Fall MegaDive Oct 19-21, Ginnie Springs, Turkey Roost

[marchand]

JahJah, I agree that Genni is raping our wallets. fortunately I still have one of those free dive passes .

If you want and If your dad still has that boat we can camp at my river property and boat the 15 miles to Genni and just pay to dive. Or we can camp in the boat while it is anchored right next to Genni.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

For the record, we did try to get a discount early on in the MegaDive, a couple years back. It was not a good situation. There were multiple people eager to help with lots of miscommunication (on both ends), that afterwards the group decided that the discount was not enough to warrant the headaches.
Ginnie does treat us pretty well. They have no reason not to. We clean up after ourselves, act appropriately (well, you know what I mean ), and we are welcomed back anytime. Given the distances some travel to dive and hang out with other SB'rs, Ginnie has everything we need.. a place to dive, eat, sleep, drink. The state parks cannot offer that. Is Ginnie perfect for everybody? No. However, they are the best choice for us....until we find someplace better. So far that has not happened. Thus, the reason we have dives all around the state- something for everybody.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

I understand Scuba Jenny, I just like to complain

And Marchand--we still have the boat, but I wouldn't want to try and navigate the river in that, too many treebranches and things. The motor on that boat is hardly a year old, and it's not the shallowest draft hull around. I'd do it readily in a gheenoe with a trollling/kicker motor though.

Overall, it's not worth the effort. I am already puttin gmoney away for it, and I still have a free dive pass, so Ginnie won't really violate me until Spring. I'll pay to camp and sleep on land. Heck I'll probably bring my hammock so I don't end up on a picnic table again.

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

I have a spare small tent...

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Really my biggest gripe is that all of us would love to do something to help clean up the place or whatever, and It hink we are a pretty good group to have there, we don't leave the place a wreck, that I'm aware of, unlike some other college students who tube down the river dropping beer cans everywhere. Ginnie doesn't seem to care that we are a good group of people that want to help, we get no discount of any sort. Many companies give SBers a 10% discount, why can't Ginnie?

As for getting there by boat, I asked about that a while back and the general concenses was that it might be legal, might be illegal, might be smart, might be stupid, and that no matter what it is, Ginnie might refuse to let me dive there in the future and/or call the police to arrest me.

If Ginnie gave every group a discount if they want to do a cleanup, they'd have the cleanest 500' of the Sante Fe between the Devil's System and Ginnie since everyone would want to take advantage of it. A suggestion would be to cleanup regardless of discounts. Everyone should make a habit of it regardless.

Whoever told you it would be illegal to dive Ginnie by boat is full of crap. Stay off their land, stay in navigable water ways, and its totally legal. There is no grey area for that system with that law. Ginnie may not like it, but they'll have to identify you and remember you the next time you drive up - not likely. Its smart if you have a boat and know how to get back in it. Its only stupid if you don't know what you're doing. Anyone telling you otherwise has no idea what they are talking about

State Parks aren't exactly alcohol friendly, so you lose out on that aspect of a Megadive in other locations as well.

 

[marchand]

I'll pay to camp and sleep on land. Heck I'll probably bring my hammock so I don't end up on a picnic table again.

I'm gonna bring my tent and it might have AC, so...

 

[Miss Blowfish]

My wonderful boyfriend and I just bought a TENT for this trip. Im really excited to get to SCUBA with you all! YAY... Im in coutdown mode!

 

[JahJahwarrior]

A girl in my speech class was talking today about how she wanted to go camping with her boyfriend for their third year anniversary, but that she didn't own a tent.

I guess it's jsut wierd, the thought of growing up without a tent around. I only own a small tent, but it'll fit two people alright and it can be setup in less than 5 minutes.

Then I go to Megadive's and sleep on a picnic table because the weather was too nice.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Yeah, I've got a tent thats easily put up in 5 min(or less), but its alot easier just to roll the windows down and fold the back seats flat - LOL

 

[marchand]

I might end up setting up the back of my truck as a tent... wait, where would my gear go? oh well, I'll have to drag out the old 8 person tent that takes about 45 min to set up by myself . I really need to get a bigger truck.

at least I'll have AC