Preparing for the Flower Gardens
- Thread starter chrpai
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
blandellen
Registered
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 29
- # of dives
I live out there and would love to be able to add some grand sentence or bit of wisdom to this thread, but you folks about covered it all. Thanks. I just wish those who head out to the Flower Gardens would read all you wrote before they come!
There is a HUGE trove of information about the Gardens on here. From threads identical to this one to trip reports going back to the Sea Searcher II. You can see reports from when the seas were glass to when they were challenging and even trips where both happened. Next summer (maybe even this summer) there will be another one and it will end up with much the same info as this one. Those who are familiar with the site tend to really want people to go out informed and have a good time.
Hope you have a great trip. Its been a few years for me. Maybe sometime soon I'll make the trip again. Besides, there is a beautiful golf course in Lake Jackson.
Hope you have a great trip. Its been a few years for me. Maybe sometime soon I'll make the trip again. Besides, there is a beautiful golf course in Lake Jackson.
gnominic
Registered
I would add two things.
I would caution you about using your compass too much on these dives. You should be proficient at navigation, but nearly ALL of the diving on the Flower Gardens can be confined to a small circle within sight of the mooring line. You usually don't need to swim off.
Stetson is a little different (and way better imo), but still you should limit your navigating by limiting your trekking.
And, don't follow your dive buddy into trouble. I'm not saying abandon him, but if he's set on going and going and going, make sure that you can get back to the boat without his help.
Otherwise, the other advice here is good: listen to the briefing, follow the dive plan.
I would caution you about using your compass too much on these dives. You should be proficient at navigation, but nearly ALL of the diving on the Flower Gardens can be confined to a small circle within sight of the mooring line. You usually don't need to swim off.
Stetson is a little different (and way better imo), but still you should limit your navigating by limiting your trekking.
And, don't follow your dive buddy into trouble. I'm not saying abandon him, but if he's set on going and going and going, make sure that you can get back to the boat without his help.
Otherwise, the other advice here is good: listen to the briefing, follow the dive plan.
GaryBDavis
Contributor
I dove the FG on a calm trip in August with a buddy and we were both first time FG divers with 40 to 50 dives under our belts. While I had reservations about being that far out from land in a big ocean on deep dives, I had a blast a loved it.
As long as I stayed within sight of the buckle (the eye bolt anchored to the bottom of the sea floor that the boat ties off to), I felt comfortable. At Stetson Bank, we followed the sand trail out a ways past where I could see the buckle, but we didn't go too far. One thing I recommend is to ALWAYS use the line to go down and back up. You have to be a moron to get lost if you do that and stay within sight of the buckle.
Dive nitrox for sure and you won't be nitrogen load limited and feel great as well. Go to Walmart and ask for the motion sickness pills they keep behind the counter (only a few bucks and no prescription required). Take them before you get on the boat and three a day while out there.
BTW, I love the routine they have: dive, eat, sleep...dive, eat, sleep...dive, eat sleep...
As long as I stayed within sight of the buckle (the eye bolt anchored to the bottom of the sea floor that the boat ties off to), I felt comfortable. At Stetson Bank, we followed the sand trail out a ways past where I could see the buckle, but we didn't go too far. One thing I recommend is to ALWAYS use the line to go down and back up. You have to be a moron to get lost if you do that and stay within sight of the buckle.
Dive nitrox for sure and you won't be nitrogen load limited and feel great as well. Go to Walmart and ask for the motion sickness pills they keep behind the counter (only a few bucks and no prescription required). Take them before you get on the boat and three a day while out there.
BTW, I love the routine they have: dive, eat, sleep...dive, eat, sleep...dive, eat sleep...
OP
chrpai
Contributor
Can anyone tell me more about nitric on this boat? Is it banked or blended per customer? What fo2 will they serve up and what does it cost?
32% banked.
GaryBDavis
Contributor
Last year it was an extra $50 I think. Almost everyone on the boat dove nitrox. They had a couple of analyzers and the usual log book. While nobody held your hand, the routine for doing your own testing and filling out the log book was pretty organized and explained thoroughly.
OP
chrpai
Contributor
The only web page I found was "same as last year" $50 is perfectly fine. My issue is my local diving just isn't deep enough to bother with nitrox. I know they have rental AL80's but I'm thinking something that deep really deserves a 95 or more.
So I'm trying to figure out what to buy for local diving but also be able to take on the Fling. Since they bank 32, are they pretty flexible in terms of not requiring an O2 tank and/or minimal / temporary tank stickers?
It'd be really cool if they just had larger tanks on the boat but I guess they are afraid newbies would just have more rope to hang themselves with.
So I'm trying to figure out what to buy for local diving but also be able to take on the Fling. Since they bank 32, are they pretty flexible in terms of not requiring an O2 tank and/or minimal / temporary tank stickers?
It'd be really cool if they just had larger tanks on the boat but I guess they are afraid newbies would just have more rope to hang themselves with.
You should call the Fling to ask if your personal tanks are ok, if something other than AL80. It will need to fit in their tank holders, which are those two-armed plastic thingies. Your tank filler should check hydro/viz. Not sure if they will fill nitrox into an air tank.
Not sure about the charge but it varies whether it's a 2/3/4 day trip. I thought it was $65 for a 2 day trip. About $10/tank although you can't buy it by the tank, it's all or none for the trip.
Not sure about the charge but it varies whether it's a 2/3/4 day trip. I thought it was $65 for a 2 day trip. About $10/tank although you can't buy it by the tank, it's all or none for the trip.
Similar threads
