Dive Wakulla

[wingman]

Suppose that you could do a guided cave dive into Wakulla Spring through the "Grand Canyon" and to the junction of Tunnel B...about a 1,100 penetration and a 270 foot max depth. Further, the dive requires that you purchase a "license" in addition to meeting appropriate qualifications.

Would you be willing to pay $300 for the license required to do the dive?

[Slüdge]

Would this be a one-use license, of would it be good for a specified period, such as a year?

[SuPrBuGmAn]

How about just dive the system from outside the spring itself?... For way cheaper.

No, I wouldn't pay $300.

[Benthic]

Not just no, but hell no!

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to dive Wakulla. But there's no way I'd pay $300 to do it, especially since it's owned by the State. And I flatly refuse to dive any cave that requires me to be 'guided.' Don't even get me started on that topic...:smt013

Brian

[Tegg]

Why pay to dive a site that tax money pay for? :smt102

I have a state park pass... that's all that should be needed...

[wingman]

Would this be a one-use license, of would it be good for a specified period, such as a year?

one use license...

[wingman]

Not just no, but hell no!

Don't get me wrong, I'd love to dive Wakulla. But there's no way I'd pay $300 to do it, especially since it's owned by the State. And I flatly refuse to dive any cave that requires me to be 'guided.' Don't even get me started on that topic...:smt013

Brian

Just measuring the value you place on love :) Bill

[aainslie]

Just measuring the value you place on love :) Bill

Good one!

Will they be charging the GUE guys $300 per dive?

That's rhetorical... but since I went there, I'll tell you what - I'll pay $300 if they also charge the GUE guys. Hell, I'd pay it and not do the dive! :)

[cwick]

I say we mass about 300 divers at the gate and storm the place, I believe that we could take em.

[Rich]

Nevermind....

[marinediver]

If this is a real idea that is being considered by the state then they can :blackbar2

[Cantey]

If this is a real idea that is being considered by the state then they can :blackbar2

I'll second that.

[amphipod06]

$300 for a ONE use license???

Darn!! What the heck does that include??

Better include use of rebreather, sorb and bailout tanks with appropriate mixes...

Who dreamed this idea up???

NO WAY!!

Dive safe,

Celia

[wingman]

If this is a real idea that is being considered by the state then they can :blackbar2

No this is not a "real idea" being considered by the state. Just me trying to get some real info for an economic research project i am doing. Bill

[wingman]

$300 for a ONE use license???

Darn!! What the heck does that include??

Better include use of rebreather, sorb and bailout tanks with appropriate mixes...

Who dreamed this idea up???

NO WAY!!

Dive safe,

Celia

It's just a poll <lol> please answer according to your willingness to pay to do the dive. On several occasions i have paid a boat captain $200 just to drive me out to a wreck off pensacola and i live there. Others have paid well more than that (the average total expenditure is about $500) to do two open water type dives on the Oriskany. Bill

[wingman]

Good one!

Will they be charging the GUE guys $300 per dive?

That's rhetorical... but since I went there, I'll tell you what - I'll pay $300 if they also charge the GUE guys. Hell, I'd pay it and not do the dive! :)

Hey Andrew, you know contingent valuation...actually most of the poor gue slobs in the end pay well more than that for the meager dives they get helping to push the chosen few to the summit. You also know the siege approach to mountaineering i would imagine. Bill

[SuPrBuGmAn]

...You also know the siege approach to mountaineering i would imagine. Bill

I chuckled :) Never heard it put that way.

[Rich]

It's just a poll <lol> please answer according to your willingness to pay to do the dive. On several occasions i have paid a boat captain $200 just to drive me out to a wreck off pensacola and i live there. Others have paid well more than that (the average total expenditure is about $500) to do two open water type dives on the Oriskany. Bill

Bill, the difference would be that the boat captain isn't telling you what dives you can do and how to conduct them. I know that both of us purchase the annual to the systems just up the road from Weekie, and in my mind that's great value for the dollar.

I would consider paying $300 for an annual up at the WKKP stomping grounds, but it would have to be 24/7 unlimited access for me to commit that kind of money.

As a friend of mine said to me "I'm sick of hearing people ***** about diving Wakulla, you can a) get the training through GUE b) sneak it like everybody else c) petition the state to let you dive it"

I haven't dove Wakulla, but there is nothing IMHO that's worth $300 in either system. Maybe we should change the CDS/NACD cave signs to "there's nothing in this cave worth paying for"

Just my thoughts as always..... :)

Safe diving,

Rich

[fixxervi6]

It's just a poll <lol> please answer according to your willingness to pay to do the dive. On several occasions i have paid a boat captain $200 just to drive me out to a wreck off pensacola and i live there. Others have paid well more than that (the average total expenditure is about $500) to do two open water type dives on the Oriskany. Bill

The boat owner has to cover the fuel costs, boat maintainance, and he is trying to make a living or make some scratch.

