Extremely BAD News: Dutch Springs likely closing permanently ...

[TrimixToo]

"All dives must be supervised by an insured professional diver." Yeah, I won't be going. Glad it will persist as a training site, though.

 

[lowviz]

Wait, wait! How about a queue of "Rent-a-DM's" at the front gate? They follow you in the 'death from above' position and sanctify your solo dive???

Sign me up...

 

[flymolo]

I am cautiously optimistic the DM only restriction may be lifted after a season or two. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Why the need for the name change? Did the old owners keep the rights to the name?

Yes, it was stipulated in the sale the name couldn't be reused, or any form of the name.

 

[Andy in Gap]

Why the need for the name change? Did the old owners keep the rights to the name?

It was required as a condition of sale.

 

[-JD-]

My guess is the corporate entity that operated DS will be kept alive as a liability shield until any pending actions (if any) are concluded and the statute of limitations expires for any use of the property up to the time of full divestature of all assets. If the old name continues to be used, it could cause an action lodged against the successor operator to be brought against the prior DS corporate entity. While it would likely be severed from the claim, that means lawyers and time = $$$.

Remember there is a space-flight fund ...

 

[tridacna]

I am cautiously optimistic the DM only restriction may be lifted after a season or two. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.

I doubt it. I assume that insurance policies have been included in that reckoning.

 

[rhwestfall]

So basically you now have a "private pool".... The only use is with a shop overseeing training/instruction. Doomed to failure...

It would have been interesting to see the actual numbers of users broken down into training/education and just diving....

 

[rob.mwpropane]

So basically you now have a "private pool".... The only use is with a shop overseeing training/instruction. Doomed to failure...

It would have been interesting to see the actual numbers of users broken down into training/education and just diving....

From my experience (limited ~ 50 dives there) there have always been tons of classes up there. To the point you would have to park in the overflow parking if you didn't get there early. And that's every weekend. It's amazing how many people have gotten certified through Dutch.

I don't think anyone likes this policy of having an insured pro for oversight, but I think that's what the insurance company stipulated.

Honestly unless something changes I won't be going anywhere near as much as I did in the past. Who knows if the new business model will work. All I know is it doesn't work for me.

 

[tursiops]

As an insured independent instructor, I can actually go there with friends and go diving!