Something is going to have to bend. Fuel prices are going to have to drop or the boats are going to have to find a way to be more efficient. I'm not sure how as they already run a tight ship. The economy looks like it's going to get worse before it gets better. As much as I hate to see him go, Frank is probably getting out just in the nick of time. I'll be relieved when I see him actually bring the boat back for *this* season.
The Spree Labor Day trip will not leave with empty bunks. A few ZD members may not have manifested or paid all deposits yet but CHUM has 5 on the wait list.
It is truly a sad thing, I am sick about it, and I will be back for this season, but in this day of belt tightening, I can run a week in the Dy Tortugas for a third of the fuel as in the FG. The Fling's fuel bill in Texas is $12,000/week, mine in the DT is $4,500. As I have said, the diving here is certainly as good, but different. 200 foot + days of visibility just don't happen, and I havent found a good source of pelagics (without baiting), but I am still looking. If I were allowed to bait in Florida, we would be covered up with lemon sharks, as we were last week on Riley's Hump. The fish life is as good or better, it is still at the end of the road, and Havana is only 90 miles away when we will finally be allowed to go there. Look at the Spree bookings for the rest of the year. Labor day is full, Coral Spawn is full (it spawns in Florida too, on the same nights), everything else is around half full. Cudos to the guys from Scubatoys for making the most of their trip. Cudos also to Chum for pulling their trip in the DT out of the fire.
The dive industry is changing almost faster than we can respond. Gone are the days when divers would call their shops for a spot to the FG and 3 boats would run full. No where else could 3 major livaboards carrying a total of 84 passengers dive in a 17 acre reserve and run full every weekend. The clubs and internet groups still fill their spots, and independent travelers fill the rest, but in these days of easy access on the internet for dive equipment, travel, training (let's not go there), etc., dive shops are becoming (or are being made) redundant. Heck, with fire departments surplusing their old compressors and buying new ones with Homeland Security grants, anyone can have a reasonably priced fill station in their garage. Offering something unique is the name of the game in todays market. My LDS in Houston offers turn-key customer service. Give them your credit card number, and you are booked, told when to show up at the airport, given a t-shirt, put on a boat to wherever, all of the local staff are dealt with and tipped, get back on a plane, they'll even rinse and store your gear for the next outing. All of that cost money, but the folks that have it are willing to pay for it. The shops that sell you a $250 open water cert, make you buy their mask, snerk, and finsels, and won't let you in the class if you are using uncle Paul's old gear are not going to do well in the upcoming economy. Although there are 2 other livaboards that run regularly in the DT, they cater mostly (although not exclusively) to spearfishermen. We will continue to not fish from the Spree.
I am truly trying to anticipate the future and roll with it as best I can. In 190 days in Florida in May, June, and July since 1999, I have been blown out 4 days for weather. I can hardly count the days blown out in the western Gulf during those same months. I've always said, if I can run full 6 months out of the year, I can drop the prices back to 2002 levels. I'm giving it a try.
Frank
