26 replies to this topic

[Procambarus]

I've been looking into making a trip to the Flower Gardens and have been getting conflicting information. I have a recently minted C-card (six dives total). Some people say that's sufficient for the FG's, others say you should at least have more experience or advanced certification.

If anyone's made the trip I'd appreciate hearing your opinion.

Tom

[Latitude Adjustment]

The Spree and the Fling used to require AOW, haven't checked since the ownership change. The main problem is on the rigs you can get deep and into trouble quickly, on the banks there can be current and if you get swept away help is a long ways off. Same with a DCS hit, you may be out of helicopter range.

[drdiver]

That's probably not enough experience. I would recommend an advanced open water certification before the Flower Gardens and at least several dives in an open water ocean environment. The currents in the Flower Gardens can be very strong, unpredictable, run different directions at the surface than at depth. It is also a deep dive.

Unfortunately many Texas shops still sell this as an open water dive to do right out of certification. It is not.

I've done 4 or 5 trips there.

One personal experience, descended on the buoy line with moderate current, reached bottom and found the current going in completely the opposite direction, so strong that you literally had to creep back on the bottom to get back to the mooring for your ascent.

On the other hand, I've been there for the coral spawning and had so little current that the gametocytes were rising vertically in the water column as they were released with no movement at all.

I've been on the Spree when we had to medevac out a DCS hit. Takes about an hour for the chopper to get there from Galveston. The oil platform in the sanctuary picks you up using their crane and they use the oil platform helipad for the evac.

Edited by drdiver, 10 June 2005 - 01:42 PM.

[Starfish Sandy]

When I did the FG I was on the Fling - I had about 140 dives - and I am not sure I had enough! We had high waves and a lot of current - very rough diving for me - I got tangled up on the line trying to go down as the current had blown it under the boat and my tank kept banging the bottom of the boat.

It was a great dive - lots of hammerheads and a Manta the size of a sedan - but very rough diving - getting on the boat was tough!

Good luck!

[TheSassyRabbit]

I would also support the statements above with regard to experience. Although a large number of dives is certainly no guarantee of a better experience at FG, feeling extraordinarily comfortable with your skills and gear will certainly help. It can be very rough at the FG, and the currents can prove to be a challenge for the very best of divers. If you do go soon, be SURE to let the DM's on the boat know you are new to diving so that there is an extra eye watching out for you in case it becomes a bit more than you bargained for.

[drdiver]

I would also support the statements above with regard to experience. Although a large number of dives is certainly no guarantee of a better experience at FG, feeling extraordinarily comfortable with your skills and gear will certainly help. It can be very rough at the FG, and the currents can prove to be a challenge for the very best of divers. If you do go soon, be SURE to let the DM's on the boat know you are new to diving so that there is an extra eye watching out for you in case it becomes a bit more than you bargained for.

Definitely second that statement. Feeling comfortable with your skills is very important in the FG. And, yes, there usuallly are at least 2 divemasters in the water who are usually very willing to keep an eye on you if you mention that you'd like some help.
But it is not a place to be a dive hero--(well, no place is)--but especially not out in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico.

[intotheblue]

I always recommended my recent "graduates" get some day trips offshore (after they have some simple dives in their log book) before going out to the FG or Stetson. If the conditions are great, it's no big deal, but you can have great vis with raging currents and surface waves... and that complicates things. That said, I've had students go despite my recommendations. One thought I must have been trying to keep them from having fun, the others spent alot of time leaning over the rail feeding the fish and fighting to get back on the boat if they did the dive. It's a great location, but not necessarily a "beginner's" dive. I know you want to see some blue water, but get some dives in easy locations... lakes... or some reef dives along the Keys are generally good.

I like what "Starfish Sandy" said....

All this being said, be careful and pay lots of attention whatever you decide. Follow the entire thread on the FG trip coming up, and you'll get some good info before you make your decision.

ITB...

[scubafanatic]

Hi Tom,

I'd say 6 dives isn't even close to the experience level you need to dive the Flower Gardens...the rigs are in 400 ft. of water, the shallowest parts of the reefs are at 60 ft., typical reef depths range 70--90 ft. deep, and if you dive out over-the-edge you're again looking at 400--500 ft. deep hard-bottoms.

The 'Gardens' have a Jeckyll and Hyde personality...... in good weather pretty tame and delightful diving.....in wind or currents it gets ugly fast....a very new diver risks task-overload here.

The AOW cert doesn't really impress me, I'd use the number of dives as a better measurement of minimum requirements..... I'd say 50 dives as a minimum, and some of these 'experience' dives need to be at 100 ft. deep or so, current dives, and night dives, so I'm not counting those 60 ft. deep lake/quarry dives as being very productive.

