Dive Planning

ArcticDiver · Dec 27, 2006

There is still snow on the ground; not enough; but some. Still, it is time to plan for next Spring.

For several years I've wanted to come down to Southeast to do a week or so diving. I think I'd like to do some around Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. I was thinking late April or early May.

But, so far, the dive shop in Juneau is pretty discouraging. I don't know anyone in the other locatioins.

So, any suggestions? Contacts? Drive via Haines and the ferry, or fly and rely on local transport?

Help!

sea2summit · Dec 27, 2006

What has the problem been with the Juneau dive shop? Lot's of great diving here, when are you planning on this trip? Generally the roads are fine all year so I'd recomend driving and taking the ferry (early spring you'll still qualify for winter rates which are much less expensive).

Lot's of Ketchikan guys on the board and they look pretty active. I know there are active divers in Sitka but I don't know any of them personally.

Poogweese · Dec 28, 2006

For several years I've wanted to come down to Southeast to do a week or so diving. I think I'd like to do some around Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan. I was thinking late April or early May.

But, so far, the dive shop in Juneau is pretty discouraging. I don't know anyone in the other locatioins.

So, any suggestions? Contacts? Drive via Haines and the ferry, or fly and rely on local transport?

Help![/QUOTE]

Southeast is awesome! Ketchikan has some really nice diving-here's a link to todays dive pics :popcorn:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88052882@N00

Juneau has great wrecks (Kathleen and Sophia) Haines has lots of Dungies (by the tank farm) Wrangell has lots of artifacts (off city dock) Ketchikan has a couple wrecks and some great walls. If I were planning a trip, I'd drive to Haines, dive there, and ferry the rest of the way. Don't know about the other 'burgs but we can provide air/nitrox as there is a shop in town too!

Poog

ArcticDiver · Dec 28, 2006

sea2summit:
What has the problem been with the Juneau dive shop? Lot's of great diving here, when are you planning on this trip? Generally the roads are fine all year so I'd recomend driving and taking the ferry (early spring you'll still qualify for winter rates which are much less expensive).

Lot's of Ketchikan guys on the board and they look pretty active. I know there are active divers in Sitka but I don't know any of them personally.

Just an overall tone of pessimism; no help contacting someone(s) for buddy and letting me know they were too busy with classes to pay much attention to visitors. That is their corporate decision.

She did say that the ferry schedule is a mess and that I'd better contact them to see if they have it straightened out by the time I come down.

So, best time to come? Enough locals to keep me diving for the time I'm there? Shore or boat?

PM me please.

ArcticDiver · Dec 28, 2006

Southeast is awesome! Ketchikan has some really nice diving-here's a link to todays dive pics :popcorn:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88052882@N00

Juneau has great wrecks (Kathleen and Sophia) Haines has lots of Dungies (by the tank farm) Wrangell has lots of artifacts (off city dock) Ketchikan has a couple wrecks and some great walls. If I were planning a trip, I'd drive to Haines, dive there, and ferry the rest of the way. Don't know about the other 'burgs but we can provide air/nitrox as there is a shop in town too!

Poog

[/QUOTE]

Super, maybe between the two of you I can set up a trip whose diving would make the trip.

sea2summit · Dec 28, 2006

If you're looking for a buddy in Juneau you can check out www.thescubatank.com and get on that board. Just post what you're looking for and someone will answer.
The ferries between Haines and Juneau are often messed up because the wonderful fast ferry is not so wonderful, most of the other inbetween locations are just late all the time (most of the time not more than a few hours).
When you get to Juneau look PM me and I'll show you whatever I can.

akscubainst · Dec 28, 2006

ArcticDiver:
Just an overall tone of pessimism; no help contacting someone(s) for buddy and letting me know they were too busy with classes to pay much attention to visitors. That is their corporate decision.

She did say that the ferry schedule is a mess and that I'd better contact them to see if they have it straightened out by the time I come down.

So, best time to come? Enough locals to keep me diving for the time I'm there? Shore or boat?

PM me please.

It's not that we don't want to set you up with someone. There are only 2 of us, we're a mom and pop shop we don't have anybody to set you up with. We're pretty busy just trying to keep up with day to day stuff and our local cliental.

I read the emails that you exchanged with Carleen and basically what she was trying to tell you is that we can't schedule 4-5 months out.

If you want to charter the boat for a day or two let me know exact dates, The boat is a 4-pack and the charter rate is a flat rate for 1-4 divers (2 tanks) so if you want to charter let me know and I will put something in place. Less than that rate and I lose money sorry.

If you don't want to book the boat then we have local divers who are always looking for someone to dive with (ski2summit) and when it gets closer to that time we can see what we can do. I'm sure there's someone available, it's just too far away to get someone to commit.

