GUE Fundie Classes & Amazing dive experiences in Jan & Feb 2011 Ft Lauderdale

[Rainer]

Scott, you joining for this?

 

[Scott L]

Scott, you joining for this?

Yes. It's all in my backyard. I am extremely excited that Errol and Dan Volker are on the scene to expand the DIR community for ocean diving in S. Florida. The potential is limitless. Keep me posted of your plans...

 

[HenrikBP]

PBI airport is in West Palm Beach. It is 50 miles closer to the hotel than Ft Lauderdale. Only 10 miles from the airport to the hotel. You will love every aspect of this trip. Singer Island is beautiful...

Thanks Scott,

I'm waiting to hear back on a vacation request, and if it works out I'll probably join you guys. I'm thinking of flying down mid-week and stay until Monday.

Henrik

 

[Jax]

If anyone is interested, Bob Sherwood and I will be conducting a GUE Fundamentals class in the Fort Lauderdale area in Jan and Feb of 2011. The first day of the classes are as follows: Jan 26th and Feb 14th. These are not split classes, but separate. The Feb class is going to have organized "fun" dives before and after in the Palm Beach area for various diver levels. These will both be pretty special classes with more details later as things evolve. We are trying to organize some GUE/DIR type travel deals in conjunction with the classes and fun dives. We may also offer some other unique and amazing things for the fun dives like guided dpv trips or things most people do not get to do....depending on diver qualifications and experience. If interested, please contact me or Bob. South Florida Dive Journal will likely be showcasing some of the upcoming events so be on the look out for that as well.
Errol Kalayci

Bob Sherwood and I are teaching a Fundy class together from Feb 14-18, 2011 in Palm Beach. The weekend following the class (Feb 18-20) we have organized some very fun, adventure type dives which we will both be guiding. Further, South Florida Dive Journal will be covering the events. We will also film the dives and show them each night with some free lectures from Bob & I and perhaps some special guests as well.

Originally, we were going to operate out of Fort Lauderdale but have instead moved everything to Palm Beach. We have a much nicer hotel now for the same price or less than we initially had available. Our host hotel will be the Hilton which is directly on the Ocean in Singer Island. We are negotiating special discounted rates but the GM is on vacation until Monday due to the Holiday. The cost should be under $120 per night range. For a very nice Hilton on the Ocean in South Florida in season that is an incredible deal so wait to get the discount code from me. We have blocked off enough rooms that you need not worry until we send out the discount code. Sorry for any inconveinance in changing the venue but the new accommodations are simply worth it and we have terrific dives/operator lined up.

Since many of you are flying in, you can fly into Fort Lauderdale if it is easier or more effective or if you already made flight plans, but that airport is about 35 miles South of Palm Beach International (Palm Beach International would be closest choice) which is fairly close to your hotel and where we will be running out of to dive.

One schedule dive is Hole in the Wall. If you have not dove Hole in the Wall, you are in for a very nice suprise as it is one of the best sites anywhere. Not many trips are run there due to some complexity but the rewards are immense. We have dpvs available for the dives for people that want them. Feel free to ship your own if you like. We will run 2 -2 tank dives on both Sat and Sunday. Email me for further details. Errol@tdsdivers.com or PM or just post your questions. For those who I have already spoken with I will send you an email as soon as I can.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Errol Kalayci

Need to recheck flights to Palm Beach, but hopefully we can find something that works. It is possible to take trirail from Fort Lauderdale up to Palm Beach then short cab. If it works out, I would pick you up but probably wont have time since I have class going on but may be able to arrange that for you. I want to make this special so may have a buddy able to pick you up.

A few questions:

(1) Are all the dives in the recreational range (say max 100')? Yes, the dive for Hole in the Wall is a little deeper but it is a great reef dive that you can stay above 100' Entrance to Hole in Wall is 110' and dumps out at 130-140fsw. That is only deeper option but dive groups will stay on top while some go through the "cave" then meet back up on top of reef
(2) Any estimates for charter costs? $50-60 I believe with tanks and weights, waiting for confirmation
(3) Cylinder rentals and gas fills (32%)? Included in charter or will take care of logistics for you
(4) Any plans for a night dive on Fri (I think this had been mentioned earlier)? Probably
(5) Any plans in place for those wanting to arrive a day early and dive on Friday as well? Yes. Dan Volker from South Florida Dive Journal will guide and arrange the dives, some other out of town divers are definitely doing this as I have spoke to them already.
(6) Is a rental car going to be needed? Seemed like we could get away without in Ft Lauderdale, but I've no idea about PB. You could probably get away without one, especially if you fly into Palm Beach as all activities are at the hotel and boat is like 2 minutes away so you can hop ride with someone for sure. Maybe we will even have a van shuttle for everyone or whatever.

Thanks!