The Flower Gardens are 120 miles offshore, a LONG way from help if it hits-the-fan.

There are some shops that will take you out there with 6 dives...the ones who want to sell a spot on the boat and make a quick buck......a reputable shop would turn you away...not to be negative or upset you, but to save your life so you can have a long and happy diving career...the Flower Gardens aren't going anywhere, pace yourself, get more experience, only then attempt the Flower Gardens.

Karl

[diverdown70]

Stop scaring the newbie LOL! But seriously, 6 dives isn't that many but it really isn't just number of dives it has more to do with confidence and ability to stay in control of your equipment and yourself. That said, I haven't tried the Flower Gardens but it sounds like a fun trip.

[Terri]

I did the Flower Gardens back in September 2004 and then also this Memorial Weekend - and I was a fairly new diver as well.

I went on the September trip with the LDS that I took my OW class through. The trip leader knew I was new and checked in quite a bit during the dives with me and my buddy (very experienced diver). I was also getting conflicting information from folks as to whether FG was appropriate for someone with under 20 dives. So when I booked the trip, I made a deal with myself...if the conditions for each dive are good (little current, good vis, calm seas) then I would dive. If the conditions changed or became worse, I would sit that dive out. Fortunately for me, the conditions for that trip in September were AWESOME!! We had less than 1' seas, 100' vis, little to no current.

For the latest trip over Memorial Weekend - I made the same deal with myself since I had just over 25 dives prior to this trip. The conditions the first part of Day 1 were fine - and I did 4 dives. I sat out the night dive because the seas had kicked up to 4' and there was quite a strong current. On Day 2, the seas had kicked up to 5 to 6 feet and I sat out the first dive...but the storm passed and I dove the 2nd dive that day.

Just wanted to post my experience.....this is in no way meant to encourage or dissuade one way or the other.

Terri

[Basslet]

This has been very informative. I'm going to FG for the first time over Labor Day. I was going to bring my son, but since he is a very new diver, even though he has his AOW, I decided not to bring him.

I dove in LI sound with probably 1' vis and could hardly see my hand. But I'm going to do a wreck dive off the NJ shore soon to get in some really rough water experience.
Honestly, I have over 60 dives, some to 130 feet in Cayman, in some swells of 3 feet, some current but I have no idea how strong. I feel comfortable in the water and with my equipment . Of course you're always a little nervous diving a new place, but I'll have good company. And I figure if I can climb up a little dingly ladder in 2 foot swells, and in the Keys with 3 foot swells, I have some practice.

[intotheblue]

I was also getting conflicting information from folks as to whether FG was appropriate for someone with under 20 dives.  So when I booked the trip, I made a deal with myself...if the conditions for each dive are good (little current, good vis, calm seas) then I would dive.  If the conditions changed or became worse, I would sit that dive out. 

Terri, that was an awesome post! Very wise... and I hope it speaks volumes to everyone that reads it. Often the GOM is great and I've had wonderful dives on the FG, Stetson, VA Fogg, and many other places... and anyone could do the dive if they have a little self confidence and "decent" skills. Sometimes though, it gets riled up like Terri said... and sometimes for days without a break. It can get pretty hairy even for experienced divers. I have been responsible for boarding (and rescuing) divers given the freedom by "others" to do certain dives, that with the experience I now have I would close the diving deck myself. But that's another story. Ultimately, we need to be responsible to make our own wise choices when others don't... and for a new or intermediate diver that may be more challenging. Better to live to dive another day...

I hope everyone gets the wisdom of Terri's post.

ITB...

[Basslet]

I hope everyone gets the wisdom of Terri's post.

Duly noted. I remember going on a boat in Jamaica with some spear fishermen. They would anchor on the reef (I know, bad practice but that's what they did and this was before I knew any better, maybe 20 or so years ago). One time they missed the reef, and after I did my back roll, all I saw was a vast blue expanse of nothingness. I said to myself "I'm not going down there." I'm glad it was a mistake.

[intotheblue]

Duly noted. I remember going on a boat in Jamaica with some spear fishermen.  They would anchor on the reef (I know, bad practice but that's what they did and this was before I knew any better, maybe 20 or so years ago). One time they missed the reef, and after I did my back roll, all I saw was a vast blue expanse of nothingness. I said to myself "I'm not going down there."    I'm glad it was a mistake.

THat's one of the reasons Jamaica isn't a great diving destination. They haven't practiced good reef and marine life conservation...

ITB...

[Basslet]

I know. The island never really considered scuba for travel promotion. If they had, maybe they would have protected the reefs more. The guys I went with were friends of my boyfriend from Jamaica. They also harvested black coral to death.