Trips when divers aren’t ready/equipped for them

[scubafanatic]

I simply wanted to dive the wrecks I wanted to with some people I know. Period.

As far as I can tell, the charter boats in the Straits of Mackinac/Thunder Bay don't regularly book per seat like the Chicago and Milwaukee boats (plus DRIS' Lake Huron boat out of Sanilac/Harbor Beach). It seems mostly the entire boat gets reserved by a group from either a shop or just a group of folks going together. I'll occasionally see notices on FB for a seat or two being available on a group trip, but there's no guarantee something will be available when you want to go diving. Someone has to put a deposit down to reserve the entire boat for the dates you want. Some of the charter ops have boats that are trailerable that they will move to various locations on the Lakes. First ones to call dibs get choice of dates and locations. That's why my Straits trip is already booked. Good dates fill up fast. These are destination dives. Alpena/Mackinaw City are about 7 hours from the Chicago area. You just don't book a seat at the last minute like I've done with the DRIS boats and drive an hour to the boat.

I've had absolutely no trouble with my Alpena trip which is next weekend (Fri - Sun, mornings). I set the dates back around the end of last year. Got my deposit in. Had absolutely no trouble filling the boat (6 pack). I picked the wrecks, told folks they were on their own for lodgings (gave them the options and campgrounds, too). Got 1/3 deposit from everyone, remainder due June 30. Put all trip $$ in a separate savings account. One guy had to back out several months ago due to work. He told me to put his deposit towards his dive buddy's (close friend) seat. We didn't need another person as the boat just needed 4 to go out. But someone else had indicated interest after trip was already full, so the one spot was filled within a day after person dropping out.

I'm not going to vet divers now, but if my spidey-senses get tingling, I'll simply tell them no.

It sounds like your trip is easily fillable and you don't have to 'settle' for selling to John-Q-Public if you have some sort of standards you want to impose. With just a 6-pack to fill, you're looking at maybe 3 buddy pairs, so mainly I'd focus on YOUR buddy, let the other 2 buddy pairs sort out their own affairs among themselves. If, for instance, a buddy pair wants to do this dive trip on single AL80's, they will have their own short dive, which is their preference and not your major concern, it's their call as long as the captain doesn't have his/her own 'minimum' gear requirements.

 

[claymore]

Just out of curiosity who are you chartering with? I have been to the Straits several times with different operators, some better than others.

The wrecks are well worth diving. The Eber Ward is great and the Cedarville is huge.

 

[kafkaland]

I've read this thread through precisely for this reason. I won't be doing anything that deep for at least a few years (if ever), but when you look at the Great Lakes wrecks, there are a fair number that seem interesting or popular in the 80-130 range. (That can be a wide range, I know.) The combination of deep and cold makes me wonder what these dives look like from the perspective of someone that wants to check out these wrecks, but is a "recreational" diver (no decompression) and probably won't be carrying doubles (but likely a pony). What are the typical profiles and gases on these dives? (My apologies if I am starting a major debate -- I am really just curious what people typically do or if there is no "typical.")

In that range, as far as "typical" goes, it's single tank (often larger steel) plus pony, with cold water regs. The gas is usually Nitrox, either 32% for the shallower side of your range, or 28% "Lakes Mix" that allows you to go to 130. And a dry suit, of course.

 

[Marie13]

Just out of curiosity who are you chartering with? I have been to the Straits several times with different operators, some better than others.

The wrecks are well worth diving. The Eber Ward is great and the Cedarville is huge.

Shipwreck Adventures out of of WI. They have one boat they keep in Milwaukee and another that’s a traveling boat (trailerable).

I leave for Thunder Bay at 6am tomorrow.

 

[Schwob]

...I leave for Thunder Bay at 6am tomorrow.

Good trip! Fair weather! No blowouts!...

 

[Marie13]

Good trip! Fair weather! No blowouts!...

Thank you! Friday and Saturday have quite good weather and low waves forecast. Sunday is a bit iffy. We might do 3 dives each day on Friday and Saturday (Capt recommended that) so we can get our 6 wrecks in.

 

[claymore]

Shipwreck Adventures out of of WI. They have one boat they keep in Milwaukee and another that’s a traveling boat (trailerable).

I leave for Thunder Bay at 6am tomorrow.[/QUOTE
I have been diving with them several times. Once in the Straits with Greg Such and several out of Milwaukee on the Alma with Captain Bob. All have been good trips unless Mother Nature was angry.

 

[Marie13]

UPDATE:

Boat for Straits trip is almost fully booked. I had several people express interest (heard about it through other people or they are FB friends) that I had to tell no. Either I didn't know them enough, they didn't have enough experience, or came across as risk takers/cowboy attitude even though they had experience. One person didn't like being told no, and actually told me he was going to do a run around me, and book directly with the charter op. Didn't understand the concept of "I've booked the entire trip, and if I say no, you're not going." Finally got that diver to understand he ain't goin'.

Of the other people going, most are either tech trained or will be in the relatively near future (includes me). At least one person besides me will be diving doubles for the convenience/redundancy factor. The non-techies have plenty of experience with deeper rec depths.

Can't wait for the trip!

 

[Marie13]

Update:

Trip was this weekend. No problems. Beautiful weather. Awesome wrecks. I got my 200th dive at 117ft on the Eber Ward.

 

[Midwesterndvr]

“Just dive some wrecks with some friends” “let me consult my attorney” this sound like a fun trip.