Hello,
I am leaving for Mexico first thing in the morning. As promised I have the hotel code available. The Palm Beach Airport is your first choice to fly into followed by Fort Lauderdale (40 minutes further away). The Fundy class and Fun dives will be based out of the Hilton on Singer Island. We have a special rate at the hotel for anyone coming to the Fundies Class or the DIR Adventure dives. Please call the Hilton Reservation number 561-472-0316 and ask for Nicole Nie... Each diver coming should say they are in the GUE/DIR Adventure Dive Group. We will have the classroom portion of Fundies and the Video review each night at the Hotel. If you stay there, you don’t really need a car. The boat and Brownie’s dive shop are not that far away and I hope to borrow the Brownie van to help with short commute. The dive details are not ready yet but believe me they will be great. Everything should be set before I return from Mexico and then I just need to drive up there and verify the details before announcing. Dan from South Florida Dive Journal (South Florida Dive Journal > Home) is working hard on those details for me. Each night of Fun/Adventure dives we plan to review video of the dives and have some free presentations from Bob, me and special guest(s). This will be the first of many great things we have planned for the future. I encourage all of you to come if interested and book your hotel asap as the more people that do the more special things they may throw in for us as well. Please email me after registering with the Hotel so we can keep in contact and I will know how many to expect and get you set up with boats as well. My email is errol@tdsdivers.com If you are not a Fundy student in that class, please email me your certification level, email, phone, name and a very brief description of your dive experience and what you want to do on the dives or special requests such as dpv or whatever so I can square everything away in advance for you. Please also send your t-shirt size as I hope to have give aways, etc.
Regards,
Errol

Pardon my ignorance and anal-attentiveness as I try to wrap my mind around this:

Fundies is 14-18 Feb, Mon-Fri . . .

Adventure Dives are 18 - 20, Fri -Sun? or 19th & 20th, Sat & Sun?

The hotel special rate is good 17 - 20 Feb?

I'm working on (cajoling, pleading, begging) my dive buddy to come out for the weekend. How 'late' in the schedule can we tack on the weekend dives?

 

[danvolker]

Pardon my ignorance and anal-attentiveness as I try to wrap my mind around this:

Fundies is 14-18 Feb, Mon-Fri . . .

Adventure Dives are 18 - 20, Fri -Sun? or 19th & 20th, Sat & Sun?

The hotel special rate is good 17 - 20 Feb?

I'm working on (cajoling, pleading, begging) my dive buddy to come out for the weekend. How 'late' in the schedule can we tack on the weekend dives?

Hi Jax,
I am planning on adventure dives friday, saturday and sunday. This could well be 2 each morning ( sat and sun) and 2 in the afternoon. Friday probably just 2 dives.
The hotel rate is good for the entire time, and if any of you want to get here earlier, or stay later, the rate will still be valid for you. Any diving before or after, just let me know and it will be easy to set up more awesome dives for you.....

Take a look at the Zones articles in the new www.sfdj.com to help understand what Palm Beach diving is like, and to help us know what each of you like the most out of the types of diving we have in Palm Beach.....We also have some spectacular wreck dives, but this is not in SFDJ.com yet.


Regards,
DanV

 

[Jax]

Hi Jax,
I am planning on adventure dives friday, saturday and sunday. This could well be 2 each morning ( sat and sun) and 2 in the afternoon. Friday probably just 2 dives.
The hotel rate is good for the entire time, and if any of you want to get here earlier, or stay later, the rate will still be valid for you. Any diving before or after, just let me know and it will be easy to set up more awesome dives for you.....

Take a look at the Zones articles in the new www.sfdj.com to help understand what Palm Beach diving is like, and to help us know what each of you like the most out of the types of diving we have in Palm Beach.....We also have some spectacular wreck dives, but this is not in SFDJ.com yet.


Regards,
DanV

Thanks, Dan - so you'll be doing adventure dives on Friday, but the Fundies class will still be in session, right?

 

[danvolker]

Thanks, Dan - so you'll be doing adventure dives on Friday, but the Fundies class will still be in session, right?

Yes....Although there may be room to have fundies people on same boat with DIR adventure divers on Friday, as I think this is a boat day for them as well...Errol can answer difinitively when he gets back Monday/tuesday.

As you and the others begin reading through the Zone section on sfdj.com , I would like to hear what each of you is most interested in diving on....the more I know what you guys want, the more we can customize the adventure dives.

 

[Ramsy]

What will water temperatures be like in late February? I and my wife are thinking of joining.

 

[danvolker]

What will water temperatures be like in late February? I and my wife are thinking of joining.

My guess ??? Right now it is about 79...It could drop to 75 by feb, but does not have to drop below 77....Most people wear a 3mm suit or so for this. Sunday I dove with just shorts and a lycra shirt. I was comfortable for 2 hours...My wife Sandra wore two 3mm wetsuits, one over the other, with a hood. She was in the water 3 hours straight doing macro photography...she got out slightly cold....It depends alot on how much exertion you have in your typical form of diving, and how you are with temperature....

Sandra always dives in the winter with a WarmWind to put on right after coming up--to keep her warm on the boat while wet.

Does this help?

Regards,
DanV

 

[Ramsy]

Dan,

That was very helpful. Your information was not only very informative, but it is now making me want to join this trip even more. Thanks.