FALL
Say "Good-Bye" to summer and "Welcome" our
Fall diving season. Fall brings in the colder water from the constant
north/north-east winds that blow so steady in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Some divers hang up their gear while others tend to switch from a 'summer" dive
bag to a "winter" dive bag. Others prepare their gear for storage and
still some hope for the that one last dive or a trip down south.. Whatever
your plans hold for the upcoming months Pelican Dive Charter has a
recommendation; INSPECT YOUR GEAR. Over the summer
dive season I was able to put several divers in the water. I personally
inspect 90 plus percent of the gear each diver dons. In most cases the
gear was ready to dive but there were some instances where I wouldn't allow a
diver in the water until his gear was fixed or a backup piece of gear was lent
or pulled from a bag of backup equipment. Bottom line; now's a good time
to make changes, fix faulty gear and make much needed repair.
Dive Quarter's is ready to help. Have
your tanks annual inspection completed. Get your regulators into the shop
for service and inspect your personal gear for strap deterioration. For
those that dive dry in the fall and winter, pull out your gear, inspect the
seals, grease up the zippers and take the time to don your gear in the comfort
of your home. It's no fun finding out that you're missing something when
your 30 miles off the coast.
Pelican Dive Charter has scheduled several
fall dives and has the opportunity to add a few more and even open the boat up
for some "PRIVATE" charters as well. We look forward to some chilly dives
but no worries the Pelican II has a heated cabin to keep things comfortable.
What's New
Captain Dave has completed well over 720 days
of open water navigation over the years and he has decided to upgrade his
license to "Master 100 ton" Captain.
The Master, 100 Ton License allows the
licensee to operate Coast Guard inspected vessels of up to
100GT, granted in 50GT increments. This is a version of the
6-pack license that allows more than 6 paying customers on
board.In order to qualify for a
Master, 100 Ton license, one must demonstrate at least 360 days
of service (90 within the past 3 years) on any vessel. There are
two different variables in this license; tonnage and distance
offshore.
Captain Dave will seek a Near
Coastal - sublicense, in which one must
demonstrate the standard 360 days, but also at
least 360 additional days in near-coastal or
ocean waters. No problem, by spring
we'll be ready to shift colors and make way as a
MASTER.
Captain Dave will also add a towing
assistance credential to his license during this training
period.
The Pelican II has put too use it's real time
weather satellite system by Sirius. This effective tool has enabled us to
dramatically open up the diving window of opportunity and provide the boat and
divers onboard a safety buffer that not all vessels provide. We are able
to track active storm fronts, monitor weather warning watch boxes and have a
huge head start on determining the safe operating area and safety of our
passengers and crew. This systems has assisted the Captain in making his
decision on dive location and trip itinerary. It's kinda like your
American Express; don't leave port without it.
Pelican II
The Pelican II (Parker 2520 XLD) continues to
be the workhorse of the Chesapeake Bay and the Mid-Atlantic region. We
have been able to provide safe and mishap free transit to all our dive sites this
year. This medium size dive platform (6-pak) is working out as planned and
putting divers in the water with little difficulty.
The Pelican II has some space restriction as
does most 6-pak dive boats but through the cooperation of the Captain, crew and
divers we have safely provided a dive experience that all diver's appreciate and
are willing to return for their next dive. Thank you all for your
patience and cooperation while diving the Pelican II.
Dives to Come
Check out the
2009 schedule there are still
plenty of diving opportunities through November.
Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.
Thanks again divers for all your support.
Pelican looks forward to servicing your dive needs during the rest of the 2009
dive season.
Captain Dave
