LDS's (in Cave Country)

The recent thread about how wonderful Edd is (I think so, too), gets me to thinking about my dilemma (same problem with LBS's):

There are several shops in cave country that are really great and about to be one more! Many of the owners are my friends (I love Wayne to death). Cathy is super. Rich, though I haven't gone to CEE much due to where my buddies went, is a pal of newer dive buddies and I like him, too!

I'm so conflicted! I guess I feel a tiny bit more at ease now that I don't have much gear to buy for the time being (I know, I know, there'll alway be more to buy).

What do you guys do about all this? Like I say, it's only gonna get worse with Jim's new shop opening!

I heard Rich has moved on from CEE, I'm sure Rich can verify this or not. When near Ginnie, thats where I had gone... Now that Jim's shop is opening up, that plans to be my goto shop when I'm in that area.

I hit Wayne's whenever I'm in Branford, Live Oak-ish.

In Luraville, I gravitate to Cathy's for no apparent reason. I think maybe because I can hang around my own kind there(cave divers or dogs?)

I hit Gregg's in the Wakulla area.

...and I hit Edds when diving cave country(which is most of Florida) anywhere west of Tallahassee.

I don't really know the shops around Tampa, I'll have to ask for recommendations when I head down that area...





I must say that Edd's Cave Adventurers has had the best customer service and prices than anywhere else I've gone. Wayne's right behind him though, and the firepit on a cold afternoon there is hard to beat.

Yeah, Mat, for sure, if it's fills, I'm not gonna drive to Wayne's from Peacock just to go back again. I'm more than happy to give Cathy some business. But say I'm gonna buy a light. Who do I buy from (BTW, I don't need a light ;) )? Do I shop around, ask prices. Sure. If one's $75 less at a shop, I'm sure I'd buy there. But if they're all within $5-10, I gotta make a decision.

If I need a reel, do I just pick one up where it's convenient (probably)? Certainly, I seem to buy snap bolts, fin keepers, hose replacements, etc. all around, so that helps a little with the guilt.

Ah, for planned purchases, I almost always choose Edd. He's got the best prices(admittedly, I haven't seen Jim's pricepoints on gear) and the customer service is as good as it gets. He's got diving in his backyard, so its not really an out of the way trip - no downsides.



I remember when I was first cavern certified, made a trip to Luraville with the plan to purchase a primary reel... Ouch! My options were crappy dive rite primaries(CE and Dive Outpost) and luckily there was one Salvo primary(at Dive Outpost). I bought the Salvo, but left quite butt hurt as far as prices went.

On the other hand... I've bought reels(Ralph Hood/Larry Green) at Amigo's, without needing them, JUST because the price was too good.

Each shop seems to have advantages.

If I need a fill at 10PM or frankly anything at 10PM Amigos is the only place to go. Wayne is great, and I don't have problems supporting his business, even in the middle of the day.

Dive Outpost has the great social atmosphere and is where I usually stay. When I am staying there I happily get fills, and other things there.

Cave Excursions, both East and West can give me fills without removing the tanks from the car and have great selections of small hardware items. Usually on a cave trip it is these sort of small items that I need. If I have a sticking bolt snap or similar problems they usually have several on the shelf.

I tend not to head into Extreme Exposure that often, but they have the best dry suit accessories selection in the area. If I need that sort of thing I will make the trip.

Cave Adventurers is great, and so convenient. His prices and customer service speak for themselves.

The addition of Cave Country Dive Shop will offer us customers yet another option. The location near the Hotels in High Springs will make it convenient when staying there, or eating at Floyds (or whatever it is called this week).

I have never stayed at Steamboat Dive Inn in Branford, but I keep telling myself that the location is excellent and next time I should give it a try.

The fact remains that for us, the customers, we are presented with an array of excellent choices. Each of the shops has distinct advantages, coupled with good courteous sales staff. Let us all hope that there is enough business for each of the shops to make a buck and stay in business for years to come.

Mark Vlahos

Tampa Adventure Sports used to be my LDS, now I just wait 'til I'm in Cave Country and spread the wealth among Wayne's, Cathy's, Edd's, and Rennaker's. I'll check out Marissa's new shop next time I'm up there. I do pop into EE every once in a while, but only buy Halcyon gear if it's used or a blem. I carry a stitch remover in my gear box specifically for removing H logos (they do seem to go over board on the branding), though MEDCOP kindly removed that gaudy logo from my Armadillo the other day with some surgical scissors (sorry Curt!). For online purchases, I go to CA, GG, and DGE but periodically check NESS, DSS, and even LP.

One thing I've starting doing recently is tipping and wish I'd thought of doing that sooner. I won't tip the owner, but if someone's carrying and filling my cylinders I'll offer a gratuity at the end of the trip. I'm happy the owner has someone to help them...and me. And I want to help make sure both are around to facilitate my dive trip NEXT time. We can't do this without them.

Dave

Yeah, I should note that I usually stay at Cathy's(if not in my car somewhere) when in that area. It seems to be THE meeting place for cave divers in Luraville, always a good time.

We are real lucky to have all of these shops to choose from, especially Edd in Marianna. When I first started diving the Mill Pond, we had to drive to Dothan to get fills and they were not cave fills either. Of course JB was not open for diving and you had to bring your own boat to dive twin and HITW. The only place to get "air" in cave country was Gennie and Spring Systems (now Dive Outpost). So there was a lot more driving, but gasoline was much cheaper in the mid to late 80's...

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Originally Posted by Mark Vlahos

I have never stayed at Steamboat Dive Inn in Branford, but I keep telling myself that the location is excellent and next time I should give it a try.
Mark Vlahos

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Let me save you some trouble, DON"T DO IT! We used to stay at the Steamboat Inn back in the late 80's and back in February I decided to stay there while in cave country by myself. I've stayed in some pretty run down, low rent roach motels before, but nothing was worse than this. The sheets and bed spreads are the same one's we slept on 20+ years ago, but much more thread bare. The bathroom was horrid, but there was hot water. Nothing but gasoline and a match can get the smell out of that place. On a scale from 1 to 10, the Steamboat is a -1.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gasdiver

Let me save you some trouble, DON"T DO IT! We used to stay at the Steamboat Inn back in the late 80's and back in February I decided to stay there while in cave country by myself. I've stayed in some pretty run down, low rent roach motels before, but nothing was worse than this. The sheets and bed spreads are the same one's we slept on 20+ years ago, but much more thread bare. The bathroom was horrid, but there was hot water. Nothing but gasoline and a match can get the smell out of that place. On a scale from 1 to 10, the Steamboat is a -1.

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Stayed there in 2001 twice...it's a right of passage. :-D