The Fling cancels all(most) June trips to Flower Gardens

[Phreatic Fanatic]

....the oil is moving EASTWARD with the prevailing currents, AWAY fron the Flower Gardens, and there are no indications it be moving westward...FG isn't in danger from THIS particular oil spill.

Is this based on a scientific study or a gut feeling? Your use of the ALL CAPS WORDS seem to emphasize your certainty. However, you need to account for weather (among other variables), such as hurricanes, affecting the area. Amazing how the folks whose job it is to study this haven't published any definitive conclusions so far.

Here's a link to an article regarding the uncertainty: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2966134/how_will_the_oil_spill_in_the_gulf.html

I hope you're right, but the truth is, right now, we just don't know.

 

[scubafanatic]

Is this based on a scientific study or a gut feeling? Your use of the ALL CAPS WORDS seem to emphasize your certainty. However, you need to account for weather (among other variables), such as hurricanes, affecting the area. Amazing how the folks whose job it is to study this haven't published any definitive conclusions so far.

Here's a link to an article regarding the uncertainty: How Will the Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Affect the Flower Garden Banks Coral Reef? - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

I hope you're right, but the truth is, right now, we just don't know.

hmmm....."Currently, the oil slick from the Deepwater Horizon disaster is being propelled towards the southern US coastline by ocean and wind currents. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is projecting that the oil slick will continue movement east and west with little movement projected south towards the Flower Garden Banks coral reef."

....so far, it's Florida...the Keys....Dry Tortugas that look to be in more danger from this thing than FG.

 

[scubafanatic]

I'd quit whining about it and move on.

.....complaining about something that doesn't affect you is 'whining'...but when it directly affects YOU, it's 'legitmate' ?

 

[ReefHound]

I'm worried about those huge undersea plumes that are nearly the size of Lake Erie.

 

[Wookie]

I'm worried about those huge undersea plumes that are nearly the size of Lake Erie.

I'm worried that the local (Dry Tortugas and wrecks off of Pompano) water temps are in the low 60's. Even surface temps in the DT are 65. Where and why is this cold water coming to the surface.

 

[scubafanatic]

I'm worried that the local (Dry Tortugas and wrecks off of Pompano) water temps are in the low 60's. Even surface temps in the DT are 65. Where and why is this cold water coming to the surface.

...that does sound wierd! ...any earthly idea what's going on, Frank ?

 

[Phreatic Fanatic]

.....complaining about something that doesn't affect you is 'whining'...but when it directly affects YOU, it's 'legitmate' ?

You totally missed my point. What good will come from Reefhound's complaining about the Fling canceling the trips? The decision was made. No amount of posting crap on the internet is going to change that or do any good. Why drag the Fling's owners through the mud? To what end or what good will come from that? What's done is done, time to move on and make other plans for the dive trip.

Again, there is no certainty as to how the weather will affect the oil spill and the Flower Gardens. But, perhaps you and you alone also know the source of the cold water that Frank has mentioned.

 

[ReefHound]

You totally missed my point. What good will come from Reefhound's complaining about the Fling canceling the trips? The decision was made. No amount of posting crap on the internet is going to change that or do any good. Why drag the Fling's owners through the mud? To what end or what good will come from that? What's done is done, time to move on and make other plans for the dive trip.

Dragging through the mud? Rather than generalize perhaps you can cite specific quotes where you think I said anything personally negative about the Fling's owners. I didn't call them greedy or shortsighted or even kinda small. I simply gave my opinion that willfully canceling FG dive trips now is not going to help build enthusiasm and demand for FG dive trips in the future.

The good that can come of it is to make them aware that some of their customers may indeed move on. What kind of message would it send if they canceled the season and *nobody complained* and instead it was met with a big ho hum "whatever"? The indifferent customer is a bigger concern than the upset customer.

 

[scubafanatic]

You totally missed my point. What good will come from Reefhound's complaining about the Fling canceling the trips? The decision was made. No amount of posting crap on the internet is going to change that or do any good. Why drag the Fling's owners through the mud? To what end or what good will come from that? What's done is done, time to move on and make other plans for the dive trip.

Again, there is no certainty as to how the weather will affect the oil spill and the Flower Gardens. But, perhaps you and you alone also know the source of the cold water that Frank has mentioned.

....just a little background....I'm actually signed up for TWO FLING August trips (1st and last weekends in August) so I suspect I'm actually throwing more financial support to FLING than you are!

"time to move on and make other plans" ??? I'm somewhat 'locked in/committed' now....deposits (non refundable) have been made, vacation time scheduled at work, which makes it not so easy to make other plans! The $ I might should be throwing at another 'plan B' trip is trapped with FLING now, and I have to compete with co-workers for vacation availability, so now it's very possibly too late to schedule a replacement trip due to other days I might want having already been claimed...additionally, even if those obstacles are overcome, have you priced last minute airfare ? FLING won't be doing me any favors if I were to schedule a replacement trip at twice the airfare I'd have gotten if I'd had enough prior notice to go to 'plan B'.

 

[redacted]

You totally missed my point. What good will come from Reefhound's complaining about the Fling canceling the trips? The decision was made. No amount of posting crap on the internet is going to change that or do any good. Why drag the Fling's owners through the mud? To what end or what good will come from that? What's done is done, time to move on and make other plans for the dive trip.

Again, there is no certainty as to how the weather will affect the oil spill and the Flower Gardens. But, perhaps you and you alone also know the source of the cold water that Frank has mentioned.

And before that decision was made, there was a decision to conduct dive trips which had been scheduled and accepted quite a few bookings. Apparently decisions can and do change. My biggest disappointment is from what I read into these actions. That is, I am afraid the Fling has seized on an opportunity to undertake a short term but profitable venture and is not too concerned with the long term effects on their business. And that makes me believe the owners of Fling may be getting ready to retire. Too bad. But what really scares me is the idea that FGB dive charters are not a viable business with a certain value in addition to the value of the boat which I expect to see on the market in the not too distant future.

I don't blame Ken and Sharron for making a profitable short term business decision if that is where their focus is right now.