Alpena charters

ScottSpencer · Feb 4, 2004

Has anyone gone out with R.J. Charters out of Alpena? Their web site looks good and my wife and I want to go diving up there this July. And any dive reccomendations for that area (<130 ).

Thanks
Scott

lakesdiver · Feb 4, 2004

Yeah, I've been out with Capt. Randy a number of times. I've always had good luck with him. Leaves on time, gets you to the site quickly, takes good care of you on the way. I'd recommend him. If you've never been there, try the "Grecian", "E.B. ALLEN". For a long dive on/in a fun ship, the "NORDMEER". It's max 40 feet and lots of places to crawl in and out of.

diverbrian · Feb 4, 2004

Try the Montana as well. You'll find the wrench heavy though!

Our typical day up there is the Grecian followed by the Montana.

If you wanted to out some distance, I believe that the Monrovia is only about 100 ft. to the deck and maybe 130 to the sand, but he charges extra to go clear out there. (The Nordmeer is the same type of deal. It is a good distance away so he charges more for that particular boat.)

I dove with Capt. Randy quite a bit last summer. He is good people. His sons will help schlep gear to the boat and back to your car. His boats are the prettiest as he uses them for commercial work, but they are functional and get you out to the site. He is friendly, responsible, and sticks to the schedules when he can. You can't go wrong with him.

ScottSpencer · Feb 5, 2004

Thanks for the info. We look forward to diving up there.

RPanick · Feb 7, 2004

RJ leads a nice dive and his boat has lots of space to stow gear and get out of the weather if needed. And RJ is a nice guy to dive with you can telll he knows what he is doing. He even has a Television, and a glass bottom, but we could never see anything, mostly because the visibility wasn't too good I suspect.

I can second the Grecian, very nice dive, but from what I have been told, don't bother with going to the bow, there isn't much to see. The Grecian is right about at 90-100 feet of water, with the bow being deeper yet.

The Nordmeer was a nice dive, it demonstrates what mother nature can do to something made by man. Talk about twisted up steel. One comment, RJs bigger boat isn't known for its speed. Going out to the Nordmeer is a long boring ride out and back.

Don't let him take you to the Oscar T. Flint. It was carrying limestone (I think) when it caught fire and burnt to the waterline before sinking. Unfortunatey that's about what it looks like, part of a boat full of rocks. The visibility is usually pretty poor there, and its boring. RJ keeps scraping the zebra's off, but I'm not sure why.

diverbrian · Feb 7, 2004

RPanick:
RJ leads a nice dive and his boat has lots of space to stow gear and get out of the weather if needed. And RJ is a nice guy to dive with you can telll he knows what he is doing. He even has a Television, and a glass bottom, but we could never see anything, mostly because the visibility wasn't too good I suspect.

I can second the Grecian, very nice dive, but from what I have been told, don't bother with going to the bow, there isn't much to see. The Grecian is right about at 90-100 feet of water, with the bow being deeper yet.

The Nordmeer was a nice dive, it demonstrates what mother nature can do to something made by man. Talk about twisted up steel. One comment, RJs bigger boat isn't known for its speed. Going out to the Nordmeer is a long boring ride out and back.

Don't let him take you to the Oscar T. Flint. It was carrying limestone (I think) when it caught fire and burnt to the waterline before sinking. Unfortunatey that's about what it looks like, part of a boat full of rocks. The visibility is usually pretty poor there, and its boring. RJ keeps scraping the zebra's off, but I'm not sure why.

When we dove the Nordmeer, we had one of the DM's bring a boat. We took Randy's advice and trailered that boat to Rockport to dive the Nordmeer.

The Flint is one of Randy's primary "save-a-dive" sites. If he does one of those I much prefer the Scanlon's barge area or the Colonel Sander's Wreck (Barge #7, I believe). Wasn't the Flint carrying a load of zebra mussels :laughing:?

And yes, the Divemaster (the big boat) is not a fast boat at all. I hope that he has his new boat this year. The R.J. Dives (the six pack) is quite a bit faster, but quite a bit more cramped (although pretty descently laid out for a six-pack). From what I am told, the R.J. Dives normally does the trips to the Monrovia and the Nordmeer. At least he does finally have nitrox. That will be a godsend. I don't have to take my full collection of tanks anymore.

Vatorguru · Apr 16, 2004

ScottSpencer:
Has anyone gone out with R.J. Charters out of Alpena? Their web site looks good and my wife and I want to go diving up there this July. And any dive reccomendations for that area (<130 ).

Thanks
Scott

Randy runs a first class operations and has different boats, a couple of which saw prior service in Munising. I prefer the small six pack, which comfortably takes six and can squeeze another two. Value for the money is there. He is an honest person and enjoys the sport.

diverbrian · Apr 18, 2004

In the process of arranging a charter to the Monrovia this summer, I talked to Randy and found out that he is installing new diesel engines on the DiveMaster (his big boat). It should be close to as fast as the RJ Dives when the season starts.

alpenadiver · Apr 27, 2004

You won't be disappointed with Randy, or his service, the nordmeer is really cool, as are the other wrecks, I can't wait until the kyle spangler is open for diving.

Hopefully the Cormorants won't think your lunch

Mike

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