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After an exciting weekend, we’re giving
Captain Frank the day off from writing trip
reports. Many thanks to Jerry Price from
Kickady Scuba in Conroe for being our guest
writer on this trip’s report! (We’re
convinced that Jerry didn’t see any of the
otherwise seen hammerheads because he was
diving with Paul…kind of like last year ?).
Without further adieu, here’s Jerry’s
report: The Flower Gardens trip over
Easter weekend offered the best and the
worst of offshore Gulf of Mexico diving. The
trip started with our arrival at the dock to
board the M/V Spree on Friday night and
ended with our return to the dock Sunday
aboard the M/V Fling, I will explain later.
After a very thorough and professional
briefing we were under way.
Arriving at the west bank in the early
morning hours, the boat was prepped, and we
jumped divers at 8 a.m... The dive was just
as spectacular as I had anticipated with
tons of marine life good visibility and not
much of a current to speak of. There were
numerous sighting of large Tiger Sharks but
our group did not see any on this dive. A
good dive was had by all and we boarded the
boat for a delicious hot breakfast. After
a surface interval we jumped divers at
around eleven a.m. for the second dive.
Again the marine life was abundant but no
sharks. We had Shark Diver Magazine photog
Paul Spielvogel with us who had made the
trip with hopes of getting film of the
Hammerhead Sharks schooling but we were
skunked again, no sharks. After boarding
we were treated to a very good lunch and
some kind of soup that was out of this world
good prepared by Patti. (I was told she
could cook). Following lunch the boat was
moved to the East Banks and we jumped at
around 2 p.m. for the third dive. The
visibility was not quite as good as it was
on the West Bank but the marine life was
just as good with schooling Spanish Mackerel
and large schools of Amber Jack. The reef of
the Flower Gardens are just simply teeming
with life, you have to see it for yourself.
On the fourth dive we did see a rather large
Tiger Shark but he was not a player and just
cruised by without so much as a nod at us
just out of photo range. Still no schooling
hammerheads but a good dive just the same.
The crew was also excellent the food was
delicious and we were diving what else could
I want. The only thing wrong was “my
Melanie” had not been able to make the trip
so I was forced to watch the sunsets and
full moon over some of the bluest water in
the world all by myself. Well Paul and Adam
were there to keep me company. Sometime
during the night after the roast pork was
devoured the boat was moved because I woke
up on Stetson Bank with some big Viking
looking guy (Capt. Frank) telling me to get
up and dive. We had decided to not do a
night dive on Saturday due to the numerous
sightings of large Tiger Sharks. Probably a
good decision as it is always better to
enjoy a good meal than to be a good meal!
The dive on Sunday morning started out as a
typical gulf dive but it sure didn’t end
that way. We descended down the mooring line
and followed a guide line to the edge of a
wall and just cruised around in the general
area not really paying attention to much
other than the life surrounding us. After
about 20 minutes things began to get
interesting as one of the guys in our group
gave me the half a tank sign so we turned
and headed in the general direction of the
guide line. About halfway back to the line
rather large Amber Jack with a very big and
expensive looking lure stuck in his mouth
actually swam up to Adam as if he was
looking for help. We tried to remove the
lure but to no avail, it was then that the
half a tank guy gave me the 500 psi
remaining sign not good as we had only spent
2 minutes jacking with the Big Jack, so I
knew it was starting to turn for the worst.
So off we went in search of the guideline
and sure enough there it was. We followed it
back to the mooring pin and started our
ascent. I stopped at 50fsw for 1 minute
while Adam and our buddy went on to 15 for a
safety stop. During the safety stop the
diver was on Adams octo, finishing the
safety stop we ascended to the sideline and
followed it around to the boarding ladders
of the Fling not the Spree. Remember guys
any body can swim around in circles until
they run out of air, it’s just better to
enter and exit from the same boat if
possible. The Spree was 150 yards away and
with an out of air diver nothing else to do
but swallow our pride and board the boat.
(Editors note: Not all
things are as they seem—gas management
wasn’t really the issue, misunderstood
signals and lack of buddy familiarity are
really how this one derailed. The team
member is a conservative diver and was down
to his call point of 1000 psi. Oh yea, and
Jerry dives with a great big tank… The team
successfully boarded the boat (albeit the
wrong one) without incident, and then had
enough sense to stay there—proof that all of
the team had skills up to the challenge.
We’d like to give all of the divers from
both boats that successfully executed dives
on Stetson a big Congratulations for taking
on what the spring gulf can dish out and
winning!) We were greeted by the Captains of the
Fling, Bud and Bland and offered hospitality
by a top notch professional crew. After
making arrangements for our ransom (the
Fling had a diver on the Spree) it was
decided that we make the trip dockside on
the Fling as we were getting hammered by 10
foot seas by now and the wind was picking
up. A good decision as it is not worth
getting someone hurt for no reason. So I
really want to thank the crews of both the
M/V Spree and the M/V Fling for a wonderful
dive trip. If you haven’t made the Flower
Garden yet it is a dive trip worth while.
The boats are spacious with large camera
tables, ample dive deck, 2 boarding ladders
and professional seasoned crew. All of the
equipment was working and we dove EAN32 that
was on the money every dive. Our next trip
is in April (Kickady’s next sponsored
trip—Spree spring trips are running every
weekend through March and April) so check it
out on the website or come by the shop to
see film and photos of the trip.
Now back to teaching. The incident that took
place on my last dive Sunday that placed me
on the wrong boat was in my opinion a near
miss. One must always be vigilant about the
basics and this was as basic as it comes.
You always record your compass headings
never trust to memory something that can
cost you big time if all goes wrong. I was
diving with 2 dive masters and felt
comfortable and relaxed and broke my own
rules. Remember complacency kills. If we had
surfaced with an out of air diver (which we
did) and had to make the 150 yard swim on
the surface in choppy 10 foot seas things
could have turned out a little different.
From mistakes can come the greatest
knowledge, so don’t ever do as I did Sunday,
do as I teach, record your headings, be
vigilant about the details, make a plan and
stick to it. I had also taken my long hose
off of my second stage earlier in the week
and was pressed for time and left the short
hose on. Big mistake and it will never
happen again. It is impossible to swim with
someone on your octo in adverse conditions
if you have a short hose. It is easy to make
an ascent with a regular length octo hose
but you can’t swim face to face in rough
seas. So think about getting a long hose at
least 5 feet for your second stage if you
plan on doing a lot of offshore diving.
Sometimes the man upstairs reminds us of the
responsibility we have as dive
professionals, it may sting but what doesn’t
kill us makes us stronger. Dive Often
Dive Safe
Jerry NAUI #43957 Thanks to a great crew:
Patti, Sara, Charles, Melanie, Capt. Frank,
Capt. John, Capt.Bud, Capt.Bland Look
forward to doing it again real soon! |
