2024 – Rig Trips / Spearfishing Trips

Join us as we head out into the Gulf of Mexico to dive on the Oil Rigs.  The Oils Rigs are an artificial reef habitat to many species of underwater creatures!  If trained and meet the requirements, you have the option to spearfish while on these trips.

Spearfishing season: April-October

Trip Dates:

TBD

Trip Details:
· A very experienced Dive Instructor leads the trip

· 2 or 3 Tank Rig Trip

· Going 40-65 miles out

· Spearfishing Optional (must be trained)

· Boat leaves out of Freeport

· Boat departs in morning and returns same night

· Dive Equipment Rentals (if needed), tank rentals and Nitrox mixes are in addition to the boat price.  Contact the store to reserve your gear and order mixes.

· Bring your own drinks and snacks

$499 pp – 1 day Trip

$799 pp – 2 day Trip

Call 281-445-3483 to book or on link below

 

 

Photo by Erich Schlegel

 

Trip Cancellation Fee – Minimum of a $100 (depending on  the trip date and date of cancellation)

Call to register. 281-445-3483

Want to learn how to spearfish so you can join our trip? Enroll in our Spearfishing Course!

Flower Gardens 2024 Trips

Flower Gardens 2024

 

New for 2024!  Bookings made Simple!

Please use the QR Code to book and pay for the Flower Gardens Trips.

Weekend Flower Garden Tour

7 dives
This is our most popular tour of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.
We depart Freeport in the evening and motor out to the West Bank, famous for sighting manta rays, so divers must remember to LOOK UP!
After lunch we stop off at an oil platform. Be prepared to be impressed. Divers often go on this dive with modest expectations,
but the deep-water oil platforms change a lot of minds. And many divers tell us the rig dive is the best we offer.
The evening is spent at the East Bank where divers will usually find turtles that hang out and aren’t shy about getting their photo
taken.
Overnight we motor to Stetson Bank for two more dives before heading back to port for a Sunday evening arrival around 5-6PM.

Departs Friday evening at 7PM
Saturday Wake-up at 7AM
Dives 1&2 at the West Bank, famous for cruising Manta Rays
Lunch, then Oil Platform Dive
Dives 4&5 at the East Bank, visit with the turtles, Dive 5 is a night dive
Sunday Wake-up at 6AM
Dives 6&7 at Stetson Bank, nowhere for the critters to hide
Return to Freeport at about 5:30-6PM

Price: $794 

3-Day Extended Flower Garden Tour
(long-weekends, holiday weekends, weekday excursions)
11 dives
Day 1 Wake-up at 7AM
Dives 1&2 at the West Bank, famous for cruising Manta Rays
Lunch, then Oil Platform Dive
Dives 4&5 at the East Bank, visit with the turtles, Dive 5 is a night dive
Day 2 Wake-up at 7AM
Dives 6&7 at the East Bank, “the wall” with the sun coming up bathing it in light
Lunch, transit to Stetson Bank
Dives 8&9 at Stetson Bank, including the famous night dive at Stetson!
Day 3 Wake-up at 6AM
Dives 10&11, Stetson Bank
Return to Freeport at about 5:30-6PM

Stetson-Kraken Day Trip
(30 hours)
4 dives
New for 2023, we’re going for a quick trip! As usual, you’ll SLEEP on the way out and wake up to world-class diving.
This trip features two dives at Stetson Bank and two at the Kraken artificial reef. These four dives are designed to get you out to
world-class, blue-water diving in a shorter weather window.
Stetson Bank is a salt dome that has pushed up from deep water. It’s known for the much larger and more visible variety of
animals, including big sharks!
The Kraken is a 371-ft long cargo ship that was deliberately sunk near Stetson Bank. Like most artificial reefs, it’s known for its
sport fish congregations. The ship was sunk in 2017 and has since grown all manner of marine animals and creatures.

Friday, Arrive at 7PM, Board at 7:30 and depart soon after
Saturday Wake-up at 6AM
Dives 1&2, Stetson Bank
Lunch
Dives 3&4, Kraken Reef
Arrive in port at midnight, disembark at 7AM Sunday

Price: $485

Stetson-Kraken 2-Day
(Thursday-Friday)
7 dives
One of the highest rated dives in our inventory is the very special Night Dive at Stetson Bank. Stetson bank is most notable for
it’s LACK of coral reef cover, resulting in many of the same animals but with nowhere to hide from snooping divers. The
wildlife at Stetson is a real treat, but at night, an entirely new set of creepy animals comes out from hiding. And prowling out in
the deep water, beyond the drop-off of the bank, big sharks (a resident Sandbar for example) and other visitors are common.
The Kraken is a 371-ft long cargo ship that was deliberately sunk near Stetson Bank. Like most artificial reefs, it’s known for its
sport fish congregations. The ship was sunk in 2017 and has since grown all manner of marine animals and creatures.

Wednesday, Arrive at 7PM, Board at 7:30 and depart soon after
Thursday, Wake-up at 7AM
Dives 1&2 at Stetson #1
Lunch
Dives 3-5 at Stetson #3 (including the famous night dive!)
Friday, Wake-up and 6AM
Dives 6&7 at the Kraken reef
Arrive at the dock about 5:30PM

Price: $735

Oil Platform Adventure 2-Day
(Thursday-Friday)
6-7 dives
Most of our excursions focus on “natural” reefs that have formed and built up over thousands of years, but the Gulf also holds
some special, man-made, “vertical reefs.” Since the 1950-1960s, oil companies have installed structures in the Gulf to facilitate
the extraction of fossil fuels from the depths. Some of these platforms are within sight of land (boring), but our Oil Platform
Adventure brings you far afield, where water depths reach 900+ ft.
The special feature on the adventure is the Cerveza Platform. Built in 1983, it has stood in 935 ft of water for decades, as a
result, one of the things divers won’t see is the platform itself. There’s too much growing on it! Mollusks and crabs and worms
and all manner of creatures, some hiding in their shells and others hiding behind the others. There’s plenty to see. And don’t
forget the big game fish.
Oil platforms “retire” when their production runs out, and some of them will be “reefed” in deep water. Some are simply cut-off
in place, but others are cut off at the mud-line and moved elsewhere. These “toppled rigs” provide an entirely different dive
experience, and these are the rigs we’ll dive on Friday before returning to port.

Wednesday, Arrive at 7PM, Board at 7:30 and depart soon after
Thursday, Wake-up at 7AM
Dives 1&2 at Cerveza Platform
Lunch
Dives 3-4 at the “Intersection Rigs” (near Stetson Bank) – Are you up for a night dive on an oil platform?
(Night Dive if conditions allow)
Friday, Wake-up and 6AM
Dives 5&6 at the Matagorda toppled rigs
Arrive at the dock about 5:30PM

Price: $735

Gulf of Mexico Tour 4-Day
17 dives
New for 2023
For divers who want to get away for a longer trip, we’re offering a tour of all the features described on other trips. Designed to
capture the divers who will travel from further in order to see all the Gulf has to offer, this trip has it all:
o The Flower Garden Banks
o Oil Platforms (variety, including Cerveza)
o Deep-water (6000+ ft), Black Water Drift Dives
o Toppled rigs
o Stetson Bank
o The Kraken Reef

Sunday, Arrive at 7PM, board at 7:30, depart shortly after
Monday Wake-up at 7AM
Dives 1&2 at West Flower Garden Bank
Lunch
Dive 3 at Oil Platform HI376-A (or other nearby)
Dives 4&5 at East Flower Garden Bank
Tuesday Wake-up at 7AM
Dives 6&7 at Cerveza Platform
Lunch
Dives 8-10 Stetson Bank
Wednesday
Dives 11&12 at Stetson Bank
Lunch
Dive 14&15 at Oil Platform (intersection rigs)
Thursday
Dives 16&17 Matagorda toppled rigs
Return to port at about 5:30PM

Price: $1326

Coral Spawn Experience 4-Day
(2023 is a “split spawn” year, featuring 2 coral spawn events)
16 dives
Each year, a few days after the full moon in August (and sometimes again in September) corals the world over release their gametes into the ocean currents. These magical moments happen just after dark at the Flower Garden Banks reefs, and we designed this trip to put you into the mix with all that spawning.
There’s more! All that spawn in the water attracts other bigger animals too, especially the sharks and filter feeders like Mantas.
This trip is four days and five nights of diving and is designed to place you in the action for as many corals as possible. During the day, you’ll enjoy all the reef has to offer, plus an oil platform or two.
(No itinerary. Specific dive sites determined by expected spawn locations and times.)

Price: $1326

Non-Dive Excursions
In 2023, the Fling will offer wildlife and educational excursions. We’ll offer two birding itineraries from Freeport, one east to the Louisiana border and the other south to Rockport. These trips, while not immune from the weather, are inshore and less dependent on good weather offshore.

Eastern Wildlife Adventure
Texas is blessed with some of the best birding grounds in the country. High Island is a prominence located to the north and east of Bolivar and is a world-famous birding feature. Our eastern wildlife excursion will start on Saturday morning at Texas Point, the southeastern corner of the state and the mouth of the Sabine River. We’ll travel up the river to the intracoastal waterway and turn back toward High Island, approaching through a puzzle of wildlife preserves:
o Texas Point National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)
o Candy Cain Abshier Wildlife Management Area (WMA)
o Big Hill Bayou WMA
o McFadden NWR
o Anahuac NWR (High Island area)
o Goat Island and “back lakes”
o Brazoria NWR
The Fling is well-suited to wildlife viewing. Our spacious upper deck offers clear, 360 degrees of viewing. Passengers are encouraged to bring their favorite folding chair.

Southern Wildlife Adventure
Our other wildlife excursion races down the coast to Rockport, TX where the famous Whooping Cranes nest each season, then wanders the way back inshore through healthy and productive wetlands. These birds are making a precarious come-back from the brink of extinction, and the nesting grounds in the Aransas NWR have been a critical habitat for their recovery. To make this trip even better, there’s plenty of other productive wetland habitat the entire route home, passing through several preserves.
o Aransas NWR
o Matagorda Bay
o Mad Island WMA
o Big Boggy NWR
o San Bernard NWR and Cedar Lakes (accessible only by water)
o Justin Hurst WMA and Jones Creek

Field Trip Afloat
This year, the Fling is offering a unique chance for students (and teachers too) to spend a weekend afloat, at sea and in the estuary, learning about the coastal habitats, ocean sciences, nautical science, and other lessons you won’t find anywhere else.
From the time you come aboard, we’ll start our study of safety of life at sea with a case study. That will be followed by a demonstration of an important principle, light pollution, and we’ll demonstrate it by escaping from the lights that obscure the night sky! Spend the night at anchor and wake up Saturday to begin looking closely at marine and ocean science topics. We’ll pull a bottom trawl and go through the catch to ID the fish we catch. A plankton seine will give students a chance to work with the microscope.
In the afternoon and evening, we’ll examine nautical science, and the students will have a chance to drive the Fling in and around the harbor entrance (with close supervision from the Captain, of course). This lesson will demonstrate line-of-position navigation, bridge-to-bridge communications, passing arrangements, and more.
We’re not posting a specific itinerary because these trips will vary based on weather (which we will study) and conditions. We’ll adapt to what we find in the field, but spend two full days learning about the world around us.
Each minor student must be accompanied by an adult. We recommend booking a top / bottom bunk for a parent – child pair, or a whole cabin for a parent (or two) and two or three kiddos.

Complete topic list
o Astronomy – star ID, light pollution, time zones
o Marine Science – Fish ID, Classifications, ecosystems, estuary habitat, plankton ecology
o Ocean Science – Salinity, turbidity, haloclines thermoclines, and other segmentation, currents
o Nautical Science – Basic Navigation, true motion vs relative motion, bridge operations
o Fire science – Fire prevention, Extinguisher operation, Evacuation planning and execution
o Weather – Cloud classification, convective systems, frontal zones, soundings
o Critical Reading – “Sea Stories” and other literature

This list includes more topics than we’ll have time for on our trip, because some may not be available. For example, star identification is not possible on cloud-covered weekends. Our specific itinerary for these trips will be determined by the weather conditions for each trip, but we’ll squeeze in as many activities as we’re able.
As always, passengers on these trips will enjoy all the benefits of our full galley and cozy bunk rooms.

