Who's Going? We have half the boat...15 spots!
1. Kamala aka WW of course! - Dallas, TX - (pd/5-10/drive) - air or nitrox
2. Kim aka Fingrabber - Dallas, TX - (pd/5-10/drive) - air or nitrox
3. Karl aka scubafanatic - TX (pd/5-10/drive) - Nitrox pd
4. Lee aka lgrahamtx - Galveston, TX (50%/?-?/drive) - Nitrox pd
5. Karen aka nurseshark - TX (pd/5-10/drive) - Nitrox pd
6. Mike aka Poogweese - (pf/5-10/drive) - Nitrox pd
7. Mary aka Mary - (pd/5-10/drive) - air
8. Ben aka AXL72 - (pd, drive) Nitrox pd
9. Victoria aka TexasStarfish - (pd, drive) Nitrox pd
10. Matt aka JackBSwift - (pd, drive) Nitrox pd
11. Matt aka yacmandu - (pd) (drive)
12. Sandy aka ScubaPunk - (dep, drive) Nitrox not pd
13. Kenneth aka Weademan68 - (pd, drive) Nitrox pd
14. William aka ScubaTex - (dep/1st, drive) Nitrox & Instruction pd
15.
16.
We can get up to 3 more seats...but don't wait...we need to confirm each spot as you wish to sign up! -ww
Check in the mail...
1. Mitch aka Mitch0129 (drive)
2. Mike aka Bubski (drive)
3.
4.
Interested...
1.
Waiting List...
1. Still openings!
Arrival Times:
1. Kamala - Driving from Dallas with Fingrabber on 5th
2. Kim - Driving from Dallas with WW on 5th
3. Karl - Driving from Dallas with Nurseshark on 5th
4. Karen - Driving from Dallas with Karl on 5th
To see for yourself, click here for videos of the diving....absolutely awesome!!! Flower Gardens Videos - available in 2 download speeds. Or go on a virtual dive of this fascinating destination by clicking here!
Full Details below:
An OASIS in the Texas Gulf...fish, coral heads, rigs and more... This place is special....Picture yourself over 100 miles from land, in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. At times, the seas can be very unforgiving, and the weather can turn foul in an instant. That is why June - August are the premier months with July being very primo since weather related issues are very infrequent. But here, in the midst of this unpredictable Gulf, lie three of the most beautiful and wild places in all the world. Manta rays, whale sharks, coral heads that are bigger than cars, hundreds of species of fish and invertebrates... This place teems with life!
We will be diving and staying on the private liveaboard The Fling one of two sister ships comprising Gulf Diving LLC. For directions to the boat click here!
DIVERS GET READY!! EAT, SLEEP, DIVE!!!
FULL DETAILS:
Out of towners depart July 5th and arrive no later then 3pm if your flight is slightly later let us know...you may need to rent a car to make it on time. Depart Houston in shared transport arranged by members to arrive 8pm in Freeport. (You may use the board to help coordinate shared rental cars, etc.) Once on the boat we will travel to our first dive site overnight and arrive 6am July 6th. Dive July 6th to July 9th. Return to Houston Sunday July 9th and we'll do a Post Trip & Local Area Happy Hour. Fly in divers depart Monday July 10th.
Pkg includes:
4 nights/4 days Diving/6-9th boat dives/All Inclusive Food and beverages (no alcohol included)/ & Taxes $785 diver d/o or $875 diver d/o w/Nitrox or $480 non-diver d/o
- 4 nights aboard the MV Fling 100 foot liveaboard
- 4 days diving up to 15+ dives total with minimum 2.5 hour surface intervals
- SD.com famous *Meet & Greet* Welcome Party at the Boat before!
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner & soft drinks plus in-between snacks
- SD.com signature t-shirt
- Diving Gifts and Giveaways from various SD Vendor Partners (when avail)
- Unlimited air (Compressors on board) (Note: Nitrox is avail for $90 upgrade price)
- The boat will furnish your tank if you dive Nitrox
- Comfortable sleeping arrangements for 31 in multiple sleeping areas (2 double bunks are avail to the first to sign up for them as a couple)
- Spacious salon and fully equipped galley
- Two restrooms and two fresh water showers
- 10 ft. Avon rescue boat
- Carpeting throughout and air conditioning for your comfort
- Salon has a TV and VCR
- Camera tables on deck with fresh water cleaning tanks
- More...
