FAQ

Passengers are encouraged to pack light. Luggage is discouraged, but soft-sided bags that will fit under a bunk are fine. Bring some long-sleeves. The boat stays a little on the cool side (we have plenty of blankets), so folks who are prone to getting cold should bring some warm clothes. Bring your own towel(s). Bring all toiletries. The boat is supplied with an emergency feminine hygiene kit, but please bring personal items you will need. The boat crew is not allowed to hand out medications, so please bring any that you will need. Aspirin, ibuprofen, etc. should come with you. Passengers who need refrigerator space for medications should turn those over to the galley staff who will store them in the fridge. The galley is staffed from 6AM to midnight, but if a passenger needs those meds after hours the night captain will help get the meds.

We provide sheets, blankets, & pillows. Microfiber towels are sold onboard (these are generic – no logo, etc). If you have a favorite pillow or blanket, bring it along!

Required Dive Gear

• Ordinary dive gear, BC, weights, fins, mask, etc. (no tank)
• A primary light for each diver
• A back up light for each buddy pair
• A tank light
• A surface marker buoy

Tipping on the trip is customary. There will be a “tip jar” at the end of the trip. 15% is the normal amount for good service. Passengers wishing to tip may do so in cash, or Texas Caribbean Charters will let them put it on a credit card (we pay the credit card fees without passing the charges down to the crew) as a courtesy. Tips go to the galley staff and the deck service staff only (not to Captains).

Please note that you’re tipping four crew members, not just a single dive master like on a day boat.

2-day trips & 3-day trips

• 15% = $141 – $171
• 20% = $188 – $228

Coral Spawn

• 15% = $215 – $244
• 20% = $286 – $326

If you feel you didn’t get great service, be certain to speak with the captain on your trip and let us know of any trouble on your trip.

Your travel is at your own risk, so we specifically recommend that you purchase travel / trip interruption insurance. This covers your travel to and from the boat in the case of a cancellation. We will NOT cover your expenses in the case of a cancellation. If you’re flight is cancelled or delayed and you miss the boat, you will absolutely NOT be refunded. We’re happy to support your insurance claim, but you control the travel to the boat. BUY INSURANCE for it. Please, please, please.

We highly recommend purchasing diving accident insurance. Several agencies offer dive accident insurance. If you believe you are covered by your primary medical insurance carrier, please read the fine print. Many consider diving to be an “extreme sport” and do not cover treatment for diving injuries or fees incurred during evacuations.

Passengers may bring thermal protection (wet or dry suits) if they desire. Some hangers are available onboard, but passengers are encouraged to bring hangers for their gear if needed.

Water temperatures in the Gulf vary. We’ve outlined a general guide of water temps below.

• January –> 19 to 22C (66 to 72F)
• February –> 19 to 21C (66 to 70F)
• March –> 19 to 21C (66 to 70F)
• April –> 21 to 24C (70 to 75F)
• May –> 24 to 26C (75 to 79F)
• June –> 27 to 29C (81 to 84F)
• July –> 28 to 30C (82 to 86F)
• August –> 29 to 30C (84 to 86F)
• September –> 29 to 30C (84 to 86F)
• October –> 26 to 28C (79 to 82F)
• November –> 24 to 26C (75 to 79F)
• December –> 21 to 24C (70 to 75F)

You can check current conditions, including water temps, at this link.

https://fling-diving.com/FGB-Weather

Please don’t call our office asking about the weather. If the weather forces us to cancel a trip, we’ll let you know as soon as we know.

Please review our cancellation policy below:

No refunds will be issued for a departure date that is within 30 days. For bookings more than 30 days out, divers may request a full refund. For bookings that cancel due to weather or mechanical problems, you may request a refund or apply your booking to another trip. Booking credit may be applied to next year’s trips, subject to price adjustments which may be announced at a later date.

No refunds will be issued for any trip cut short for other than mechanical issues such as a medical emergency with a diver, bad weather forming in the Gulf and etc. These are circumstances that are out of our control.

Likewise, we can not offer refunds or rebooking based on your obligations in active or reserve services. If those obligations interrupt your travel plans, you should claim it on your trip / travel interruption insurance (see below).

For these reasons, WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU COVER YOUR TRIP WITH TRAVEL INSURANCE. Travel insurance protects you from weather or other trip interruption, medical problems or injuries that you may encounter traveling to or from the boat, etc. This includes active and reserve military personnel and changing deployments etc. We do not provide refunds in these cases. These risks fall to the diver(s) who should accept the risk or insure against them.

