Tampa Boat Dive on Saturday, 10/23

[jhelmuth]

Simbrooks and I will be in Tampa on Friday evening, October 22nd for the Sting and Annie Lennox concert (disclaimer: Simbrooks is not, never has been and never will be an Annie Lennox fan, he is going for the Sting part). We thought we would just stay in Tampa that evening and try to get some dives in on Saturday. We thought it would be great to organize a boat load of SB members. Anyone interested? We would be up for a morning and/or afternoon boat trip to make the most of our time in Tampa. Neither of us have done any boat dives from that area, so we are definitely open to suggestions. Thanks! Rebecca

My dive buddy and I would love to go, but we will be on a plane back to St Pete from Miami returning from a trip to San Salvador, Bahamas (a week a@ Riding Rock Inn).
If there is anything I can do for you here, please let me know. We are honored to have you all here.

 

[cdiver2]

The Plunger is being replaced. I can provide 2 recommendations out of Clearwater if you PM me.

are the boats a secret......do tell I'm always on the look out for good dive boats

 

[jhelmuth]

No - no secrets. Just don't want to promote them as I am not big on that. If you ask I will provide 2 boats/crews I happen to like (might not be your cup-o-tea though).

One of them is "Tanks Alot". Smaller boat and real nice crew. The other is a newer boat that I've only dove once (got it from one of my instructors) - I'll have to look up the name (tomorrow) but I recal the captains name was Mac and his name was part of the boat's name. Again - very good crew and smaller boat. VERY FAST (if necessary). Both were reasonable rates ~ $55 for a 2 tank dive as I recall. The snacks were slightly better on Mac's boat (Pineaple + Oranges and lots of mini chocolates and cookies).

 

[jhelmuth]

are the boats a secret......do tell I'm always on the look out for good dive boats

Who do you like in the area (just curious)?

 

[cdiver2]

Who do you like in the area (just curious)?

At the moment non. The best boat on the west coast (six pack) stopped doing charters at the end of last year $60 took you out 10-20 miles to the better dive spots. Owing to the greater distance the boat did only one trip a day out at 8:30 back at 2:30.
The last boat I used was reef tours nice boat great crew but the dive sights were close to shore, the boat did two trips a day.
The Tanks boats I would never use. McDaddy I think is the other boat you are thinking of, this one I have not used.
At present I have given up diving the Gulf and prefer to travel to the east coast....at least until I find a boat that will go out to the better spots.

 

[jhelmuth]

At the moment non. The best boat on the west coast (six pack) stopped doing charters at the end of last year $60 took you out 10-20 miles to the better dive spots. Owing to the greater distance the boat did only one trip a day out at 8:30 back at 2:30..

That sounds like the Plunger - but it was not a six pack

The last boat I used was reef tours nice boat great crew but the dive sights were close to shore, the boat did two trips a day.
The Tanks boats I would never use...

Why? They are a bit slower, but I've never had a bad trip with them. They're older boats - but thats not a big deal (to me anyway). Just curious as to why?

McDaddy I think is the other boat you are thinking of, this one I have not used.
At present I have given up diving the Gulf and prefer to travel to the east coast....at least until I find a boat that will go out to the better spots.

Well... we don't have great water clarity (if thats your issue with the local diving). But we do excell in the spear fishing arena. And our "reefs" have great ledges and lots of smaller artifical reeefs via wrecks.
I agree that I'd rather go to the east coast. But I won't go outta my way and I like our unique dive spots. Have you been out to the Table Top area?

 

[cdiver2]

That sounds like the Plunger - but it was not a six pack



Why? They are a bit slower, but I've never had a bad trip with them. They're older boats - but thats not a big deal (to me anyway). Just curious as to why?



Well... we don't have great water clarity (if thats your issue with the local diving). But we do excell in the spear fishing arena. And our "reefs" have great ledges and lots of smaller artifical reeefs via wrecks.
I agree that I'd rather go to the east coast. But I won't go outta my way and I like our unique dive spots. Have you been out to the Table Top area?

The boat I used to use was the Kinda-Sorta out of Madeira Beach 39' Sea Ray 6 pack and you had the run of the boat. Bow, fly bridge or in the cabins for a snooze, full head and fridge, microwave oven fresh water shower in the stern. Food/drink all the soft drinks you wanted from the moment you left the dock in between dives hot dogs and p/chips, after the last dive Pineapple, watermelon.
I do like diving the Gulf the viz is not the problem rather the sights. Just about every boat out of the Clearwater/ Dunedan area go's to the barges ( the one with whats left of the aeroplane) and a near by ledge, there dived out there are a lot better but they are further out. At 10-20 miles out we never saw another charter boat on rare occasions there would be other divers but they were private boats.

Table top I don't know, I have a dived a table top but would be surprised if it was the same one, boat Caps in the Gulf change the names so one boat would call it one name and another boat a different name.

The Tanks boats well I can-not put that on the board will give you a phone # PM and a brief explanation if you want.
All the best
David

 

[simbrooks]

Ok, so we realise (and did the other few times that a trip like this has been mentioned) that the viz isnt wonderful and the fish arent tropicals like the SE coast - but we still would like to dive in that area if at all possible whilst being in the Tampa area on that weekend. Maybe we can even drag some other people along (although you all sound very reluctant to say the least), but worst case it will just be the two of us booking places and heading out.

Of these few boats that you (jhelmuth and cdiver2) mention, which will take you to some neat wrecks and ledges - ie not the close in, slightly dull barges (to paraphrase)?

 

[jhelmuth]

Ok, so we realise (and did the other few times that a trip like this has been mentioned) that the viz isnt wonderful and the fish arent tropicals like the SE coast - but we still would like to dive in that area if at all possible whilst being in the Tampa area on that weekend. Maybe we can even drag some other people along (although you all sound very reluctant to say the least), but worst case it will just be the two of us booking places and heading out.

Of these few boats that you (jhelmuth and cdiver2) mention, which will take you to some neat wrecks and ledges - ie not the close in, slightly dull barges (to paraphrase)?

You should be able to reach Mac @ (727) 532-0817. I think his is the better of the 2 and Cdiver2 seems to have had a reason to not recommend Tanks Alot.

 

[jhelmuth]

BTW... if you're getting a group together, I don't think he has much more than 10 spots on his boat. It's not big, and if you like big open spaces, this is NOT the boat for you (its open - but not big)