Tentative Agenda:
We'll depart Wednesday night and sail while we sleep so we arrive in time to dive at 7am the next morning. We'll do 4 day dives and 1 night dive on Thursday. On Friday we'll extend the surface interval and do 3 day dives and 1 night dive. On Saturday we'll do 3 to 4 dives depending on the group. On Sunday we'll dive on Stetson 2 dives and then travel 4-5 hours back to shore. That is 15+ serious dives in the 70 to 85 ft range in 4 days! Safety Note: The boat-imposed depth limit is 130 fsw for the first dive of the day ONLY, and 100 fsw for all subsequent dives. Dives must be planned within recreational limits—no planned decompression dives are allowed. Within those parameters, buddy teams plan and execute their own dives. Dive times are set by the boat crew. Bottom times are limited only by your no-decompression limits, air consumption and common sense.
NOT Included:
- One (1) full air cylinder 80cf (fills are free)
- Airfare or transport to Houston,
- Additional nights stay,
- Lead (some lead is avail for fly in divers but we will keep working on this)
- Transport to the boat, personal incidentals, and alcohol from the boat.
Alcohol: Beer $2.00 US
Optional Add-on's:
- Single Room Upgrade: N/A
- Extra Night Stay Before the Trip: Hotel Room: $TBD Extra night D/O: $TBD (if we can arrange a roommate for you and if space is available) We'll help you with this if you need it!
- Nitrox:* Nitrox is available for $90 for the 4 day trip and includes the price of your tank
- Additional Sightseeing excursions: We can help to arrange some fun things to do while in Houston if arriving early or staying late. More details will be forthcoming as soon as we know how many people are interested.
Discounts:
1. SingleDiver.com Premier Membership & Above Rebate (ask for form) <$25>
2. Note: Prices reflect a cash discount. If paying via paypal please add 3% processing fee.
Deposit Information:
1. To secure a spot on this limited availability trip either payment in full or a $200 deposit must be rec'd or the spot you hope to have may be taken by another diver. Unless arrangements are made prior with me, missing a deposit deadline can cause your spot to be released to another customer.
Deposit Schedule:
a. $200 due at booking to hold your reservation for trip
b. 50% of trip total due March 6th or $392.50
d. 50% of trip less $200 or Bal of $192.50 due May 6th
Payment Information:
Please add 3% if paying via paypal or via credit card. (Please ask for the credit card authorization information)
If paying via paypal go to www.PayPal.com and send payment to SingleDivers.com email = kamala@singledivers.com Be sure to include your address, contact number and screen name as well as the trip name you are sending money for in the details section.
If paying via check or money order, please send payment with screen name & trip name on memo line on the check to:
Kamala Shadduck
SingleDivers.com
3957 Gaspar Ste#200
Dallas, TX 75220
214-350-7003
kamala@singledivers.com
Weather Cancellation Policy:
The Flower Gardens are well offshore and prone to heavy weather issues. However July and August are the premier months since most weather is non-existent. However should we encounter weather here is the boat's policy:
Kamala,
I will call off the trip if the seas are forecast to be 5ft or higher. We can depart with 5ft seas, only if I am confident the wave height will subside to less than 5ft. I also will cancel a trip with less than 5ft seas if there is weather in the forecast that could cause the seas to increase above the 5 ft mark. The boat will take it but the ladder becomes very challenging with seas near 5ft.
I will keep an eye on the weather as the weekend approaches and officially "make the call" no later than noon Friday. If the trip blows out, your money will be returned in a timely manner. - The MV Fling
Note: In the unlikely event that we are blown out, divers will be refunded their diving once SD.com receives it from the boat. For all fly in divers and all drive in divers that wish to join us...we will arrange land based activities in the area to enjoy and/or find a local watering hole to get wet in. If any diver wishes to fly standby back home or drive back home, that is fine too.
Liveaboard Information:
- We do not deal directly with the public, we wholesale all spots to Dive Shops & Dive Groups. Look at our calendar, and contact the shop or charter, which has the date you, want. There will be a phone number or an e-mail link.
- If you are flying, buy refundable tickets, in case the trip gets blown out. Don't trust your local Weatherman as to what is happening one hundred and twenty miles out in the middle of the Gulf of Mexico. If you are already in route, be prepared to tour Houston or Galveston. (Not as critical in June, July & August but you'll still have a chance of weather issues. We'll have a full day and weekend of events for people IF we get blown out. People will be free to leave as they desire or stay the weekend and ROCK the town of HOUSTON!)
- We notify the shops at 12:00 P.M. the day of departure as to go or no go, based on the seas and NOAA buoys. They should call you around noon, if not, call them.
- Parent or guardian must accompany junior divers on all dives. They shall not go deeper than their certification allows. NAUI standards allow a junior O/W One diver a depth of 60 fsw. Most of the dives we make will be deeper than this.
- O/W Divers, with no Gulf experience may not be the best place for you. Gulf diving is tricky at best, this is neither Cozumel, nor drift diving. You must find your way back to the boat and the mooring line. We highly suggest Advanced Diving Certification. (SingleDivers.com will require AOW or equivelent. Pls contact Kamala if you have any questions about your experience levels!)
