Recommendation for active club

[RikRaeder]

I'll be moving back to the Bay Area soon (E. Bay) and was hoping to get a recommendation for an active local club. I'm just into tech so was hoping for a club that is active in both tech and rec (and also wreck). Have searched the net and found a couple, but was hoping for some word of mouth info too.
Thanks

[ZKY]

There seems to be a lot of techie types (DIR) that frequent Monterey. A lot of them hang out on this board. Maybe hook up with them and go do some scooter dives in and around Point Lobos.

Maybe there is a tech club somewhere in the Bay area (BAUE?).
Ask Wallin's Dive Center in the south bay, maybe they know.

Good luck.

[RikRaeder]

Thanks for the input. Not looking for a strictly tech group (and not diehard DIR types), but would like to do a bit of that as well. Mainly just looking for an active group who gets in the water a lot.

[FishDiver]

I'll be moving back to the Bay Area soon (E. Bay) and was hoping to get a recommendation for an active local club. I'm just into tech so was hoping for a club that is active in both tech and rec (and also wreck). Have searched the net and found a couple, but was hoping for some word of mouth info too.
Thanks

:coffee: Me, too.

[ZKY]

I could also suggest going into any dive shop and picking up a copy of California Dive News. It's a free monthly dive news paper and has a complete dive club directory towards the back listing virtually every ligitimate dive club in California.

Also, around here (Northern California) it seems to me that with any tech diving activities all there is is DIR (GUE -UTD) style of tech.
I have not heard of or seen any old style TDI or similar tech divers in years. Not to say that there aren't any, It's just that I have been out of that scene for a long time and I think that style has faded out.

[Peter_C]

Thanks for the input. Not looking for a strictly tech group (and not diehard DIR types),
Careful how you present yourself to your possible future dive buddies. There happens to be a ton of people in the Monterey area that associate themselves with the term DIR. They are good people that I respect and would happily go diving with anytime.


Mainly just looking for an active group who gets in the water a lot.
I think you can find them here. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/norcal/338808-monterey-meet-greet-12-jun-2010-a.html

Here is a ton of info thanks to Chuck. Including a list of localish dive clubs.
http://www.garlic.com/~triblet/ba_diving/

[RikRaeder]

Thanks for the info, guys. Won't be back until mid August, but any information is appreciated. I didn't say anything bad about DIR, just that I am not DIR and wouldn't fit in with a diehard DIR type. Is that offensive?

[dannobee]

Although not a "group" per se, there are a few of us who do tech dives who don't associate ourselves with GUE. (For whatever reasons)

I could put you in the loop if you wish.

[RikRaeder]

Loop me, baby.
You aren't part of some strange, Satanic tech cult or something, are you?

[pacificgal]

LOL, no, Dan is good people.
I dive out of Silicon Valley Dive Club out of Diver Dan's. We have 2 club meetings on Wednesday nights for an hour, then we go out for mexican food and drinks after. They organize 1 shore dive and 1 boat dive per month, the boat dive is a charter and they offer discounted pricing for the club. There are also discounted classes available and trips to various other dive destinations. It's a good deal, and a decent sized club. We have a couple long-hosers, but I don't know if any of them are techies.

[mikemill]

Loop me, baby.
You aren't part of some strange, Satanic tech cult or something, are you?

Yes, yes he is. Oh wait, no BAUE is the Satanic cult and Dan is in the Loki cult. So hard to keep them straight.

[Anti-Hero]

:popcorn:

[mikemill]

I wonder if that would put me in the Lutheran version of a Satanic cult...

[RikRaeder]

Lusitanics? Anyway, even if you AREN"T in a S cult, It'd be interesting to meet up after I'm back (2 months and counting!). Thanks

[RikRaeder]

You had me at Mexican food....
(so hard to get good comidas here)
Active diving too?! (sigh)
Thanks



LOL, no, Dan is good people.
I dive out of Silicon Valley Dive Club out of Diver Dan's. We have 2 club meetings on Wednesday nights for an hour, then we go out for mexican food and drinks after. They organize 1 shore dive and 1 boat dive per month, the boat dive is a charter and they offer discounted pricing for the club. There are also discounted classes available and trips to various other dive destinations. It's a good deal, and a decent sized club. We have a couple long-hosers, but I don't know if any of them are techies.

[pacificgal]

Well, I didn't exactly say it was *good* mexican food, but the beers are cold and the people are nice. Last weekend was the shore club dive, had 10-12 people turn up. Any one of them could be a potential regular dive buddy, I've met some good ones thru the club.

