Short Notice Dives - What's yours?

[Phil_C]

Ok, I don't mean dives where you had been planning to dive anyway, or where you are already at a dive shop or centre and someone has come, but dives where you have been doing or planning something else and had a short notice opportunity and took it -

Here's mine - last night at 7.30pm I was sat in a restaurant about to order my main course when I got a text saying a space had come up on a night dive from a boat leaving at 8.30pm that evening and they needed an extra dive guide for the site could I do it !

Thankfully I am a regular at the restaurant and they didn't mind me bailing out after the starters.

The boat was leaving from a centre on the south coast 45 minutes away and my dive gear was at my apartment on the north coast, 45 minutes the other way but 30 minutes from the boat. They agreed they could wait, and I made the round trip arriving at the boat at 9pm.

We were at the dive site and in the water for 10pm and did 55 minutes to a maximum of 60 foot with good vis and moonlight on the water. Just bobbing around in the flat water after the dive looking at the stars and the distant shore was magical, and well worth the missed dinner.

I went back to the restaurant tonight and had a meal followed by drinks with the staff to make up for cutting out on them last night - it really is my regular and I am there a couple of times a week so need to keep them happy.

So - come on I'm sure some of you avid divers can beat that - 2 1/2 hours from restaurant to water.

Have fun - P

 

[TMHeimer]

Won't happen to me. Being 2 1/2 hours from the dive sites where others dive means planning. On the North Gulf of Mexico when we're there in winter it's like pulling teeth to get a buddy in that "cold" water. Only impromtu time I can think of was recently when I was in the shop on a Wed. and someone was sick so they needed a DM Saturday for those ocean dives. But that's still 3 days.

 

[LiquidDivingAdventure]

Won't happen to me either being located dead center of the North American continent and a long way from any warm ocean. You won't find this warm-water wuss unpacking his gear unless there is a white sand beach, palm trees and a tropical breeze. That said, I have opted to do an unplanned night dive on a moment's notice while at a tropical dive resort. So 10 minutes max....

 

[Dr Dog]

I live next to Great Lakes and many rec sites, I will dive on a minutes notice if there is a car in the driveway and a tank of gas

 

[Pelagicsal]

Spending the fall in a bungalow in Cozumel. Was benched one morning (not scheduled to be on boat) and was outside to take pics of the morning traffic (boats). When the boat pulled up, DM Dario asked, "Where's your stuff?"
"I'm not on the boat."
"Cancellations. Ready to go?"
I ran home (literally, on my feet), jumped in a swimsuit, grabbed gear and stuff to make my long hair into a rope, ran back, and jumped on boat. Underway in 10 minutes with me trying to tame my hair in the wind.
They called me Flash all day. :cool2:

 

[Phil_C]

Now that paints an interesting picture ! Thanks for sharing - P

 

[Akimbo]

I look out the window, if conditions are good I go diving. I can usually get in the water in an hour. Diving solo makes the logistics less complex.

 

[chrpai]

I live 20 minutes from Lake Travis and my gear is nearly always ready to roll waiting for me to get a hall pass.

One day I was driving home from Dallas. As I crossed the county line about 30 minutes from home I called my buddy. They had a 2 tank charter scheduled for 30 minutes later. He asked the captain if he minded waiting an hour for me and was told sure. I got home, unloaded our suitcases, loaded my gear and hit the road. 30 minutes later I was on the boat shoving off.

 

[ajtoady]

During the summer as long as it's not Saturday, cottages change over tenants, I can be gone in a matter of minutes. Always have two or three tanks full and dry gear in the barn. Also certain days will drag the "dive" boat to the St Law on an impulse dive with friends. It definitely helps that two boat launches are within 5-10 minutes from home. Gotta love it!

 

[FM1520]

I am ready to roll right now.