vinnydadiver
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Today is Saturday Oct 23rd and I just got back from this weekends Ultimate Getaway trip having left yesterday. For those of you who don't know, UG is a liveaboard dive boat that leaves Ft. Myers to the Dry Tortugas typically on Thursday evening and returning Sunday.
Why am I already home and writing when I should be wet? Weather. I wanted to jump right on and share information about the experience of the trip.
When we started out it was obvious the wind was blowing. Forecast 10-15 knots 2-4' seas but Thursday and Friday were supposed to be better than Saturday/Sunday. With 20 divers aboard and after a trip briefing we set out at 7PM expecting a little rough weather but nothing that you don't experience from time to time if you dive or fish charters regularly.
That night it was obvious the wind was blowing a whole lot more than 15 knots and the seas were rapidly building. Being dark it became more difficult to see the sea conditions but the 100' UG was rocking pretty good but handling the swells without difficulty especially since we were going with the direction of the wind and waves. Seasickness to some degree was affecting probably half of the divers aboard even though most of us had prepared by taking over the counter medication or patches prescribed by physician. It was rough.
Friday morning I'm up at 6AM and of course it is still dark and will be for another hour and a half or so. We reached our first dive spot at about 6:30 and the anchor was dropped. Seas 6-8' !!! Holy Mackerel it was rough and at anchor UG was seriously rocking. This first spot (50') was to be a shallower, easier dive as first dives usually are to check equipment and diver readiness. Captain Matt, a young but obviously experienced captain wisely decided to call that dive off and move 2 hours further west to a shoal (Rebecca Shoals I think) where we could be leeward of the wind and the waves would be broken down. The hope was, as the day went on that the wind would quiet since the forecast was still calling for 10-15. (Remember the forecast indicated conditions were 10-15 but would get worse Saturday/Sunday.)
Unfortunately the depth of the area was <20' and with the wind blowing over the shoals visibility was probably less than 6'. My wife and I decided to skip along with another 4 of the 20 divers. Capt. Matt was doing the right thing but I didn't see much sense in diving in those conditions and wanted to see how the other divers fared with the currents and swells. For my wife and I it was a good call to stay out of the water. Those diving were immediately scattered by the swift currents to the point none of them returned to the boat with their buddy. That didn't seem to concern anyone but for me its dangerous. All of the divers on this trip were very experienced (many tech divers or advanced certs). Two or three divers did get a lobster or speared a couple of smallish hogfish.
Captain Matt wanted to do whatever he could to make us happy but keep us safe so he decided we would do the second dive in the same spot. Again my wife and I decided to sit it out but this time 11 divers stayed out of the water. Of those that went some were doing tech diving exercises and just needed to get the logged dives while others were diehard spearfishermen. Again divers were scattered and although visibility improved a tiny bit most of those returning were frustrated by our circumstances.
With the weather already bad and expected to get worse Capt. Matt announced we would head toward the Marquesas where the conditions might be better and then he would make the decision to call the trip off. It took about two hours to get to the dive site arriving about 4PM. The wind was still blowing hard but the waves seemed to diminish slightly to about 3-4', occasional 5'. Everyone was ready to do a drift dive. Depth 30-50 feet along a hook shaped ridge. This was a good dive for both spearfishermen and photographers. Lots of corals, tropical fish and eating fish. Visibility was a lot better at 20'+ but short of Keys level visibility.
All divers surfaced about 45 minutes later in decent clusters. Capt. Matt and crew expertly picked up the groups (no small feat when doing it with a 100' boat). Spearfishing was good. One diver came back with a 25lb red grouper, others with lots of hogfish and a couple lobster. I came back with a couple hogfish and two rock grouper. Unfortunately the seas had built back up and with no improvement to the weather forecast the Captain called off the trip. After dinner he fired up UG and we started the 14 hour overnight trip back to Ft. Myers.
Friday Night: Rough, rough, rough. Couldn't tell you how hard it was blowing or the condition of the seas but people were reporting being nearly bounced in their bunk even hitting the low ceiling of the bunk while lying down. It seems UG took a heading more direct to the Florida landmass then taking a turn NE so that we could take advantage of the smaller western bound seas as we got closer to land. Good call.
As we are approaching land we are torn. The seas seem much calmer (of course).
The tide was very low. Capt. Matt maneuvered UG through the channels and into her berth without incident. The owner, Captain Rick met us at the dock and asked that everyone come to the back of the boat for a announcement.
Captain Rick apologized for the rough trip and bad weather. Although no fault of Captain Matt or the crew he announced a refund to everyone for the trip!
Unbelievable! I have been diving for >30 years and have done countless diving and fishing charters under silly weather conditions and never, never had anyone apologize much less refunded the trip. Most charters will keep you out there under unsafe conditions until you say "uncle".
For what it is worth:
Ultimate Getaway is a awesome dive boat for this kind of trip.
Matt is a outstanding Captain that used good judgment by keeping us safe while trying to make us happy.
A crew that went out of its way to keep the spirits of the divers upbeat and happy. Lots of good food and snacks. Always a smile and helpful hand.
