Gilboa Greet & Meet April 16 - 18, 2004 (consolidated/closed)

[Tractor Tom]

Diving is all about keeping up with the Jones's isn't it? I try to use that line on the wife when I need new gear, but honey so snd so has a new toy and you wouldn't want me not to have one. Then I throw in the kid factor, honey it would be best if JP had one of these because it will make his diving easier. It usually never works, but a guy has got to try.

I am hoping to receive a pir of Jet fins today, I have the spring straps already as they were purchased at the Shipwreck Festival along with 5 boxes of Girl Scout cookies. I can't resist when I see those adorable little faces. I am also saving for a housing for my Olympus 5050, I was going to go the same route with the Sealife before I asked the board for some advice. What is it about divers that makes them tell fellow divers to spend more money? It must be guilt, if you can tell your signifigant other that everyone else is doing it it must be okay.

Oh well what good is money if you can't spend it? I have been laying the ground work for purchases for this year as I would like a couple of drysuits. Anyone know a good source for bargain basement suits? JP needs a suit before I do as his frame does not support internal insulation at this time.

Mitten Diver

Dry suits are bloody expensive at the shops, but I have seen them HERE on the board and LOTS of them on eBay this last year for a 'reasonable' amount of money. Do you get a custom cut, front loading drysuit on eBay for a pittance? Probably not, but you can get a good quality used suit there if you are careful. I'm still waiting to have the seller ship me my new pony bottle, and then it will need to be hydro'd and checked before I dive it, but I think I got a good deal for $187.00.

Might try the ads here, or eBay for that suit for the young diver.

 

[diverbrian]

JP needs a suit before I do as his frame does not support internal insulation at this time.

Mitten Diver

My frame doesn't support thermal insulation very well either. I understand that sentiment completely! That is why my two pc seven mil that I certified in hasn't been used since 2002. It is awful when you get cold easily.

I hear that the Jets are nice fins. Unfortunately, our LDS dumped ScubaPro the beginning of this year, so I am looking at the Dive Rite's which they do carry so that I can use them on shop outings and not have gear that I can only dive with my buddies and have to bury when I am "working."

 

[diverbrian]

Hey Brian,
You might want to keep that camera handy and follow me around, that dry suit and I go rounds on a regular basis. You can take plenty of pictures and publish a coffee table book about how NOT to dive in a dry suit Besides, my obnoxiously colored gear is fun to photograph (rolling eyes here!).
Ber

I am sure that you make it look effortless, like many of the instructors that I dive with. I learned that lesson last year. Instructors NEVER confess in front of students that a piece of gear is ill-fitting, leaking, (or they forgot to zip it before they did their giant stride entry into the water, LOL) . They teach that in instructor training! Right?

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I am sure that you make it look effortless, like many of the instructors that I dive with. I learned that lesson last year. Instructors NEVER confess in front of students that a piece of gear is ill-fitting, leaking, (or they forgot to zip it before they did their giant stride entry into the water, LOL) . They teach that in instructor training! Right?

Ask CKHarlan66 what it looks like when I dive that suit, it's Wrestlemania all the way! I dive wet with the students because I don't want them to see me fighting with the drysuit I do a GREAT impersonation of a trumpetfish hiding in a soft coral (diving inverted really isn't that bad, at least your fins stay out of the muck).

"Effortless" HAHAHAHAHA! (my sides hurt, good one Brian!)
Ber

 

[Fishy8411]

Well kids, we are currently one month away from our FIRST ANNUAL GREAT LAKES WRECKING CREW SPRING DIVE, MEET AND GREET.

Several of us will be arriving on Friday, 16 April for a weekend of camping in cold weather and diving in cold water and general fun and staying through the weekend to sometime Sunday. All the wrecking crew is invited and urged to try to attend this event.

We will have campfires, hot soup and drinks during the diving day. and microbrewed adult beverages available for after the dive. Wrecking crew tee shirts and hats will be available for pickup at the campsite. Look for the big sign that says "Welcome Wrecking Crew!" (I need to get started on that this weekend.....) to find us, probably set up across the road from the "last" set of stairs, down near the far end of the camping area.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU AT GILBOA!

I might be able to make it, won't know for sure until a few days before. Then again you might not want me to make it. My skills are rusty/nonexistent and I am still getting used to my new gear. But I would like to meet the group and get some practice.

Tom
Fishy8411

 

[gtxl1200]

I might be able to make it, won't know for sure until a few days before. Then again you might not want me to make it. My skills are rusty/nonexistent and I am still getting used to my new gear. But I would like to meet the group and get some practice.

Tom
Fishy8411

Come on and get some practice with us there will be experience levels of all kinds there you might learn something at least I hope I do.

 

[Tractor Tom]

Come on and get some practice with us there will be experience levels of all kinds there you might learn something at least I hope I do.

I agree with Ted, everyone is welcome and we are all going to be 'brushing up' on our skills after several months off. My last dive was on 3 January at Gilboa. Since then my gear has been sitting in the bag. Additionally, I've got new gear to try so there may be a lot of slopping around on my part as well. Just try to stay off the bottom and keep from stirring up the mud!

 

[Fishy8411]

I'm not making any promises about stirring up the mud. Ordering a new dry suit (will take a class one week before) should have a new BCD too. But I will leave my TUSA Xpert ZOOM fins at home, which should mean that I will be operating at a gentle mix cycle instead of a pulverize mode. As I mentioned before, bad choice of mine to buy those fins.

Tom

 

[diverbrian]

I'm not making any promises about stirring up the mud. Ordering a new dry suit (will take a class one week before) should have a new BCD too. But I will leave my TUSA Xpert ZOOM fins at home, which should mean that I will be operating at a gentle mix cycle instead of a pulverize mode. As I mentioned before, bad choice of mine to buy those fins.

Tom

As stated before, many of us are going to be somewhat "rusty". Throw on drysuits and the other toys that many of us bought with our work bonuses/tax refunds and the first dive will likely look a little clumsy. A few weeks ago, my buddies let try out a scooter. Talk about making me look like a fool; I thought that they were trying to kill me until I got used to it!

It's better that we sort things out at an event like this rather than off the boat on a wreck .

 

[Tractor Tom]

I'm not making any promises about stirring up the mud. Ordering a new dry suit (will take a class one week before) should have a new BCD too. But I will leave my TUSA Xpert ZOOM fins at home, which should mean that I will be operating at a gentle mix cycle instead of a pulverize mode. As I mentioned before, bad choice of mine to buy those fins.

Tom

...ZOOM fins, and usually throw them in when I go on a trip, in case someone loses one. I wear my turtles with my drysuit and really like them. I will wear the zoom fins if diving wet in the warm water. I have used the ZOOM fins with my drysuit, but really prefer my turtles....

Look forward to seeing you at the Quarry, Tom.