Preparing for the Flower Gardens

[chrpai]

After reading a recent thread about an inexperienced diver having a bad day over the Texas Flower Gardens, I want to ask my fellow swampers:

What advice you have for someone going out there for the first time?

(Ps: I'm not looking for thoughts focused on my prior experience. I'd like everything to be fair game to put out there.)

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Know how to use an SMB.

Know how to navigate using your compass.

Know that listening to the entire dive briefing could keep you from ending up dead.

Know that if you think you are doing something wrong, going the wrong way, or that you may be in over your head you probably are. Stop, breathe, think, act.

Know that at any time for any reason you can thumb the dive, no one will think less of you. Not thumbing it may not get you killed but you may end up looking like an ass.

Know that the boat is a taxi. It will get you to your destination. Once there you need to be responsible for your safety. Period.

Know that if you think you may not be ready for certain dives you probably are not. Get the additional training and/or experience before going.

Know that if something does happen as long as you follow proper procedures you will be found. Might take bit but they will get to you. There are others they need to take care of, the world does not revolve around you.

Know that taking responsibility for yourself and your actions will sometimes make all the difference in your experience. At best it will keep you alive, at a minimum you won't look like a dipwad.

Know that not every dive is suitable for every diver. Sometimes the best dive experiences come from the ones you don't do.

Never let peer pressure, the thought that you paid a lot of money for this, or that others are watching you make you feel like you need to do the dive(s). See previous item.

These items are not just specific to the Flower Gardens but any destination and it seems like they need to be said. In this world there seems to be the tendency of people to think that the world revolves around them and owes them everything with little effort on their part. They seem to believe that they should be stopped from doing every stupid, risky, or poorly planned action they may take. Sometimes they are. Other times luck just happens to say "Nah, go on skippy, knock yourself out!" and they get into trouble. It's called a life lesson. One that probably should have been imparted to them as a kid but was not. Over protected, handed everything, mommy and daddy bailing them out. One of the worst things that can happen to a kid because they often grow up to blame others for their mistakes never seeing their part.

 

[ReefHound]

Know that if something does happen as long as you follow proper procedures you will be found. Might take bit but they will get to you. There are others they need to take care of, the world does not revolve around you.

This applies most critically to diver rescues but really to the whole trip. Don't be a prima donna. There are 24-30 other people on a 100' boat so everything simply has to be done in a structured manner. You need to be able to roll along the assembly line and not jam up the gears. You may have to wait in line for the head. You may have to eat outside. It may be too cold/hot for you in the salon. There may be a wait to get on the exit ladder. And so on.

To do this you have to listen attentively to the dive briefing. They will tell you what you need to do, from how to use the head to how to do your dive.

Other things to add to your list:

Know how much weight you need.

Know how all your gear works and check that it is working, preferably before you get on the boat, but absolutely before you step up to the dive gate.

Be patient and tolerant. Not everything (if anything at all) will happen on your schedule.

Be forgiving. Other divers are bound to "step on your toes" at some point. Maybe they move your stuff, spill something on your stuff, cut in line, whatever.

Be attentive. Try not to be the above diver "stepping on toes".

 

[txyaloo]

Go to Walgreens and buy a 100 pack of meclazine a few days before the trip. It costs $5. Start popping them on Thursday for a Friday departure and pop them every few hours while on board. Absolutely no reason to miss a dive due to being seasick.

A big +1 on making sure your gear works and you are confident in your dive abilities. On my last trip out there, one guy lost something every entry (mask, weight pocket, fins, etc). He just sat on the line and panicked instead of dealing with the situation. Everyone had to try and navigate around him on the travel line.

When you get in line to jump, make sure all your gear is in order. If you discover a problem, get out of line and take care of it. Don't stand in line and make everyone stand around in pitching seas with 50-125lbs of gear on.

Pay attention to the dive briefings and follow directions.

As mentioned, don't be afraid to thumb a dive. On my last trip, my buddy and I were tired and sat out the second dive. Of course, the group saw hammer heads that dive, but we weren't tired for the rest of our dives. It was well worth it.

 

[redacted]

The dive plan. Most dives are going to be in the 80 +/- ft range so do have a plan. If you are diving air, you will almost surely be NDL limited. On nitrox, and an Al80 you will probably be gas limited. Your gas plan is important. I always carry a pony so I can push my gas plan a bit. Most dive are planned to reach the rest stop (I use the down line and not the side lines for a rest stop except on the rig dives) with at least 500 psi and then I do a 3 to 8 minute RS (longer on the 3rd day). In good conditions, that works well. But if conditions are tough, reboarding can get slow so plan for more gas if seas are bad. I have had to spend an extra 5+ minutes on the RS just to let a Sargasso mat pass overhead. I could have busted thru but much more fun to watch. Working backwards, I plan to start the ascent with 700 psi, have the morring or boat in sight by 1000 psi and focus efforts on returning to the mooring or boat by 1500 psi. If seas are favorable, I don't mind doing a free ascent to the down lines. But I normally return to the mooring and use that line at the tie in for the side line at 30 ft for a short stop. I often can't see the boat from there but can see the line on the surface tied to the boat and, currents permitting, I'll swim from there to a down line under the boat. One caution - if surface winds are squirrelly, the boat can go through some pretty big swings so a free swim may not be a good idea.

I like to find the edges of the reef. If they are not too far (100 to 200 meters) I'll shoot a course to an edge and just hang there and watch stuff go by. If the distance is too far or currents are bad, I'll just run wagon-wheel patterns from the mooring.

If you are planning on longer dives, make sure you are among the first ones in the water. I like to be at the gate when it opens.

I keep a towel and dry bathing suit on the top deck and change up there after each dive. You do have to be careful not to make an ass of yourself. Wet stuff in the house will freeze your butt off and piss off people who were dry.

On the rig dive, I like to go to the up-current side at about 80 feet and just hang there and watch sharks swim by. After about 15 minutes of that, just start working your way up structure. I use a magnifying glass to look at the small stuff.

If you work at it a bit, you can get a nap in after each dive.

Enjoy.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I like to find the edges of the reef. If they are not too far (100 to 200 meters) I'll shoot a course to an edge and just hang there and watch stuff go by. If the distance is too far or currents are bad, I'll just run wagon-wheel patterns from the mooring.....

Awap is right on the money here. Many divers try to swim too far to explore the maximum amount of area, get lost, get caught up fighting a current or spend too much time worrying about where the boat is.

Since the skipper's are generally experts at anchoring next to the best spots, keeping close to the boat and working a smaller area has huge benefits. There are normally layers and layers a marine life you don't see if you blast by swimming point to point. Besides not getting lost, you also stretch your air supply by swimming less and you have more usable gas if you know exactly where the boat is rather than a general bearing.

 

[RonFrank]

Common sense boat diving.

• If your worried about getting lost don't venture far. There is generally plenty to see in a 1000 square feet which is a rather small space.
• I always start a dive swimming into the current if possible (non drift). If swimming into the current takes you off the reef try and swim perpendicular to the current. If swimming is real easy you may want to turn around and check as returning against the current may be difficult. However there is not always current.
• Spot check the mooring line frequently if you are not comfortable with where you are in the water. A wagon wheel pattern is a good plan if unfamiliar with the site.
• If you reach sand turn around unless the boat is moored in the sand next to the reef.
• Stay with your buddy.
• Agree on what to do if separated before getting wet and stick to that plan. It can be nothing but at least discuss it.
• Agree on the dive plan before entering the water. Most dives here are deep enough that there will not be a chance to surface from depth and go back down to continue.
• You can establish a meeting point underwater like on the mooring line but its best not to separate.
• Remember a diver can call a dive for any reason.
• Go SLOW! Its not a race.
• Agree on when to start the ascent like 750psi or 45 minutes.
• Most important......HAVE FUN!

If your freezing on the surface cancel the dive. I've done a bunch of boat diving in CA and wet divers make the mistake of starting a dive when there teeth are chattering. Its no fun freezing and you can get hypothermia.

