47 replies to this topic

[Walter]

Good boy, Don! Thanks for starting a great discussion!

[WreckWench]

As those who've been on SD trips can attest...our goal is to create an environment where the focus is getting to know each other...having lots of 'meets and greets' as we call them...and providing activities and social structure for which divers can choose to participate in or not. Of course we also like to have some flexibility as well to adapt to the local culture or environment once we are there too. For example on the trip we just took last week....the second to last day we did an optional shark dive...about 11 from our group and an adopted Arizona member dove with some really cool Carribean sharks...got the video to prove it! The rest of our members either dove or did other things around the resort. On the last day we finished diving early afternoon and made plans to go and watch the sunset in the West End. Our departure time was 4pm but one of our members had been having an ear problem and the doctor had just arrived to see him. The group wanted to wait for him as he really wanted to go into town. Our departure slipped to about 4:45 and as a result we missed seeing the sun fully set on the beach as we had planned. Was any one disappointed...sure...was any one really upset? No! Upon asking people they all said it was far better to hang as a group then sweat the time table. We walked around...found an awesome place for dinner and most of the group wanted to do some shopping as well as check out a few dancing spots. About 4 folks wanted to go home however they compromised to allow us to see if anything was happening in the West End or would we hit the night club closer to the resort. Once again...the benefit of the group exceeded the needs of the individuals. After discovering that the West End was too quiet for our needs and obtaining a few trinkets...we headed to the other club on the island. Upon reaching the club we sent the folks home who wanted a quiet evening and/or were not up for dancing. The rest of us stayed for as long as we wanted. The driver was ours for the night and took groups of us home for the rest of the evening and early am as the case was for some of us.

So our objective is to provide activities for everyone to participate in if they desire but to also allow people to spend their vacation as they desire. Either way the goal is to provide lots of opportunities to have a great time...or alone time...depending on what you want!

Like Walter said...come join us! -ww

[CaptSaaz]

Walter and triggerfish... I agree with your sentiments completely. Everyone needs some space or downtime. Diving 2 or 3 times a day for 5 days will wear anyone down. And sometimes we need to go off alone, or the couple does for personal time, absolutely. I meant the extreme case where a couple comes for the trip and you only see them on the dive boat.


I like what you wrote WW. The idea is have fun together and flexibility also. I run car meet and drives in the local BMW Car Club and it's more important to me that we keep together as a group, even when someone has a breakdown or flat. We wait together until the problem is resolved and then we move on. So we're a little late for lunch... no big deal. A resturant with a reservation for 12 will hold the tables.

And thank you Don for a great question and a lively discussion.