79 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

IMPORTANT UPDATE:


This trip is NOW OPEN FOR BOOKING! It is open first to our premier members until Dec 14th and then to the general members and non members after the 14th. Click HERE to sign up! (This takes you to the Premier Members and Above Specials forum where you can sign up.) If this link does not work for you consider signing up as a Premier Member...its only $35 a year and you'll get $25 of it back after EVERY Trip as well as ability to see member's profiles, private message other premier members and LOTS of discounts and special deals on GEAR and TRAVEL!

To upgrade to premeir member click on MY CONTROLS then on PAID SUBCRIPTIONS under Options and then follow the prompts for either immediate upgrade via paypal or delayed upgrade via check which is under Post/Postal Service option.





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Yes its hard to believe but I've just found out that one of our favorite vendors will customize a 'Dream Florida Keys Dive Trip' for us! Board May 14th and Dive 15, 16, 17, 18, 19th departing the 19th and it would be about 22 dives possible

Top Ten Eleven Reasons to Dive the Florida Keys with the Spree...

1. Dive up and down the ENTIRE Florida Keys...see it all in one trip!
2. No hotel changes...unpack once and sail to the next destination!
3. No dive operator changes...ONE briefing and ONE set of waivers and ONE weight belt configuration and thats it!
4. Never lug your gear except for the first time on the boat and the last time off!
5. DRIFT DIVE THE KEYS...yes you read that right. DRIFT DIVE up and down the Keys. It doesn't get any better for divers who love to dive!
6. AVOID ALL THE PLACES THE DAY OPERATORS DIVE....and get to the ones that only private boats or LIVEABOARDS can reach!
7. Get off the boat either in Marathon or Key Largo for an evening of Keys Ambiance, then board again that evening to head to our next dive site!
9. We can schedule all the cool wrecks along the Keys...Duane, Bibb, Eagle, Speigal Grove, Vandenburg when they sink her and any others you would like to add in the mix. (They will be optional and usually the first dive of the day followed by LOTS of reef dives so EVERYONE will get the BEST OF FLORIDA KEYS DIVING...Wrecks and Reefs!!!)
10. The trip will start out of Key West and return however we might be able to start in Key West and drop you off in Miami and then deadhead overnight back to Key West. (We will work to allow the most flexibility for airfares! The only configuration we can't do is start and end in Miami.)
11. And get this....WE get to pick where we want to dive. How cool is that??? Our collective expertise can set the diving agenda for this trip and the boat will take us there!

DATES:

Ok now that I have your attention...how many people would be interested? We are thinking about a will be doing the 5 diving day trip to make it worth coming a long ways to dive Florida the week before the Memorial Day weekend approx May 14-19th

ESTIMATED PRICING:

5 diving days $1275 per person includes FREE Nitrox


So who wants to see and dive the Keys in a floating Hotel? Who wants to go to spots you NEVER get to with a day operator? Who wants to do Drift diving up and down the Keys? Who wants to dive wrecks and reefs in the same trip? What wants to experience the Key's Ambiance and yet DIVE DIVE DIVE like only you can on a liveaboard?

If so let us know...we are looking at this for our May trip!

Interested List:

1. Brad aka dive sail etc
2. Monte aka Bubbleboy
3. Den aka Diverden
4. Jim aka JimG
5. Keith aka KeithT4U
6. Fritz aka FritzCat66
7. Patty aka pmarie
8. Stephanie aka Stephanie
9. Charles aka Houston Squid
10. Jeff aka Sparky103
11. George aka Georoc01
12. Joan aka MetriRN
13. Bruce aka Scubashafer
14. Dave aka Big 0
15. Sandy aka ScubaPunk

Edited by WreckWench, 16 December 2008 - 01:45 PM.

[KeithT4U]

is this to be in place of the Coral spawning trip? And is there a typo in the prices? As in 1275 for 5 daus and 875 for 3 days?



Keith

[Latitude Adjustment]

I love the new improved Spree but calling it a Hotel is a bit of a stretch, it's more like a hunting lodge and watch that first step into the pool.

[Capn Jack]

I love the new improved Spree but calling it a Hotel is a bit of a stretch, it's more like a hunting lodge and watch that first step into the pool.