Contact your dive shop for rental gear. We also provide a single Aluminum 80 tank for your use. The REQUIRED dive gear is listed above. It’s non-optional, so please review the gear and make sure to bring it with you.

We will allow divers to bring personal cylinders on the boat for an additional charge at booking. We discourage divers from bringing personally owned tanks.

Most of our tanks have convertible DIN valves.

Pony bottles in use aboard the M/V Fling are considered redundant safety equipment for emergency situations only. Pony bottles equipped as a redundant gas supply with first and second stage regulators will NOT be filled once onboard.

ALL communication with divers is handled through our online booking service. If a trip cancels because of weather, you’ll obviously receive an email. Please make certain that you get the emails from the booking service (the first is a confirmation when you make the booking).

There’s no need to call about the weather. If you have not received an email about the weather, there is nothing the office staff can tell you about the weather. You will receive an email when we have news. Unless an email arrives cancelling the trip, you should assume it is NOT cancelled.

If you’re FLYING in, there are special instructions that will help you. In addition to TRAVEL / TRIP interruption insurance, we have tips to help you out. Email [email protected] and let us know you’re flying in.

Passengers may use the ship’s safe for small personal items. We allow firearms onboard, but ask that passengers check them into the ship’s safe to ensure that they are always secure from unauthorized handling. If any pirates show up, we may hand them back out! Please do not leave firearms in your vehicle in the parking lot – we prefer to check them into the safe rather than leave them unattended in your vehicle.

Of Course

No coolers are allowed onboard. We discourage passengers from bringing any food or drink onboard. If you have special dietary needs, let us know in your booking. We accommodate special eaters on every trip. Vegan meals, and other special requests are well within our experience, so please inform us of these needs early (don’t be shy). Most passengers find it impossible to follow any weight loss diet while onboard (too many brownies and ice cream right before bed time).

Passengers may not bring beer onboard, but they may bring wine and liquor. These must be surrendered to the galley staff for safekeeping. Glass bottles are discouraged. Beer is sold onboard (Dos Equis, Shiner Bock, & Bud Lite – $4). Beer may not be sold while we are in Texas. Once the Fling leaves Texas jurisdiction the Captain will inform the galley they may serve beer (other alcohol may be consumed any time).

HAM radio operators may bring small portable gear and work while onboard, so long as it does not interfere with the wheelhouse electronics and radios. Operators MUST inform the Captain they intend to operate onboard.

Drone operators are allowed limited operation onboard. The space between the sundeck and the wheelhouse is open for launch and recovery and is separated from the passengers. Drone operators must seek permission from the Captain before launch and inform the Captain once operation is complete. Operators should also be advised that the Fling has brought OUT far more drones than she has brought IN. Operate your drone at your own risk!

Passengers are not allowed to charge any batteries or battery operated devices onboard, except on the charging station that is set up and designed for this purpose. Please bring as few items that require charging as possible. Packing a small power strip may be helpful. Our charging station is designed to confine any items that may burn or burst to one place that is constantly monitored by the crew. The electrical system there is protected and designed to charge these items safely.

Any device found charging anywhere else will be confiscated by the captain and returned at the end of the trip. We consider this a life-and-death issue and offer zero tolerance on this rule.

Most bunks are equipped with power outlets for use by passengers with CPAP machines. Remember that these outlets may not be used to charge any device or battery.

All diving from the Fling is within recreational No-Decompression Limits (NDL). All divers must provide proof of Open Water Certification from any certifying agency. Divers who want Nitrox must provide proof of Nitrox certification from any certifying agency. Divers who want to dive without a dive buddy must provide proof of SOLO (“self-reliant diver”) certification from any certifying agency. No other certifications are required.

Most diving in the Flower Gardens is conducted between 65 and 90 ft. If these depths worry you, consider reaching out to your dive shop and asking about getting your DEEP or Advanced Open Water certification while you’re on the trip with us. But these certifications are NOT required to dive on any of our trips.

All divers must be 10 years or older. Divers between 10 years and 15 years must be accompanied by an adult on each dive. Non-diving minor children must be accompanied by a non-diving adult. Minor children diving without a parent or legal guardian must have a completed Minor Waiver completed online by the child’s parent. Minors without completed release forms and medical treatment consent forms will not be taken offshore.

The waiver may be completed by Clicking Here. Have your three (3) cards ready when you start the waiver so you can upload an image of the certs into the waiver. You CAN NOT email them to us. They must be in the waiver.

