Vandenberg -- a few observations

[Wookie]

I like to get there at 0700, before any of the day boats show up. That way I have pick of buoys. Important when you are tying up a 100 foot boat with 85 feet of scope, and the buoys are within 80 feet of one another. With any public mooring, the buoys are first come, first served. There is no reservation system, and the commercial guys like me sometimes have to wait. I don't mind, I've got all day. We will always let another boat tie off to us and let them tie into our granny line. Most Key West operators don't like me tying off to them.

I have seen live recoveries both ways. With tech/really good recreational divers, a drifting ascent from the wreck under a reel and SMB makes me happiest. That way, the divers are well clear of any boat traffic around the wreck. We had another boat call us one day and let us know that their divers would be coming up our mooring. They slid down the granny line to our stern, and their boat picked them up right off our port quarter. Worked well for them.

Frank

 

[Wookie]

Just out of curiousity, what is the buoy protocol for private vs. charter boats? Are there any restrictions or reservations in place? How do the commercial charters know they will have a buoy to go to, or do they?

Capt. Jim

I get it now, Pensacola. Oriskany. These buoys on the Vandenberg are bought by the city of Key West and maintained by the Marine Sanctuary (Thanks, Guys). Some of the operators got together and offered to buy the mooring system if we could put a "donated by Key West Dive Club", etc., on the buoys. The Coast Guard nixed the idea because the buoys would then not be properly marked....

 

[Scott L]

I like to get there at 0700, before any of the day boats show up. That way I have pick of buoys. Important when you are tying up a 100 foot boat with 85 feet of scope, and the buoys are within 80 feet of one another. With any public mooring, the buoys are first come, first served. There is no reservation system, and the commercial guys like me sometimes have to wait. I don't mind, I've got all day. We will always let another boat tie off to us and let them tie into our granny line. Most Key West operators don't like me tying off to them.

I have seen live recoveries both ways. With tech/really good recreational divers, a drifting ascent from the wreck under a reel and SMB makes me happiest. That way, the divers are well clear of any boat traffic around the wreck. We had another boat call us one day and let us know that their divers would be coming up our mooring. They slid down the granny line to our stern, and their boat picked them up right off our port quarter. Worked well for them.

Frank

I have often wondered why this approach is not used more often when current is running strong. Do some dive charters have chase boats to facilitate diver recovery?

 

[Wookie]

A liveaboard would be the only kind of boat to have a chase boat. Myself and the Tiberon routinely launch ours, but you gotta remember, most of the day boats that go out there are little and maneuverable. They don't have down lines, trail lines, granny lines, and all that stuff to pick up when they need to go get someone They throw off the mooring and go. When we run a day trip the customers look at me like I have a hole in my head when I tell them it will take 45 minutes to get the boat set up, a conditions check done, and a dive briefing done before they can jump. They are used to a wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am because the boat has to be back to the dock on dayboats.

 

[ScubaQTX]

you are probably right, about the orientation. on 12-5, there were boats on all the buoys until right before the storm blew in. it would have been nice to drift the wreck, but it wouldn't have worked on that day because of the winds and waves that day. I assumed it was north south because the storm was coming from the southeast. regardless, judging by the sun position and the position of the wreck to key west, i think buoy one is still the southernmost. it any event on 12-5 the current ran almost exactly from bow to stearn. I have video of the flags on the boat blowing straight back.

when i say solo diver, i mean he did not come on the boat with a buddy. no he did not have a pony bottle. in all honesty, he was not ready to dive the vandy. at least he opted to skip the second dive.

 

[BlueWaterDiving]

when i say solo diver, i mean he did not come on the boat with a buddy. no he did not have a pony bottle. in all honesty, he was not ready to dive the vandy. at least he opted to skip the second dive.

At least he know what to do when he got his A$$ handed to him. And stay on the boat. Have to give him that.

 

[carrielsal]

I'm going to be going out in Jan with Mike Ange to dive this wreck. I'm really looking forward to it!

Carrie

 

[Scott L]

when i say solo diver, i mean he did not come on the boat with a buddy. no he did not have a pony bottle. in all honesty, he was not ready to dive the vandy. at least he opted to skip the second dive.

At least he know what to do when he got his A$$ handed to him. And stay on the boat. Have to give him that.

Gotcha. I beleive the term used most often for that senario is previously unattached insta-buddy.

 

[Scott L]

I'm going to be going out in Jan with Mike Ange to dive this wreck. I'm really looking forward to it!

Carrie

That would be a good buddy...

 

[korn]

dove this wreck with Peter from bonsai. he knows it very well. if looking for someone to dive with, use him. he only takes 6 divers out, and leaves a little earlier than everyone else.