76 replies to this topic

[Dive_Girl]

This is always a great trip. Our shop runs it twice a year on the Fling. We book the whole boat, 30 plus divers. The February run is for the schooling hammerheads, but it always gets blown out. We have always had much better luck in August. In fact, we're hitting it again the 3rd week in August (next month), and I'll be the Lead DM on it. Looks like I'll be bringing my own booze this time around! Hah.

It's ironic, most dive trips I go on, whether it be work or vacation (which is work for most people), I normally lose a few pounds. This is the only trip where I actually gain a few.

Looks like you guys had a blast. Did anyone go for a ride on the boat of shame?

N

Hey The Black Sheep! Welcome to SD! When you have a moment, post an introduction on our New to Single Divers Forum so we may properly welcome you to the site! I also see you are a diving professional. If you would like, check out our Calling All Dive Professional thread as well! Again, welcome to SD!

[Capn Jack]

Didn't mean to imply that Squid and I were the only two to do all the dives but I wasn't sure who else did them all. I think it was only anther 3 or 4 divers that did but I'm not sure who else did that 1st night dive.

Hey, Bob, it was not just Squid and you, Keith and I did all 11 dives too

You are forgiven, Bob.
The first night dive was done by two dive teams.
1. Squid and you.
2. Keith, Colin (crew), and myself

And me with Bubski

[Ariesno1]

Didn't mean to imply that Squid and I were the only two to do all the dives but I wasn't sure who else did them all. I think it was only anther 3 or 4 divers that did but I'm not sure who else did that 1st night dive.

Hey, Bob, it was not just Squid and you, Keith and I did all 11 dives too

You are forgiven, Bob.
The first night dive was done by two dive teams.
1. Squid and you.
2. Keith, Colin (crew), and myself

And me with Bubski

Great! Sorry, Marc, I did not see your lights down there.

Some of us, inc. myself, were able to enjoy a cookie on the Fling, then swim to the 'shame boat', and go on the fin line again to enter the right boat. This was the first time during my six years of diving that I went on the wrong boat, and the first time to enter the panga still wearing my tank. But even that was a fun experience.

[Ariesno1]

We should give a round of applause to Sandy for working her butte off making sure that everyone was takin care of.

Yes, she ROCKS!!! Sandy

[Capn Jack]

Great! Sorry, Marc, I did not see your lights down there.

Some of us, inc. myself, were able to enjoy a cookie on the Fling, then swim to the 'shame boat', and go on the fin line again to enter the right boat. This was the first time during my six years of diving that I went on the wrong boat, and the first time to enter the panga still wearing my tank. But even that was a fun experience.

No worries - you probably didn't see my light because Bubski had a huge spotlight illuminating most of the seafloor. I didn't turn mine on much. (If anyone sees a huge light down there it belongs to Bubski)

The riding in the dingy is humbling, but trust me, those who have, those who will. The way the currents were turning it was easy to stray.

Once again, great time - thanks to all for the friendship and good diving.

[The Black Sheep]

This is always a great trip. Our shop runs it twice a year on the Fling. We book the whole boat, 30 plus divers. The February run is for the schooling hammerheads, but it always gets blown out. We have always had much better luck in August. In fact, we're hitting it again the 3rd week in August (next month), and I'll be the Lead DM on it. Looks like I'll be bringing my own booze this time around! Hah.

It's ironic, most dive trips I go on, whether it be work or vacation (which is work for most people), I normally lose a few pounds. This is the only trip where I actually gain a few.

Looks like you guys had a blast. Did anyone go for a ride on the boat of shame? ;)

N

As cozy as we were with 24, some of us thot about the Fling with 30+ and shuddered.

Yes, shame happens - but discretion can be the better part of valor. Got to live to learn to dive again.

I couldn't agree more. A quick (yet entertaining) story about the "Boat of Shame"...

I rode it last year.

