Amazz
Contributor
We arrived at the M/V Spree on Thursday, October 3, at 7:15 for a 7:45 mini boat briefing and 8pm boarding. Sleeping quarters are bunk style with linens, pillow, blanket, and individual privacy curtains provided. You only need to bring a towel or two. The boat is extremely clean and well run. Frank and Melanie are gracious hosts, have a world of experience, and I wouldn't hesitate to go on this trip again.
Next came the boat, safety, and dive briefing. It was the most informative and amusing I had ever heard and between being in the dive industry for many years and having traveled on loads of liveaboards, I have heard many. It lasted about an hour and following that beers and wine served at the bar. Drinks as well as nitrox are included in the charter price.
Meals were hot and plentiful and delicious! :
Continental breakfast is served before the first dive and a full hot breakfast buffet style is served after dive one.
Lunch day one: Hot curry pumpkin soup, pitas with chicken, egg, or salad, tabbouleh salad, cookies.
Snack: homemade hummus, regular, garlic, hot and chips and pitas .YUM!
Dinner day one: Pork tenderloin, salad, veggies, rice
Lunch day two: Cold sandwiches with all the fixings, coleslaw, taco soup.
Dinner day two: Baked breaded parmesiann chicken, quinoa salad, tossed salad, veggies.
Although we only had two dives on the last day, we were provided with continental breakfast, full breakfast, and lunch.
Lunch day three just prior to arriving to the marina was fully loaded baked potatoes and hot broccoli cheese soup with fresh veggies to dip.
Diving:
Melanie gives incredibly informative briefings. When she talks about current, using current and mooring lines, LISTEN TO HER! If you get lost or let the current get the best of you, there is a chase boat available to pick you up for the ride of shame. Follow her directions and youll be fine. Wear gloves as there are barnacles and fire coral on the mooring lines. Entry to the water is from the side of the boat and about a 6 ft. drop. Exit from the water is the back of the boat via twin ladders.
Dive Sites
Dantes Inferno: Multiple large pinnacles that start at about 50 ft. and drop to 85 ft. at the sand. I considered this a very fishy site with one of the largest reef sharks I have ever seen, a 30 + pound black grouper, 15 lb. friendly mutton snapper, 12 lb. hogfish, 15 lb. red grouper that followed us around like a puppy. There were jacks tearing through baitfish at the top of the pinnacle near the mooring. The reef was pretty with many gorgonians and sea fans.
Pattys Reef: Lush coral mound that extends as far as you can go. School of 14 large midnight parrotfish, several hogfish over 10 pounds, large yellow mouth grouper, baitfish and glass gobies made this site dance with life!
Cooper Reef: I didnt think the diving could get any better, but it just did. I have never seen so many large fish on a dive, and I dive a lot. There were at least 8 yellow mouth grouper, schools of 15 pound dog snapper, many barracuda, and a very friendly Nassau grouper. This dive site is simply amazing.
Batman Cave: This is a former cave that collapsed during a hurricane several years ago. There are tunnels and numerous swim throughs. Large dog snapper, two reef sharks, and at least a dozen very large hogfish gathered on the reef for some type of party. They were either getting ready to pair up or foraging. Some large males would hover above the reef vertical with snout down.
Vandenburg: We had nice visibility at least 50 ft. mild current, and this operation allows for you to dive your experience and training.
Pros
You may bring your own steel 100 tanks and get great nitrox fills. Our steel 100 tanks were filled to 33 percent and 3400-3500 psi regularly. You may dive within your training with no restrictions except to maintain the buddy system unless you are a certified solo diver with proper equipment. Hot water showers on the dive deck and two gear rinse tanks. Extremely well maintained and clean vessel with friendly and professional crew.
I cannot speak highly enough about this operation. Frank and Melanie, the operators, do it right. I can't wait to go on the Spree again.
Cons
I honestly cannot think of any cons for this trip, except that due to the US Government shutdown, we could not visit Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park. I was very disappointed as I have never been there. However, if the fort had been open, I dont know if I would have been willing to miss a dive to go to go there.
Yes, there is a lack of privacy due to bunk style lodging. But I have done this type of travel before and really dont have a problem sharing space with other divers. If you must have a private cabin with en-suite toilet, then this may not be the trip for you.
