The trip report is a dodgy undertaking when yer attention span is as short
as mine. Thanks to Lee I needn't bother with the main details of our Spiegel
dive.
Overall, it was a great trip with great company.
Thanks to Popeye, for the excellent company, the bunk in the rig, splitting
rooms with me the other nights and drinking ridiculous amounts of alcohol
over a long weekend. We'll keep the rest of the details top secret.
Dove with Captain Doug Morgan aboard The Narcosis on Friday, Popeye and I
made it down to his boat in the Banana Bay Resort in Marathon in a less than
perfect condition. He took us out to dive The Thunderbolt, a 188 foot
Military vessel in 120' of water. I wish I could remember more details, but
it was a fun dive with less than perfect visibility. We saw a lot of the
ship but respectfully refrained from any swim throughs due to our delicate
condition. Even so, this is an impressive wreck and would definitely go back
to discover what I missed the first time. We did an easy shallow reef for
our second dive which gave us time to recover just a little. Capt Morgan had
an easy time of it, with only the bedraggled Pops and Limey to look after,
but he helps with everything you do on the boat. When it's time to gear up
he's there, holding yer tank. Normally not required for some of us but
definitely appreciated on this trip. I'll be back! Definitely not a bad guy
for a Yankee!
Lee showed up on Friday evening with rum......I didn't even smell, let alone
taste any of it. Lee asked what we had done with the real Limey...... I'll
say no more.
Saturday morning included us stopping in at Silent World Dive Center where
we had arranged our Spiegel Grove trip with Rick Altman. We dropped tanks
for fills and squared away the rest of our pre-trip plans.  Rick treated us
like Royalty. I cannot say enough about Rick and the store except to say
that I will never book anywhere other than his shop whenever I dive the
upper keys. Excellent service with effort above and beyond my expectations.
Thanks again.
Curtis was the last to show, in time to arrive early at the dock so we could
all catch up since we last met. We boarded the boat and had a great trip.
Capt Bob was relaxed, and made the trip as smoth and comfortable as diving
in the Florida Keys should be. Great boat, good crew, excellent company. Two
dives on the Grove sent me home with more than two half tanks of gas which
means I'll plan ahead for more bottom time on my next trip.
This is my first time on the Spiegel Grove after three (blown out) previous
attempts. I had high expectations which were amazingly surpassed. The
current was a minor issue on dive #1 and no factor on #2. The vis, as
previously reported was average to good by keys standards. The wreck is
absolutely incredible. I will be back to dive the Grove again.....with
Silent World.
Popeye, Curtis and Lee are all more experienced (in one way or another)
divers than I am. Lee has been diving since before I was a glint in my
daddy's eye. They are three people I have absolute confidence in while
diving and three people I take absolute pleasure in socializing with. Thanks
to you all for a great trip and a wonderful time......diving and otherwise.

Limey.