 

[Guba]

I can't really add too much to what has already been suggested for the dives themselves. AWAP, Jim, Txyaloo, RH, RonFrank and GOG are spot on. The only things I might add are generalities that apply to most open water experiences.

Be fit. The FG can be docile---I've seen it plate-glass flat out there---but it can also be running 3-5 feet. That means the Fling, being moored, will "saw" considerably in the swells, and THAT means the big ladders will be punching holes in the water. Getting aboard under those conditions requires some finesse and patience, but it also involves at least a little strength. Be ready to grab and climb, and that means with all your gear (except your cameras...they drop a line for those).
Be dressed for the occassion. In the summer, the water will be in the 80's pretty much to depth. While you don't need a lot of exposure protection, I still like to have most of my skin covered (I don't wear a hood, of course) to protect against the "no-see-um" stingers. It's not a significant problem, but they can be annoying. Also, wear gloves. Most folks maneuver down and up the mooring lines, and lots of sharp critters attach themselves to the lines, so protect your hands.
Be attentive. As someone noted in the other forum..."the Gulf ain't no swimming pool". From watching for people under you as you splash, to monitoring your partner, to always knowing where you are in relation to where the buckle is, BE AWARE. Maintain your situational awareness and remember that conditions can change in a heartbeat. That's the reason I say that a diver should know where the buckle is and not the boat. I've seen the Fling swing a full 180 degrees on the mooring line in less than two minutes, and that means it changed its position by a hundred meters or so (the folks still on the boat said it was really freaky for them, too). That buckle isn't going to change locations, so all navigation usually uses that point as the main reference.

As for remembering where you are, recall that you are 110 miles out. IF something should happen...injury, DCS, ANYTHING...it's a loooong ways to a fully staffed medical facility. While it's possible the Coast Guard can make it out there, they might not be able to, and that makes for a long trip home when you're needing medical attention. Not only that, but it's no way to make friends with the others on the boat...you just ended their diving trip. Be considerate by staying safe.

In that same vein, READ the FAQ provided by the Fling Charters website. It answers a lot of questions about how the boat is run, the rules, and what is expected of every diver.

And I can only reiterate what has already been said...LISTEN TO THE BRIEFINGS. Those folks have been out there hundreds of times and represent thousands of hours of experience in the Gulf. Use that wisdom as your guide. If you have questions, ASK. Then follow their advice. If something doesn't feel right, then sit it out. The Gulf will be there another dive or another day or even another trip. The diving is spectacular, but it's not worth putting yourself at risk. (Okay, forgive me, but I have to tell one story. The first dive of the second day saw the currents just RIPPING. Our group--science teachers, marine biologists, and NMS personnel--circled up for the briefing. They explained the conditions and said, 'We're not saying you can't dive, but those are the conditions and you have to decide if you can handle it." It got quiet for about 20 seconds while we thought it over. I was one of the "more seasoned"--read that "OLDER", not more experienced--of the group and I became aware that they were waiting to see what I was going to do. I looked around and finally said, "Ya' know...I don't have anything to prove. I think I'll go see what's for breakfast!" Three divers decided to brave the current and they did just fine...except that they said the current kept blowing their masks sideways while they were on their rest stops! Yup, the current can be pretty brisk out there.)

This one doesn't relate to safety, but enjoyment. Read up on what the FGBNMS actually is and spend a little time learning what you might see out there. There is plenty of info at the FGBNMS website, and other sources such as REEF will help you with identification of species and such. Knowing what to look for can make a trip far more fun and will help you relate your experience to others when you return.

That's all I got...sorry it's so wordy, but as you can probably tell...I like the place. Have fun out there!

 

[Hawkwood]

I have only met one person who has dived the Flower Gardens. She said it is a "must do" but challenging. It is on my bucket list. It seems from the discussions that I would be ready for it. It certainly sounds like you need to have had experience in a wide range of conditions in order to be reasonably comfortable.

 

[redacted]

It can be a challenge or it can be a cake walk. When you hit calm seas in July and August, it is pretty easy as long as you can manage your own dives well. When the sea pick up to the 4 to 6 foot range, a challenge is an understatement.