Spiegel Grove Advice for an Inexperienced Diver

[RonFrank]

The Grove can be an easy dive, or can be a advanced dive depending on the current and vis. The boat should be able to give some indication before you leave.... depending. On a good day it can be a great dive for the newbie. If the currents are ripping and vis is poor, skip it as you do not have the experience.

Vis makes a huge difference and good vis with strong currents is better than low vis and less current IMO.

I was diving the Grove when two newbies were blown off the wreck. Coast guard picked them up 2 hours later miles from the wreck, and they would never been found except for air support. Don't be those divers as we missed our second dive and we had approx 15 dive boats looking for those divers who btw never even saw the wreck.....

Have fun and dive safe....

 

[pickens_46929]

I'll add to what Frank had to say here... along with others.

1. Safety sausage and whistle is your friend

2. Current can be ripping or mild - difference here is that it's not a drift dive and you're expected to go down and come back up the line

3. There are multiple buoys - not uncommon to come up the wrong one; fine without a current, not so good with a current and low air

4. You always can hire a guide or DM to help you - sometimes they can point out neat things that you'd otherwise miss as well as give you a safety edge

Above all else, have fun and be safe - never forget that anyone can call a dive for any reason.

 

[ktomlinson]

+1 on the safety sausage

 

[Pedro Burrito]

I agree about the safety sausages. I use the DAN SMB with signal mirror, whistle and light and a Dive Alert Plus with underwater quacker and above water horn.

 

[RonFrank]

While it is good to surface on the correct ball, if you need to exit on the wrong ball, no foul. Safety is your number uno priority.... the boats all have radio's and generally know each other

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

Don't be those divers as we missed our second dive and we had approx 15 dive boats looking for those divers who btw never even saw the wreck.....

Hmmm, sounds like a couple of other divers I know around Sealab a number of years ago...

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

A couple of the best dives I've ever had on the Grover were drifts from the masts to the bow. The boat dropped us off at the ball, then moved to the bow ball for pick up.

It's not very common, and usually only happens midweek when it's not as busy.

Marc

 

[RonFrank]

Hmmm, sounds like a couple of other divers I know around Sealab a number of years ago...

What ever RU talking about.....LOL!

 

[RonFrank]

A couple of the best dives I've ever had on the Grover were drifts from the masts to the bow. The boat dropped us off at the ball, then moved to the bow ball for pick up.

It's not very common, and usually only happens midweek when it's not as busy.

Marc

Ironically the day we lost our divers we were drifting the grove from stern to bow...... not sure Gary does that anymore, but did I say the current was ripping.

 

[Buoyant1]

Please note that this is NOT a drift dive as in Cozumel or West Palm Beach area where the boat drops you, you dive, you ascend, you drift, boat picks you up as divers surface.

To dive the Speigel and the Duane, you must pull yourself from the boat against the current (sometimes mild, sometimes wicked) on a line to the mooring ball, then pull yourself down the mooring line. In rough current this can be exhausting and you will use alot of air. Once you have descended down past 15 or 20 feet, there is usually less (but not always) current. Sometimes you have to stay tucked close to the wreck to evade the current. After your dive you must return to the same mooring line to ascend and do safety stops (many times flying like a flag in the current at 20 ft). Do not let go of the line or you will get blown off the wreck. If this happens, the boat cannot untie from the mooring ball to pick you up until all the divers are back on board.

That being said, they are great dives and with either appropriate experience and training or under the direct supervision of a good guide can be dove safely. Nitrox is recommended. Most local dive ops include these dives in their AOW classes.

That's EXACTLY how I remember my dives on both wrecks!!!

Duane was just current, current, current... the Grove was great after getting below about 40-50 feet, then it eased off,and was virtually CALM on the wreck!

To the OP...not a "gimme" dive...it takes careful planning, and consideration...currents are nasty, and since it's SO BIG, you really need to pay attention to where you are left off, so you can find the right line to get BACK to your boat! Took another group that was with us a good 20 minutes to swim to the boat against the current because they ascended on the wrong mooring!


Now.....I did a drift dive on the Vandy two years back! They dropped us on the stern, and picked us up on the bow....THAT was fun!!!