Support your local Dive Operators

[chrpai]

Everyone is aware of the whole "support your local dive store" mantra and why that may or may not be in your best interest. However, I'd like to highlight and encourage your to support your local dive operation instead.

IMO, as much as I love Texas, I think we all know it's not graced by God with the best diving in the world. But it's local and what we have available. I'd hate to lose it.

Here in the Lake Travis area we have 2 dive boats ( Lake Travis Scuba and Cat Nickell's unnamed boat ) doing charters, Windy Point, Mansfield Dam, Bob Wentz public and a certain shore diving location which is private now.

I get the vibe that Bob Wentz is unfriendly to divers. Mansfield is friendly but a hike down the hill. Richard over at Windy Point is a nice man with a simple life style but the tax burden he is facing to support his land rich, cash poor budget is putting a serious strain on him. I can't speak to Robert and Cat but they both have full time jobs and are out there every weekend devoting their free time to what they and we love.

We know the M/V Spree relocated for business reasons ( someone correct me if I'm wrong ). And the word I've heard from multiple sources is that the M/V Fling has had to cancel trips due to not having enough bookings.

So I guess what I'm saying is, while I don't believe in corporate welfare, do take count of the blessings we have. If you have never dove locally and never want to dive locally, I get that. If you've wanted to give it a try, or if you've done it and would like to do it more, try to support these local operations because I feel like they really do contribute a lot to the local diving community.

Now I need to go talk to my wife about getting some $ together for the M/V Fling. It's shameful that I've lived in Texas for 10 years now and have never been out to the Flower Gardens.

 

[Wookie]

You are correct, and thank you. Yes, Fling has cancelled for lack of interest, so have we, but we'd have put each other out of business years ago had we stayed in Texas.

What no one is talking about right now is that diving is in a freefall. I don't know if it's because of sequestration, because of the uncertainty of the economic future, because of the lack of trust in our government, or what it is, but the diving future looks scary indeed...

 

[NadMat]

I support several local dive shops as much as I can, and when have time to dive. I really miss diving the Giant Stride with Robert, never been out with Cat. Unfortunately I have had an extreme lack of time to dive for last few years, work is crazy due to manpower cuts where I work, trying to do more with less. Money is not increasing in proportion to demands on my time, and when time and money are available and my chores are caught up (or at least not too far behind) and I feel like getting out for a dive, chances are that buddy is not available.

One of this years resolutions was to dive more, which may mean completing my solo rig or developing more buddy connections(prefer the later, while I have no issues going solo, diving for me is better with a buddy) May have to see if can restart the monthly FEAST.

Lake levels have also been one of reasons I have not been diving, but going to try to look at that as a pro rather than con. River channel now within recreation limits, don't have to be a mix diver to go down and stir up that silt.

So plan to be out at lake more this year, and hopefully diving more as well, solo if need be, just to get my gear wet and me some bubble time to keep skills fresh for when I do get chance to get out to some blue water destination.

Hope to see some of my fellow SB'ers out at lake, and maybe call a July or August Feast and meet some more local divers with whom I can dive.

 

[chrpai]

I do 100+ dives in Lake Travis year around so hit me up if you ever want to go diving. Heck, I could do one tonight if you wanted.

Also my AL40 is available for borrowing if you ever want to go solo. (I did my Self-Reliant class with Robert.)

 

[FM1520]

I've always wanted to dive Lake Travis as i'm Austin from time to time. Lake Travis Scuba doesn't post prices on their website, what do they charge for a two tank dive? Do you usually do shore dives or boat?

 

[chrpai]

Their prices are at:

Welcome to Lake Travis Scuba

He's also very active on Facebook. I do a mix. I usually do 1 shore dive during the week (typically Tue, Wed and/or Thr ) and a 2 tank boat trip on the weekends. Sometimes I'll do 2 trips and do some diving on Sunday also. So 1 -3 dives per week is typical and occasionally 5 - 7 dives.

Also sometimes we share a car to pay less park fees or dive somewhere that's totally free. I kind of take an average cost approach so that when I pay for a boat trip I'm not too worried about it.

 

[BVickery]

What no one is talking about right now is that diving is in a freefall. I don't know if it's because of sequestration, because of the uncertainty of the economic future, because of the lack of trust in our government, or what it is, but the diving future looks scary indeed...

I just think it's concern about the future and wanting to put away as much as one can. I mean, when you look at what Obamacare and its implications on the budgets of people has them trimming. Turn that with bleak economic news about it not really being a recovery (Sub 2% growth is not as good as the news wants you to make it out to be, and those numbers are almost always revised to sub 2% growth). Add it up, the people who do the diving, the middle class and above, are gonna be facing a pinch.

 

[lowviz]

...//... Fling has cancelled for lack of interest ...//...

How about you and Tim had combined resources? *naive question*

 

[FM1520]

Their prices are at:

Welcome to Lake Travis Scuba

He's also very active on Facebook. I do a mix. I usually do 1 shore dive during the week (typically Tue, Wed and/or Thr ) and a 2 tank boat trip on the weekends. Sometimes I'll do 2 trips and do some diving on Sunday also. So 1 -3 dives per week is typical and occasionally 5 - 7 dives.

Cat is a little cheaper then Robert. Also sometimes we share a car to pay less park fees or dive somewhere that's totally free. I kind of take an average cost approach so that when I pay for a boat trip I'm not too worried about it.

Thanks, thats pretty reasonable. I'll check it out next time I'm in Austin.

 

[Lake Travis Scuba]

Prices and schedules are posted on www.LakeTravisScuba.com. Two tank charter (Saturday&Sunday 8:30-12:30/1:00-5:00) is $45, Friday Sunset Charter (6:30-9:00) is $25.

Dive safely and often.

Robert Weiss
Lake Travis Scuba
Facebook: Lake Travis Scuba
Welcome to Lake Travis Scuba