Vandenberg Night Dive

[LPA]

I'm having some trouble finding a dive op that would be willing to organize a night dive on the USNS Vandenberg for a small group of 3 divers. Anyone have some past success on making this happen?
Had the same issue in the past for the Spiegel, took me nearly 2 months to schedule that night dive...

 

[Wookie]

Have you asked Finz? They may. Problem is on both wrecks that there can be wicked currents, and customers tend to think that they are way better divers than they actually are. It's easier to say no than to try to explain.

 

[The Chairman]

That would be a fun dive, though!

 

[Wookie]

It is. We've done it with tech divers. I'd be hard put to say yes to a group that hadn't been with me all week.

 

[AdivingBel]

I would think you would want to have an alternate site planned. The Vandy at night with a ripping current would get a quick thumb from me and I wouldn't want to go to all that work for nothing. I've been a "flag" on that line before. On a good night it would be fun, though. IMHO

 

[The Chairman]

I would think you would want to have an alternate site planned.

Night dives don't lend themselves to alternatives in that area I would think. Frank would know better, but I've done very few different dives in Key West. It doesn't impress me that it has the diversity and options that Key Largo has.

 

[AdivingBel]

Night dives don't lend themselves to alternatives in that area I would think. Frank would know better, but I've done very few different dives in Key West. It doesn't impress me that it has the diversity and options that Key Largo has.

That would certainly make it more difficult to setup a charter unless the dive op knew the customers well, both their skills and their temperament (which is kind of one and the same). Guess that's what Wookie was sayin'.

 

[The Chairman]

In my most humble opinion, @Wookie and Mel are the safest Dive Boat/Liveaboard operators on the planet. They take pause to assess where other operators forge ahead, oblivious to the possible problems that can arise. Most would benefit from spending a week aboard the Spree as a passenger learning from the masters of avoiding disasters.

 

[billinwilliamston]

I have been on a couple of night dives on the Vandy. It's a great dive, but requires a great deal of caution. Unless the people who want to go are at least rescue certified AND known to the dive shop, I doubt you'll get anyone to take you. It's a big, dark ocean out there at night and the risk of losing someone forever is very real.

 

[LPA]

Yeah, I had an experience with a dive shop in Key Largo that was willing to take me for a night dive on the Spiegel, was my first dive on that wreck (not smart as a night dive I know I know). Was only me and another person on the boat, on our way there I found out she had some experience, but only one dive on the Spiegel and no dives in the past two years. I should have turned the boat back right there and then, but after waiting two months for this thought 'how bad can it be'. Not even 5 mins into the dive with strong currents and relatively low viz (Spiegel living up to its reputation), she freaked out and I decided to call the dive. Could have been worse though.
So I totally get that most dive shops want to be a bit more cautious when accepting divers for these dives...