As others have stated, people pay taxes already.

I would love to dive Wakulla one day, I'd pay $200 for a guided dive but i my eyes that would be for the guide and his/her time, not for a license to dive it.

[wingman]

Bill, the difference would be that the boat captain isn't telling you what dives you can do and how to conduct them. I know that both of us purchase the annual to the systems just up the road from Weekie, and in my mind that's great value for the dollar.

I would consider paying $300 for an annual up at the WKKP stomping grounds, but it would have to be 24/7 unlimited access for me to commit that kind of money.

As a friend of mine said to me "I'm sick of hearing people ***** about diving Wakulla, you can a) get the training through GUE b) sneak it like everybody else c) petition the state to let you dive it"

I haven't dove Wakulla, but there is nothing IMHO that's worth $300 in either system. Maybe we should change the CDS/NACD cave signs to "there's nothing in this cave worth paying for"

Just my thoughts as always..... :)

Safe diving,

Rich

Hey Rich, Thanks...the boat captain does tell most divers what they can and can't do, ie. no decompression etc. Yes there's consumer surplus (what you called value) to be had from the boyscouts (that is we actually pay less then what we were willing to pay) and the wmca for that matter near Wakulla. I know you understand consumer surplus as you are always mentioning it when we talk about actual price vs retail price on cee gear :) I am just doing a research project on diver demand for cave systems and the polls are just giving us an idea about how to specify the questions in the demand study. Bill

[wingman]

The boat owner has to cover the fuel costs, boat maintainance, and he is trying to make a living or make some scratch.

As others have stated, people pay taxes already.

I would love to dive Wakulla one day, I'd pay $200 for a guided dive but i my eyes that would be for the guide and his/her time, not for a license to dive it.

The poll is about demand for the resource and who actually owns the property rights to it does not really matter. Paying taxes does not necessarily establish a right to a public good. As a florida tax payer and a state resource owner i would expect the public sector to cover its expenses with use fees as well...

[Line Squirrel]

My problem with a poll like this is that it plants the seed in the minds of those that have the power to create special "user fees".

I would like to dive Wakulla and Sally Ward someday, my willingness to pay is $10/day or 43.50 (+tax)/year.

[BobK]

My problem with a poll like this is that it plants the seed in the minds of those that have the power to create special "user fees".

I would like to dive Wakulla and Sally Ward someday, my willingness to pay is $10/day or 43.50 (+tax)/year.

I'm willing to pay all the way up to the $86 family rate - per year.

[atedeschi]

Ok so what do I get paying these prices and what they cover?

200 to Big O:
- boat ride there and back
- DM/safety/gear monkey :/
- do my own dive plan
- dive the way I want
- covers fuel, maintainece, & captains time
(side note: i still think this is to much for 1 tec dive. up in the NE we pay 200-250 for two dives at the site and we travel same distances or farther.)

300 at Wakulla:
-guide (assuming thats included in the price) that may be less experience then you or is on OC and you are on RB or other way around
-have to dive how they want/by their plan (hence why i dont usually dive where i need a guide)
- what if you don't wanna go in that far on your first dive and just check out the 1st half, etc?
-cost covers guide, what else?
-taxes go to this since its state owned

[Benthic]

<snip>
I am just doing a research project on diver demand for cave systems and the polls are just giving us an idea about how to specify the questions in the demand study. Bill

Well since this is in the name of research, let me be a bit more clear in my answer. Yes, there is a price that I would be willing to pay to dive Wakulla and/or Sally. I haven't really thought hard about what it is, but off the cuff I'd say well below $100.

However, if you're going to force a 'guide' to dive with me then I wouldn't pay ANY price...even if it was only $1.

Brian

[wingman]

Well since this is in the name of research, let me be a bit more clear in my answer. Yes, there is a price that I would be willing to pay to dive Wakulla and/or Sally. I haven't really thought hard about what it is, but off the cuff I'd say well below $100.

However, if you're going to force a 'guide' to dive with me then I wouldn't pay ANY price...even if it was only $1.

Brian

Thanks...that is exactly what we are after. I'm not sure I understand your strong feeling with regard to a guide but i certainly respect it and will look carefully as to how we word the experience that we will be trying to value. Bill

[wingman]

Ok so what do I get paying these prices and what they cover?

200 to Big O:
- boat ride there and back
- DM/safety/gear monkey :/
- do my own dive plan
- dive the way I want
- covers fuel, maintainece, & captains time
(side note: i still think this is to much for 1 tec dive. up in the NE we pay 200-250 for two dives at the site and we travel same distances or farther.)

