Spring 2007 meet-n-greet prelim discussion (see "stuck" thread for current info)

[Divin'Papaw]

If you only dive quarries you are not a Great Lakes diver. I think thats pretty strait forward. There is a difference.

Who said anything about only diving quarries? I'm not quite sure why you keep confusing having a M&G at a quarry with only ever diving quarries?

Oh well, maybe someday I can become a grown up Great Lakes Wreck Diver myself. I can always dream.

 

[SwimJim]

Well, if you read this thread the posters insist on diving a quarry in ohio rather then a Great Lake. The same people consistantly post about Gilboa which is not a Great lake. How many Meet and Greets were held on a Great lake? Zero. Am I confused? I don't think so.

 

[ScubaFishee]

I'm thinking... there's no limit to the number of Meet and Greets allowed. Is there any reason why we can't have two spring Meet and Greets? Maybe schedule them a month or two apart. Something for everyone, and twice the fun for those who can attend both.

If we go this route, Jim, would you be willing to take the lead for organizing the event for diving the Great Lakes?

 

[SwimJim]

I'm thinking... there's no limit to the number of Meet and Greets allowed. Is there any reason why we can't have two spring Meet and Greets? Maybe schedule them a month or two apart. Something for everyone, and twice the fun for those who can attend both.

If we go this route, Jim, would you be willing to take the lead for organizing the event for diving the Great Lakes?

Finaly, somebody who makes some kind of sense. Thank you Scubafishee. I would consider leading something. I am already a president of a dive club. I could pull a few serious divers with me to form a core for some fun diving in an actual great Lake. What say you? I may be able to pull a couple of vintage divers too from the United States. You don't mind diving with vintage divers and a smattering of regular joes do you??

Jim

 

[ScubaFishee]

Great Jim! Sounds like a plan to me.

If it is not too bold of me, I'd like to share my thoughts, for anyone who has never attended a GLWC Meet and Greet:

The one thing in particular that I feel has made past M&Gs so special and so successful is that our experienced divers, and yes, some of them are VERY HIGHLY experienced, do take the time to attend, and spend time diving with those who may (or may not) be less experienced than they. We have experienced divers, instructors, dive masters, tech divers, etc. taking time to dive with the less experienced divers, newly certified divers, and divers getting back into the swing after a diving layoff. Experienced drysuit divers buddy up with those diving dry for the first time. Certified divers answer the questions of non-divers who may be considering learning to dive but are not quite sure what to expect. Non-divers, with no desire to become certified, get a chance to socialize with other divers and find out that their friend or loved one isn't the only addicted scuba-crazed person on the planet. Dive buddies are found, friendships are formed, future dive plans are made, and a good time is had by all.

To give the impression that M&Gs are about a bunch of quarry divers, who are all afraid of the Great Lakes, getting together to eat does such a great injustice. The M&Gs are now, and has always been, about providing an inviting atmosphere for divers of all skill levels to come together in comraderie, meeting with both new and old dive buddies (and non-divers), sharing knowledge, and promoting the sport in a safe and fun way.

Having said that... um... okay, I have to admit it. There really is a **LOT** of food involved. LOL!!! And there may have even been a non-diving injury or two sustained from eating too much, laughing too hard, or lost of sleep from staying up too late at night.

At all of the M&Gs I've attended, there have always plenty of discussions about Great Lakes diving. Personally, I think having the planning for another GLWC event for diving the Great Lakes is good logical next step.

I'd just hate to see it become a "we Great Lakes divers" versus "you Quarry Divers" type of deal. The two events can certainly be staged as complementing, and not competing, opportunites.

What say you all?

Anybody up for the Meet-and-Greet Spring... to be followed with a Great Lakes diving event?

 

[Divin'Papaw]

I'm thinking... there's no limit to the number of Meet and Greets allowed. Is there any reason why we can't have two spring Meet and Greets? Maybe schedule them a month or two apart. Something for everyone, and twice the fun for those who can attend both.

If we go this route, Jim, would you be willing to take the lead for organizing the event for diving the Great Lakes?

I think that's a great idea. No reason to limit get togethers to just once or twice a year. I would actually be very interested in attending something like what SwimJim has proposed. The only reason for my comments were to disagree with the premise that you're either a GL diver or a Quarry diver. I consider myself both. Heck, I'm even occasionally an Ocean diver.

Slight change in topic, but I do alot of work with a software vendor out in San Jose. When I go out there for business I try and extend the trip to include the weekend before so that I can dive in Monterey. When talking with some of the vendor employees, they were absolutely dumbfounded that we scuba dive in the Midwest. They were absolutely certain it was an activity that occurred only in the ocean, and primarily the Caribbean. The thought of divine in the Great Lakes (or quarries or rivers or flooded mines or caves) they found absolutely eye opening.

 

[Scubadude773]

You are right Jim,
I have run across that too in my travels...that people are shocked that we actually dive in the Great Lakes. It is usually the complaints by the warm water wussies that the Great Lakes are too cold, too dark, nothing too see... But, I really want to know about the warm water divers,those that only dive in the Carribean is, how many yellow and blue fish do you possibly need to see?
Go look at the wrecks, they are a crucial part of our history in the midwest and in the U.S. that not many people know about, or were even taught as kids in school.
As far as fellow great lakes divers looking down on those that only do the majority of diving in quarries, shame on you!!! Not everyone can own a boat, live close to any of the Great Lakes, or have the extra cash to go on the charters.I ""work"" on a charter boat each year almost every weekend and a couple of nights a week after work as a divemaster so I can dive in the Lake all the time, but I still go to Haigh, Gilboa, ect. to check out new gear and to hang out with like-minded divers
All I am trying to say is, Please don't critize other divers on here, this is supposed to be a hobby, sport, way to relax, I
-Robb

 

[AmyJ]

ok, so given the current trend of this discussion are new, warm water only divers welcome? We would like to venture into the quarries and great lakes (if we can do it wet), but have not had opportunity yet. And I will admit for myself (can't speak for DH) but I'm a bit nervous about anything cold and dark... But I really do want to give it a try.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

ok, so given the current trend of this discussion are new, warm water only divers welcome? We would like to venture into the quarries and great lakes (if we can do it wet), but have not had opportunity yet. And I will admit for myself (can't speak for DH) but I'm a bit nervous about anything cold and dark... But I really do want to give it a try.

You are absolutely welcome. I'm a wetsuit diver myself and I've done over 10 dives in temps below 50 F. I've recently purchased a drysuit, but I didn't let not having one stop me from diving in the local quarries and lakes.

 

[Mitten Diver]

ok, so given the current trend of this discussion are new, warm water only divers welcome?

You are most definately welcome. As Scubafishee said these events are aimed at alll levels of divers. We even have divers from the area who never get in the water due to there preference for warm water. So please take the time from your schedule and plan to attend. You will have an opportunity to meet some very cool people and Ted will be there too, sorry buddy. You may even reach a comfort level to plan a future trip into the Great Lakes, all of the diving is not as cold and dark as you think. I did my first open water diving with my then 14 year old son in Lake Superior out of Munnising in wetsuits.