Tips for the Flower Garden's?

[rcain1]

My wife and I are going on a trip with our local dive shop to the Flower Garden's on the 7th July. The club has put out tons of info and I feel we are prepared and have everything we should need.

I am open to any tips from Texas Swamp Divers because I know most of you have probably been to the F/G’s several times.

PS: Are there any places to shore dive in Freeport? The boat trip may not give us our fix!

 

[redacted]

Some things Edwin might not have told you:

mosquito spray while you wait to board.

Pick a bunk from the website & have a plan to get it-
Up front double is good for couple but a little rougher than mid-ship. 4-person rooms directly across from ladder in mid-ship area are probably the best ride & quiet.

Listen real close to briefing & follow instructions - the rope is your friend.

I like to get up 15 minutes early to get a HEAD start.

Don't expect to sleep much the first night. If you need to skip a dive, the best one to skip is 1st or 2nd dive of 1st day.

I found nitrox makes the trip much easier.

Freeport is a mud-hole - If 2 days on the Spree isn't enough of a dive fix, try 3 or 5 next time.

Enjoy

 

[TwoBitTxn]

My best tip is to have fun.

If you go on the Spree, tell Capt Frank you are a Swamp diver and that TwoBit said hello.

I'll be on the Spree the 17th.

TwoBit

 

[Dee]

Surface currents are common out there so be prepared to possibly spend some time on the surface away from the boat. Make sure you both have surface markers, the taller the better. Whistles may or may not be heard over the boat engines but a Dive Alert works pretty well.

Listen very carefully to all briefings and do EXACTLY as they say.

Have fun!

 

[sealskin98]

Listen real close to briefing & follow instructions - the rope is your friend.

Do you mean that a tow line could come in handy, along with the anchor line if you can find it? Ooh...yeah.

I like to get up 15 minutes early to get a HEAD start.

Roflmfao...I hear ya! (what ya mean only 15 minutes.)

Never been to FG, but I wanna go!

 

[rcain1]

Are you allowed to swim off the back of the boat inbetween dives?
It may be a fix for early morning calls of nature!

 

[frankdr]

I'm supposed to be going on that day too. It's the 4th time this year I've been scheduled. All the other trips have been weather cancelled. The last try was 2 weeks ago, which got cancelled but my LDS found some open spots for trip next week. I'll ask which boat we're going to be on, since I think both of them are out those days. Maybe we'll be on the same one.

-Frank

 

[redacted]

It may be a fix for early morning calls of nature!

There is the big advantage of those forward bunks. There is a third head up there but the undersized plumbing prohibits any serious work.

I don't think anyone would object to a between dives dip if the DMs know what is going on. But you may be underestimating just how tiring 5 dive to 90 ft in one day are going to be. I don't think I have ever seen anyone who couldn't pass up the opportunity to snorkel with the chubs and the barracuda between dives.

 

[frankdr]

I'm still cleaning gear from the trip. So - which boat were you on? My trip was on the MV Fling. It was a great trip. The weather was just about perfect, at least until it was time to leave.

-Frank

 

[Texass]

Hey Frank,

we missed ya at CSSP, but I'm glad to see you finally made it out. I think Dee had 12 or 13 trips cancelled before she got to go.