I was out pretty far on Stetson, ran a reciprocal out and turned it at a little under 2/3rds. Ran smack dab into a group of 4 looking for a buoy line. I pointed to the one I just left and then checked their air. One was really low. Even though I wasn't working the trip, they were still our customers so I stayed with them till they surfaced. As I was sharing air with the last guy towards the tail end of his safety stop, I heard the BoS (Boat of Shame) motors. We break the surface and I see the Spree's DM on his chase boat pull up right next to us, with Kenny heading our way with the Fling's chase boat. Both the Fling and the Spree were moored together about 250 yards away and I glanced over to see Melanie standing on the back of the Spree madly giving an okay sign. So I answered her back and helped everyone get into the boats. The Spree's DM took off and Kenny looks over at me.

"Get on! Let's go!" he said and started gesturing at me to get in. I shook him off
"Oh no, I'm good. I'll swim back! I've got 1500, I planned to be out here! I'm not riding that damn boat!" I said.
"No Sir! You're riding the boat! Let's go young man! Move it!" he laughed.
"Kenny, if you make me ride that boat back, you can kiss your tip goodbye!" I shouted back with a smile on my face. He laughed again.
"Doesn't matter! Everyone gets to ride the Boat of Shame!" he said
"Not this time, dude!" I said, and he gave me a stern look, and then I glanced over at the back of both boats to see a combined 50 people standing up looking at us, everyone madly gesturing, waving, and throwing up big okay signs with their arms.

I gave in.

Got in the boat, and about 100 feet away as he was slowing down I told him "I told you I was swimming back!" He laughed and shook his head and I suddenly stuck my reg in my mouth and bailed off. I thought I could save some face, but it wasn't to be. As I got up on the back of the Fling Captain Ken said with a smirk "You damn tech divers! Always getting lost out here!" Then when I went to sit down in my spot, Captain Bland comes over, slaps me on the shoulder and whispers "EVERYONE rides the boat of shame!"

I indirectly made alot of people feel alot better about riding the Boat of Shame that day. ;)

N

Edited by The Black Sheep, 20 July 2007 - 06:05 PM.

[The Black Sheep]

This is always a great trip. Our shop runs it twice a year on the Fling. We book the whole boat, 30 plus divers. The February run is for the schooling hammerheads, but it always gets blown out. We have always had much better luck in August. In fact, we're hitting it again the 3rd week in August (next month), and I'll be the Lead DM on it. Looks like I'll be bringing my own booze this time around! Hah.

It's ironic, most dive trips I go on, whether it be work or vacation (which is work for most people), I normally lose a few pounds. This is the only trip where I actually gain a few.

Looks like you guys had a blast. Did anyone go for a ride on the boat of shame? ;)

N

Hey The Black Sheep! :wavey: Welcome to SD! When you have a moment, post an introduction on our New to Single Divers Forum so we may properly welcome you to the site! I also see you are a diving professional. If you would like, check out our Calling All Dive Professional thread as well! Again, welcome to SD!

Bah, you caught me. I was trying to get in under the radar. MOM! Dooo I haaaaave tooo?

Okay, okay. I'll go stick my head in over there. ;)

[Bubble2Bubble]

Bubski, I'll PM you my address. You can send me your camera card, and print and burn the pictures to cd for you.

Nice try Bill ....that card contains all of the Boat of Shame Members plus Melonies debriefing for them pic's

I'm thinkin Ebay right now $$$$$$

[WreckWench]

It was a great trip with a great crew and great people!

I want to thank Kamala for letting me go on this trip - I learned more from you in 3 days of diving than I did in all of the classes I have taken. One day I hope to be half the diver you are

Ahh...Cajun Diver you are too kind! But I enjoy helping divers improve their skills by learning from all my school of hard knocks over the past 13 years.

Trust me darling...you'll be a helluva great diver in no time. The trick to becoming REALLY good is to not develop any bad habits! By getting a coach this early in your diving experience you have completely revamped the way you will dive going forward and if its half as good as you did on this trip...well lets just say you'll be awesome in no time!

And for those who were on the trip and for those who weren't...the Flower Gardens is NOT the venue for new divers but yes new ones go there all the time. That doesn't mean that they do well. Several divers on this trip were savvy enough to offset experience with skill and hire a DM buddy or in Squid's case an Instructor and DM for the trip. These coaches helped these divers with every aspect of this trip and helped them to learn better bouyancy, air consumption, navigation (no ride of shame for these guys and gals) as well as skills for currents, large boat diving and ladder techniques in bouncing boats and more. I am extremely proud of their progress and their own innate skills which I hope were refined even more on this trip. They did truly awesome and several of them were voted "Most Improved" by the boat including Sara aka Sara_the_brown and Gwyn aka GMK.

