DSW-MEGADIVE PARTY, Version 1.2

[fgray1]

that's why you take deposits ahead of time.

"because the weather decides to be bad."

rain is rain, whether you're at the springs or on a boat.
lightning will keep you out of the water at either place.

"You won't have to stay and just dive Ginnie. You can travel all over the place."

a) noone wants to drive hours to get there, only to drive more hours to every dive.
b) where are these other places? I'm a newbie so I don't know. But the few trip-reports I've read of the springs up there (including Ginnie), can be summarized as, "worth seeing once. wouldn't go back unless I was testing gear or desperate to get wet."

1 Shore dive will be out if the surf to high. You Forgot the wind. Ask Jenny about that.
2 Dive boats will cost more money. Not to mention getting sea sick in rough seas.
3 springs are all over the place. not to mention alot of people like to dive or snorkel with the manetees at Crystal River.
4. You can't have a cookout or fire to sit around and bull after.
I don't think diving is the only thing everyone wants to do in a Mega Get together.
5. Some of the people that show up will be cave divers.
6. Carving a pupkin in the ocean kinda limits the particpants.
After all we are talking Holloween here aren't we. Kids and all.
Now I personaly don't care where it will happen but I know that our get together will be most likely at ginnie. because of it's just easier when there are families involved. As well as cheaper for those with big families.
Mine was just a suggestion that we combine the 2.

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

OK, I just made some phone calls and it looks like there are a lot of things going on in this area on All Hallow's Eve! Considering what we went through last time with the costs of staying at Ginnie and the deposits, it looks like we may need to consider that. There are a bunch of State parks around, and as for diving, from the High Springs Area, most nearby spots are within a 20 minute drive. Most people drive further than that to go out to eat! I'll be looking at the possibility of snagging a group site, like last time. The cost of diving there is only ten bucks as opposed to THIRTY at Ginnie for non-cave. Then again the state parks are CHEAP to camp... roughly 15 bucks for 4 people in a site rather than 15 for one person! The idea is to get together, do a little diving, hang out, have fun. There are about twenty sites plus, within a short drive of Manatee. Gibbon and I have made NUMEROUS dives at Manatee, and I see new things every time. That's why I picked up a State Park Annual Pass. Well worth the money as we enter and dive free all the time. It's already paid for itself.
Gainesville also has a LOT of safe places for kids to trick or treat, and other evening activities. I think I may plan on this for now, and start planning for a South Florida trip for the next April/May Party. In the next few months, I will be looking at Crystal River, and talking to the charters there. I will also be scoping camp sites and boat rentals. Potential for a January Party, or even a February party that coincides with our local Medieval faire. Next year it will be Robin Hood Theme. it's a two weekend Faire and is awesome for the whole family. A day of diving, a day of Robin Hood. Since Faire is two weekends plus a weekday kids' day, it has family options beyond diving. Then from Gainesville, there are dive ops in nearly every direction within thirty minutes. I'm sure people wouldn't mind carpooling. I have a van that with gear strapped in, still carries six passengers plus the driver. (Gotta have the driver, like divin' w/o water)
That also gives me some time to get prices, deals, and deposits if needed without a last minute, one month/week rush. more to come, stay tuned to this channel...
Workin' it! Oh yeah! Phone abuzz! Viva la Megadive!!!!

 

[The Wanderer]

Manatee Springs SP is a fun dive, but they limit access to 35 divers per day. After 35 divers have registered, they turn other divers away.

If Manatee Springs SP is being seriously considered, someone should check with the state parks people. Maybe they would make an exception for an organized group..... or someone with connections!

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

Yes they do limit divers, but there is also the option that as campers, we can pre-register for the next days dive. This is more for everyone getting together, than just getting in the water. When we had the SoFlo washout, a lot of people met members they had never seen before, went to dinner together, found alternate sites and activities, and some just hung out. It was really cool. The same of the previous megadive. Also, last time, everyone set off in their own groups and organized their own dives and dive locations. I expect it to be pretty much the same anywhere we go.
Like somebody, whose name we won't mention (SIMBROOKS) who was having seizures trying to get someone in the water with him at 3 A.M.... (just kidding), he waited until almost noon on Saturday before someone showed up to dive with him. On Sunday, there were at least six different groups that had organized their own outings and had taken off. That's the way it should be. Find what you want to do nearby, get with some others and go! GET WET!!!! I would expect that some people will not be satisfied with Manatee and will want to go elsewhere, but the cost of 8 people camping for two nights at Ginnie is $250+ with electric and taxes! As opposed to about $40 at a state park for the same. Diving at Ginnie or other parks is 25-30$ per diver, versus the state parks at 10$ each. The cost ofset makes the option of diving elsewhere a decent option. Within a few minutes of Manatee are more dives than I care to count and finding something to do, or someplace to dive should only be a problem if it lightnings.
I called "Reserve America" which handles the camping for Florida State Parks. They said there are a LOT of openings all over Manatee right now for camping/RV's for Halloween weekend. It is also easier for me to go there and find a target area, post it here, then each person can get the reservation themselves, making things a LOT easier on the organizer.
They also will not make exceptions to diver counts as the state put that mandate on them, not self-governing. I will attempt to note the travel distances and fees of local dives, per "Florida Underwater", so everyone can start getting an idea what is there. I will also get some maps made noting locations of said dive sites. This would be useful for more than just this party, but to others looking for these sites and their relation to each other on a decent map. As I travel around the state this next year to dive sites, I will add this to the map so that, unlike the guide books which aren't very specific, my map WILL be! More on this later. Bedtime!!!

 

[simbrooks]

The only thing i worry about SP's is the access after dark, say we wanted to go out or return late from another dive site - would the gate be open??

I like the cheap option of accom and i am sure that we could arrange various other springs to pool over to. If one person in each car has a group SP pass, then it will cover up to 8 people in one car - which would make it even cheaper for those who dont have the passes, obviously that wouldnt work for Manatee, but other SP's as we pool over to them.

As for diving any hour of the day, well your honour, i have to plead guilty, i was jonesing to get wet that entire weekend! Thank goodness 8buck finally showed up and jumped in otherwise i might have only got 1 or 2 dives in that friday after making the early trip up - not that i minded your company Ken (with Gibbon).

 

[jviehe]

What is the camping situation like near Fort Lauderdale. While it is a farther drive for panhandlers, it meets all the requirements for the social, except weather concerns. Well just have to risk it though. FTL has shore and boat diving, and plenty of activities.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Camping here is not good near the shore. At least I haven't heard of any place that is. The closest place to Hollywood, TY Park in Hollywood, the sites sit in the corner near the railroad tracks and a major road. Not my idea of a good time. There are better places to camp further west, but it might be 15 miles to the shore.

 

[DEEPSEAWOLF]

To answer Simon's question about SP's...
Most of them have resetable combo locks and when you register to camp, they give you the numbers for the gate. Then if you need to leave or return, they just ask that you relock it after yourself. At least, that's the way they do it up here in tha woods! Don't know how they do it down there fer you big city folks.
I guess they jest use them thar ret-nal scanners and fanger print ID thangies.
Then if ya ain't who ya says ya is, they send the L.A.P.D. SWAT Team to yer house ta confiscate yer moonshine and yer still. OOPS, that's how they treat US!!!

 

[jviehe]

Camping here is not good near the shore. At least I haven't heard of any place that is. The closest place to Hollywood, TY Park in Hollywood, the sites sit in the corner near the railroad tracks and a major road. Not my idea of a good time. There are better places to camp further west, but it might be 15 miles to the shore.

I think FTL could work as long as we could find a good campground. 15mins to the beach, shore diving, and boat diving would not be a problem.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

That's 15 miles (1/2 hr-45 min), not minutes. Don't get me wrong, would love to have a big ole SB bash down here. Would work if we could get a block of rooms on the beach, and it was very near a good beach diving area.