Dive Stop Meetup Report 3-14

[b1gcountry]

The first New Melle meetup went well. We had five divers there on Saturday (to take advantage of the daylight, and because Kathy worked on Friday.) Dave (Fleep) showed up and met Kathy and I there around 11am. Two other divers from Peoria also were there, as well as Dave Cruz, and a friend of his.

We did two dives, and I tried out my new Otter Bay 12mm hood. I kept surprisingly warm in my 150g fleece undergarment during a 40 min dive in 42* water. Packman wasn't as lucky, as he was wearing his fingerless wetgloves. He decided to sit out the second dive while Kathy and I got back in.

Kathy was trying out her new doubles for the first time. Other than being slightly underweighted, she really liked them. The vis was pretty good with around 20-25' at all depths. We managed to see a lot of stuff that I've never noticed before. Headed to Los Cabos for lunch/dinner, and then went home.


http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/500/New_Melle_Mar_2009_1_small.jpg
Picture by Dave Packman

[skdvr]

Sounds like a good time to me....

Phil

[theskull]

. . . We did two dives, and I tried out my new Otter Bay 12mm hood. . .

12mm?!! OMG! That sounds warm! Can you turn your head while wearing it?

That's a nice looking set of doubles there. Nice and shiny.

Hope to meet you all at the May 9 Dive Stop outing, if not before then at Mermet or Table Rock.

theskull

[b1gcountry]

Looking forward to meeting you too. Dave mentioned that if enough of us come out on Fridays, he'll stroke up a bonfire and we can all sit around and drink beer afterward.

Yeah, Kathy always winds up getting the nice and shiney new stuff, while I get left with the crusty heavy stuff. Her wing even color coordinates with her drysuit.

The hood has a lot more mobility than I thought it would. The only part that is 12mm is around the skull. The face seal, and the neck is all 3mm or so. It really isn't any more constrictive than a 7mm, and it's custom too, so fits a lot better than my DUI hood.
Tom

[DeepDiverBob]

The only part that is 12mm is around the skull. The face seal, and the neck is all 3mm or so. It

12mm around theskull would be a full body suit for him...:D

[b1gcountry]

very nice!

[theskull]

12mm around theskull would be a full body suit for him...:D

LOL!

Hey, are those Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars Kathy is wearing for rock boots? If so, I heartily approve. theskull does not wear 12 mm wetsuits, or even 7 mm, but he does wear All Stars with his dry suit most of the time.

theskull

[scububa]

Anything planned this Fri/Sat? 20/21

[skdvr]

We are going out to The Dive Stop on Sun... Want to come on out?

Phil

[scububa]

We are going out to The Dive Stop on Sun... Want to come on out?

Phil

I got to hop on a plane on Sun. But, I could get over by 4:00 tomorrow and Sat is WIDE open for me.

[skdvr]

I have a client coming in to Edit on Sat so I am out for Sat... I wish I could tomorrow but I need to get home to help with the babies...

Are you going anywhere fun, or just for work???

Phil

[DeepDiverBob]

We are going out to The Dive Stop on Sun... Want to come on out?

Phil

What time on Sunday? I might be interested in that.

[skdvr]

We have not discussed a time yet so I guess here is as good a place as any... I prefer to get out there in the morning when the open which is 9am, but I am open to just about anything....

Phil

[b1gcountry]

I was planning around 9am, but if you come at 11am we'll be ready for #2.

Tom

PS, yes, they are Chuck Taylors. That's the way she likes it.

[theskull]

I was planning around 9am, but if you come at 11am we'll be ready for #2.

Tom

PS, yes, they are Chuck Taylors. That's the way she likes it.

Chucks rule!

Might be able to fit a couple Sunday AM dives into our calendar. Will have to check and report back.

theskull

[b1gcountry]

Come one, Come all.

[MgicTwnger]

I might be able to make it Sunday also.

[DeepDiverBob]

I might be able to make it Sunday also.

Really? Its a long drive for you, and I seriously doubt you will find it worth the trip. But if you make it, you make it. I'm 80% sure I will be there.

[MgicTwnger]

Really? Its a long drive for you, and I seriously doubt you will find it worth the trip. But if you make it, you make it. I'm 80% sure I will be there.

Anywhere is a long drive for me!

[skdvr]

Not that far really... You are about 45 min or so from me and The Dive Stop is 40 min from me.

The company should make it a good time...

Phil

[DeepDiverBob]

Ken is in Springfield Illinois. Dave is a nice guy, but in my opinion, the DiveStop is not worth it to drive from Springfield.

However, I am NOT in Springfield, so I am up to 90% sure I will be there at 9 AM tomorrow morning.

[skdvr]

Sorry, I do not know why I thought Springfield was so much closer but you are right that is a bit of a drive. Maybe he just wants to come and see you Bob... It is not anything spectacular but it is more about who you aer diving with for most of the local diving around here. I dove at Lake of the Ozarks last weekend. NASTY place to dive, but I had fun. We just did one dive, we could not see more than 6 inches but still came up smiling...

Phil

[MgicTwnger]

Sorry guys, something came up, can't make it .

[DeepDiverBob]

Toughest decision is to dive wet or dry. Its almost to warm out to dive dry, but then again, the water temp is still cold top to bottom. Maybe I'll bring both and see how it plays out.

[skdvr]

I will be diving dry....

I am a cold water wussie after moving over to a drysuit...

Phil

[theskull]

Schedule didn't work out for me to make it.

You're not a wussie, Phil; Bob has an inhuman tolerance for cold!

Hope to see some of you next weekend at Mermet.

theskull

[b1gcountry]

Wow, I was amazed at how many folks were there this weekend. It looks like Dave is having a good start to the season. Bob, Phil, Bill, and myself showed up at 9am or so.

Another group rolled in a little bit after that, and then a couple that were diving wet.

Vis was down a little from last week. The temps was pretty much the same. Big thanks to Bog Bob for the nice dive. I finally made it down to the 'deep' hole. We also saw one of the largest crayfish I've ever seen. Then I saw another one almost as big on my second dive. The Dogs entertained us after the diving. My youngest Great Dane saw something in the water that she was just determined to catch.

Tom

[skdvr]

I too had a good time out there...

It was nice to get back in the water...

Phil