Any advice for first timers on Vandenberg/Spiegel Grove next week?

[Onewolf]

My wife and I will be spending 9 days on Marathon and I have made reservations with Subtropic to dive the Vandenberg on Monday, with Abyss to dive the Thunderbolt on Tuesday, and with Conch Republic to dive the Spiegel Grove on Wednesday.

We've never dove in the Keys. Any advice for first timers on those wrecks?

 

[F106A]

Lots of sunscreen. Wear gloves. Pay attention to the briefings. Enjoy.

 

[Thalassamania]

Watch out for those creatures on the Vandenburg.\

Enjoy the Thunderbolt, that's my favorite wreck dive down in the keys. Don't forget to look for the HUGE Goliath Groupers that hang in the lazerette and/or down by the screw. Don't block them into the lazerett, when they rush out past you it can get a little too exciting.

 

[BabyDuck]

pay good attention to where the buoy your dive boat is on goes to on the deck - on the grove, at least, there are many of them. in a pinch, nobody cares what line you come up & what buoy you end up at, but it certainly looks cooler to come up at your boat.

*pay attention to your gas.* it goes fast.

pay attention to any current & figure that into your plan. it can be mild to nonexistent or try to rip you off the wreck. what's going on at depth can have no relation to the current at the surface.

hope you have fun!

 

[Jupiter31]

I suspect you are going to be fine - the Andrea Doria its not!

Both very good dives; see if you can get a charter doing 2 dives on each vs the wreck and another site (like a shallow reef) - they are both too big to see on a single dive, especially if you are on air.

Good advice from (mostly) all - sorry Thal; could not resist! : )

 

[shipwrecked]

The gulfstream is very close right now. Wear gloves so you are not afraid to hold the mooring line for the safety stop. SAFETY SAUSAGE!, SAFETY SAUSAGE!, and SAFETY SAUSAGE! And tip your dive master well so they pick you up when you miss the tag line. Hope the wind lays down before you get there.

 

[Onewolf]

Thanks for all the advice.

Unfortunately we have given up on diving in the Keys this week as the wind continues to BLOW! Because of the wind/seas our dive with Capt Hooks on Sunday was postponed, Monday morning Vandenberg double dip with Subtropic was canceled, Tuesday morning Thunderbolt with Abyss canceled, and Wed afternoon double dip on Spiegel Grove with Conch Republic 99.5% chance of cancellation. The winds are currently blowing 27-29 kts at Sombrero lighthouse and expected to blow through Friday. Therefore we raised the white flag and headed home last night. We brought our 21 bay boat and couldn't make it outside of Vaca Cut because of the choppy seas on either the Ocean or Gulf side. :Argh:

 

[ZenDiver.3D]

good luck. i hope you get to, at least, dive the spiegel grove. it is terrific. so is the bibb, conch republic is a good group with really good dms.