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

[Ber Rabbit]

The reason I suggested Munising is that there are easily done shore dives for the inexperienced. These are Free by the way. The local charter boats offer and option to go to wrecks as deep as 90 fow and that might scare off newbies. BUT, they also offer trips to wrecks like the Manhatten and the Herman Hettler.
Jim

One thing you're not considering is drive time though. It's a 9 hour drive to Munising for me and 1:45 to Gilboa. The Chicago folks are looking at a 7 hour drive to Munising and 4:15 or so to Gilboa, our Cincinnati contingent is looking at a 10 hour drive to Munising and about 3 hours to Gilboa. Munising would be a great place for the Michigan and Ontario people to meet but it simply isn't central for everyone. We could do Lake Erie but the vis was horrible when I dove it in May, I don't know what it's like in April but I was told to dive it in late summer to get the good vis.

This is our kick-off to the dive season, many haven't been diving all winter and use the quarry to "get the cobwebs off" before hitting the lakes. The quarries are a convenient practice ground and they let you keep your skills fresh when you can only get away for a day rather than the 3+ days for a trip to a destination that's farther away. Just food for thought.

BTW, I think anything in April is good for me, I start diving with the advanced class in May so those weekends are booked.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[ScubaFishee]

We are lucky in that the "Great Lakes" region covers a lot of land. All the more reason for multiple events! Based on this thread, maybe now is the time for the GLWC to expand and grow as a dive club.

Let's start a dive club events calendar. We can organize events and dive trips throughout the area to allow all GLWC divers to be able to participate. Of course, not everyone will be able to attend all events, due to schedules, locations, costs, skill levels, etc. But it would be nice to have options available.

I'll talk to DiverBrian and see if we can set up an events calendar on his web server, since that's where the original GLWC website is residing. It would also give us a central place to post compiled data such as finalized dates, times, costs, locations, directions without them getting lost in threads.

So far, we've got three possible dive events that we can start planning...

Meet & Greet - Spring (April)
Munsing Dive Trip (May or June - ?)
Lake Erie Dive Trip (late summer - ?)

Wooooo hooooo! Looks like GLWC is becoming an active and growing dive club!

 

[Ber Rabbit]

So far, we've got three possible dive events that we can start planning...

Meet & Greet - Spring (April)
Munsing Dive Trip (May or June - ?)
Lake Erie Dive Trip (late summer - ?)

Wooooo hooooo! Looks like GLWC is becoming an active and growing dive club!

Add Tobermory the last week of August
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Add Tobermory the last week of August
Ber :lilbunny:

You're heading back up to Tobermory. Cool! Any finalized dates yet?

 

[SCUBAJENNIFER]

One thing you're not considering is drive time though. It's a 9 hour drive to Munising for me and 1:45 to Gilboa. The Chicago folks are looking at a 7 hour drive to Munising and 4:15 or so to Gilboa, our Cincinnati contingent is looking at a 10 hour drive to Munising and about 3 hours to Gilboa. Munising would be a great place for the Michigan and Ontario people to meet but it simply isn't central for everyone. We could do Lake Erie but the vis was horrible when I dove it in May, I don't know what it's like in April but I was told to dive it in late summer to get the good vis.

This is our kick-off to the dive season, many haven't been diving all winter and use the quarry to "get the cobwebs off" before hitting the lakes. The quarries are a convenient practice ground and they let you keep your skills fresh when you can only get away for a day rather than the 3+ days for a trip to a destination that's farther away. Just food for thought.

BTW, I think anything in April is good for me, I start diving with the advanced class in May so those weekends are booked.
Ber :lilbunny:

If it's 10 hours for the Cincy people...I'm looking at 11 almost 12....:shakehead

 

[Ber Rabbit]

You're heading back up to Tobermory. Cool! Any finalized dates yet?

It will be the last week of August as long as my father-in-laws health holds out. Not sure if we're diving Mon-Friday (Aug 26-30) or Tues-Friday but we do some combination of shore and boat dives and it will definitely be that week. We usually leave for home on Saturday.
Ber:lilbunny:

PS: Actually, there is acalendar available for us to use right here in the GLWC section of the board, the Trips and Local Marketplace area.

 

[Scubadude773]

How about doing a weekend here in Chicago?
maybe a Saturday in Waukegan, and Sunday in Chicago?
It would give you a good taste of our side of the lake
Just a thought,
Robb

 

[Mitten Diver]

How about doing a weekend here in Chicago?
Just a thought,
Robb

The last time I did anything in Chicago it cost me $66,000 in auto repairs, hotel stay and meals. I don't remember diving there being any cheaper, although diving on the Straits was pretty cool. I guess you've got the food thing going for you though.

 

[Dean810]

$66,000!? Chicago is normally not that expensive.

 

[TCDiver1]

I'm with ya Jim.

To each their own but meeting new SBers aside, i could never see driving 6 hours, one way, to dive a quarry. Especially with all the great diving, wreck or otherwise, that's closer than that around here. I'd gladly drive twice that distance (Tober comes to mind) for nice wreck diving. Tober is one of those places that has some good shore diving opportunities also.

Let me know what your thinking. Depending on scheduling, i might be able to get a half a dozen of so interested in a Munising/Tober type trip.