Spiegel Grove current

[Jim Lapenta]

So how bad is it? Too much for a diver with only 25 dives? Any advice if it's doable?

Depends on what those 25 dives were. I would want someone with excellent buoyancy control, thorough understanding of real gas management (not be back with 500psi), able to shoot a bag from depth and do a drifting safety stop, and with some rescue skills. You should know that this is a big dive for the average recreational diver. And some have no business on it at all. Current can be non existent or enough to take your mask off if you turn your head sideways against it. Saw that happen. I have done this dive a half dozen times and would again in a heartbeat. And as you should.already realize an al 80 is not a suitable tank unless you only plan to stay on the highest parts of the superstructure.

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[EL Pistoffo]

The wife and I will be dong our AOW with Rainbow Reef in a couple weeks. The S.G. is scheduled to be one of our last dives.

 

[flots am]

The wife and I will be dong our AOW with Rainbow Reef in a couple weeks. The S.G. is scheduled to be one of our last dives.

If you're not sure about it, skip it and try again in a few years.

The world is full of wrecks and you don't need to do any of them until you're ready.

People get blown off the wreck pretty regularly, and if you're in prime heart-attack territory around 45-55, you don't want to find yourself swimming against a stiff current to get back to your boat. Also I'm pretty certain that with 20-something dives you can't reliably shoot a surface marker while drifting and maintaining depth because it takes more dives than that just to be reasonably competent with the skill.

If there's little current, you should be just fine, but you can't count on little current. When you do any dive, you need to be able to save your own bacon even when things go badly.

---------- Post added May 7th, 2014 at 09:01 AM ----------

The wife and I will be dong our AOW with Rainbow Reef in a couple weeks. The S.G. is scheduled to be one of our last dives.

edit: You've apparenly been diving for a while, but your wife is new. I'd recommend skipping the SG unless you want your wife to never dive again. New divers need quiet water and pretty fish, not a close brush with death. Don't stress out your wife or she'll never dive again.

 

[sportxlh]

The current on the SG can be anywhere from ripping to non-existent. I've had dives cancelled because the current was pulling the mooring balls under. Most of my dives have had a moderate current which can be navigated but you have to work a bit to swim into it.

Wear gloves as other people recommend. I don't think I've ever made a dive in the Keys on any site without gloves. In fact, I've only made a handful of dives (excuse the pun) in Florida without gloves.

After a very long absence from diving, I dove the SG on about my 30th dive after returning to the sport. My dive buddy, also after a long abscence, was at about 50 dives after returning to diving. Neither one of us were Nitrox certified at the time. We got lucky and hit a day with no current. While we enjoyed the very short 20-25 minute dives (double dip), on reflection, we both felt that we probably had pushed beyond what we should have been doing with the number of dives we had experienced since returning. We felt very fortunate with perfect conditions on a set of dives we probably should not have made. We laugh about our stupidity now. But that was just us and our own predilections at the time. After our SG dives, I started diving in Jupiter regulary on drifting deep dives and got Nitrox certified and was completely comfortable on my next set of dives on the SG nine months later.

You might be experienced on similar wrecks and already be Nitrox certified so would be completely comfortable and perfectly suited for such a dive. Only you can make the judgement.

My one strong recommendation if you make the dive is that you come with a dive buddy you are comfortable with. Given your number of dives, you don't want to get hooked up with a insta-buddy on the boat.

 

[RamblinManta]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I am seriously reconsidering my upcoming dive on the SG now. My usual dive buddy wouldn't be available to make this dive with me and I am not yet Nitrox certified. I am very comfortable in the water and feel like I could handle myself reasonably in a fairly strong current. However, given my low number of dives and inexperience, I'm starting to wonder if another wreck near Key Largo wouldn't be better.

I will say that I remain excited at the possibility of diving the SG but not at a significant risk as described by some of your comments.

Thanks

 

[OkByMe]

Ok... I stand corrected on the gloves. I had not been on the wreck since 2011 and was told by Ocean Divers that gloves could not be worn, so I had a couple of "do rags" wrapped over my holding hand - was that a glove? All that other stuff is not as bad now... Oh yeah, be sure to take your snorkel in case you have to labor on the surface. DO this dive and you won't be disappointed.

 

[Earl Grey]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I am seriously reconsidering my upcoming dive on the SG now. My usual dive buddy wouldn't be available to make this dive with me and I am not yet Nitrox certified. I am very comfortable in the water and feel like I could handle myself reasonably in a fairly strong current. However, given my low number of dives and inexperience, I'm starting to wonder if another wreck near Key Largo wouldn't be better.

I will say that I remain excited at the possibility of diving the SG but not at a significant risk as described by some of your comments.

Thanks

It doesn't take long to get nitrox certified - it would be strongly recommended for the wreck dives in Key Largo. If you are renting tanks, most of what is available are AL 80s, so if you are thinking about gas management, there isn't much room for error on a deep dive like this and you need to think through your plan ahead of time. Planning includes your buddy and they need to be on board with the plan. If you get an insta-buddy chances are they have different ideas for the dive. Not to say the dive is not do-able with your experience, but you'd be better served having the right equipment, good buddy and well planned dive.

 

[reefman]

The wife and I will be dong our AOW with Rainbow Reef in a couple weeks. The S.G. is scheduled to be one of our last dives.

I suggest you take advantage of the provided dive guide/master for your 1st venture on the grove, and or, pay attention to the location of the mooring line pin you descend on (attached to the wreck), keep the mooring line in sight/stay close, have fun and wear gloves!!!!!!!!!!!


reefman
key largo

 

[iamrushman]

i agree with reefman..............enjoy your adventure and dive safely. oh yeah wear gloves.

 

[RamblinManta]

I called the dive shop and discussed the dive with them. I gave them by diving background and mentioned my concerns. They recommended that I hire a DM, and said that they would not allow divers in the water if potentially dangerous conditions were present. This all gives me a greater sense of comfort, so...for now...I am planning to continue with the dive.

Thanks again to all of you for your comments and recommendations. I really appreciate it.