The pictures of the boat can be seen on Spreeexpeditions.com
Click on the photo link below for pics as I'm having difficulty embedding the pics in this post.
Amazz Gallery - ScubaBoard Gallery
Next came the boat, safety, and dive briefing. It was the most informative and amusing I had ever heard and between being in the dive industry for many years and having traveled on loads of liveaboards, I have heard many. It lasted about an hour and following that beers and wine served at the bar. Drinks as well as nitrox are included in the charter price.
Meals were hot and plentiful and delicious! :
Continental breakfast is served before the first dive and a full hot breakfast buffet style is served after dive one.
Lunch day one: Hot curry pumpkin soup, pitas with chicken, egg, or salad, tabbouleh salad, cookies.
Snack: homemade hummus, regular, garlic, hot and chips and pitas .YUM!
Dinner day one: Pork tenderloin, salad, veggies, rice
Lunch day two: Cold sandwiches with all the fixings, coleslaw, taco soup.
Dinner day two: Baked breaded parmesiann chicken, quinoa salad, tossed salad, veggies.
Although we only had two dives on the last day, we were provided with continental breakfast, full breakfast, and lunch.
Lunch day three just prior to arriving to the marina was fully loaded baked potatoes and hot broccoli cheese soup with fresh veggies to dip.
Diving:
Melanie gives incredibly informative briefings. When she talks about current, using current and mooring lines, LISTEN TO HER! If you get lost or let the current get the best of you, there is a chase boat available to pick you up for the ride of shame. Follow her directions and youll be fine. Wear gloves as there are barnacles and fire coral on the mooring lines. Entry to the water is from the side of the boat and about a 6 ft. drop. Exit from the water is the back of the boat via twin ladders.
Dive Sites
Dantes Inferno: Multiple large pinnacles that start at about 50 ft. and drop to 85 ft. at the sand. I considered this a very fishy site with one of the largest reef sharks I have ever seen, a 30 + pound black grouper, 15 lb. friendly mutton snapper, 12 lb. hogfish, 15 lb. red grouper that followed us around like a puppy. There were jacks tearing through baitfish at the top of the pinnacle near the mooring. The reef was pretty with many gorgonians and sea fans.
Pattys Reef: Lush coral mound that extends as far as you can go. School of 14 large midnight parrotfish, several hogfish over 10 pounds, large yellow mouth grouper, baitfish and glass gobies made this site dance with life!
Cooper Reef: I didnt think the diving could get any better, but it just did. I have never seen so many large fish on a dive, and I dive a lot. There were at least 8 yellow mouth grouper, schools of 15 pound dog snapper, many barracuda, and a very friendly Nassau grouper. This dive site is simply amazing.
Batman Cave: This is a former cave that collapsed during a hurricane several years ago. There are tunnels and numerous swim throughs. Large dog snapper, two reef sharks, and at least a dozen very large hogfish gathered on the reef for some type of party. They were either getting ready to pair up or foraging. Some large males would hover above the reef vertical with snout down.
Vandenburg: We had nice visibility at least 50 ft. mild current, and this operation allows for you to dive your experience and training.
Pros
You may bring your own steel 100 tanks and get great nitrox fills. Our steel 100 tanks were filled to 33 percent and 3400-3500 psi regularly. You may dive within your training with no restrictions except to maintain the buddy system unless you are a certified solo diver with proper equipment. Hot water showers on the dive deck and two gear rinse tanks. Extremely well maintained and clean vessel with friendly and professional crew.
I cannot speak highly enough about this operation. Frank and Melanie, the operators, do it right. I can't wait to go on the Spree again.
Cons
I honestly cannot think of any cons for this trip, except that due to the US Government shutdown, we could not visit Fort Jefferson in Dry Tortugas National Park. I was very disappointed as I have never been there. However, if the fort had been open, I dont know if I would have been willing to miss a dive to go to go there.
Yes, there is a lack of privacy due to bunk style lodging. But I have done this type of travel before and really dont have a problem sharing space with other divers. If you must have a private cabin with en-suite toilet, then this may not be the trip for you.
The pictures of the boat can be seen on Spreeexpeditions.com
Click on the photo link below for pics as I'm having difficulty embedding the pics in this post.
Amazz Gallery - ScubaBoard Gallery
