Fuel and Gilboa

[geoff127]

Fuel alone won't keep me from Gilboa, but a combination of factors might limit my diving there this year.

For me to drive to Gilboa costs around $25.50 dollars round trip (28MPG, $3.50/gal., 102mi each way), so not that bad. But, I can drive to Monroe for $5.75 (23mi each way), or White Star for $16.50 (66mi each way). Also, both take less time to drive to, instead of the 2 hour drive I can hop in the car for 30 minutes to get to Monroe, or just slightly over an hour for White Star.

I will admit I have yet to go to Monroe, but White Star is cheaper to get into, has no parking costs, and the air fills are the same price, but the nitrox is cheaper than Gilboa. Plus, it's a bit less crowded, and I honestly prefer the diving conditions over Gilboa. Oh, and the wristbands get annoying, in my opinion, when wet.

However, I'll still go to Gilboa due to better camping and a more social atmosphere. Fuel alone has nothing to do with my decision, but it doesn't help any. The fuel savings are, after all, a few air fills.

As Trucker Girl has already said, there isn't a major increase in fuel costs for this year over last year, due to the fairly good fuel economy of my car and the short distances. However, last year the costs were a bit high, so adding to that makes something that was already a tad pricey for what I got in return borderline too expensive for a quarry dive. But, it's better for an event, such as M&G, but for just the diving, I think I'll save my money and dive locally.

-Geoff

 

[M_Bipartitus]

I agree with many of the comments above that fuel alone is not the issue so much as total price. I tend to feel that Gilboa is trying to get every nickel out of you. Really should I have to pay to get in and to park? I already stopped going there very often. If it wasn't for the Meet & Greet I wouldn't go back.


From respective websites

White star:
Walking the Dog, Picnics, Hiking, Bird Watching, Bubble Watching and enjoying the park - FREE!
Fishing (with proper Ohio license.) - FREE!
Scuba Diving - $10 per day


Portage:
Admission: $10.00
Season Pass: $175
(Memorial Day to September 15)

Gilboa:
FEES

Admission per day:
Diving $15.00
Snorkeling $15.00
Non-Divers $6.00

Pets $10/day;
All pets must be registered in the office

 

[JEScholz]

I am 3 1/2 hours from Gilboa, (150 miles on way) so a day trip does not make much sense. For me to bring the motor-home the added fuel cost @ 3.25 a gallon is $80 round trip. Not bad if I can split it 3 or 4 ways. I probably will not go to Gilboa other than for the M&G unless Mike makes some changes.

I don't understand why he does not assign site numbers to the camping sights and have divers pick or be assigned sites and put the sight number on a hang tag for your rear view mirror. That would solve his problem of people parking in the camping spots and using the picnic tables and not paying for them. I really would like to see him run water and electric back to the camp sites also. If you want power or water today, you have to park all the way up by the showers. Making Gilboa more camper friendly would encourage me to go there more often.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

No impact for me. I typically get to Gilboa 2-3 times a season and I like to stay for 2-3 days to make the trip a bit more practical. My plans for this year include the same # of trips to Gilboa. It's a great place to camp for 3 days/2 nights, enjoy the outdoors and get in 6-8 dives of various depths and degrees of difficulty.

 

[parrothead600]

$250 for gas alone? What were you paying last year at this time for the same trip? If you're averaging $4/gallon, that's 62.5 gallons. You're paying $62.50 more for $4/gal gas than you were for $3/gallon gas. Cut out dinner and a movie for two just once and you come out even.

.

I think your math was OK, and I haven't had a beer. Yet.

It's Parrotheads math I'm wondering about. I can drive (using summertime with the A/C on mileage - roughly 35mpg) about 2,684 miles on $250 worth of gas, at todays prices (3.26 at the corner station).


Ken

It's a long trip for me, so I can't justify a single day trip. Heck, I would spend all day driving & no time diving. (say that 5 times real fast) I am driving a full-sized pickup camper that get 8-10 mpg and "yes" my math is correct. As far as cutting out dinner & a movie for 2: that was done long before now.
There are plenty of places to dive that are closer to my home, so I will be diving them more. I still plan on making the Meet & Greet this spring, but that will problably be my only trip to Gilboa this year.

 

[ppo2_diver]

I don't get to Gilboa much. Maybe 2 times a year, but with rising fuel costs, camping/hotel, food, etc. I can get 3 Lake Michigan charters for the same cost. So unless I can car pool and/or curl up with Divin'Hoosier on the couch, I won't be heading to Gilboa this year.

 

[OWSI176288]

I have a meeting with Mike next Tues. a.m. and he's a little concerned about the rising fuel cost and how it might affect his turnout this season. I'm wondering:

Will the rising price of fuel affect the number of times you will dive Gilboa this season?

Usually I buy the season pass and dive there just about every other weekend from March through April to prepare for the upcoming dive season on the Great Lakes, and from October through December when the Great Lakes diving shuts down.

But this year I'll be going to Gilboa maybe 5-6 time at most (once time already) with the price of gas and the three hour drive one way from the Cleveland area. Looks like I'll be stuck on the local wrecks off of Cleveland and doubt I'll be doing much diving on eastern Lake Erie or Lake Huron if this keeps up.

 

[Jchoby]

Well Denny, I think you have a pretty good cross section of Gilboa divers. While the sample size is small, it does show an unfortunate result...there may be a slow down this season. But students need to train and we still need our diving fix. Hopefully, this will keep the throughput Mike needs at Gilboa to keep business healthy.

The rising cost of energy is going to impact everybody in one way or another. Perhaps we can collectively mend our ways and use this stuff a little smarter. I know a couple that has his and her Hummers, a person who keeps the house warmer than needed because the cat my get cold, and many who drive like there's no tomorrow. We need to do better....use less, help the environment, and keep money from flowing to countries who pretty much hate us.

 

[Barracuda2]

I'm going to give Mike the summary results of this post (no names mentioned, of course) and encourage him to try to keep cost down as much a possible. I don't know if you've seen the new office area; it is very nice and cost a few bucks. I may even throw out to him some of the organization and fee issues tossed around here. I know he is going to really be disappointed to hear that some instructors may opt for other locations for checkouts due to the high fuel cost. (Again, no names---I don't know who they are anyways.) Hey, hope to see a lot of you at the Spring M & G.

Well Denny, I think you have a pretty good cross section of Gilboa divers. While the sample size is small, it does show an unfortunate result...there may be a slow down this season. But students need to train and we still need our diving fix. Hopefully, this will keep the throughput Mike needs at Gilboa to keep business healthy.

The rising cost of energy is going to impact everybody in one way or another. Perhaps we can collectively mend our ways and use this stuff a little smarter. I know a couple that has his and her Hummers, a person who keeps the house warmer than needed because the cat my get cold, and many who drive like there's no tomorrow. We need to do better....use less, help the environment, and keep money from flowing to countries who pretty much hate us.

 

[Jchoby]

Looking forward to seeing the new office.... I've never had an issue with Mike's prices as I have always liked Gilboa much better than the other quarries. I'll still continue to go there instead of the other site..I'll just do more weekend trips rather than the up and outs.

We'll be there at meet-n-greet.....hope to see many of you there.

Cheers from Dayton