NSSCDS Fall Dive In [Archive] - Cave Diver's Forum

Beth M

11-02-2006, 09:59 AM

I wanted to make sure folks know about the first annual NSSCDS Fall Dive In coming up over the Thanksgiving weekend at Hart Springs. This event was created to give cave divers and their families a fun weekend of camping at this beautiful spring and help support Gilchrist County, the home of many of our best dive sites. The event offers primitive camping (or you can stay at one of the many hotels in High Springs or Alachua); a pancake breakfast provided by a local volunteer fire department; a full day of activities on Saturday including cave olympics, guided dives at Black Lagoon, a guided canoe/kayak tour of the springs of the Santa Fe River, technical clinics (sidemount, rebreather, underwater photography, and more!); a film festival on Saturday night and all the local cave diving you can stand on Sunday! We hope cave divers of all levels of experience will come out and meet some of the most seasoned cave divers in the community who will be there to help with the clinics, lead dives and auction off personal tours and classes! More information and a registration form can be found at the NSSCDS website at nsscds.org.

curtschu

11-02-2006, 11:01 AM

I noticed that the registrant is required to be a NSS-CDS member. I was a little concerned by this as I know of at least one person that was planning to attend that is not a current member. Why is this a requirement?Wouldn't it be better to be inclusive and try to encourage folks to join at the the event?

Jerry

11-02-2006, 11:18 AM

It is an NSS-CDS sponsored event.

Jerry

curtschu

11-02-2006, 01:32 PM

Jerry

11-02-2006, 02:01 PM

So, there is a entry fee, a large one at that! If it was a free event for members of the NSS-CDS then I could understand. Please tell me how the NSS-CDS is sponsoring this event. It seems to me they are Hosting it.

T-shirt, two nights camping, a meal, etc; that fee doesn't seem that large. TAG was over $50 for much less. Sponsoring--hosting; I won't waste my time arguing semantics with you. It is an NSS-CDS event and as such the board looks out for members first.

Jerry

curtschu

11-02-2006, 02:55 PM

I'm not arguing anything with you I was just pointing out the fact that most events are not Restricted and non-members are invited to attend, sometimes at a higher rate. It just seems strange. As far as TAG goes I have never attended. Is this event restricted to NSS members only?
I know of one active cave diver that was planning to attend this event with his family that apperently can not unless he joins the NSS-CDS.
which I don't believe he's ready to do yet.

Kelly Jessop

11-02-2006, 04:57 PM

An attendee doesn't have to be a CDS member,they can be a guest,but at least one person must be a CDS member.

This is something very new and unique to the cave diving community,that has never been seen before here. The fee is quite reasonable for what it includes,but most importantly for a frugal consumer one will see it provides a lot of value.

Tegg

11-02-2006, 06:30 PM

If one does not want to pay the fee, one does not have to go.

Sounds pretty simple to me.

DeWayne

11-02-2006, 07:37 PM

The TAG Fall Cave-in has allowed non-NSS cavers to attend as guests in the past, but they had to register as the guest of a NSS member and you could not have more non-members than members in your party. If I am not mistaken they changed this as of last year and now require everyone attending to be NSS members (it seems like I noticed this on this past year's registration form but I will not sear by it.)

curtschu

11-02-2006, 07:46 PM

Kelly Jessop

11-02-2006, 08:45 PM

The fee is not unreasonable true. But the Nss-cds membership requirement is kinda cheesy. So if therers that are going that might be some members willing to sponsor a non-member maybe we can start a new thread.

By that late in November the real good NCAA football games are over while waiting for the bowls,and I am not a fan of T-giving leftovers. I think some great cave diving,and a social would help me over those black Friday shopping blues. :wink:

Rich

11-02-2006, 09:06 PM

The fee is not unreasonable true. But the Nss-cds membership requirement is kinda cheesy. So if therers that are going that might be some members willing to sponsor a non-member maybe we can start a new thread.

Cheezy!! The CDS throws a party and people complain because you have to be a member in order to attend? Next it'll be..."Aww jeez, do I have to be a member to dive Cow? That's not fair...." It's $35 to join the CDS and $30 to join the NACD, a mere pittance when you think about all the money someone invests into cave diving.

SUPPORT THE CAVE AGENCIES!! Where do you think all the gold line comes from, the volunteers who reline the caves, the safety officers who repair the lines, the stop signs, the grim reaper signs, the maintenance of the web sites, the conservation efforts, the updating of standards, the printing of training materials, the purchase and conservation of caves etc

I can understand people not wanting to join for whatever reason, but if that's the case don't complain about not being able to go to the party!

