Dive Review of Fling Charters in
The Continental USA/Texas, Gulf of Mexico

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Fling Charters: "Stetson Bank: you never know what's coming to visit", Jul, 2019, by Mary K Wicksten, TX, US ( Contributor 17 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 10994.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Stetson Bank lies 70 miles out from Galveston, Texas. Unlike the Flower Gardens banks, this bank consists of bedded sedimentary rock with a few corals that can stand winter temperatures. There are many large and colorful sponges and handsome angelfishes that eat them. Our group REALLY lucked out--we saw a 4-foot long sandbar shark up close, some whoppers of southern stingrays, a small manta, 3 species of morays, and the grand finale at night--the "mother" of all loggerhead sea turtles! There are lots of "small fry" there, too--blue gobies, cherubfish, big brittle stars, etc. Stetson is not a dive for beginners. Most of the diving is deeper than 70 feet. You follow a side line and a buoy line down but may have to shove against a surface current. Visibility varies, maybe 30 feet while we were there but there were lots of particles and "jellies" in the water. (I wore a full suit, hood and gloves but other divers got "zapped"). Exiting on the bucking stern ladder without fins can be a challenge. Food is hearty but not gourmet, bunks are in 4-person rooms and have curtains. Camera table and dive set-up is on the stern, sunbathing on the top deck but it can get VERY hot up there. This is adventure diving--the flats on top of the bank end in colorful ridges that drop off to deep ledges and "the blue".
Websites	Fling Charters
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, Bahamas, Costa Rica, Galapagos, western Mexico, California, Hawaii, Fiji, Palau, Yap, Australia, New Guinea, Florida springs
Closest Airport	Houston Hobby	Getting There	No public transportation to Freeport. You must drive or get "Uber".
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	choppy
Water Temp	82-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-40 Ft/ 6-12 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	No diving past 130 feet, no deco dives, no rebreathers. After one alcoholic drink, you were finished diving for the day.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Camera table can be crowded. A camera bucket is available. You can clip your camera to a down line as you enter and before you exit. Take your pick of formats--video? Macro? Scenic?

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Dive Review of Fling Charters in The Continental USA/Texas, Gulf of Mexico

Fling Charters: "Stetson Bank: you never know what's coming to visit", Jul, 2019,

Photos Submitted with this Report

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Fling Charters in
The Continental USA/Texas, Gulf of Mexico