ColoMount:
This all sound great.
RonFrank, I'd really like to put that together this summer. I'm taking Advanced OW this week and will do the dives at Homestead (ahhhh warm) the first week in May. After that I'd love to go to BH. I wouldn't be able to do any trip in April because I'm taking classes for my Sailing Coastal Cruising Cert.
No worries. I don't go down all that often, but a trip maybe near the end of July, or maybe early June would be about right. I'll be in FL the last couple three weeks in June~early July. I'm in OR I think the third week of July. We can plan more as the time get closer.
ColoMount:
I hope this works out. I'll at least be making some weekend trips. Are there usually folks around on weekends to pick up a buddy?
As Jason said, the ABQ and TX folks nearby go down generally the third weekend of the month. The only down side is they are only there on Sunday normally, so if you go on a Friday or Sat, they are not there. I would *think* one could find a buddy if you go down solo, but OTOH most of the dive traffic is doing classes, and they are not there to just dive.
ColoMount:
One more thing.... is there a link that talks about what I'll need there? ie; is a five mil wet suit good enough, do you use a hood?
I'll search around but any hints would be great.
Oh yea, how do I get tanks down there on a Harley?
The water is 62~64F. Most people dive a 7mm or a drysuit. My Freediving buddy got by with a 3mm with a 5mm core warmer, but that is 8mm at the core even if only 3mm on the legs and arms. He did a full hood, and gloves.
If you want to dive early, having a tank is generally necessary. Stella opens shop at around 8:00am, but that is Santa Rosa time, and it can vary from 8:00am~10:00am, and sometimes no one shows up to run the shop, but that is rare.
If you want to split gas, a Harley is going to be tough!
Heck, unless you have a trailer even just getting dive equipment down on a bike would be difficult minus tanks. It's not the best ride on a bike, mostly highway, mostly straight. Stay on the board, and we can definitely hook up. Finding buddies to ride share from Denver is not all that easy as most divers are not nutty enough to drive 12 hours to do a couple days of diving. There are three people from Denver that go down on a semi-regular basis just to dive, and that is myself, Kent (DiveDoggie) and Dan. Others that I know are instructors, and they are going down to teach, and using LDS trucks, so no ride share, and they make poor buddies as they are often doing OW classes.
We post before we go, so monitor the board, and stay in touch. We will put something together every 2~3 months from Denver, but mostly on weekends as there are tanks available to rent, and I work during the week.