Seal Dives?

[johnnyseko]

Anyone scheduling seal dives yet up at the Isle of Shoals? PG Dives schedule isn't on line yet and CAD doesn't show anything listed.

I thought the best time to go was early in the season. I think diving with seals would be a good arm twist to get me back in the cold northern waters again.

 

[crlavoie]

Check with Fran Marcoux. Options are going to be limited this year with 2 of the major ops shutting down.

Fran is trying to put together a limited number of trips, leaning toward mid-week but it will be based on demand.

 

[RIOceanographer]

Anyone scheduling seal dives yet up at the Isle of Shoals? PG Dives schedule isn't on line yet and CAD doesn't show anything listed.

I thought the best time to go was early in the season. I think diving with seals would be a good arm twist to get me back in the cold northern waters again.

Who are you trying to fool? We know you've turned into a warm water diver now! You aren't diving with any seals!!!!

Kidding aside, Fran Marcoux of the Daybreaker does indeed list trips to Isle of Shoals on the last schedule I got from him. Dates he lists are June 21, July 4th, July 5th and August 9th.

 

[Tampico_ED]

I want to utilize this post to complaint that RIO is not diving this weekend !!!

 

[MSilvia]

Check with Fran Marcoux. Options are going to be limited this year with 2 of the major ops shutting down.

Fran is trying to put together a limited number of trips, leaning toward mid-week but it will be based on demand.

What major ops are shutting down? None of the boats I use are as far as I know... unless you count the Fugitive, which I guess is moving to the great lakes.

 

[crlavoie]

Not sure of the names but if you read Fran Marcoux's e-mail from 4/17 he makes reference to them. I've pasted it below:

From Fran:
Hi Everyone
We are in the process of making the schedule and last year we had a number of requests for Isle of Shoals dives with the seals. The past few years we have run those charters as 3 tank all day excursions leaving from our dock in Cape Ann. Prior to that we were able to pick up at Rye Harbor in Rye NH which is just a (one way) 40 minute boat ride from the Isle of Shoals versus 2 1/2 hours from our dock. When we picked up in Rye we were able to do (2) 2 tank half day charters to the Isle of Shoals or could still do a 3 tank all day if everyone wanted. With the ability to do 2 charters we were able to run the charters for less cost and the divers did not have the long boat rides ( although some enjoy them). The State of NH then started to charge the commercial boats a annual fee additional dockage insurance beyond our normal policy. We bought both for a couple of years but found it cost prohibitive the past two years due to the amount of requests and our ability to still go to the Isle of Shoals directly. Last year two of the dive charter operators that ran to the Isle of shoals from that area stopped running charters and our number of requests to go there went up considerably. We are asking if any of you have serious interest in going there, does a two tank charter with a pick up in Rye versus leaving from Cape Ann have any effect on your choice, and what dates would you be interested in (weekdays are more cost effective)? If there is enough interest we will pay the extra insurance and permit fees and add the dates to the schedule. Thank you for any input you can take the time to provide. Franm

 

[MSilvia]

Oh... right. I remember reading that. Still no idea who stopped running charters though. I guess if none of us know, that would explain why they went out of business.

 

[RIOceanographer]

I want to utilize this post to complaint that RIO is not diving this weekend !!!

Me too!

 

[DepthCharge]

Oh... right. I remember reading that. Still no idea who stopped running charters though. I guess if none of us know, that would explain why they went out of business.

Maybe they just stopped running out to the Shoals?

 

[johnnyseko]

Who are you trying to fool? We know you've turned into a warm water diver now! You aren't diving with any seals!!!!

Kidding aside, Fran Marcoux of the Daybreaker does indeed list trips to Isle of Shoals on the last schedule I got from him. Dates he lists are June 21, July 4th, July 5th and August 9th.

I am not a WWW!:28:

It's just that all my dive gear has been trapped in Florida all winter...yeah, yeah...that's it...

Thanks for the info. I found his calendar on the NEADC site. I'll have to make one of those dates work. 4th of July sounds kinda cool! If I figure out a date, I'll let ya'll know and maybe we can get more SBers on board!