Please make sure your NAME and the certification appear on your cards. If you send us a card with no specific information on it, you’ll have to do the waiver again. We need to see the WORDS!!! You’d be shocked what we’re sent! 🙂

It needs your NAME, with the certification clearly visible in the image.

Non-divers are welcome to book on our trips too. Snorkeling and swimming are allowed.

Over 200 species of fish, 250 species of invertebrates and 21 species of coral inhabit the Flower Gardens. Loggerhead turtles are year-round residents. In February and March, hammerhead sharks school on the banks, with the occasional spinner shark and tiger shark. In late summer around coral spawn time, whale sharks are frequently sighted. Other large pelagic include manta rays, eagle rays, southern and rough tail stingrays, and occasionally spotted dolphins.

The Captain is in overall command of the Fling. Generally the focus of the Captain is the safety of all operations.

The Night Captain assists the Captain during the night so the Captain can rest. The Night Captain does most of the driving, and can always call on the Captain for help.

In the Galley we have two cooks who prepare the down-home meals that we serve! Some of the food is prepared in our office and packaged for the trips, but most is made right onboard.

Out on deck two dive masters will help you into the water and help you exit when your dive is finished. The dive masters are here to help you while you’re getting ready and will give you a practical dive briefing before each dive with details about the reef and conditions.

We have a designated tank filler to make sure your tank is filled between dives.

How are the bunks?

We have 30 passenger bunks on the boat. The bunks each have their own privacy curtain, and are grouped in cabins of 4. The cabins have doors. We provide sheets, blankets and pillows. Bring towels and other personal items you may want.

Don’t worry! You can still catch the game on our satellite Television service. The TVs are set up to cast to in case someone is doing presentations onboard during a trip too.

Please plan to arrive at the dock at 7PM so we can board and depart as soon as possible after 7PM. The dive masters will give a briefing at the gate to explain the boarding process. If you have personal items or firearms to check into the safe, please do so at boarding (bring only cleared firearms to the Captain and be prepared to show that the firearm is clear).

We return to the dock between 5PM and 6PM at the end of the trip.

The M-V Fling dock is located at 726 W Brazos (77541). The dock is known to Google, so just input “M-V Fling” into your navigation and it should bring you right to the dock.

After you have unloaded your gear next to the dock, you will move your car to the other side of the levee in a large grass parking lot.

No spearfishing is allowed—possession of spearguns is not allowed within the Sanctuary boundaries. The dives are conducted within a marine sanctuary, so no collecting of any kind—live or dead—is allowed.

You are welcome to go snorkeling during surface intervals, but please no free-diving. No snorkeling while we’re underway, please.
What do I need?

Rebreathers are not allowed on our trips. For CCR diving, you can email our office and ask about the arrangements, but it’s generally not an attractive offer.

Diver propulsion vehicles are not allowed on the Fling.

Wake up to a continental breakfast!

Go dive!

When you return, you’ll have a hot breakfast (aka “second breakfast” if you’re a hobbit).

Go dive again!

Come back on board and have a hot, wholesome lunch while the boat repositions to the next dive site.

Go dive (usually a rig dive)!

When you come back, there will be a yummy snack!

Dive again!

Come back for some comfort food for dinner!

(Night) Dive!

When you come back there will be hot brownies (or peach cobbler) and ice cream!

Now you can sleep if you want.

Seasickness is a common way to ruin a trip. Over the counter meds should be started EARLY and taken regularly. Be sure to bring enough to continue taking them during your trip.

The divers who wear “the patch” have waaaaayyyyy more success than divers who travel with OTC meds. If you get seasick, or if you think you might get seasick, we strongly recommend you visit with your doctor about getting the patch (Scopolamine Transdermal Patch).

The Fling provides an Aluminum 80 for your use, but if you want to dive with your own tank instead, you may for an additional charge. Be sure to add this to your booking when you make it. Your tank must have a current hydro test date with a current and valid VIP. We will not fill any tank that does not have these safety measures in place.

If you bring a larger tank than 80cf, there’s an additional charge. You’ll pay this at booking. However, be advised that our fill station is regulated at 3300PSI and will not completely fill higher pressures. If you bring your own tank, you accept this limitation.

We do not offer discounts or group rates on the boat. All divers pay the same for their bookings to keep it fair. You can save a few bucks by calling our office to book your trip without the online booking fees ($56-$98pp), but most divers prefer to book online.