 

June 14-26, 2025 – Tubbataha Predator Diving & Dumaguete in Philippines

June 14-21, 2025 Azores Liveaboard and Land Based June 21-26, 2025 (plus 1-2 days of travel) – SOLD OUT!

Tubbataha and Dumaguete, Philippines – 12 days plus travel days (max 14-15 days)

Trip Leader:  Bill & Tonya Merritt

Azores Live Aboard & Land Based

Fly into Manila June 13 and stay at the Belmont Hotel (don’t have pricing yet.)

Fly into Porta Princesa (connecting through Manila) and board Azores Liveaboard at 5pm

Meals and Diving will be included on the Liveaboard to Tubbataha.  At the end of the charter, we are doing a transition day back to Dumagette. Depart the boat at 7am and move to the hotel.

Jun 21-26 – 5 nights at Dumagete Hotel

Pricing includes: Azores Liveaboard, Dumaguete Hotel, Manila/Puerto Princesa transfers, Dumaguete/Manila Transfers

Not Included:  Airfare, drinks, tips, Marine Park fee, Nitrox, Hotel at the Belmont.

Plan for 1-3 days of travel time.

    • $7261 pp – Double Occupancy for Liveaboard & Dumaguete Hotel (not Belmont in Manila)

Non-Refundable $500 deposit pp due at time of booking

$3000 payment pp due August 30th, 2024 – No refunds after this payment

$3000 payment pp due November 30th, 2024

Final balance pp due March 30, 2025

Egypt – Liveaboard – 2026

Egypt – Liveaboard

2025

$500.00 to reserve your spot!

Fly to Hurghada Egypt from US (Travelers arrange their own flights)

PRICING FOR TRIP INCLUDES

March 6 stay at the Continental Hurghada Hotel.  Room includes  breakfast and transfer from the airport to hotel.

Blue Horizon – Simply the Best Itinerary.

Includes:

7 nights – 6 Days of diving with up to 4 dives per day

Transfers between Hurghada (Egypt) airport and live aboard on days of embarkation and disembarkation

Food/Water/coffee/tea/soft drinks

12 Litre cylinder with air fills

Weights

Obligatory surcharges

Entry Visa

Government Reef Tax – 80.00 per person

Premium Cabin Situated on the mid deck, these king suites offer accommodation for two people in a large and comfortable bed as well as plenty of storage space.

Classic Cabin on the Lower Deck 1 twin and 1 double bed OR 2 twin beds

Extra costs

Cabin upgrades and sole occupancy

Rental equipment

Nitrox

Private dive guide

Alcohol

Tonic & soda water

On board merchandise

Crew & dive guide gratuities

 

March 14 – A 3.5 hour private bus ride from Hurghada to Luxor where we will embark on the Nile Cruise and tour.

Land itinerary – 

Day 1: Luxor Nile Cruise

Transfer to embark Nile Cruise before lunch.

Meals: Lunch, Dinner.

Visits: Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple.

Day 2: Luxor Nile Cruise – West bank

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Visits: Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon.

Day 3: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Visits: Horus Temple, Kom Ombo Temple.

Day 4: Aswan Nile Cruise Tours / Disembarkation

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Visits: High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae Temple.

– We will disembark from the Nile Cruise at Aswan and transfer to the Aswan airport.  At the Aswan airport we will catch a mid-afternoon flight to Cairo.

Fly to US from Egypt –  (Travelers arrange their own flights.) *Please see flight information for Heidi and Doug below.

If you have a strong desire to see the sites of Northern Egypt (Memphis, Alexandria, Giza) please let us know.  Heidi and Doug will not be touring northern Egypt but the same people who have arranged the rest of this experience for us can and will be happy to add on a couple days in Cairo for people who want to see the Pyramids and the other sites around the area.  Pricing will be dependent upon days and sites seen in Cairo.

Pricing for this trip is:

Double Occupancy Classic Cabin – $ per person

Double Occupancy Premium Cabin –  per person

Single Occupancy Classic Cabin – $– We will make every effort to find you a roommate if you are traveling solo.  However, if a roommate cannot be found you will be billed at the single occupancy rate.

Not included:

Airfare from the US to Hurghada

Airfare from Cairo to the US

Any nights in Cairo

Any tours in Cairo

Rental equipment

Nitrox

Private dive guide

Alcohol

Tonic & soda water

On board merchandise / Souvenirs.