300 at Wakulla:
-guide (assuming thats included in the price) that may be less experience then you or is on OC and you are on RB or other way around
-have to dive how they want/by their plan (hence why i dont usually dive where i need a guide)
- what if you don't wanna go in that far on your first dive and just check out the 1st half, etc?
-cost covers guide, what else?
-taxes go to this since its state owned

At the end of the day either way what do you have...an experience that you paid a price for. I am reminded a bit about the mastercard commercial...tickets $x, food $x, ..., an evening with a significant other...priceless. I know a dive is not priceless...just trying to get a feel on what the upperbound is :)

[atedeschi]

yeah but the cost for that experience is way to much and not something I am willing to pay.

[wingman]

yeah but the cost for that experience is way to much and not something I am willing to pay.

Hey that's fine, a willingness to pay differs between people based on their preferences. What i am doing is trying to find the upper bound on the prices that we are placing in the survey. Demand in economics is negatively sloped (an indirect relationship between price and quantity demanded) as price goes up quantity demanded goes down and vice versa. The upper bound, called a choke price, is the price where demand is zero. Looking at the poll i would say it is a bit higher than $300 given nearly 20% will pay that..of course i am not sure that this convenience sample is representative. Bill

[OFG-1]

Bill

How much would you pay to freeze your ass off at 50', then 40', then 30',then 20', then 10' ? Oh, say for about 120 minutes?

How much would you pay for a nude lap dance from Rosanne Barr?

How much would you pay to get your testicles bit off by a badger?

I believe that all three of these are about as un appealing, and at $300.00, overpriced.

[MORGAN]

Bill

How much would you pay to freeze your ass off at 50', then 40', then 30',then 20', then 10' ? Oh, say for about 120 minutes?

How much would you pay for a nude lap dance from Rosanne Barr?

How much would you pay to get your testicles bit off by a badger?

I believe that all three of these are about as un appealing, and at $300.00, overpriced.

No, the second choice is by far the worst! The other two seem almost pleasant by comparison!

Mike

[wingman]

Bill

How much would you pay to freeze your ass off at 50', then 40', then 30',then 20', then 10' ? Oh, say for about 120 minutes?

How much would you pay for a nude lap dance from Rosanne Barr?

How much would you pay to get your testicles bit off by a badger?

I believe that all three of these are about as un appealing, and at $300.00, overpriced.

Except for item 1 which depends on what i did to generate that deco obligation my willingness to pay on item 2 is negative how negative depends. With regard to item 3 count me as unwilling to pay even in the negative realm, i am very attached to them.

[sandy]

Bill

How much would you pay to freeze your ass off at 50', then 40', then 30',then 20', then 10' ? Oh, say for about 120 minutes?

How much would you pay for a nude lap dance from Rosanne Barr?

How much would you pay to get your testicles bit off by a badger?

I believe that all three of these are about as un appealing, and at $300.00, overpriced.

Hey OFG, I was having a good evening until I read your post. And now, very BAD mental images are dancing(no pun intended) in my brain. I would easily pay $300+ for the dive before I was given a nude lap dance by Rosanne Barr. In fact, you could offer to pay me to receive the dance, and I would still pay for the dive. I hope I can get rid of this image before I go to sleep :)

[Bill Rotella]

I would easily pay $300.00 for an opportunity to be able to dive a system whose doors have been closed to me, especially since I am getting older and as the economy continues to sink deeper than the ocean itself.

[Caver95]

I would easily pay $300.00 for an opportunity to be able to dive a system whose doors have been closed to me, especially since I am getting older and as the economy continues to sink deeper than the ocean itself.
At that price I will take you.

[cavediver256]

At that price I will take you.


DEAL !!!! :yawinkle:

[Caver95]

DEAL !!!! :yawinkle:

Ok, but we use your gear, and I am not responsible for any law related actions.

[sskasser]

A friend will bail you out of jail. A true friend is sitting there next to you saying "Dang, that was fun!" :smt081

[cavediver256]

Ok, but we use your gear, and I am not responsible for any law related actions.

I can do that....


A friend will bail you out of jail. A true friend is sitting there next to you saying "Dang, that was fun!" :smt081

So Shirley does that mean you are going along??? :yawinkle:

[cavediver256]

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE ONLY JOKING GUYS, DON'T GET YOUR PANTIES IN A BUNCH !!!! :loudspeaker

[sskasser]

So Shirley does that mean you are going along??? :yawinkle:

Was there ever any doubt?

[Caver95]

DISCLAIMER: WE ARE ONLY JOKING GUYS, DON'T GET YOUR PANTIES IN A BUNCH !!!! :loudspeaker

oh...

[cavediver256]

oh...


Well the disclaimer was just for their benefit ..... shhhh

[The_Great_Manta]

As long as I didnt have to become a gue diver and the gue kids treated myself and others with the respect deserved for our skill/cert level...