Spot open on the Orion

[PvilleStang]

We have a spot open on the Orion this Friday out of Port Aransas. If you're interested, please PM me ASAP...

Kevin

 

[RaginCajun]

What's the Orion? Details..?

 

[PvilleStang]

The Orion is a boat. It's white with some red on it, and cruises at a fast 11 knots per hour. It holds 6 divers plus crew, and most importantly, is one bad **** dive platform!

 

[RaginCajun]

Ok, perhaps what I should have more aptly stated was;

Is this a private boat and you're looking for dive buddies to split gas?
Is this a charter, what's the destination, dive plan and what's the cost?
If this is a charter, how often does it go out and aside from this Friday when's the next run?

 

[PvilleStang]

It's a charter. The cost is 250 a head. We will be heading out of Port Aransas, and visiting two Baker rigs, then turning in and visiting a Double Yellow (50 miles and 26 miles off shore, respectively). The boat runs when it is chartered, but is pretty much booked solid for the next few weekends, and needs to be booked well in advance. If you are truely interested, please let me know ASAP.

 

[chucksaul]

What the heck... we haven't thrashed the dive qualifications for FG so maybe we should start here...

At 0-24 dives FG would be a very hard dive.. currents, navigation, etc... so I am told by my LDS... As a matter of fact my LDS cautions a FG trip until you have at least 50 dives...

Comments from the veterans...

Charlie

 

[justleesa]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

moved to local Trips and Marketplace

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[RTRski]

What the heck... we haven't thrashed the dive qualifications for FG so maybe we should start here...

At 0-24 dives FG would be a very hard dive.. currents, navigation, etc... so I am told by my LDS... As a matter of fact my LDS cautions a FG trip until you have at least 50 dives...

Comments from the veterans...

Charlie

Chucksaul:

There was a thread about this a little while ago, but I think it got 'et by the month or so Scubaboard downtime when they had to revert to a May backup.

My opinion: if you took to scuba well, and are a good swimmer in reasonable shape, and plan for what the FG dives will be like (no guide - buddys manage their own navigation and time - potential for some current either in transitional surface layer or at depth, and potential for limited visibility into the 30-40 foot range (although usually much better) ) I see no reason why a 25-30 dive AOW diver couldn't do the Gardens safely.

Nitrox would be a benefit, and diving a computer an even bigger one. But I have seen people there diving air and tables (NOT my recommendation, since essentially every dive you do is a repetitive dive unless you sit out an entire day...)

My wife and I did the FG with only about 28 dives on our logs, although we had been to similar depths at Saba. We didn't violate depth restrictions (boat rules), have an out of air issue, or ride the dinghy because we didn't make our way back to the right boat at all. Others - some with much more experience - did.

Bottom line, 50 dives is probably a nice safe number to give. But 50 dives at CSSP wouldn't do diddly to prepare you for the FG. I'd say a bigger measuring stick should be your comfort with navigation and dive planning for yourself, and some similar depth, salt-water experience. Be honest in your self-assessment, and be honest about sitting out a dive if conditions warrant (we have, based either on our fatigue level from prior dives or the current conditions for a given dive). Don't plan on taking a camera down your first time, even if you're comfortable with one at inland waterparks. Maybe ask if your buddy team can follow another you think has more local experience, until you've gained some comfort. In other words work into the event sanely with an understanding of how what you're doing differs from what you've done before.

But of course, sooner or later something has to be your 'first' time to do it (first time at that depth, first time navigating for yourself, etc).

I'm just now over 50 dives (56) have been to the FG twice, and am going again (weather permitting!) over Labor Day weekend. Frankly the FG counts as the biggest proportion of non-training dives on my log!

 

[chucksaul]

Thanks for the reply... it jives with what we have experienced... Just got back from COZ this week for our first blue water and my LDS said we were certainly ready for FG even though we are just at 30 dives... We have our Nitrox and AOW certifications also... The LDS said nav is the hardest part of the trip and I agree that 50 dives at CSSP would not be the best test as no matter how bad you nav you generally will hit a shore... We did Windy Point and had no problem with nav which I thought was a much better test of skills because if you miss you can go a reallllly long way before you hit anything and could surface in a boating lane which would not be good...

We are already planning a spring FG trip...

Hope to see you there

Charlie