Time to plan the next CDF Social

[Slüdge]

As soon as a social is over it becomes time to plan the next one. So that time is now.

From the "You Can't Please Everyone" department, we need to choose a date and location. We have several options to consider:

Spring vs summer vs fall
Holiday vs non-holiday
Ginnie vs someplace other than Ginnie

We have had some great socials from every option; we have had more than half of our socials at Ginnie (we've been doing them since 2002) because they offer a great facility, but some others were memorable - the July 4th weekend at River Rendezvous in 2003 and at Luraville in 2009, the non-holiday social at Manatee Spring in August of 2010, and the official anti-social at Jackson Blue in 2004. Whenever cave divers get together there is much fun to be had.

We want input, but we know some people will be disappointed - locals like non-holiday dates for the smaller crowds, but those of us that travel hundreds of miles seem to prefer holiday weekends. Some people absolutely prefer Ginnie, while others won't go there.

Since we have almost made a New Year's Social at Ginnie an annual event, should we add a summer social somewhere else? We planned one at Lafayette Blue one year, but the planned construction got delayed and we had to move it. Shall we try it there again? Maybe BobK will be available to be Social Director again...

Opinions, please.

[Greenwood_60]

How about something in May? Warming up, but not HOT yet.

Every site I can think of has issues. System capacity, electricity, running water, operational hours, etc... Ginnie doesn't have those issues. I have never been to a non Ginnie social, but I can't really see it being much of a social if everyone has to be out of the water by 5PM and out the door a bit later. If we can get park management to make some exceptions for an event like this, the list opens up. Manatee is probably the closest to solving the issues, only needing the out of the water time altered.

Maybe a Convict/Peacock event would work. Day at Peacock, night at Convict. Of course there would basically be no diving at night, since the systems hardly supports more than one diver at a time. Maybe we can talk CE in to running night boats to Telford.

Camping is allowed by permit at the boat ramp park area by the Luraville blue bridge. Maybe a Peacock/Telford social based there at night.

I would love to see something done at Madison Blue, but I can't see that happening. Too many issues to resolve.

Lafayette Blue has some nice facilities, but not everyone enjoys (or is certified) to dive a system like that.

Any Ginnie social that includes 2 for 1 diving, count me in.

[Slüdge]

I would love to see something done at Madison Blue, but I can't see that happening. Too many issues to resolve.

We used to have NSS-CDS socials there in the 1990s and things were fine. We had one I believe in 2010 and it was fine, too.

We'll put MB on the front burner. Early May, perhaps, to not interfere with the CDS Workshop?

[JerseyJersey]

How about picking a month that there is nothing planned likeJune or July and then people who plan regular trips can plan around socials and attend?

[Greenwood_60]

How about picking a month that there is nothing planned like April or June and then people who plan regular trips can plan around socials and attend?

Honestly, because April is booked for me and I will be taking another 9 day cave dive vacation in June that will include Full Cave. I had not realized the CDS workshop was in May. May is probably a bad idea then.

How would a Madison social work? Is there camping and lodging near by? Dives are out by 5PM, gates close at 6PM. So no cookout? Is there a pavilion there?

[Slüdge]

Dives are out by 5PM, gates close at 6PM. So no cookout? Is there a pavilion there?

According to the State Parks website, parks close at sundown. In the winter, that's 6pm, but in the summer it's 9pm. Surely they don't make you get out of the water four hours before they close?

[JamesK]

June or July and I might be able to attend my first social in oh 9 years! LOL..

[Greenwood_60]

According to the State Parks website, parks close at sundown. In the winter, that's 6pm, but in the summer it's 9pm. Surely they don't make you get out of the water four hours before they close?

I know it's Florida and we really only have two seasons... but when exactly do those hours open up? Most of June is still Spring to the rest of the country. June is really not THAT hot yet, but May is far more pleasant.

How did it work at Madison at past Socials with the limited number of allowed teams?

[Dominic]

I wish i could go =(

[MORGAN]

I'm hoping for sometime around the second week of October. We are in Luraville approximately the first three weeks of February and October. The only social that's been scheduled in the last few years while we were there was supposed to be at Madison Blue, but was cancelled due to flooding. We drove by and saw the old ranger office floating with just the peak of the roof above water.

Mike