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...

Quote:

---

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

---

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:

---

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.

---

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

LOL, Mat would be correct, I'm not "officially" at CEE right now. I took the summer off to teach, incorporated my business, things sort of took off from there and frankly I'm too busy to return. Kaley just started kindergarten a week ago and the freedom of not being tied down to a shop and writing my own schedule enables me to spend a lot more time with her. Gotta have priorities ya know.... :)
That being said, I'm still at CEE more often than not, doing classroom work, filling tanks, getting gear etc. Linda's been doing a fantastic job running things in my absence and I'm sure I'll still see many of you over there...

Safe diving,

Rich

Big timin it! I hear ya brotha :)

I like CE. I usually stay in one of their trailers, Linda and Bill have always been first class with me. I have popped in the Dive Outpost a few times, just to spread the money around. I will say CE came through for me when I was doing my class, and I needed a new primary light. Me and my buddy both got one, and we got an excellent deal on them. I have been in CEE a few times, and have always been treated quite well. Ginnie, well, I try not to buy there, unless I am already there, and I need to replace something. But CE is my main stay down there. Keep all my expenses on one tab, plus I like only taking my tanks out when its dive time. To be honest, when I was first getting into the cave diving, I LOVED sitting around listening to Bill tell stories of days gone by. That was nearly as much fun as the diving itself.

I think it's all very swell, that everyone is bragging up their favs. But I started thread on a more philosophical notion. How should one/has one chosen which LDS to choose? There's price, and there's service, and selection. Several of the folks here all have those features.

For instance, Wayne's my man. But now Jim, my scooter instructor, is opening a shop. Jim's great, but I like Wayne who has treated me mighty fine. Though Edd has a nice online store which is good for those of us far from cave country. I find this quite a dilemma. I guess I'll buy some stuff here, buy some stuff there, and spread the love around. Though fortunately I am pretty well kitted out right now.

I go for proximity. When diving ginnie, it's CEE, when at peacock, it's CE and/or DO. A drive through fort white and a stop at wayne's is in order. Now there will be place for me to go at day's end when I'm staying at High Springs...other than Ext Exp that is.

skip

"I think it's all very swell, that everyone is bragging up their favs. But I started thread on a more philosophical notion. How should one/has one chosen which LDS to choose?"

It has always been -location- & -in need of- with me. Depending on where you are & what you are in need of will probably determine what shop you go to. In Gainesville or another town, you may only need gas/air, in Tampa you may need something bigger {ie: tanks etc} If you need regulators, lights or expensive tech stuff {computers, ccr equipment/accesories etc} then by all means shop at your favorite dive shop where you know the owners personally. They will never put you off & often will give you fair market prices. Some things you may find on line & can save a lot of money by shopping there. It is all revelant to where you are & what you are in need of. By all means spend some money in our local dive shops & tipping is a great way of showing your gratitude to the help ! They will show reverence to their employers as a result of this as well.

Smile more ^)^ it speaks volumns !
Jack

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JE

"I think it's all very swell, that everyone is bragging up their favs. But I started thread on a more philosophical notion. How should one/has one chosen which LDS to choose?"

It has always been -location- & -in need of- with me. Depending on where you are & what you are in need of will probably determine what shop you go to. In Gainesville or another town, you may only need gas/air, in Tampa you may need something bigger {ie: tanks etc} If you need regulators, lights or expensive tech stuff {computers, ccr equipment/accesories etc} then by all means shop at your favorite dive shop where you know the owners personally. They will never put you off & often will give you fair market prices. Some things you may find on line & can save a lot of money by shopping there. It is all revelant to where you are & what you are in need of. By all means spend some money in our local dive shops & tipping is a great way of showing your gratitude to the help ! They will show reverence to their employers as a result of this as well.

Smile more ^)^ it speaks volumns !
Jack

---

You know, I have no idea why, but I have never even thought about tipping when I am done at CE for the week. I think I may have to start doing that.

As for why I go to CE, besides what I said earlier, and hopefully this addresses the original question, but when I signed up for class, thats where I called, and Bill hooked me up with John Orlowski, and thats where I did my class through. I was treated great, and so I keep going back. Now if I have to stop off at DO fto sign in for Cow, I will drop a few bucks on something there just because. I have never stopped at Waynes. I will have to add that to my list of things to do next time I am down there.

I thought you guys were talking about Mormons.

Dave thanks for the offer to Tip. I have found it rare in this Biz. Most tank monkeys are not paid much....Although I've got to say the many different groups of Brazilians at the spring have kept me full of the wonderful steaks they cook.