Safe diving,

Rich

Kelly Jessop

11-02-2006, 09:21 PM

Rich

11-02-2006, 09:28 PM

Thanks for the comment Rich...hope we see you and your family there.
PS I think I saw the little Courtney eyeing that SS in the vendor area last weekend. Looks like she skipped the Play station phase and went straight for the big boy toys.

I'd love to be there, Kelly but I have to work the shop.....

I might have to show this post to Cheryl, I can just see it now.....Honestly, honey, the new SS is for Kaley, she'll grow into it.... :-D

Safe diving,

Rich

Line Squirrel

11-03-2006, 07:18 AM

The fee is not unreasonable true. But the Nss-cds membership requirement is kinda cheesy. So if therers that are going that might be some members willing to sponsor a non-member maybe we can start a new thread.

Hmmm...for the price of a (cheap) 1/2 day charter you can join the NSS/CDS and dive Cow and Cathedral 24x7 365 days a year. I think that's pretty damn good deal, plus the UWS publication!? Cheezy???? Come on.

curtschu

11-03-2006, 08:44 AM

You have got it totaly wrong!!!!!!!!!!@!!!!!!!!@!~~!!!~!~!~! It's not the money or the cost of joining. You are right Rich it is cheap thing to join the NSS-CDS I just think it is a missed opportunity to bring folks into the group by making it an exclusive event!!! This could be a membership drive also. But you folks want to bash me go ahead.

Curt

11-03-2006, 12:42 PM

On the other hand, when my membership expired, I kept forgetting to renew. I was thinking along the lines of, "I'll renew when it's convenient" or "I'll renew before I go to Cow."

This has prodded me to renew.

Russell

Beth M

11-04-2006, 06:50 AM

Hey guys,

I wanted to clarify on the "members only" thing. There were two primary reasons to make this a members only event. Hart can only accomodate 200 campers in the primitive camping area so we wanted to make sure that members were able to attend, should the turnout be high. The secondary reason was that we fashioned this after TAG and that has been the NSS protocol for years. It was certainly not meant to be exclusionary and if anyone needs a sponsor, I would be delighted to fill that role! Please contact me directly at bethrom@windstream.net and I'll help get you registered. No worries:)

Beth

11-07-2006, 04:55 PM

Beth M

11-07-2006, 05:09 PM

I'll be happy to sponsor any non-members wanting to attend. Please feel free to contact me at bethrom@windstream.net.

Also, I wanted to update everyone on the folks who have agreed to do clinics on Saturday. We have Mike Poucher doing a survey and cartography clinic, Lamar Hires doing a sidemount clinic, Curt Bowen doing a rebreather clinic, Jill Heinerth doing an underwater photography clinic, Woody Jasper is providing the porta potties and will be sure to stick around for a good party, Jerry Murphy and other Hart guides will be available to guide you into that amazing system and we are still hoping Wes Skiles will be there Saturday night to show some awesome footage of Hart he shot in high definition and cut into a great short piece! Noted naturalist Lars Anderson is on tap to lead a guided paddle on the Santa Fe for those wanting to find all the springs along the river - as clear as it is, you'll be able to see the ones on the bottom as well as along the sides! Register as soon as possible so we can make sure to have enough food and beer! Registration forms downloadable at http://www.nsscds.org

Beth Murphy

curtschu

11-08-2006, 02:32 PM

Is this inwater? also I did not see it on the registration sheet is this a free clinic? Yes I'm now thinking of going so get a crow pie ready please :-D

11-08-2006, 02:45 PM

Is this inwater?

What, you mean the guided paddle? :D

curtschu

11-08-2006, 03:26 PM

Beth's last post said Lamar Hires was doing a sidemount clinic. Since I just purchased a Normad I wanted to spend time with the master.

Curt

Beth M

11-08-2006, 06:36 PM

Yep, this is a free clinic - no crow on the menu! Just come and enjoy!! Lamar is down at DEMA so I can't confirm for a day or two but I am almost positive it is in water. I'll let you know as soon as I can reach him.

Beth

curtschu

11-16-2006, 11:11 AM

Has there been confirmation from Lamar that the sidemount clinic is still a go? Also is the a way to confirm my registration I check to see if the check had cleared and it had not?

Kelly Jessop

11-16-2006, 01:12 PM

Has there been confirmation from Lamar that the sidemount clinic is still a go? Also is the a way to confirm my registration I check to see if the check had cleared and it had not?

The Sidemount clinic is on the schedule. E-mail was sent to all participants confirming things. Anything else specific may be better handled via e-mails versus on a public forum
Thanks