Charters in Palm Beach and Broward Counties opened back up!

[Johnoly]

Hopefully then, someone will share some pictures here. FB isn't searchable

Emerald Dive Charters in Jupiter Florida
www.emeraldcharters.com

Defined vessel social distancing.... (But where sharks still bump your camera lens)

 

[PoolsOpen]

OK, so I went diving with Jupiter Dive Center yesterday, here's a brief review including temporary procedures during phase 1 of Florida's re-opening.

Boat leaves at 9am, they want divers to arrive by 8am for check-in..
Online reservations are disabled as they want divers to call so they can explain procedures in detail. Maximum of 8 divers (plus 1 deckhand and 1 DM, and Capt on top deck)
When reserving you are asked to pay for trip and any needed equipment so that it can be ready for you upon arrival. For me just tanks, and for nitrox they want you to just witness the analyzing.
I show up just before 8, they open just before 8 as well. One side door marked entrance only, the door that faces the boats marked exit only. Inside the store they have the "walkway" marked and roped off. 1st to fill out liability forms including covid form that explains staff and divers expectations.
Then you proceed with forms and dive certs to front desk for check in. After that, walk over and witness the staff analyze (36% nitrox) and label tanks for you. They will place tanks on boat (as usual).
Everyone is expected and was wearing some sort of face covering such as neck gaiter.

Once Capt gives the OK, you board the boat and have 2 bottles of water and small bag of chips/ pretzels by your tanks.
They want regulators in the mouth just before standing up and until you splash.
When returning to the boat after the dive they want regulators in your mouth until seated.

Other than that, trips were as usual..
Each dive time was 45 minutes with SI of also 45 minutes.
45 minutes is the time that you're expected to start ascending, so it was more like 52 minutes or so..
For those of you not familiar with JDC, the DM leads the group and tows the flag. You are also given a very thorough briefing before each drop. You are not required to stay with DM. No one will get upset or scream at you if you surface away from the DM or are a couple of minutes late coming up. You are required to have a SMB and deploy it if you surface away from the group.

2 tank dive, 1st was Area 51, 2nd was Capt Kurls. Flat seas, temp 77F, Viz was 40 to 50 ft with blue water and mild North current.
Plenty of life to be seen. Huge nurse sharks, 5 or 6 reef sharks, lemon shark, southern sting ray, about 3 loggerhead turtles, green turtle, bunch of great barracudas, green moray, 2 Goliath groupers plus the usual schools of fish.

Overall great time and not only was this much needed stress relief for me, but also a good way to help out your local dive shop / charter.

 

[iamrushman]

thanks for the dive report....enjoyed reading it.

 

[txgoose]

Great write-up. Thank you!

 

[BrackaFish]

OK, so I went diving with Jupiter Dive Center yesterday, here's a brief review including temporary procedures during phase 1 of Florida's re-opening.

Boat leaves at 9am, they want divers to arrive by 8am for check-in..
Online reservations are disabled as they want divers to call so they can explain procedures in detail. Maximum of 8 divers (plus 1 deckhand and 1 DM, and Capt on top deck)
When reserving you are asked to pay for trip and any needed equipment so that it can be ready for you upon arrival. For me just tanks, and for nitrox they want you to just witness the analyzing.
I show up just before 8, they open just before 8 as well. One side door marked entrance only, the door that faces the boats marked exit only. Inside the store they have the "walkway" marked and roped off. 1st to fill out liability forms including covid form that explains staff and divers expectations.
Then you proceed with forms and dive certs to front desk for check in. After that, walk over and witness the staff analyze (36% nitrox) and label tanks for you. They will place tanks on boat (as usual).
Everyone is expected and was wearing some sort of face covering such as neck gaiter.

Once Capt gives the OK, you board the boat and have 2 bottles of water and small bag of chips/ pretzels by your tanks.
They want regulators in the mouth just before standing up and until you splash.
When returning to the boat after the dive they want regulators in your mouth until seated.

Other than that, trips were as usual..
Each dive time was 45 minutes with SI of also 45 minutes.
45 minutes is the time that you're expected to start ascending, so it was more like 52 minutes or so..
For those of you not familiar with JDC, the DM leads the group and tows the flag. You are also given a very thorough briefing before each drop. You are not required to stay with DM. No one will get upset or scream at you if you surface away from the DM or are a couple of minutes late coming up. You are required to have a SMB and deploy it if you surface away from the group.

2 tank dive, 1st was Area 51, 2nd was Capt Kurls. Flat seas, temp 77F, Viz was 40 to 50 ft with blue water and mild North current.
Plenty of life to be seen. Huge nurse sharks, 5 or 6 reef sharks, lemon shark, southern sting ray, about 3 loggerhead turtles, green turtle, bunch of great barracudas, green moray, 2 Goliath groupers plus the usual schools of fish.

Overall great time and not only was this much needed stress relief for me, but also a good way to help out your local dive shop / charter.

YES!!! There are finally some signs that reality is slowly returning.
Seriously, thanks for taking the time to post.

 

[Johnoly]

...Overall great time ...

Thanks for the very detailed writeup so divers have a good idea how the steps work and it eases their questions. I'm still glued to a project and can't get out for 2 weeks, but all that incredible viz, all the sharks, and all those flat seas has me green with envy !!

 

[tekkydiver]

OK, so I went diving with Jupiter Dive Center yesterday, here's a brief review including temporary procedures during phase 1 of Florida's re-opening.

the DM leads the group and tows the flag. You are also given a very thorough briefing before each drop. You are not required to stay with DM. No one will get upset or scream at you if you surface away from the DM or are a couple of minutes late coming up. You are required to have a SMB and deploy it if you surface away from the group.

... the DM leads the group and tows the flag. You are also given a very thorough briefing before each drop. You are not required to stay with DM. No one will get upset or scream at you if you surface away from the DM or are a couple of minutes late coming up. You are required to have a SMB and deploy it if you surface away from the group..

Be aware diving without a flag is against the law. But more importantly surfacing with just an SMB is dangerous. While boaters are required to maintain a distance from a dive flag, an SMB does not provide any protection.

 

[100days-a-year]

Pretty sure the boat has a flag.
Also agree that S. Florida has a lot of kooks who think it's ok to be a lost diver or lose them. As well there are a lot of kooks with enough money to buy a boat without enough clue to operate it.

 

[tekkydiver]

Pretty sure the boat has a flag.
Also agree that S. Florida has a lot of kooks who think it's ok to be a lost diver or lose them. As well there are a lot of kooks with enough money to buy a boat without enough clue to operate it.

The flag on the boat only provides legal protection within a 300 ft. radius. Don't know how it is where you are but in S. Florida it is common for a dive boat to string out divers over a mile. Surfacing that far from a dive boat without a flag is just not smart. FWC enforcement of flag laws would be welcome.

 

[tekkydiver]

Pretty sure the boat has a flag.
Also agree that S. Florida has a lot of kooks who think it's ok to be a lost diver or lose them. As well there are a lot of kooks with enough money to buy a boat without enough clue to operate it.

Agreed... If you are diving without a flag in an area with inexperienced boaters I would rethink who I consider calling 'kooks'