285 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

IMPORTANT UPDATE 100 CF TANKS:

The list now looks like this but we reserve the right to assign a larger tank to one of the peeps on the waiting list who may need it more than those on the request list.

for understanding that we are trying to maximize the diving experience for everyone.


1. Lee aka leesea
2. Ray aka ramon1969
3. Kim aka fingrabber
4. Clint aka Scubaclint
5. AnnaMarie aka SharkMaiden
6. Valerie aka Valmuse

WAITING LIST:

1. Mark aka Scubamark (Bigger guy needs larger tank...willing to share/trade)

[ScubaPunk]

Payment Update:
1) Susie aka pacina ww received your payment of $1875 for the trip, $150 for Nitrox, and $60.75 cc fee!

[ScubaMark]

Looking forward to the trip, Big Time.

Since I haven't dove with this group before, can I ask about any preferred etiquette.
Do we just find a Buddy? Does the delightful WW perform hostess duties and arrange.
I'm assuming someone wise is sorting out the berthing arrangements.
I'm good with anything. Just curious what to expect?

Besides school supplies, is there any other non-scuba stuff to bring?

[scubaclint]

Kamala will let us know when we get there on roommates and dive buddies. (They won't necessarily be the same). It will be taken from the surveys we all have filled out concerning our preferences and matched from there.

Also, they are not set in stone. For example, she may see that my dive buddy and I aren't exactly matching diving styles and offer suggestions for people to switch around. Same goes with roommates.

I have never had any problems personally, but I have seen such adjustments handled quickly and discretely. One of the reasons I like diving with the group... WW is always looking out for us to make sure we have the best time possible.

Clint

[WreckWench]

Looking forward to the trip, Big Time.

Since I haven't dove with this group before, can I ask about any preferred etiquette.
1. Do we just find a Buddy? Or Does the delightful WW perform hostess duties and arrange?

2. I'm assuming someone wise is sorting out the berthing arrangements.
I'm good with anything. Just curious what to expect?

3. Besides school supplies, is there any other non-scuba stuff to bring?

Great questions Mark! And you have pretty much guessed pretty correctly.

1. We review all the diving info you have given us as well as personal experience that we have with repeat members and then we help you find a buddy. EVERY buddy suggestion is just that... A SUGGESTION!!! You are always free to choose your own buddy or change. Typically if you wish to change either because your definition of diving slow is different from someone else's definition then you just let me know and I will help again. (Probably someone else is also needing to switch so its rarely an issue or a problem.) And all buddy suggestions are tentative until we see how they work out in the water. And sometimes I'll see some buddy team changes that I think will work better so I will suggest those as well after the first dive.

I don't usually make these suggestions until the evening of the first night and the morning of the first dives. But I promise I won't forget anyone!

2. Well I'm not sure you can classify me as 'wise' but typically I do the rooming with A LOT OF HELP FROM OUR TC's. Again since I have the inside advantage of knowing many of you or having talked to you, I have a better feel sometimes that extends past the questions we ask. However our awesome trip coordinators do the lionshare of the work for me organizing your surveys, posting them into a spreadsheet for ease of comparison and then doing the initial matching. I used to make a lot of changes but now I mostly sanity check as the gals have really dialed in the art of great SD rooming choices!

And just like the diving suggestions the rooming suggestions are also NOT SET IN STONE. We ask that you give us at least a day to try to accommodate rooming changes. This is for several reasons. First a practical one being we need time to approach other people about making a change. Second usually some or all of the problems you may be having with a roomie go away after the first day. People are overly tired, stressed and usually not theirselves when you first meet. So a good night's sleep does wonders to getting people back on track to their normal patterns and habits. Having said that if you are STILL a mismatch quietly tell me you need to make a change and we'll arrange it.

The obvious question is why would anyone change rooms after the first day? They are unpacked...settled in and probably like the roomie they have. The answer is because THE NEXT TIME IT COULD BE THEM that needs someone to help out. So most everyone will usually accommodate a rooming change cuz its the way we do things at SD. And who knows...maybe they will get a better bed option or better room location in the process!

And speaking of bed assignments and rooming assignments, SD assigns the room based upon a number of factors including bed configurations, when you signed up for a trip, the physical condition of our members (where we know of course) etc. However the beds are decided by the members. Why? We do not know every person that travels with us and truthfully we are glad about that. And as such we leave bed choices to the two people who have the vested interest in them...the two roomies. They can usually work it out themselves but should anyone want a 3rd party coin tosser...just let me know and I'll be there to help out!

3. Other than your personal items and some school supplies if you are so inclined...just bring a few warm things to wear between dives to get your core temp back.


I hope this helps! kamala

[ScubaPunk]

Payment Update:

1) Melissa aka yachtagirl ww has received your payment of $1875 for trip & $150 for RAB !

[leesea]

Other than your personal items and some school supplies if you are so inclined...just bring a few warm things to wear between dives to get your core temp back.
I hope this helps! kamala
leesea asks?
define "Warm things"? I am guessing I need some long sleeve shirts and of course will be carrying my light jacket having just come down from the cold north. Not planning on bringing my winter scuba parka you know - LOL.

[scubaclint]

If you haven't already you might want to call your bank if you plan to use a credit card while on your trip. On my last dive trip, buying a sandwich on the plane locked my card for the entire trip. Made things interesting.

BTW... I was starving and the sandwich tasted really good. Almost made up for the trouble.

Clint

[Parrotman]

FYI about banking while your down there. ATMS are not easy to find. When you do find them plan on getting your money in Eastern Caribbean currency. Also keep in mind that nowhere in the Carib takes Eastern Carib currency but the islands that you will be visiting while there. Not even St Maarten takes it. I learned the har dway. I was running a bit short on cash when we got to St Kitts so I found an ATM and got some money to pay my departure tax at the airport. I had a layover in St Maarten on the way home so I figured I could use up anything left over. Not! Also, the closest ATM to the dock at St Kitts is in a somewhat dubious part of town for a tourist to obviously be getting cash out of a machine. Just keep that in mind.

p.s Watch the taxi driver on St Kitts. He will take you for a ride......

Jim

[WreckWench]

Thanks Jim! Always GREAT ADVICE!!!

[uwfan]

I hope somebody takes some pictures and posts them.... have a blast everyone!!

[lynnlchan]

Hopefully the trip was much better than your inauspicious beginning! How was it? Spill, spill, spill.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

We LOVE seeing the pics! But, if possible, can you re-size them down a bit so they fit on the screen without having to use the slide bar to see the whole picture? Kind of loses impact when they're too big to see all at once.

So glad the diving was awesome for you guys!

[WreckWench]

Once again Kamala's experience and foresight is transforming disaster into triumph. I echo what Jim aka Parrotman said; it reflects the sentiments of so many who have had their dive investment (and often their once-in-a-lifetime dive adventure) rescued just as Kamala is doing now. Bravo!

Good luck cleariing the remaining hurdles gang! Wish I was along, but then there's always next year...

Thank you Brad! I sure would not want to be the one left behind so we do what we got to do! In the end...its all good! Kamala