Destin with ScubaTech 8/22 and 8/23

[Nemrod]

When using a Luxfer aluminum 80 four of the pounds you carry are for the tank. The remainder is for you and your suit etc. In saltwater in my 3mm shorts and top I use four pounds on the tank and two pounds on a belt, if I carry my camera I may dispense with the two pounds on the belt. The four pounds are carried in weight pockets on my camband straps unless I dive without a BC in which case it all goes on my belt so that I can dump it in an emergency on the surface and need to get buoyant. So, anyways, I am carrying four to six pounds total in saltwater with a 3mm long sleeve top, beenie and 3mm shorts. You will have to determine your own weight needs but the fact is most people dive over weighted and comparing person to person is often of not much value. N

 

[d_lafleur]

Made six dives this weekend with Scuba tech.

80 degrees at the top and 70s under the thermocline. I dive a 2/3 full, I dont like being cold, with 12 lbs, this gives me enough weight to help a light diver a bit at the safety stop if necc, 2 1lb. soft weights that I can transfer to the needy divers pockets when needed. My BC can more than lift me fully weighted with another diver in tow, if need be.

The viz on Sunday on the Ms. Louise was in the high 40' range. The thermocline was on the bottom at 55'.

Scubatech runs a nice operation, the Sea Cobra is a good boat to dive from, with a friendly staff.

 

[Comp.Air.Junkie]

Went out with scubatech today and had a great time. You are in safe hands. For the record 6 dives with scubatech and yet to see the glorious bridge rubble.

P.S. If you forget your wetsuit (like I did) it can be done. Little chilly but can be done. Enjoy.

 

[RhinoGuy]

3mm will be fine. watch out for jellys.

 

[d_lafleur]

Went out with scubatech today and had a great time. You are in safe hands. For the record 6 dives with scubatech and yet to see the glorious bridge rubble.

P.S. If you forget your wetsuit (like I did) it can be done. Little chilly but can be done. Enjoy.

Where did you dive? Amberjack Reef? Ms. Louise? Air Force Barge?

I have dove the Bridge Rubble and the Bridge Rubble East 2 or 3 times each.

They do run a tight operation, good hardware, all necc. gear, good briefings, and nice predive reminders.

Was Nancy the captain?

 

[Puffer Fish]

Where did you dive? Amberjack Reef? Ms. Louise? Air Force Barge?

I have dove the Bridge Rubble and the Bridge Rubble East 2 or 3 times each.

They do run a tight operation, good hardware, all necc. gear, good briefings, and nice predive reminders.

Was Nancy the captain?

The bridge rubble is to get a shallow (ok, it is not that shallow) dive in.. if she has experienced divers, and they have computers (if all but a couple do, loaning them is not out of the question ... I have three usually with me) then she will go to different places...there are quite a few places that do not see a lot of divers..

Stronger wind, and depending on it's direction, and Amberjack or Shoreline are easest to hold the boat ...

I like the east rubble better than the main.. but the main has a huge octo population.. would love to do a nite dive there sometime...

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I love how a charter want to dictate location on whether or not the divers are using computers or not... thats about retarted.

 

[Puffer Fish]

I love how a charter want to dictate location on whether or not the divers are using computers or not... thats about retarted.

Really has no choice.. on tables.. trying to do two 70 to 90 foot dives does not allow any bottom time for the second dive...She is just trying to make the best trip for everyone on the boat. My average dive time on her boat is about an hour for each dive.. but on air, on tables and divers will be lucky to be half that.

I would suggest that they require computers.. but that is another cost issue.. and understand why that is not done.

There also a fair number of sites that new divers will normally get lost at.. so she does not go there with a strong surface current and new divers...I don't blame her for that either.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Shouldn't that be left up to the paying customer? I'd rather a short dive on someplace new rather than a longer dive on the same spot I got dumped at on the last dozen trips out.

Besides, there are those people that run the wheel, or calculate from average depths.

 

[Puffer Fish]

Shouldn't that be left up to the paying customer? I'd rather a short dive on someplace new rather than a longer dive on the same spot I got dumped at on the last dozen trips out.

Besides, there are those people that run the wheel, or calculate from average depths.

She does, if there is a consensus.. but the average boat has almost half divers that have never been there before, or are new divers (on the weekends anyway).

It's an SSI shop, so no wheel users in their students... nor average depth people.

I've been on some amazing dives on their boat.. just not every time...if she has experienced divers, our first dive might be over 100 ft...my deepest last year was 108 on her boat. But if there had been new divers on board, that dive does not happen.

Note: She also will not put divers down if their are other boats fishing the site... for obvious reasons.

One thing I can tell you is a average day on White Hall is better than any dive on a bridge span.

Sadly, the number of second dive location for people on air is very limited.

Dive in a lot of places on the eastern seaboard, and both nitrox and a computer are required...if you did that, they would loose half their customers, but be able to dive anywhere the divers wanted...well, until they went out of business.