Need some direction for a upcoming class

[jlcnuke]

It would be called a miracle if you survive a plane wreck. CCR bailout is easy for OC divers.

Actually, the overwhelming majority of people survive plane crashes (about 95% historically).

 

[rddvet]

I would like to go there some day. I'm what you would call a quasi-tech diver. I can fly any CCR with one lesson, but I'm certain no one can take off and land a plane with one lesson.

you say the stupidest crap. Can you and Brad Horn go somewhere and never come back?

 

[DogDiver]

I would seriously look at flying into Jacksonville or Orlando. Lots of flights and both are hubs. Gainesville airport is very small and most flights are double what you would spend at Jacksonville or Orlando. Not to mention rental car prices. Pack or buy a cheep cooler for lunch and beverages. And most importantly stop at Amigos for gear and gas. Open 24-7 self serve.
PS. I have known Jim for over 20 years. Good choice.

 

[KevinNM]

There will be no direct flights from Calif to G'ville. I believe the only way to get there would be a connecting flight on Silver or American Eagle, turbo prop, and they have a tendency to cancel those flight on a whim, and they are always delayed. I would fly into Orlando/Tampa/Jax and rent a car there. By the time you switch planes and fly the connector flight, you could drive. Jax to G'ville is about an hour +/-, Tampa or Orlando is 2 hours about.

Don’t take a flight that supposedly gets into Jacksonville at midnight. It will be late and the two hours it takes to get a car and make it to Gainesville will bite you in the morning as you are trying to drive to Blue Grotto to make there at 7:30 am.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

So JAX seems the best overall.

Plan is to land in the morning"ish" and have the day to drive, nap, gets all my ducks in a row before the next day.

 

[Scuba Client]

you say the stupidest crap. Can you and Brad Horn go somewhere and never come back?

Philosophy was never your specialty.

I’m going to perform a Native American Ghost Dance for the manufacturers and dealers.

 

[elgoog]

Calling @elgoog . You made this trip out from NorCal for C1. Any tips besides to get the Ginnie Burger at Great Outdoors, because their new menu decimated the burger selection.

I'm not sure if I was there before or after the destruction. We had the Ginnie burgers a couple of times and hot wings the day I got the Ginnie fingers.

General trip tips -
- Get a morning flight going into JAX or MCO so you get there late evening-ish. It might be a little late getting into the High Springs area but it's not so late that you can't dive the next day.
- Get an evening flight back home. That way you can do some dives in the morning and afternoon of the day before and still get your full day of no diving before the flight. That way, you don't waste a day there.
- Get a rental minivan. Not an SUV, not a truck - minivan. You'll fold down the center and back rows and it holds all your gear super easily with room to spare. Also, the sliding doors are extra convenient to get gear in and out.
- Spend day 1 getting your tanks and whatever other gear you and do a shakedown dive. That way, you can ensure all your own gear works, do weight check, etc. Troy Spring is good for this. Day 2 onwards you can focus on the class, diving, etc.
- The fill setup at EE is amazing. They have long whips so you don't even need to haul your tanks out of the minivan. Not sure if anyone else has the same setup. At the end of a long day of diving, it's great to not have to do much work to get fills for the next day.
- Other places @mer took us for food - New York Pizza Plus and Conestogas in Alachua. Great Outdoors had half off burgers on Tuesday and half off wings on Wednesday. IDK if that's still happening.
- The only food we got at 8AM was Subway. We did that for lunch most days. The sandwiches at the Luraville Country store were OK.

 

[Manatee Diver]

- The fill setup at EE is amazing. They have long whips so you don't even need to haul your tanks out of the minivan. Not sure if anyone else has the same setup. At the end of a long day of diving, it's great to not have to do much work to get fills for the next day.

CCDS and Amigos have long fill whips too.

I use all three shops. Though Amigos is mostly only for when I am running late from the Branford area caves.

 

[Ulfhedinn]

How are the mosquitos? I might bring the wife as she dives... just not in caves. She has very bad reactions to the bites.

 

[tbone1004]

How are the mosquitos? I might bring the wife as she dives... just not in caves. She has very bad reactions to the bites.

they are affectionately referred to as Florida's state bird.... If you have a thermacell they're fine, but they're definitely out in hordes in cave country.