Three strikes and I'm out? Flower Gardens trip cancelled again! :-(

[scubafanatic]

.....well folks, so far battin' a .000 Two trips cancelled on me last year ( 2003--trip #1 for lack of enough divers, trip #2 cancelled for bad weather.......and now my Gulf Diving trip for 3/25--26 2004 cancelled due to high winds/seas.......3 tries, 3 failures.....I've signed up again for a 5/15---5/16/04 trip......but I'm gettin' tired of bein' let down so consistently......even if the May trips goes, I'll have missed out on Hammerhead Season for 2004.

Who out there thinks FG trips are worth the effort/mental stress/aggrevation? I work in 'collections', and divin' is supposed to releave stress for me, not magnify it....geesh!

Karl

 

[Dee]

LOL.....I had 12 trips cancelled on me before I got out the first time! But Lordy, that first trip was perfect. It was in August, pancake flat seas with Whale Sharks and Manta Rays! In all the trips since then, none have been as good weather-wise. 'They' say Sept. and Aug. are the best times to go and all my trips but one have been during those months.

Are the trips worth the effort/mental stress/aggrevation? Personally, I don't think so. I've enjoyed my trips out there but it's far down my list of preferred places to go. Costs are too high, conditions aren't stable and with little to no screening of divers by dive shops, alot of the divers on the boat with you are accidents waiting to happen. The boat Capt.s and DM's do their very best to insure your safety, but they can't always protect you from the stupidity/ignorance of others. 100+ miles offshore is NOT where I want to be when brown stuff hits the fan and it does more often than folks realize.

Will I go to the FG again? Sure I will, but only on a boat with experienced divers, which may mean I don't go again.

 

[scubafanatic]

Hi Dee,

...I remember you writing 'bout how long it took you to actually have one of your trips 'launch'.....12 tries, I'd have thrown in the towel long before then. Alec @ Southern Scuba told me last night August is the best month on average...and Tucker's Dive Shop is doin' a Sept 3--6 trip with Sea Searcher I might sign up for....being a smaller boat (16 vs 32 seats) he 'buys' the whole boat and can control the experience level of the divers......and Bruce believes as you do...FG is way too dangerous for novice divers, so I'm sure he'll make sure 'his' divers meet minimum standards for the conditions.

My main 'problems' with Sea Seacher are two-fold.......no Nitrox.......and they frown on personal tanks......at least Fling/Spree let me bring a 'big' tank (like my PST HP130 or OMS LP 112, both with Y-valves). I prefer a bigger tank, and Nitrox......however, Sea Searcher will let me bring my PST HP E7-120, which is better than nothing I guess. (they relented as it's the same diameter as an AL80.)

This latest cancelled trip did include a number of very new divers, which concerned me, but I wanted to go on this trip, as I knew some of the other divers from previous trips/classes, so I compromised on my concerns...as at least my buddy on this trip was reasonably experienced, so I wasn't too worried 'bout the 2 of us at least.....and I'd try to keep an eye on other divers as best I could, but knew I wasn't really responsible for them if 'it' hit the fan.

At this point I'll play-it-by-ear as far as giving up on the FG....see if the May trip happens, and if it does, if I have a positive experience....then maybe do the Sept trip. However, I'm goin' to Bonaire July 19--26th......and probably do a week of cave-diving classes in Akumal again mid/late Sept...I know those 2 trips will go through....so I'll have to maneuver successive FG trips inbetween those dates.....doin' my "Rescue" class in April......so if a May FG trip fails, next soonest shot will be June.

Guess there's always Cozumel.......throughly enjoyed my two 4-day trips there last summer!

Karl

 

[Dee]

I know what you mean about the Sea Searcher. It's funny, when we first started diving we'd take the SS out to the rigs. harold was a lowly DM back then and a real renegade. We always took our own steel tanks, usually 2-3 apiece filled with Nitrox. Harold has explained the Coast guard regulations about storing the tanks and all that, but seems to me he could figure out something for folks to bring their own tanks.

Bruce's trip sounds like one we'd enjoy. The FG can be a total blast when you've got a boatful of divers who know what they're doing and do it safely.

You'll get there...just be patient!

 

[cap10]

Hang in there and someday you will make it out. Yes the weather can be harsh in the winter time. but starting in May it gets better. Dee I think you hold the record of 12 "No Goes" Yes I agree on some trips I too also wonder where the divers got certified and they ought not be out in the Gulf 100 miles. Just got certified last week end at Blue Lagoon and now on a trip to the Gardens. On the most part though all do pretty well being their first time. I had one divemaster last week end loose 2 weight belts and even lost the boat and had to be picked up in the chase boat. Go figure.

 

[Cudabait]

CAP10

Randy,

I'll bet the "DM" was a "team leader", not a boat DM??

Regards,

Paul

 

[cap10]

Cuda,

You are right on target as it was a trip leader and not a Boat DM. Although in the past we have had Boat DM's get lost also. Oh well we did not get out last night for our Thur- Fri trip. Maybe this week end we can get out but right now the forecast is still the same, 5'-6' seas. Will have to wait till Fri. to see. Did I answer your question last week about boat DM duties and what not? I can't find that thread now you sent out asking about trip leaders and boat DM.

Take Care,
Cap10

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

Living in Houston I have been diving close to four years(200 dives) and have never been there. Have tried a couple of times but got cancelled by weather. For me its just not worth the aggrvation of booking a trip, committing a weekend and then having it cancelled by weather. I'd rather allocate the money to a trip to a tropical destination. Do like to do rig dives, though. If they get cancelled its only one day shot. I guess I value my time too much to avoid having it wasted by cancelled trips.

Just a personal take on it.

 

[scubafanatic]

Hi Dee,

Kinda funny 'bout Harold's tank-policy.....he has 'issues' with Coast Guard tank stowage regulations, thus generally prohibiting personal tanks.....yet Fling/Spree have no such 'issues', and are subject to the same exact Coast Guard regulations? ...wonder what the real reason is?

I'm willing to give Sea Searcher a shot, IF they at least are OK with my E7-120......it's bad enough not having Nitrox, no way am I wasting my time there on air-only AL80's...that's a deal-breaker for me and non-negotiable.

I haven't given up on the Flower Gardens.....we'll see what happens May 15th......guess I need a good experience out there to get me hooked and energized enough to maintain my morale through the inevitable failed trips.

Karl

 

[ScubaTexan]

I'm willing to give Sea Searcher a shot, IF they at least are OK with my E7-120......it's bad enough not having Nitrox, no way am I wasting my time there on air-only AL80's...that's a deal-breaker for me and non-negotiable.

Don't hold your breath -- so to speak.