- Boarding begins at 8:30 P.M. SHARP, the night before your trip date. (Wednesday night for a Thur/Fri/Sat/Sun trip) We return around 5:00 P.M. the last day of the trip.
- Bring your C-Card, or we can not let you dive.
- Bring gloves, for ascent and descent line.
- Dive Computers, rent one from your local shop if you do not have your own. Otherwise you will be diving tables, and will not get in as many dives as the others will. NOTE: The clock starts ticking on the surface interval AFTER the last diver gets into the water. Therefore any divers who can dive beyond 30-45 minutes should be the first in the water in order to not push the 2.5 hour surface interval back thereby potentially losing a dive that day.
- Night Dives must have a main light and a small back up light. A tank light, either battery powered or a cylume stick. No strobe lights.
- No fishing or spearfishing allowed.
- No coolers allowed nor food allowed in the bunk areas
- Bring all dive gear, including weights and lights for the night dive. (We will work with all divers coming in from out of town to get lead. When you reserve let me know if you need lead.)
- You will supply one FULL 80 alum cylinder that we will fill for you. Redundant cylinders up to forty c.f.t ok. (See notes below on *Tanks*)
- Bring warm clothes for evening, swimsuit, and a good attitude.
- We supply wash cloths, linen, bedding and pillows. - Don't forget towels!
- What about tipping? This is one we hear all the time. Tipping is not required, however our crew will do their very best to insure that you have a safe and fun dive trip and they appreciate any and all tips. A typical tip is 10% to 15% of the amount paid for the trip. Your trip leader has offered to coordinate tips and we do split all of our tips with the divemasters and galley crew. We feel that we are the best in the business at what we do and we want to know if you are unhappy with any of our services. If you enjoy diving with us please tell your dive buddies about us. If you are unhappy with any of our services, please let us know.
More Tank Information:
Air Tanks? - Each diver should bring one full cylinder. Both boats have one adapter to fill high-pressure DIN valves, but will only fill to 3000 psi—the boats do not provide high-pressure fills. If you are bringing a cylinder larger or smaller in circumference than an aluminum 80, please bring a bungee cord to secure it—our tank racks are made for 7 ¼” tanks. Doubles are not allowed. We have rental tanks available for divers traveling from out of town.
Nitrox Tanks? Nitrox prices remain the same as last year and include tank rental. ($90 for this 4 day trip.) Personal nitrox tanks will be allowed, with the following requirements: the tank must be properly labeled, pointed out to and flagged by boat crew, filled with 32% EANx, and analyzed in front of a boat divemaster or Captain before getting underway. Only 32% EANx is allowed. There is no discount on the nitrox price for using a personal tank. Tanks larger in size than 100 cf will be charged double. Doubles are not allowed.
Pony Bottles? Pony bottles in use aboard the M/V Fling and M/V Spree are considered redundant safety equipment for emergency situations only. Pony bottles equipped as a redundant gas supply with first and second stage regulators will be filled once at the beginning of the charter if needed. Nitrox fills for
pony bottles are $10. Pony bottle use constitutes an out-of-air situation. A diver equipped with a pony bottle, using the pony bottle gas during a dive, places the diver in the out-of-air
restriction and the diver will not be allowed back in the water. As stated in the out-of-air policy, loss of breathing gas from catastrophic equipment failure does not preclude the diver from reentering the water once the equipment failure is remedied. Pony bottles equipped as gas supply for drysuit inflation, having only a first stage regulator, inflator hose and pressure gauge, will be filled with air on an as-needed basis.
Trip Insurance Information:
Click here for free trip insurance quote and/or to buy it online.
1. You can obtain trip insurance for the Land package price or add in your airfare even if not obtaining the air via SD.com.
2. You can add an additional waiver for Supplier Default which means if the airline or the hotel or SD.com goes out of business before your trip that you are protected as long as you buy your insurance within 24 hours of your last payment.
3. You can add an additional waiver for Pre-Existing Condition exclusion which means if you have an active pre-existing condition it will be waived should it flare up and cause you problems on your trip as long as you buy your insurance within 24 hrs of your last payment.
4. If you do not desire 'pre-existing condition or supplier default insurance' you may purchase trip insurance up to 24hrs before departure!
5. This insurance can be used for diving as well as non-diving vacations. This insurance has medical coverage that does not exclude snorkeling and diving.
Initial Trip Deposit Date = Use April 1 as your trip insurance deposit date.
[b]This plan also includes:
Emergency Assistance Services
CSA's comprehensive Emergency Assistance Services are included with each policy. The services include pre-travel advice, medical and legal referral, emergency cash transfer, lost ticket and passport assistance, and emergency prescription refill assistance.
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