Houston Swampers?

[Dee]

Are there any Houston Swampers still around? Beast and I have been sort of out of the loop with my health problems and his work schedule but we're really going to try to get more local diving in this summer. Beast will have to decide between diving and golf! We had so much fun with the old crew, I wonder where they are now? I know where Tony, ChrisPete and RumBum are but what about the others? TPH, HomeyLlama, Donbon, Cudabait, Coldwater, Leiserom, DiverG, GadgetGirl, LovetoDive2?

What about any new Swampers I don't know? Is anyone interested in a loosely formal group to get together on a regular basis to dive and get to know each other? Maybe just a monthly dinner somewhere until summer to meet and greet?

Twin Lakes, our old hangout at has hit some hard times but I found out from some of the instructors that the old Reef has been reworked and is a decent place again.

What do ya'll say? Want to revive or rebuild the Houston Swamp Divers?

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

Glad to hear you and Beast are alive and well. Wondered what happened to you.

I am still out here. Changed my screen name from leiserom to Hawkeye Mark a couple of years ago. Been more involved in CHUM and HUC the last couple of years. Didnt do as much local diving in 2008 as in past years. Went to 288 Lake(aka Reef) a couple of times and also to the Lagoon a few times. As we went to Israel and Turkey for a wedding last summer and blew 2 1/2 weeks of vacation on that, my trip schedule was light. Went to Cozumel for a 4 night trip. Also went to Puerto Vallarta and Cabo. Not dedicated dive trips but dove a couple of days in each spot.

In 2009 going on the CHUM trip on the Spree and going to Cozumel with the usual group from WW Memorial Day week.

Sure miss the Sundays at TL with the gang. When I started going out there with Dee and Beast in 2001 or 2002 I was a inexperienced(and bad) vacation diver. I give yall credit for improving my diving skills immensely in a safe environment. If I hadnt been doing that I probably would have quit by now. I always believe that if you can dive in a texas mudhole you can dive anywhere. I always reiterate to new divers that you cant just go on one vacation a year and expect to be any good at this.

Given that I'm up for more local diving this year but more so at 288 Lake than TL. Sundays work best for me. Any non diving get togethers are good also. I have deemphasized my refereeing of HS basketball as just dont have the enthusiasm for it any more for a number of reasons. Still do a few games though.

 

[Dee]

Hey Mark! I wondered if you were still refereeing. I think the last time we really talked you were planning the trip to Israel and Turkey. We had some good times, didn't we? I agree, diving in our green water sure makes a better diver out of everyone. My diving the last couple of years has been at CCV. Although that clear blue water is great I really miss the green stuff.

I don't think TL is going to draw anyone this year. I did hear there's a plan in place by the city to somehow seal and refill it. It was drained by some apartment construction down the road tapping into the water table. That's the rumor anyway. 288 Lake will be just fine, that's where we started.

 

[jstuart1]

Hi Dee,
I don't know if you remember me or not. I only got to dive with you once. I haven't been diving a little over two years since my husband passed away but am working my toward going again. I have had my gear serviced this year and have bought a new BC since I lost so much weight. I am looking forward to going diving again. The reef will be totally new for me so I would really like to meet up with someone especially since I am a bit rusty.

 

[1TexasDiver]

HI Dee,

New to the swampers, but willing to meet locals for some get togethers . Some of the names you mentioned looks like some CHUMers names ,maybe the same peeps. Anyway my wife(Mary) and I go to the lagoon and 288 as we live about halfway between them (N.E.Montgomery Co.).We're always looking for a reason to go down , and make the clown happy. Please keep us informed of any Houston area meet and greets. Sched. permitting we'll be there


Rick

 

[Dee]

Hi Dee,
I don't know if you remember me or not. I only got to dive with you once. I haven't been diving a little over two years since my husband passed away but am working my toward going again. I have had my gear serviced this year and have bought a new BC since I lost so much weight. I am looking forward to going diving again. The reef will be totally new for me so I would really like to meet up with someone especially since I am a bit rusty.

Hey there! Yeah, I remember you. Sorry to hear about your husband, and glad to see you're getting back into the swing of things. When we get back from Roatan at the end of May we'll be going to the lake, probably 228. Between now and May it's a bit cold for me yet! You're more than welcome to join us, it'll be great to see you again.

HI Dee,

New to the swampers, but willing to meet locals for some get togethers . Some of the names you mentioned looks like some CHUMers names ,maybe the same peeps. Anyway my wife(Mary) and I go to the lagoon and 288 as we live about halfway between them (N.E.Montgomery Co.).We're always looking for a reason to go down , and make the clown happy. Please keep us informed of any Houston area meet and greets. Sched. permitting we'll be there


Rick

Rick, I think quite a few of the old Swampers did migrate over to CHUM. It's been a couple of years since were went to the Lagoon, we've spent alot of hours in those rocks! I'll be loking forward to meeting you and Mary.

But I wasn't only thinking about diving. What about getting together for dinner one weekend in the near future? The Dallas Swampers are having one in a couple of weeks but with Beasts work schedule it's hard for us to take a whole weekend to go up there. I'd really like to get the Houston Swampers together on a regular basis, either at a lake or around a table somewhere.

 

[jstuart1]

A "dry" get together would be fun.
Dee, the water is a bit cold for me too right now. May would be great and it will be good to see you guys again.

 

[1TexasDiver]

A "dry" get together would be fun.
Dee, the water is a bit cold for me too right now. May would be great and it will be good to see you guys again.

I see that jstuart1 is from Ne area and Mary and I are up 59 N how does the Humble/Kingwood area sound for a meet and greet?Dee what part are you and beast residing ? We can do Conroe, Woodlands,Spring areas fairly easy other areas down south may need more planning but we're willing to try . What do ya'll think?

 

[jstuart1]

Humble/ Kingwood would be great for me.

 

[Hawkeye Mark]

A "dry" get together would be fun.
Dee, the water is a bit cold for me too right now. May would be great and it will be good to see you guys again.

I agree. One thing I am not into anymore is winter cold water lake diving.