As far as how you should get here. You can either drive to Haines and take your chances with the ferry system or you can fly.

When should you come? Absolute best diving is Mid March to Mid April. If we have a nice spring vis will go to near zero to about 100' in mid April through early June. If we have a summer like last year vis wil be good all summer.

PM, Email or call my cell if you want to arrange something.

Dave Mitchell
The Scuba Tank
dmitchel@gmail.com
907-723-3740 cell

ArcticDiver · Dec 28, 2006

akscubainst:
It's not that we don't want to set you up with someone. There are only 2 of us, we're a mom and pop shop we don't have anybody to set you up with. We're pretty busy just trying to keep up with day to day stuff and our local cliental.

I read the emails that you exchanged with Carleen and basically what she was trying to tell you is that we can't schedule 4-5 months out.

If you want to charter the boat for a day or two let me know exact dates, The boat is a 4-pack and the charter rate is a flat rate for 1-4 divers (2 tanks) so if you want to charter let me know and I will put something in place. Less than that rate and I lose money sorry.

If you don't want to book the boat then we have local divers who are always looking for someone to dive with (ski2summit) and when it gets closer to that time we can see what we can do. I'm sure there's someone available, it's just too far away to get someone to commit.

As far as how you should get here. You can either drive to Haines and take your chances with the ferry system or you can fly.

When should you come? Absolute best diving is Mid March to Mid April. If we have a nice spring vis will go to near zero to about 100' in mid April through early June. If we have a summer like last year vis wil be good all summer.

PM, Email or call my cell if you want to arrange something.

Dave Mitchell
The Scuba Tank
dmitchel@gmail.com
907-723-3740 cell

Thanks for your clarification. As I'm sure you know after reading the emails they certainly painted a very dismal picture without offering any rays of hope. Such is the problem of communicating via the written word.

My experience with the ferry system has always been very positive. I haven't ridden it for a couple years but I routinely associate with folks who have and who have had good experiences. So, when you use phrases like "...take your chances with the ferry system." it adds to the pessimistic pall.

Now that I know the reason why you can't help my attitude toward Carleen's emails is changed a bit. In the emails all she said was that you were too busy with classes to help. If I had received your explanation I would have understood. Your business is oriented toward the local diver and classes, not folks like me. At least she replied; unlike the shops in another city last summer.

I am a bit mystified why you can't schedule several months ahead. As I'm sure you know I am a traveling diver and am used to long range scheduling with a wide variety of dive operations. Of course weather can blow it all out, just like my trip to Maui a couple years ago when I lost a week of diving. Such is the nature of things.

Anyway, thanks for adding to the information.

akscubainst · Dec 28, 2006

When it comes to ferries, I am pessimistic. Frank Just about killed the ferry system. I recently landed in KTN on a trip south, there were 5 broken ferries sitting there. If you lived down here you would understand. The ferries are our way of getting around, and when there are 5 of them down at once it really messes thing up.
Enough Politics, If you want to drive down get ahold of AMHS and they can give you an update on what's going on. If you want to fly, we have all the big car rentals available at the airport.

The reason I can't schedule that far out is that I don't do local tour dives or charters on a regular basis and when I do it's usually private and weekends only. I work for the State during the day M-F. All of my diving, classes and charters is/are afterhours and weekends.

Like I said, we try to be helpful to everyone but, there are only 2 of us.

This isn't Maui and I don't have 30 divers a day knocking on my door wanting to dive. If I did then I probably would quit my dayjob and so I could cater to them. But as it is, I'd go broke if I took off work everytime a single diver came to town wanting to dive.

Like I said If you want to charter the boat then let me know.

Otherwise, Carleen gave you the info on the local dive club and we've also just put a board on our website where divers gather to plan dives, etc. Feel free to use it as well.

Dave

ArcticDiver · Dec 28, 2006

Thanks Dave for further amplifying your situation. Of course I wouldn't expect you to give up your State job to take care of your part time business. I now understand that your dive shop is a small, part time operation whose capabilities are taxed by what operations you currently have. Trying to expand it to cover folks like me who would like to come to Juneau to dive is simply beyond your capability. Now that I know that I understand both the situation and the reason y'alls emails and posts have the tone they do.

I have received information from some other folks and will work out a trip to SouthEast. Maybe I'll drop by next time I'm in that part of the world.

Dive Planning

Please register or login

ArcticDiver

Contributor

sea2summit

Contributor

Poogweese

Contributor

ArcticDiver

Contributor

ArcticDiver

Contributor

sea2summit

Contributor

akscubainst

Contributor

ArcticDiver

Contributor

akscubainst

Contributor

ArcticDiver

Contributor

Similar threads