Special thanks goes to our team of diving professionals including Bob aka Pir8 and Mark aka Capn Jack for devoting their dives to ensuring that others learned and improved their skills. Also special thanks to Colm part of our dive crew and also the proud son of Mel one of our divers! He too dedicated his time to coaching his father through some challenging dives!

Hats off to all our diving professionals who give for the love of giving and help for the love of helping and teach for the love of teaching. We would not be divers without them!

And of course a trip like this can't be a success without the help of many people. And this trip in particular because so many of our members give of themselves for other members. Where else would you find a personal pick up at the airport, drive to Freeport and back to the airport for $20??? No where! Where else would you find so many members willing to help others to have a great time? No where! Where would you find so many talented people behind and forward of the scenes to help organize and coordinate? No where! And speaking of which...an extra special goes out to Sandy aka ScubaPunk, Karen aka Nurseshark and Kim aka Fingrabber for the countless hours of behind the scenes work they do to help not only this trip but others as well! You all are awesome!

[DandyDon]

I think camera card readers start at $9 at Wal-mart, etc.

[Cajun Diver]

Speaking of the boat of shame here is a picture of Melanie in it after one of the dives it wasn't used actually I think it was used to get the Fling's divers more than the Spree's.



I also have a pic of the dive board and will post it once I smudge out the last names. That way those that were able to join the DYAO club can prove it

Here's the pic of the board:

Edited by Cajun Diver, 21 July 2007 - 10:45 AM.

[Sara_the_Brown]

Thanks for the "most improved" vote, WW! Gwyn got in one more dive than me, so I think she gets some bonus points for that. I'm very grateful I had my dad to guide me, otherwise I don't know if I would have even gotten in the water. I'm so much more prepared for next year. We are going next year, right?

[WreckWench]

Thanks for the "most improved" vote, WW! Gwyn got in one more dive than me, so I think she gets some bonus points for that. I'm very grateful I had my dad to guide me, otherwise I don't know if I would have even gotten in the water. I'm so much more prepared for next year. We are going next year, right?

You did fantastic girl and so did Gwyn!!!

And yes we are going next year...mark your calendars for August of 2008! In July we'll be doing the Dry Tortugas!

[MNJoe]

Wow, another fabulous trip with SingleDivers.com!!! Thank You Kamala, Sandy, Karen and Kim for putting this trip together. Thank You Phyllis and Steve for the ride. Thank you Karl for borrowing me your tank. Thank you Sandy for being such an excellent buddy, I would dive with you anywhere! Thanks to Doris and Juli for letting me dive with them on the couple dives Sandy sat out. Thanks George for sharing all of your knowledge on this trip. And Thanks to everyone else involved that I have missed, I know there are some. It is amazing the way this trip comes together!!!

The trip itself was excellent!!! The dives, the accommodations, the boat crew and of course all of the SingleDivers were all part of making this trip so great. I think the only down side of this trip was that the sun didn't shine and my pictures didn't turn out so well. Other than that, the seas just made the dives a little more adventurous, and even then it was just on getting down the line and back on the boat. I found the bottom extremely beautiful and peaceful. Sandy and I had some wonderful long dives just drifting along checking things out on the way. I do have a few pictures to post, and will do so when I get through editing them.

Keith


aka MNJoe

[Latitude Adjustment]

Yes they were some healthy surface currents!!!

They can get bad in the gulf. When I was on the Spree tied to one of those rigs the wind was holding the boat 90 degrees to the current. The current lifted one of those dumbells on the down line over the port prop, the starboard Carolina lines were close to the surface which is why I now carry a folding snorkel in my BC. All 30 divers had to use the starboard line. Divers trying to make the dash from the line to the ladder were running out of air.
Franks wife cut the dumbell loose and we picked it up in the morning with a liftbag.
Two special divers had to be picked up by the special boat. Be careful out there!