517 replies to this topic

[scubafanatic]

Hi kamala,

...........my fingers are still crossed for our trip..........but I have a favor to ask.......can you call the boat @ noon on Friday and post the ' Go / No-Go ' decision here on this thread.........per my experience it's very difficult to get the boat on the phone per to find out if we're actually going.

Thanks!

Karl

[WreckWench]

Hi kamala,

...........my fingers are still crossed for our trip..........but I have a favor to ask.......can you call the boat @ noon on Friday and post the ' Go / No-Go ' decision here on this thread.........per my experience it's very difficult to get the boat on the phone per to find out if we're actually going.

Thanks!

Karl

Roger that! I will certainly do it for the Dallas people and/or local drive in people.

[MNJoe]

My bags are packed, I'm getting ready for my last day of work this week. I don't want to start too much as I won't be back until Wednesday to finish. The only thing left to do now is figure out some way to make a hurricane change directions. Anybody have any ideas?

Keith

[drdiver]

Anybody have any ideas?

Well, I'm praying for you guys, but the latest forecast doesn't look too good.

Latest Forecast

[drdiver]

bigscream.gif Dr. Diver, now that you have officially become a hurricane, we promise to send Mandrake back with the loot. No need to get mad and bring all that rain and wind down on us. Or just go EAST praying.gif praying.gif praying.gif

I was thinking west when I was farther south and just a humble Tropical Storm. Course now Eye am a HURRICANE and I am thinking EAST, EAST, EAST!!!

"Make it a hurricane before I go insane.
It's 5 o'clock somewhere!!!"

[ScubaPunk]

According to DrDiver's latest forecast, it looks to me like the hurricane is heading east of the Flower Gardens; I think this trip is going to happen.

There are a few things to do around here, if you can't dive. Galveston is just down the road, you can visit Moody Gardens, The Strand, The Belanise Room, The Beach (weather permitting). The Kemah Boardwalk is a few minutes from my house, they have live bands on the weekend playing outside for free, lots of shops, resturants, bars, etc. Nasa is a couple blocks away, if you want to go on their tour. Of course there's always Houston, if you want to drive up that far, or you can come and hang out at my house.

My house will be open to avoid hotel expenses. I can't guarantee there will be enough beds for everyone, maybe an air mattress or the couch or a sleeping bad on the floor.

Again, I don't think any of this will be necessary because I think the trip is going to happen.

[drdiver]

You might be right, Sandy. Accu-weather gives projected landfall at the Alabama-Florida border. It just depends how strong Eye get before then and how high the seas get. Right now, they're just 3 feet in the Flower Gardens and the barometer is rising.

[dustbowl diver]

My house will be open to avoid hotel expenses. I can't guarantee there will be enough beds for everyone, maybe an air mattress or the couch or a sleeping bad on the floor.

SP,

Dibs on the condo that can be set up in your backyard!!!!!!

I hope that you are correct cause it's pouring here in the metro plex at thi instant!!!!!!

DBD

[Stingray1]

On the other hand, perhaps we need to start thinking about Plan B or even Plan C.
In the past, the boat won't decide until Noon tomorrow if the trip is a go or not. By that time, it will be too late for our travelers already enroute. We do need to collect cellular phone numbers from everyone to call about the boat decision. The boat will refund our trip money but we will be out of the airline ticket.

For those of us not wanting to fly stand-by to go back, Sandy and I will volunteer for other form of activities. If we're not diving, we can drink more. I'm sure between all of us, we could come up with plan B, C, D, etc.


I'm turning all the light bulbs in my house on right now to help me think. Please feel free to add your input.

Que [/color]

I'm not going on the trip, but will be available for Plan B and helping out with divers that have traveled to Houston. I've got a couple of extra beds and an extra car and live on the Northwest side of town convenient to Intercontinental.
I hope you don't need it, but my cell phone # is (281) 389-8350.

[bluedolphin]

At this point it is a waiting game I guess. Currently Mandi and I have a room on Monday night near the airport, but that can always be changed if the trip gets hurricained out....

So, am sure most of us flying in would need to make arrangements for Friday, Sat and Sun night at the very least.

BlueD

[Kawika]

I'm not going on the trip either...but I can open my home to weary travelers as well. I have a pull out sofa bed that can sleep two...a couch downstairs for one...and an extra bedroom with a Queen Air Mattress in it. I live out in Sugar Land (southwest Houston). Let me know if anyone needs a room as well.

Thanks...

Kawika

[zendiver]

See, now this is what I am talking about....SD'ers coming to the rescue of people they have NEVER met and opening up their homes. Where else can you find this much love and hospitality....RIGHT, YOU CAN'T and never will.

MUCH to all of you.

-ZD

[WreckWench]

Several members have expressed some concern about the boat not making the call until the 'last minute' aka in time to avoid flights etc.

However the weather is VERY variable 110 miles offshore and it changes RAPIDLY. Right now the seas and conditions look good for the first couple of days...1-3 ft seas. It is building for the back end of the trip. If that holds we may just cut the trip short a day and partee with Sandy and our other great Houston SDer's!

The thing to keep in mind is that this NORMAL!!! This happens all the time diving this venue which is part of the reason it is so pristine and such a rush to dive. If everyone could do it...or it were easy...it just wouldn't be so awesome.

HOWEVER statistically July and Aug are the best months and we snagged a great weekend! Sometimes storms come up and bite us in the butt...but statistically this weekend is not blown out and I'm counting on the odds on this one to make it!

So...the trip will be called at the last possible moment cuz to call it early only to find out that the weekend was perfect would be even worse!

-ww

[intotheblue]

The forecast doesn't look that bad until late Saturday. I know it's hard to understand, but if the forecast improves a little bit, the storm swings east a bit... it could be good and they hate to miss a trip out if the weather is good. The hard part is for the folks traveling in from out of town. The diving is so good there, you hate to blow it off until you KNOW it is "blown out". I've been watching storms in the gulf since I worked out there, and I've seen conditions be sometimes different than what they have to forecast. It should be much more apparent tonight or early tomorrow after Dennis gets worn down crossing into the Gulf... if it hasn't already. All it takes is for a "high pressure" system to move a bit... some steering currents to change... and it could be a much better forecast. (or, I guess, worse ).

I'm sure Kamala is on top of this knowing how important everyone's safety as well as enjoyment is.

ITB...