time of year or conditions where conditions are optimal, it's high season etc...

If you're diving at the peak of the season or some time where boats are likely to be full, then by all means you sure better book in advance to whatever equivelent you need to in order to ensure you get the dives you want, however as said a couple of times now, I'm referring to the opposite conditions, which were in response to the OP which was the circumstances he was in. I have not found florida keys dive ops to generally be full during winter months, quite the opposite.

 

[scubadada]

I fully understand what you said - the difference is I am talking about when weather and conditions aren't good, and am not talking about last minute forecasts but time of year. For example we could be talking about Florida anytime during the winter, or another location outside of Florida and be referring to the rainy season, or the off season, I'm not referring to a time of year or conditions where conditions are optimal, it's high season etc...

If you're diving at the peak of the season or some time where boats are likely to be full, then by all means you sure better book in advance to whatever equivelent you need to in order to ensure you get the dives you want, however as said a couple of times now, I'm referring to the opposite conditions, which were in response to the OP which was the circumstances he was in. I have not found florida keys dive ops to generally be full during winter months, quite the opposite.

Thanks Mike. There are a lot of operators, particularly in the Keys. I don't disagree with your startement for the conditions specified. Your strategy is successful for you, continue.

I dive year round, 12-15 trips per year, in SE FL north of the Keys, with a couple operators. Specific dives, 3 tanker, weekends with gorgeous weather, holiday periods, can always be sold out. My stategy works perfectly, I'll contine, to each their own.

 

[herbdb]

This talk of short intervals with Nitrox only makes sense if everyone uses it. On the OPs trip, his DM/guide was on air and possibly others were too.

FWIW, I have never been on a Florida dive boat where everyone used Nitrox and a short SI is not the norm. I am including a weeks worth of diving with Silent World in this statement.

Some divers here seem to relish dives in bad condition for bragging rights. Whatever?

 

[Mike]

Thanks Mike. There are a lot of operators, particularly in the Keys. I don't disagree with your startement for the conditions specified. Your strategy is successful for you, continue.

I dive year round, 12-15 trips per year, in SE FL north of the Keys, with a couple operators. Specific dives, 3 tanker, weekends with gorgeous weather, holiday periods, can always be sold out. My stategy works perfectly, I'll contine, to each their own.

I really don't care one way or another what 'strategy' yourself or anyone employs in there diving, I have no dog in the fight, I'm only correcting and clarifying when you directly miss-quoted me.

How you dive in Florida in areas outside the area being discussed in this thread or how anyone else does is their own business and I have no intention of changing your mind or methods, it was not my intention to even suggest otherwise. If on the other hand you feel the need to make it known that you believe the only way to dive in Florida in areas outside where the OP and this discussion is talking about, is to pre-book 365 days a year then so be it, but when you directly quoted me you were mis-quoting me as my reply you quoted had nothing to do with anything you've said and was in reply to this thread about Florida Keys diving in the winter, we are talking about apples and oranges. This is the last I'll say on the matter as it's just beating a dead horse at this point. I wish you good diving.