The Fling is still running trips to the Flower Gardens. I love diving out there. They are generally deep dives, and you can get some pretty swift currents, making it a bit of a challenge to get back on the boat for some. They are not guided dives, so you and your buddy are expected to be able to navigate yourself back to the boat. It’s all there, Sharks, Rays, etc... I was out there 2 years ago, and it seemed like there was more life out there than I remember. There was a couple of years where there were no boats going out, after the oil spill.
When are you thinking about going? I may be tempted to join you!