A hell of a lot better scenery than the "liveaboards" I used to dive from... of course that was in the days of sail, and manly men, doing manly things on manly ships. The words "now serving mid-rats" still makes me queasy.

Also, the first step is a breeze compared to a back-roll off the MWB with SA Smedley at the helm.

[Starfish Sandy]

I love the new improved Spree but calling it a Hotel is a bit of a stretch, it's more like a hunting lodge and watch that first step into the pool.

AMEN! I can still remember that 1st step off - and I did the trip 5 years ago!!!

[pmarie]

This is something that I wold typically be very interested in as I am usually already heading to the Keys over that time frame. Plus the draw of diving the less known sites and being able to travel up and down and hit other spots that I don't frequent; like the Thunderbolt.? I will be pretty direct now and say that I am not thrilled with the price. Maybe since I can stay cheaper and dive cheaper. So I guess what I'll need to do is weigh in the factor of meeting people that I have only interacted with online here, and accesability to other sites that are not otherwise easily accessable.

[dive_sail_etc]

I love the new improved Spree but calling it a Hotel is a bit of a stretch, it's more like a hunting lodge and watch that first step into the pool.

LA, that's cool, rustic is right up my alley; thanks for the tip. Check out my answer to your suggestion for diver recovery aboard a Morgan OI in my Introduce Yourself topic thread. Much obliged.

Kammie, this is the dive trip I have been waiting for! Been to the Upper Keys several times but the WX always precluded shore based ops from reaching the Duane or Bibb. Spree is a terrific solution. I am in, I don't care how many dishes I must wash, floors I must scrub, toenails I must polish...

...er... let's just forget I typed that, okay?

[dive_sail_etc]

A hell of a lot better scenery than the "liveaboards" I used to dive from... of course that was in the days of sail, and manly men, doing manly things on manly ships. The words "now serving mid-rats" still makes me queasy.

"...manly men, doing manly things on manly ships." ..."and visiting manly ports, like... Key West, and San Fransisco." Free associating old SNL skits; more than a hobby, far less than a vocation.

As a reforming Squid I too wondered the true origins of the meat in those late night forays to the galley. The cooks were occasionally quite adroit with double (perhaps triple?) entendres'.

Okay, all right, back to my Time Out corner.

[BubbleBoy]

I think this is a smart way to dive the Keys. You kind of get the best of both live-aboard and land based diving. I had a trip like this scheduled in the Keys two summers ago. Unfortunately it fell apart, only because some locals backed out at the last minute.

With the wreck dives included, this would be a great trip, particularly if they get the Vandenberg in. If I can do it, I would prefer the 5 day trip.

I’ve never been on the Spree, but, I’ve been on the Gulf Stream Eagle. Looks like a similar size and vintage boat. Anyone have thoughts on how the two boats compare.

[WreckWench]

First off cool that this is getting alot of play...that is what I wanted!

Now to answer a few questions...

1. Pricing is ESTIMATED and should be on the high side but the longer your run the cheaper it is. Fuel is the same no matter how many days for an itinerary like this.

2. Fuel will be the limiting factor for everyone going into 2009. Diesel is over $5 or was per gal and you don't want to know how many gallons these things drink. Keep in mind this trip includes all your food as well. Now THAT was pricey in the Keys!

3. The issue with doing the Keys the traditional way is they always dive the same old worn out sites. You have to rent a car and drive and drive and drive to go where you want. Sure its a short distance UNLESS there is an accident which is frequent on that narrow stretch of road. Also in my experience they treat you like you are a novice diver so unless you are doing extended days with them...you get in 2 rushed, short and usually not so great dives UNLESS you sign up for a special dive like the wrecks.

FOR THE RECORD...I AM NO EXPERT ON FLORIDA DIVING so please take my experiences for what they are worth. But they have been frustrating to me. And I've never found anyone who could help me do the kind of trip I wanted to do any other way.

4. This option appealed to me becuase NO ONE ELSE IS DOING IT to my knowledge. Again the price is ESTIMATED and should be a bit high. But I'm using the same price as what a 5 day/7 nights of diving trip will be for the Dry Tortugas as a basis even though dockage fees and possibly fuel will be higher.

5. NO this is not in lieu of the Dry Tortugas trip in Aug...it is in addition to it.

[WreckWench]

I think this is a smart way to dive the Keys. You kind of get the best of both live-aboard and land based diving. I had a trip like this scheduled in the Keys two summers ago. Unfortunately it fell apart, only because some locals backed out at the last minute.

I too had a similar situation on several occasions. It is very frustrating.

With the wreck dives included, this would be a great trip, particularly if they get the Vandenberg in. If I can do it, I would prefer the 5 day trip.

Who knows when they will sink her...but there are TONS of wrecks and sites to see by doing it this way. And that would be 5 days of diving and 6 nights on the boat.

I’ve never been on the Spree, but, I’ve been on the Gulf Stream Eagle. Looks like a similar size and vintage boat. Anyone have thoughts on how the two boats compare.

I'll let some of our other experts share with you but I know this boat is newer (completely remodeled 2 years ago and now that they are working FEMA oil field recovery now they will be TOTALLY recarpted, new mattresses etc and redone after the contract as no matter how careful they are the boat will smell like oil so they basically redo the whole thing.

And even without the remodel that is upcoming...this boat is CLEAN...not just ok clean but GIRL CLEAN meaning it is immaculate and I know anyone on it will agree!

Granted it is a bit cozy but it worked out just fine on our last trip and the trade off is reasonably priced diving for a few less amenities like private showers and heads. But hey...when you spend all day diving which this group does...deck rinses are fine!

[WreckWench]

Kammie, this is the dive trip I have been waiting for! Been to the Upper Keys several times but the WX always precluded shore based ops from reaching the Duane or Bibb. Spree is a terrific solution. I am in, I don't care how many dishes I must wash, floors I must scrub, toenails I must polish...

...er... let's just forget I typed that, okay? [/font][/size]

Ok first off..."Wenchie" is ok...Kammie has got to go.

As for forgetting the toe polishing...NOPE! Big NO on that one! I can see you have GREAT potential to be a superb SD Cabana Boy!

[WreckWench]

This is something that I wold typically be very interested in as I am usually already heading to the Keys over that time frame. Plus the draw of diving the less known sites and being able to travel up and down and hit other spots that I don't frequent; like the Thunderbolt.? I will be pretty direct now and say that I am not thrilled with the price. Maybe since I can stay cheaper and dive cheaper. So I guess what I'll need to do is weigh in the factor of meeting people that I have only interacted with online here, and accesability to other sites that are not otherwise easily accessable.

The best part is we can choose where we want to go so Thunderbolt is an easy addition!

The real idea is to dive ONLY sights you don't normally dive and to do it via drift diving. We will break the group of 24 (all our own people) into 3 groups with similar air consumption and do the best diving in the world...DRIFT DIVING!!! No navigation no fighting the current, no worries!

Please see my response on pricing above. It is ESTIMATED but the 5 day option will be cheaper per day than the 3 day option.

And sadly...in 2009...there will be NO CHEAP DIVING for most of us. Sure some will have an operator here or there that you can get a great deal on but not really for groups. Most 'great deals' just don't scale for large groups.

[WreckWench]

I love the new improved Spree but calling it a Hotel is a bit of a stretch, it's more like a hunting lodge and watch that first step into the pool.

AMEN! I can still remember that 1st step off - and I did the trip 5 years ago!!!

First off Ray I'm guessing you have not been on the newly remodeled Spree. It has a full head and shower on the deck and instead of 32 pax now only takes 24 passengers. The entire boat was remodeled and you would not believe the difference it makes.

Hey it is still not luxury cabins but its not luxury pricing either and the price per dive which includes hotel/loding and food is very economical.

Now the first step is STILL a big one...but so it is off the EV boats and many other boats. Heck the jump off the NC boats is the same...Big Boats = Big Drops.

As for hotels in the Keys...most of the mom and pop ones that were affordable have been torn down to build condos and the rest are starting to cost a small fortune unless you want to cram lots of people in a room. Sure there are still exceptions but not as many any more.

The world is a changing...

[Diver Den]

Sounds like a fun trip--count me in as interested in going! The Speigel is a great dive when conditions are clear, and I'd love to dive the Vandenburg if we can.
It would be great if we can find a way to avoid having to drive from Miami to Key West, only to park the car (rental) while we dive. I'm interested in the logistics (fly into Marathon/Key West?).
I'm sure it'll all work. Looking forward to more details.