Ownership that recognizes that goodwill goes a long way in building loyal customers.
Thank you Ultimate Getaway. See you soon.
Why am I already home and writing when I should be wet? Weather. I wanted to jump right on and share information about the experience of the trip.
When we started out it was obvious the wind was blowing. Forecast 10-15 knots 2-4' seas but Thursday and Friday were supposed to be better than Saturday/Sunday. With 20 divers aboard and after a trip briefing we set out at 7PM expecting a little rough weather but nothing that you don't experience from time to time if you dive or fish charters regularly.
That night it was obvious the wind was blowing a whole lot more than 15 knots and the seas were rapidly building. Being dark it became more difficult to see the sea conditions but the 100' UG was rocking pretty good but handling the swells without difficulty especially since we were going with the direction of the wind and waves. Seasickness to some degree was affecting probably half of the divers aboard even though most of us had prepared by taking over the counter medication or patches prescribed by physician. It was rough.
Friday morning I'm up at 6AM and of course it is still dark and will be for another hour and a half or so. We reached our first dive spot at about 6:30 and the anchor was dropped. Seas 6-8' !!! Holy Mackerel it was rough and at anchor UG was seriously rocking. This first spot (50') was to be a shallower, easier dive as first dives usually are to check equipment and diver readiness. Captain Matt, a young but obviously experienced captain wisely decided to call that dive off and move 2 hours further west to a shoal (Rebecca Shoals I think) where we could be leeward of the wind and the waves would be broken down. The hope was, as the day went on that the wind would quiet since the forecast was still calling for 10-15. (Remember the forecast indicated conditions were 10-15 but would get worse Saturday/Sunday.)
Unfortunately the depth of the area was <20' and with the wind blowing over the shoals visibility was probably less than 6'. My wife and I decided to skip along with another 4 of the 20 divers. Capt. Matt was doing the right thing but I didn't see much sense in diving in those conditions and wanted to see how the other divers fared with the currents and swells. For my wife and I it was a good call to stay out of the water. Those diving were immediately scattered by the swift currents to the point none of them returned to the boat with their buddy. That didn't seem to concern anyone but for me its dangerous. All of the divers on this trip were very experienced (many tech divers or advanced certs). Two or three divers did get a lobster or speared a couple of smallish hogfish.
Captain Matt wanted to do whatever he could to make us happy but keep us safe so he decided we would do the second dive in the same spot. Again my wife and I decided to sit it out but this time 11 divers stayed out of the water. Of those that went some were doing tech diving exercises and just needed to get the logged dives while others were diehard spearfishermen. Again divers were scattered and although visibility improved a tiny bit most of those returning were frustrated by our circumstances.
With the weather already bad and expected to get worse Capt. Matt announced we would head toward the Marquesas where the conditions might be better and then he would make the decision to call the trip off. It took about two hours to get to the dive site arriving about 4PM. The wind was still blowing hard but the waves seemed to diminish slightly to about 3-4', occasional 5'. Everyone was ready to do a drift dive. Depth 30-50 feet along a hook shaped ridge. This was a good dive for both spearfishermen and photographers. Lots of corals, tropical fish and eating fish. Visibility was a lot better at 20'+ but short of Keys level visibility.
All divers surfaced about 45 minutes later in decent clusters. Capt. Matt and crew expertly picked up the groups (no small feat when doing it with a 100' boat). Spearfishing was good. One diver came back with a 25lb red grouper, others with lots of hogfish and a couple lobster. I came back with a couple hogfish and two rock grouper. Unfortunately the seas had built back up and with no improvement to the weather forecast the Captain called off the trip. After dinner he fired up UG and we started the 14 hour overnight trip back to Ft. Myers.
Friday Night: Rough, rough, rough. Couldn't tell you how hard it was blowing or the condition of the seas but people were reporting being nearly bounced in their bunk even hitting the low ceiling of the bunk while lying down. It seems UG took a heading more direct to the Florida landmass then taking a turn NE so that we could take advantage of the smaller western bound seas as we got closer to land. Good call.
As we are approaching land we are torn. The seas seem much calmer (of course).
The tide was very low. Capt. Matt maneuvered UG through the channels and into her berth without incident. The owner, Captain Rick met us at the dock and asked that everyone come to the back of the boat for a announcement.
Captain Rick apologized for the rough trip and bad weather. Although no fault of Captain Matt or the crew he announced a refund to everyone for the trip!
Unbelievable! I have been diving for >30 years and have done countless diving and fishing charters under silly weather conditions and never, never had anyone apologize much less refunded the trip. Most charters will keep you out there under unsafe conditions until you say "uncle".
For what it is worth:
Ultimate Getaway is a awesome dive boat for this kind of trip.
Matt is a outstanding Captain that used good judgment by keeping us safe while trying to make us happy.
A crew that went out of its way to keep the spirits of the divers upbeat and happy. Lots of good food and snacks. Always a smile and helpful hand.
Ownership that recognizes that goodwill goes a long way in building loyal customers.
Thank you Ultimate Getaway. See you soon.
