San Diego DIR Dive-in Weekend; March 6-7

[rogerbly]

We are having a “DIR dive-in” the weekend of March 6-7 in San Diego. The goal is to have a social get together with out-of-town DIR divers and to share some of our favorite local dives. This is not sponsored by any organization and we expect a mix of GUE and UTD divers. Hope you can join us.

The plan is for the following dives, but we might tweak things depending on interest. Boat dives will be on the Lois Ann. You don't need to signup for all the dives. You can sign up for just the boats you’re interested in. If we have enough interest there may be other rec and tech boats.

Tentative Schedule

Friday PM 1 tank La Jolla Shores (Recreational)
Friday PM Group Dinner
Saturday AM 2 tank Scripps and Yukon wreck (Tech + Recreational) $70
Saturday PM 2 tank Ruby E wreck (or Yukon again) and Point Loma Kelp $70 (Recreational)
Saturday PM Group Dinner
Sunday AM 2 tank Murray Head, Buoy B deep walls (Tech only) $85
Sunday AM La Jolla Cove rec shore dive
Sunday PM boat TBD if there is enough interest

Cost and Payment

$70 + crew tip for each 2-tank recreational or rec+tech combo trip
$85 + crew tip for each technical trip

Spots are reserved once payment is received. Please PM Christopher Hirsch (Rainer) for payment information. He is collecting the money via PayPal. Please let Chris know which dives you plan to join and whether you are diving singles or doubles.

Gas & Gear

HP (3500 psi) Nitrox 32% is available onboard. We will hopefully negotiate lower rates, but the standard Lois Ann Nitrox prices are: $8, $12, $14 for 80cf, 100cf, 130cf

Nitrox is also available at dive shops for about $10 per fill. Trimix is available from IB Divers and private parties. We can help with some single and double tanks, deco bottles and fills for people flying in.

Certification Requirements

Recreational dives -- require successful completion of a GUE Fundamentals or UTD Essentials course, a minimum of 30 dives logged, and longhose/necklace.

Technical dives -- require a certification of GUE Tech1 or UTD Tech2. All tech dive sites will allow a good dive in the 150-160’ max depth range. Some sites will also allow deeper dives (150-250') for qualified divers.

Open circuit only, no hunting, no artifact collecting, no solo diving.

[Rainer]

The first boat (Saturday AM) is almost full. If needed, we'll look into adding a second boat, or people can jump on an open boat or do a little shore diving that morning.

This is going to be a great weekend of diving. We'd love for you to come down to join. We can help with arrangements, so please let us know.

Also, all of the local GUE and UTD instructors have been invited as well. Hopefully we'll see some great agency support for this SoCal community event.

[ligersandtions]

I'm in! Thanks for setting this up, guys

[mikemill]

Doh, can't make that one. You guys mind scheduling something in the Mayish time frame?

[LCF]

May would be wonderful. I could come down in May.

[shawnb]

Shucks, I won't be abe to make the boat trips (all my money till summer goes to the new drysuit and Rec2 in March) but I can definately come down for the La Jolla shore dives.

[Rainer]

LOL, I'm sure we'll have *something* local in May, but right now our focus is squarely on March!

[blackwood]

This is going to be fun. Crossing my fingers for good viz!

[ligersandtions]

This is going to be fun. Crossing my fingers for good viz!

Meh, get over it....you've been spoiled by Cozumel

[shawnb]

Certification Requirements

Recreational dives -- require successful completion of a GUE Fundamentals or UTD Essentials course, a minimum of 30 dives logged, and longhose/necklace.

Is someone going to be checking certs before taking on a diver to the team? I know a DIR diver but he's not carrying a c-card to prove it. I've dove with him on other DIR dive events and sometimes we meet up and dive.

[Rainer]

Is someone going to be checking certs before taking on a diver to the team? I know a DIR diver but he's not carrying a c-card to prove it. I've dove with him on other DIR dive events and sometimes we meet up and dive.

We're asking that those coming for these charters have taken at least either GUE-F or UTD-E. For this type of event (with people flying in from out of state and buddying up with new to them divers), we'd like everyone to have had some formal training so as to be on the same page. If this also serves to get some people interseted in actually taking a DIR class, that's also a positive.

Roger and I are both very commited to introducing local SoCal divers to DIR, and we have plans to continue to also organize DIR events with no such certification requirements. It's just too much hassle to try doing everything in one event.

[liuk3]

Such a great idea. Really looking forward to this. Gonna take my wife down for a nice weekend in San Diego. Dive in the morning and meet up with the wife in the afternoon and evening. All is good in the household.

[blackwood]

Meh, get over it....you've been spoiled by Cozumel

I hope I remember to bring my drysuit rather than my 3mm shortie...

[Rainer]

It'll be a lot more entertaining (to the rest of us) if you bring the shortie...

[blackwood]

When I thumb the dive after 2 minutes it won't be :P