Moving To Florida

[CBulla]

Been talking to a fellow down outside of Ft. Myers about joining him in his compact tractor business. If everything works out the way I hope it will, I'll be selling the farm here in Central Michigan and telling SBC (my current employer) I don't want any more, and joining the divers down in south Florida. I might just be able to sell my Viking Drysuit and find myself a wetsuit that fits and forget about all this cold water diving in the Great Lakes.

I'll be down just after Labor Day to meet with the fellow and get the lay of the land. Kind of planning on ending up landing on the Atlantic side around Port St. Lucie or a bit farther south.

May have to change my screen name if I don't live in Frankenmuth any more.

Look forward to meeting some of you Florida warm water types if everything works out.

Frankenmuth has gotten my wifes attention... She's a Warren girl. C'mon down and join the ranks of the Conch Army! If your up to it, we're doing a reef class on Laborday - lots of diving and people meeting there

Grier - They are the Neoprene Cowboys.. all ya'll on the far side who wear wetsuits to dive everything.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Hey Colin, you've converted me - ask around - I'm down to swim trunks and thinking about ditching those...

Don't let us scare you, Frankenmuth. We're basically harmless down here. Welcome (in advance) to Florida.

-Grier

 

[GrierHPharmD]

Yeah, and about all they're good for is to drive on the HOV lane when it's only you in the car!

Any of you dive goddesses know how to inflate a dive buddy? (a la Airplane)

 

[Scuba_Jenny]

Come on down and dive with the Conchs.
I hear land is cheap over Punta Gorda way (Kiddding! Really!)

Ditch the wetsuit! And yes, I did see Grier without his wetsuit...Colin, you are such a inspiration to us weenies!

 

[Tractor Tom]

...as I was down in the Keys (Ocean Quest in Islamorada) for my AOW last Thanksgiving. We also get down to the islands every year or so on a cruise and I try to get in some diving there. I would be happy to dive with just my 3mil shorty most of the year.

Last November, got on the dive boat the Monday before Thanksgiving and did the first three dives of my AOW with Neil MacNeil at Ocean Quest. On the way out to the dive site (Wreck of the Eagle) one of the other divers was suiting up in a full 5 mil suit with a hood. He was telling me that I would be too cold in my 3mil shorty, as the water was 'cooling down'. I kept insisting that I'd be just fine. Finally he asked me where I was from, when I said "Michigan" he shook his head, said he was wrong, that I'd be just fine. I explained to him that I take showers in water colder than we would be diving in....

 

[adrisen]

Thanks for such a great warm welcome. The insta buddy, interesting. Does it work lthat all you do is pull a tab and out he/she comes? Well if all goes as planned I will be visiting in December and making the move in March once school is over. I can't wait to ditch the two piece 7mm wet suit. For those who are not sure exactly how thick that is....It is thick. Not to forget the hood and gloves. the thought of diving in a shortie on a regular basis....I can't wait

 

[CBulla]

My wife had a 7mm 2-peice.. she was so happy to send it back to MI for someone else she knows to get use out of it. At most she's worn my 3/2 shortie long sleeve for a few dives. Me.. I dive almost everything in a swimsuit - springs, rivers, reefs, swimming pool... Sometimes I put on a t-shirt sans sleeves to deal with chafing or sun, but so far I've found only 1 situation that a wetsuit was applicable (november dive last year, Venice Beach @ 59 degrees) and I wore my shortie and a hood!

Overall, diving in South Florida provides a lot of diversity in diving that, IMHO, makes this one of the best places in the world for variety and type of diving.

 

[GrierHPharmD]

all you do is pull a tab and he/she comes?

I'm not touching that one...

 

[DennisS]

Hey, 900 people a day can't be wrong, always room for another diver

 

[baitedstorm]

Hey Colin, you've converted me - ask around - I'm down to swim trunks and thinking about ditching those...

Don't let us scare you, Frankenmuth. We're basically harmless down here. Welcome (in advance) to Florida.

-Grier

define harmless , then again you did save me on the beach last weekend..... thanks again :10: