Crystal River Manatee Kabobs!

[Gibbon]

"Will you have cellphones with you in case a change of plans is imminent?? "

Hey sim. I'll be taking my Cell along. I'll send you a PM with the #.

 

[simbrooks]

If you arrive at noon, what is your planned itinerary? I would think the hiring would take a little, getting gear together and getting out to a site to dive. Do you know the way to any of the dive spots around there from the rental place? I will probably phone Gibbon as i leave that morning from Venice and see what the deal is with you both around noon. Do you know which areas you are aiming at diving at, King Springs, Gator Hole, 3 sisters?? DSW, did you get the regs in/together yet?

IF i got out of Venice around 10 i would think that i could be there just after 12.30, might be a little later i reckon depending on traffic of course. Who is going at the moment, just DSW and Gibbon? I will post a little on the Venice trip see if there are any takers. How long do you plan on being there, a few hours, til sundown or just an hour or so?

I have so many questions when it comes to trips like these, but would rather know that assume, you know what they say when you assume.

 

[Gibbon]

Hey Sim, I'm still trying to figure out some of the particulars myself.
as far as I know, It's just Me, DSW, and Maneater.
You and maybe H2Andy if Venice goes south.

If you give me a call tomorrow (Friday) after 7:00 pm, I can give you all the info I have.

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

If somebody told ME what was going on we'd ALL know something!!!
At this point, My LDS does NOT have my gear assembled... Paid for at COB last Friday...
The kayak had to be moved from home to parents shop, thanks to trailer park management being jerks,... yada yada yada... ah the fun of life!
At this point,.. having gear? Diving in my skivvies with a garden hose for a regulator, tied to a rented canoe, that's due back in less than two hours.
Pretty much, just me, Maneater, and Gibbon. Setting in PROBABLY at plantation inn and paddling to King's Spring. I'll pick up the map at Plantation as I don't know where my other one is and we might hit 3 sisters. Depends on the day. This weekend kind of went toilet bound QUICK! :toilet_cl I'd like to stay in CR for at least a few hours. I want to scope it out for future trips where all we have to do is GO!!!!! I hate rentals... did I mention I hate rentals?
Calling Gibbon now...

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

It looks like we will be renting a yak locally on Saturday morning. That shop opens at 9. Give or take, we're looking at nonish being in the water. We will put in at Plantation Inn, and head to King Spring. We will be limited to FREEDIVING at this point, and I am not expecting that to change.
As for when we head back,... as long as nice wather holds and the vicios manatees don't kill and eat on of us... we'll stay all day if everyone wants to. This will be Maneater's first Manatee dive.

 

[simbrooks]

Firstly, i think H2Andy is out of here, he has something about a rescue class to deal with tomorrow. I will hang around the phone waiting on a call tonight i guess about the final details.

I will have all my gear with me whatever your plans may be, so if Gibbon has gear maybe we could buddy up for a dive at each location? DSW and Maneater can just free-dive around us - or of course rent for $10 some regs at Plantation?? I will have two tanks with me, so one of you can borrow that and get me a fill to replace if you need it. I will be renting a SOT kayak from Plantation inn for a few hours for that afternoon, i will phone as i leave Venice to shore up the plans, or can just paddle out to KS when i get there and meet up with you - how far is that from PI? Then on to 3 sisters and maybe Gator Hole too - i have no idea where they are in relation to each other. I reckon we could get in 3 dives on an 80, or 2 and a refill back at the shop for the 3rd and nearest location, how does that sound to you???

The reason i state that i may catch up with you is that Venice has a habit of taking a while to get ready for, into the water and out again. I got there at 8.30 before and wasnt actually diving til gone 9.30 and out again just after 10 - i am hoping to streamline the process this time!! IF i can i should be on course to arrive at CR somewhere around 12-1 for some sea veal wrestling action.

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

The reason we were just going to freedive is the LDS doesn't have my gear ready. I'll leave it up to Gibbon as to whether he dives or not. If my LDS pulls through at the last minute, I'll bring my gear but it may not get wet. I hate when someone is making plans based on what I do, and that depends on someone else who is dragging their butt! There is nothing I can do but sit back and wait. Maneater and I will just be freediving. KB is only a few hundred yards behind PI. Plantation inn has a nice map of the spring areas, and I wouldn't mind yakking around to find the Manatees if we have to, or just looking around. Again, this is also to scope out future dive sites so I'm up for some paddling as long as the body holds out.

 

[simbrooks]

Is plantation the little resort like place right across from KS then??? Ok, i wont push the diving angle on you anymore, see what Gibbon says tonight though, i have to have my gear at least in the car if not out yaking as i will have been dragging it around all day - cant change that! I would like to at least see where these sites are and kayak past them if not drop in on top of htem - for future reference too with my GF if we decide to go over there. I will just catch up with you if you start out around noon and i am not there yet. I will get there at some time that afternoon!!

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

I hope to have my yak repaired by the ginnie party. I'm not sure how well it will work for a dive platform, but I'm willing to try. Once I get the rest of my gear, a trip anywhere is just a matter of timing. I need a tank beyond what I have now, and that may be coming shortly. After the Ginnie weekend, it will be a matter of throwing gear in the van and heading to wherever.
I would like to find a few places to go other than just manatee and Ginnie. ESPECIALLY if gas is the most expensive part of getting there. I just called the dive store and they gave me explanations on why it wasn't here yet and that it might be today. They also said, that this afternoon they would give me rental gear for free if mine didn't come in. I'll bring all the gear and If we get to dive, cool. If not, it won't cost me anything anyway.
Gibbon will want to get gear and if he does, will WANT to dive! At least we'll have it if we find something interesting there. I'm figuring on hitting the water around ten or so. I just got off the phone with the yak people... picking it up this afternoon. We may be in the water earlier. Look for a giant banana! (two person yellow SOTYAK), next to a red sotyak. I'll have Holly's electric purple al63, and gibbon will probably have a white tank. See ya there!

 

[simbrooks]

Whenever you get out, i will look around for your yaks etc - hopefully the area isnt too large to cover! I will phone gibbon as soon as it looks like i am leaving Venice and let you know my ETA, if you have been out a while, maybe you want to come back for lunch when i get there???? Refill tanks and set off again, otherwise i will just paddle out and try to find you - let me know the order you plan on yaking/diving so i have a plan as to which way to look for you!!