Fuel and Gilboa

[RPanick]

I don't think Mike will lose too much business from gas prices, what will hurt him is the fall off in numbers of students. Not sure about other areas, but Detroiters are pinching things pretty tight right now and descretionary spending for scuba probably won't be very high this summer. Those of us with equipment don't have much issue with that part we have already paid our money to get gear. I haven't stopped into my LDS for a while (been busy) so I don't know if things are going slow or not for them.

I wonder how many marginal dive shops will survive the recession hitting the area, if they fail, that will mean even fewer students and that will hurt Mike and all the quaries more than the cost of gas.

As for me, I dive Gilboa in the spring and fall when its not busy, and Whitestar in the summer. The price of gas isn't much of an issue, getting dive buddies together for diving is a much bigger issue. I can make it to/from Gilboa on about 10 gallons of gas, even a $1.00 increase only adds about $10 to the travel, not really that big of a deal to me.

I do like the idea of doing some charters up in Huron as something different to do. Might not be a bad idea to start planning a few of those

 

[trucker girl]

I wouldn't mind seeing a dock or enhanced gear area at the walk-in entrance near the building. I think it would have been a more practical (and much cheaper) improvement that the building that was going on. That provide a closer entrance to the parking.

Just my 2 cents.

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that they don't want people using that entrance because that's where the baby fish hide out- to keep people from disturbing "the hatchery." I'm sure he's heard this suggestion plenty of times- but chooses to improve the habitat over the ease of the divers.

Gotta admit- those fish are cool.

It would be nice if he put in an entrance- even if it's stairs going down from the area above the walk in entrance, though.

 

[Barracuda2]

I could be wrong, but my understanding is that they don't want people using that entrance because that's where the baby fish hide out- to keep people from disturbing "the hatchery." I'm sure he's heard this suggestion plenty of times- but chooses to improve the habitat over the ease of the divers.

Gotta admit- those fish are cool.

It would be nice if he put in an entrance- even if it's stairs going down from the area above the walk in entrance, though.

Also, divers going in at that point really stir up the bottom; It doesn't take long to cloud up a large portion of the shallow end and make "milky" diving for all.

 

[eckybay]

I like Gilboa and will probably go there a few times this year.
Yes, it is a bit more pricey to get in, but distance wise, it's a bit closer to me than Whitestar and Portage. But for me the big thing is that it's just so crowded on the weekends when I can normally go diving. I hate feeling like I'm fighting to just have a place to put down my gear and a spot to sit during the surface intervals. So weekends will see me at the other quarries and hopefully I have a weekday or two free for Gilboa.

 

[trucker girl]

YAY! Eckybay is going! :sofa:

Week days are MUCH nicer there- I never went weekends before joining SB and there is a HUGE difference.

 

[Jchoby]

If there is a weekday dive planned, let me know as I am willing to play hooky from work to enjoy good vis and no crowds.

 

[eckybay]

YAY! Eckybay is going! :sofa:

Week days are MUCH nicer there- I never went weekends before joining SB and there is a HUGE difference.

I was amazed how much more I liked the place during the week vs the weekends. Now, that may be because I've always had good company around on the weekends. Or it may be because it wasn't nearly as crowded. Who knows.



It'll have warm up a bit more though, before I start seriously planning any dive days. But I'm thinking that the few days I'm taking off between when we get back from the honeymoon in June and before the 4th of July have great potential.

 

[trucker girl]

So... when do you get back from your honeymoon? Let's start planning this- do we hijack this thread or start a new one? I think the poll has pretty much played itself out.

Mike has never charged parking during the week- don't know if he's starting to now. Definitely no crowds. Fridays are not considered week days, btw.

Roll call for a weekday in late June: trucker girl, Jchoby, eckybay and Reggae Joe

Keeping the post on topic- ecky and Joe can carpool and Jchoby and I can (if that works for you, John).

 

[Barracuda2]

If there is a weekday dive planned, let me know as I am willing to play hooky from work to enjoy good vis and no crowds.

I love weekday diving at Gilboa and I can get there in an hour. I'm available just about any time during the week. If anybody needs a dive buddy during the week, give me a day or two notice and I will probably be there.

 

[eckybay]

We get back June 30th, so it would be July 1, 2, or 3. My vote would be for the 2nd or 3rd as I think we'll probably not actually get home until early am on the 1st.

Probably should do a new thread. I wouldn't want to hijack the first thread I post to after not being on scubaboard at all for who knows how long.


Err...and my car gets about 30mpg...so the short trip from Lima to Gilboa isn't much of an issue here since I can get there on about a gallon of gas. Especially if I make Joe pay for gas....