Crew & dive guide gratuities

Entry Visa

Government Reef Tax – 80.00 per person

 

 

*Flight suggestions for this trip:

 

There are many different options for getting to and from this trip:

Turkish Airlines

United Airlines

Swiss Airlines

Air France

KLM

British Air

 

For Economy flights as of  Turkish Airlines was the least expensive option.  On the same day, Business Class options were the least expensive on United and Swiss.  On that same day we found appreciable savings could be had by arriving a day early.  However there will be an extra hotel room charge if you elect to arrive in Hurghada before March 6.  The flight option Doug and Heidi chose is:

 

Pyramid Add on: 

 

 

Truk Lagoon, Micronesia – Liveaboard – 2026

Truk Lagoon

Japanese War Ship Wreck Diving

Truk Odyssey Liveaboard

TBD

 

8 Cabins for 16 divers: $3749pp

Includes: Liveaboard boat-rooms, taxes, meals, airport transfers, Chuuk Dive Permit

Excludes: airfare, 1-2 nights at Blue Lagoon Resort depending on your airfare.

$500.00 deposit to hold your spot!

Call Tonya for more information!

(281) 445-3483

 

Little Cayman, Cayman Islands – November 23-30, 2025


Spend Thanksgiving at Little Cayman Beach Resort

Little Cayman, Cayman Islands

November 23-30, 2025

Come dive the Famous Bloody Bay Wall with us!

Leader: Doug Jones

Room Choices:

$3845 Ocean View Rooms, based on Double Occupancy

$5169 Ocean View Rooms, based on Single Occupancy

$3245 Pool View Rooms, based on Double Occupancy

$3969 Pool View Rooms, based on Single Occupancy

Non-Diver Discount Available

$170 Nitrox- Must be paid at booking (higher price if paid at resort)

We are holding 10 Ocean View and 10 Pool View Rooms.

Package Includes: Resort accommodations, roundtrip airport transfers, Flight from Grand Cayman to Little Cayman, all meals, 21 drinks (alcohol & non-alcoholic), free wifi, fees, taxes, 6 days of 2 tank morning boat dives, 5 days of 1 tank afternoon boat dives, tanks and weights.

Not Included:  Dive Guide Tips, Staff Tips, Airfare, Rental Gear, Nitrox, Night Dive Classes with Doug!

Gigglin’ Marlin is holding seats on Cayman Airways:  Flight Details Coming Soon!

When booking your airfare from the states, in and out of Grand Cayman, allow 1 hour and 30 minutes in each

BAGGAGE LIMITS :
When travelling to Cayman Brac or Little Cayman via the Twin Otter Service; Baggage allowance is 55 lbs per person (combined weight of up to 2 pieces) and only one 15 lb carry-on, any excess will be charged US$0.50 per pound.

In addition to the one carry-on item, you may bring free-of-charge items below:

One small personal article such as a briefcase, purse, day planner, small laptop computer, camera case, compact disk player or similar sized personal entertainment item Personal aid devices such as wheelchairs, braces, canes, crutches, prosthetic devices and walking sticks, provided passenger is dependent on them One infant article such as a small collapsible stroller, a diaper bag or a government approved child seat (larger strollers can be checked in the jetway prior to boarding the aircraft)

Once you make your Grand Cayman Flights from Houston, let me know which of the options you would like.

Suggested Houston Flights:

Coming Soon

$500.00 to reserve your spot!

Trip Cancellation Fee:  $100 until March 1, 2025

Trip Cancellation Fee:  $500 from March 2 to July 15, 2025

No refund after July 15, 2025.

Little Cayman, a Caribbean gem, offers an unparalleled scuba diving experience. Known for its pristine coral reefs and crystal-clear waters, this tiny island boasts world-class dive sites that attract enthusiasts from across the globe. The iconic Bloody Bay Wall, a sheer drop into the abyss, is a haven for colorful marine life, including vibrant corals and diverse fish species. Divers can explore intricate swim-throughs and encounter majestic sea creatures like eagle rays and reef sharks. With its laid-back atmosphere and breathtaking underwater landscapes, Little Cayman stands as a must-visit destination for those seeking an immersive and unforgettable scuba adventure.