- ULTRA DIVE is a dive boat charter service operating out of both Galveston and Freeport, Texas which is owned and operated by Capt. Al Manica. Capt. Al is a U.S. Merchant Marine Officer, Coast Guard licensed dive boat captain and a certified PADI dive master with over 20 years experience.

  DAS BOAT: "The Carolyn Jane"

This boat is a 37 ft. (42ft.loa) dependable scuba dive customized Chris Craft sport fish/yacht. It has a large cabin and spacious fore and aft decks complete with a licensed U.S.C.G. captain. She is also equipped with a sofa, galley, refrigerator, microwave, bathroom (head), large swim platform and a retractable deep in-water ladder. The Carolyn Jane has some of the latest navigational electronics, rescue and safety equipment including an EPIRB. Most dive sites are within 20 to 40 miles off shore so don't spend valuable dive time traveling on a slow moving cattle dive boat. In most cases, The Carolyn Jane can get you to the dive site within one and a half hours and without the crowd! Each trip has a maximum of only six divers plus Captain and crew, allowing each diver ample room to move and gear up.

Recent boat upgrades & improvements: Recently "The Carolyn Jane" has had both her engines replaced, a total refit of the main cabin, and a complete exterior paint job.

  DIVE SITES: Plan on making two separate dives on either a wreck or oil platform/oil rig (pictured above). Oil rigs and or wrecks are essentially artificial reefs. The underwater structure of an oil rig located in 100 feet of water adds 2 - 4 acres of hard surface to the water column. They are covered with barnacles, encrusting sponges, bryzoans, and white hydroid or ivory coral and literally attract thousands of various types of marine life. With the typical 50 to 80 foot visibility you can expect to see large schools of plate sized spade fish, colorful angelfish, dolphins, rays, barracuda, amberjacks, groupers and occasionally whale sharks to name a few. Rig diving is considered to be the safest type of Gulf diving due to depth control, you can dive at 20 ft. or to 120 ft..

  SOME TRIP PREPARATION: These "Day Trips" have a departure time of 10:00 a.m. and returns between 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Please be at the dock by 9:30 a.m.. Once at the dive site, there will be a brief pre-dive orientation, buddy team selection, and a review of general emergency procedures and safety rules. During the months of May through September, a 3 mil. shorty or dive skin should provide adequate protection. Irrespective of season, gloves should always be used. Bring a light lunch and a few nonalcoholic beverages, consumption of alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited on these dive trips.  No coolers please, the boat is equipped with both a cooler and refrigerator.

  FOOTWEAR: Please do not wear shoes that will mark the deck of the boat. Light color soled tennis shoes, sandals or boat shoes are fine, dark colored or black rubber sole foot wear is a no – no, Thank You.  

TANK STORAGE: Please note that this boats tank rack will not accept tanks (standard 80's) having a tank boot with an octagon shape around it's upper perimeter. Should your tanks have this type of boot, we request that you please remove it prior to arriving at the dock. Tanks are available for rental at $15.00 per tank.

 TIPPING POLICY:  All gratuities go to the dive master or deckhand. These individuals work exceptionally hard so please be a generous tipper. With the usual six diver group per trip, we suggest the following rates, Thank You:

Generous:............................................ $35.00 per person.

Average:...............................................$25.00 per person

Cheapskate:...........................................$15.00 per person

Additional accommodations at the marina: -  Showers  -  Clean rest rooms  -  Convenience store  -  Ice  -  Restaurant located atop the third floor of the marinas main building,  -  Outside wet bar and occasional live entertainment on weekends. 

  RENTALS: ULTRA DIVE carries a limited line of rental equipment. Simply let us know what you need and it will be ready & waiting on board, if available. If you are booking a trip as a referral from one of the dive shops we work with, please make your rental arrangements with that referring dive shop.

  BOTTOM LINE: Most comparable Texas Gulf dive trips departing from Galveston or Freeport can easily cost $290.00 per diver (plus tax) for a group of six divers. ULTRA DIVE is now offering this trip at only: