Texas Flower Gardens pet peeves.

[overandover]

Jay_SMART_Diver gave me an idea. If you are an experienced diver on the Fling or Spree, what would you like the new divers to know before they go on their first trip. The wife and I will be going at the end of April and I would like to know.

Thanks in advance!

 

[redacted]

Jay_SMART_Diver gave me an idea. If you are an experienced diver on the Fling or Spree, what would you like the new divers to know before they go on their first trip. The wife and I will be going at the end of April and I would like to know.

Thanks in advance!

The end of April is not the best time for new divers to go to FGB. Diving FGB can be fairly challanging. It is not a good place to be working on the basics. Seas in the spring can be very challenging, both from the standpoint of the boat ride and the diving. I have seen unprepared divers go on spring time trips and never get in the water. If you are not reasonably confident in your ability to handle rough seas and difficult diving conditions, you may want to wait. July and August are much more favorable seas. That would also give you time to get more diving experience and work on navigation skill.

 

[daniel f aleman]

Take AOW before going; be sure to take the Deep and Navigation Specialties; and know how to dive from a boat.

Don't go if you get seasick - you'll want to die after two hours out from the dock. Get your sealegs before (on other crafts)...

Bring all your paperwork, logbook, and-cards - especially Nitrox, if using.

Bring only one AL80; be sure to bring an extra valve, and a repair kit. Bring extras of all personal items. Towel.

Get to the dock early, you can chat up the crew easier with fewer people around; and you'll get first dibs on a sleeping bunk.

Never dive into Deco. If you don't use a computer, be sure that you know your tables.

 

[Debraw]

Seas can be rough at 3-4 foot. May not sound like a lot at first but when you are attempting to get back on the boat it can rough on the ladder. Also when you drop off the side be ready for a 5 foot or better drop and hold on to you mask. It's a good idea to be comfortable with your gear and have everything adjusted before you get ready to exit the boat. Wear gloves to handle the lines. Maintain good bouyancy for your dives and watch your depth. Bring a safety sausage.

My last tip is take seasickness medication. Even if you have never been seasick a day in your life. Take it. No kidding I am going to say it again, take the medication.

My question is why is this thread titled "Texas Flower Gardens pet peeves? " Shouldn't it be "Texas Flower Gardens tips? "

 

[MSilvia]

Here's a pet peeve based suggestion: If your feet stink, sleep with your head toward the diver in the next bunk... there are some close quarters on those boats.

On a more sober note, dive within your comfort zone. If you feel worn out, sit out a dive and take a nap. After dealing with a stiff current on the second day, my buddy and I decided to pass on the next dive so we could rest up and offgas. During the dive we opted not to do, one of the divers from the other boat (an older, overweight smoker) had a heart attack while fighting the current and died. Better safe than sorry... if you don't feel up to it, bag it.

 

[redacted]

Trips to Roatan and Cozumel are great experience but FGB will be quite different. 120 miles from land. 34 divers and 6 crew fill all the bunks and keep the 2 full service heads fairly busy. Boat DM's are not in the water with the divers except to aid on the surface or rescue. 5 dives the first day with 2.5 hour SIs will test your stamina. Most dives are in the 75 to 100 ft range. You are your own dive planner and guide. On air, most of your dives will be NDL limited. I highly recommend nitrox which will give you more bottom time and make most dives gas limited. You are required to get back on the boat with at least one more full breath from your tank. If navigation skills in strong current situations are not solid, you probably want to keep the anchor line in sight or make only short forays out of sight of the line.

My wife with about 350 dives quit going to then FGB with me after witnessing 3 seperate accidents. That and her tendency to get seasick convinced her to quit.

If you have any doubt about your and your wife's ability to handle some great but tough diving, I'd suggest a couple day trips to rigs. They usually stay within 20 to 50 miles of shore and will help you judge if you are ready for a long trip with a lot more diving.

Don't get me wrong. On a good day, FGB can be calm and failry easy albeit deep diving. I've seen fairly new (and brand new) divers handle it with little problem. I've also seen experienced divers humbled by difficult conditions. If my first trip had been my first spring time trip, I'm not sure I'd have gone again. Getting back on the boat with seas running 3 to 4 ft is difficult physically and mentally. Broken and lost gear is common under the more sever conditions. It is a dive trip, not a dive vacation.

 

[chairmanTARAC]

awap you are a gulf diving veteran. Repeat ,to all divers ,Texas Gulf diving is better in the late summer and fall. Thats Brownsville to Orange and points in between. Better is defined as less current, better viz, seas flat to 3 foot. Historically most folks begin gulf diving on a rig.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Bring gloves

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Do a search through the TSD board. There are many trip reports giving a wide range of conditions and much of the information you are asking for.

Have fun on your trip.

TwoBit

 

[cjames]

Everything that everyone else said plus...
Whoever said it, the Flower Gardens is an advanced dive especially in the spring. Make sure you're ready and comfortable going to a site with lots of current, and potentially heavy seas. I took my ex-wife to the Gardens before she was ready and it was really a bad time.

Be careful getting on the boat when the seas are up. I've seen people almost get brained by the ladder. Take sea sick medication, preferably prescription way before you get on the boat. Don't feel like you have to be the first off the boat. Some folks get a little crazy about getting in the water, let them. Be ready for lots of current and dive smart to manage it. Take beer for the crew and tip well for the next time you go.