Looking for divers to share a West Palm Beach Drift Wreck Charter April 2019

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caruso

Banned
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Location
Long Island, NY
# of dives
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Looking for divers to join our group of 4 divers on a private charter with Florida Scuba Charters in West Palm Beach on Wednesday 4/17 & Thursday 4/18. Divers are welcome for one or both days. Both days will be 3-tank dive trips with an expected departure time of 10 am and a duration of about 5 hours. I prefer 3 tank trips rather than 2 morning & 2 afternoon. For me, 2 dives never seem to be enough and 4 is sometimes a bit much, and there's less time wasted getting out and back. Gives more time to sleep in and enjoy a leisurely breakfast while getting finished by mid afternoon.

Weather and conditions permitting, the diving will be concentrated on the area wrecks- including the 3 wreck "Mitzvah Corridor" and 4 wreck "Governors Riverwalk" which will be scheduled for the first dive day. The other dives will be on most of the other larger, more intact wrecks in the area.

These are single tank drift dives usually in brisk current, in the depth range of 70-95' and can be done without having AOW certification or Nitrox- but know your limits. If you aren't Nitrox certified I highly recommend getting it done, you've got plenty of time to do the PADI online course with a quick review/quiz/tank analysis at a local dive shop of your choice. These dives are done with no mooring line or dive flag - you are dropped in and free ascend to the bottom, before the first wreck. You drift from one wreck to the next, taking as much time as you like at each one, and then surfacing when you finish the last wreck or reach your gas reserve limit. Dustin will pick you up wherever you surface sometimes after a brief wait. You will need a surface marker buoy. There will be a DM in the water to assist as necessary, but these are not to be considered guided dives. Drift diving experience is good to have but not mandatory. It can be a bit chilly this time of year but typically all that is needed is a 3/2 dive skin for warmth & protection & a good pair of gloves.

The cost per day which includes 3 Nitrox tanks and weights will be $125. If you supply your own tanks the cost will be $95. Dive gear can be rented at the boat.

*No Spearfishing*

Please contact me via the messaging system and either supply your phone number or if you prefer I will give you mine and we will exchange information. The boat is almost full so a $50 deposit will be necessary prior to 3/1/2019 by Paypal, check or credit card.

*I have verbal commitments for 10/12 spots on the boat once we hit 12 there will be a waitlist pending deposits from confirmed divers.*
 
.. private charter with Florida Scuba Charters in West Palm Beach on Wednesday 4/17 & Thursday 4/18. ...

That's Easter Week and probably the number one busiest week of the year (except mini-season) Dustin will have NO PROBLEM filling those trips. We'll be out there on our boat and usually talk to him on the radio when we're near each other.


.. expected departure time of 10 am and..... Gives more time to sleep in .....
As said, the boats are slammed busy and FSC is usually running double trips with early departures each day. You might re-check with him incase he forgot it's Spring Break Easter Week so you don't get a last minute schedule change. Some boats are running 3 trips each day they are that busy.
 
That's Easter Week and probably the number one busiest week of the year (except mini-season) Dustin will have NO PROBLEM filling those trips..

Thanks for the info. Dustin will refer anyone who calls for those days to me so I can add them to the charter. I messaged Dustin after reading your post- he says he doesn't run double trips on weekdays.
 
What is mini season?

I think mini season is the period of time during which you can hunt for lobsters. I can tell you that this isn't the trip for lobster hunters we will be on wrecks not on the reefs where you're typically going to find lobster in that area. In fact it's one of the reasons I booked the charter- because there are lots of divers looking to hunt for lobsters on the reefs, and I wanted to be able to choose the dive sites on those days.
 
What is mini season?

I think mini season is the period of time during which you can hunt for lobsters....

@caruso is 100% correct. Mini-season is an unofficial national scuba diving holiday both loved and hated by many in Florida { @Wookie @The Chairman :) }

It is a 2 day opening season that recreational divers are allow to harvest DOUBLE the normal lobster limits on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July every year. It has been said that it is the 2nd largest visitor attendance event in the Florida Keys, clogging roads, doubling hotel room prices, packing restaurants, sending folks to the hospital and sometimes to the morgue. Workers call in sick, lie to their spouses about diving, dive with non-working regulators/computers, and use any boat/canoe/raft that will float for a handful of lobsters they could have purchased cheaper at Sam's club. I haven't missed a single mini-season for the last 22 years, it's that much fun !!

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I have verbal commitments for 10/12 spots on the boat once we hit 12 there will be a waitlist pending deposits from confirmed divers prior to 3/1/2019.
 
It is a 2 day opening season that recreational divers are allow to harvest DOUBLE the normal lobster limits on the last Wednesday and Thursday of July every year.
Except in the Keys. You can't double your limit in the Keys.
 
Just wanted to clarify that the cost is $125 per day (includes tax) for a 3 tank dive and Nitrox tanks.

Due to a cancelation by a potential group of 3, there are 5 spots available. Once we get 12 divers confirmed then anyone else will be on a waitlist pending cancelations. $50 deposit will be due by 3/1/2019.
 
Just curious, what makes this a private charter? Seems like a regular cattle boat trip to the wrecks...
 
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

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