[FishDiver]

LOL, no, Dan is good people.
I dive out of Silicon Valley Dive Club out of Diver Dan's. We have 2 club meetings on Wednesday nights for an hour, then we go out for mexican food and drinks after. They organize 1 shore dive and 1 boat dive per month, the boat dive is a charter and they offer discounted pricing for the club. There are also discounted classes available and trips to various other dive destinations. It's a good deal, and a decent sized club. We have a couple long-hosers, but I don't know if any of them are techies.

I am not good at attending club meetings. Is it possible to just go to the dives?

[pacificgal]

You'll have to go to at least one of the meetings to pay your $50 annual fee and get onto the email list. The $50 annual fee is given back to you in either a 1 time $75 rental coupon, or you can get an air/nitrox fill card. So, you pay your money to be in the club, but you get it back in another way.
At the club meetings we discuss where the shore dive will be, then an email goes out to the club telling everyone where to meet. For the discounted boat dives, you have to pay at the meeting or at Diver Dan's to get the discounted club price.

[Peter_C]

I am not good at attending club meetings. Is it possible to just go to the dives?
Meetings...UHG!

No wonder North Coast Divers meetings are at the dive sites :cool2: The type of meetings where you enter the water are the best.

[fisheater]

And no dues, either!!

If you just want to have a club where the members dive, check us out. The North Coast Divers (http://www.thenorthcoastdivers.org).

[RikRaeder]

Yes.....Y E S. This, is what I wanted!!!
Any of you club folks' ever do some of the California wrecks?

[pacificgal]

Like the Barge?
:rofl3:

[adelman]

Loop me, baby.
You aren't part of some strange, Satanic tech cult or something, are you?

Naw, we tried that, but it was too hard, what with all the sacrifices, rituals, and everything. We're mostly a rag-tag bunch of tech divers with an assortment of boats, gear, tanks, and compressors. The only thing we're cultish about is that you have to swear off breathing air (the air is for your tires) and agree that the number stamped on your tank is the turn pressure. We call ourselves DIY divers.

[ZKY]

Lusitanics? Anyway, even if you AREN"T in a S cult, It'd be interesting to meet up after I'm back (2 months and counting!). Thanks

Ohhh, now I know why they call them "S" drills. ;)

[dannobee]

Naw, we tried that, but it was too hard, what with all the sacrifices, rituals, and everything. We're mostly a rag-tag bunch of tech divers with an assortment of boats, gear, tanks, and compressors. The only thing we're cultish about is that you have to swear off breathing air (the air is for your tires) and agree that the number stamped on your tank is the turn pressure. We call ourselves DIY divers.


SHHHHH. You'll scare away the future victims....er...MEMBERS!


:cool2:

[Peter_C]

The only thing we're cultish about is that you have to swear off breathing air (the air is for your tires)
Stuck in the 70's? Nitrogen the by product is for tires today ;) All the kool kids are doing it!


and agree that the number stamped on your tank is the turn pressure.
What if you are using an HP tank? My compressor doesn't go that high :shocked2:


We call ourselves DIY divers.
You made that up yourself didn't you? I am off to slumber land to build my own dive :eyebrow: I enjoy making as many things as I can in life. My gal and I are right in the middle of a project welding up a new kitchen stand. For those that say they can't do it...you don't want to be outdone by a girl do you?

Have fun!

[mikemill]

you don't want to be outdone by a girl do you?

Came to terms with that years ago ;)

[RikRaeder]

Ah, I can't wait to get back. This is the kind of banter (and cultish behavior) you just don't get with Japanese divers!

[ZKY]

Ah, I can't wait to get back. This is the kind of banter (and cultish behavior) you just don't get with Japanese divers!

You guys are lucky.

[mikemill]

You guys are lucky.

Says the vintage cult diver ;)

[FishDiver]

And no dues, either!!

If you just want to have a club where the members dive, check us out. The North Coast Divers (http://www.thenorthcoastdivers.org).

Sometime needs to replicate the North Coast divers organization model for MoCal. I nominate RikRaeder.

[ZKY]

Says the vintage cult diver ;)
Vintage is just one of the things I'm into.
I have the flexibility and an open enough mind that I can dive many different styles and configurations.

[dannobee]

...you don't want to be outdone by a girl do you?



I assure you, Peter, Adelman's wife can outdo you. And no, I'm not joking.

[Peter_C]

I assure you, Peter, Adelman's wife can outdo you. And no, I'm not joking.
Great! It is not hard to out do my welding and fabrication skills. I just look at a Trophy Truck and my jaw drops...sexy!