Western Maryland Dive Club

For Dive Students needing check out dives, certified divers wanting a refresher, or any diver looking to blow bubbles read below.

Our annual trip to Lake Phoenix will be Thursday June 16 to Sunday June 19. If you are planning to come I would ask you to do two things:

1. Email me and let me know you are coming so we can plan equipment.
2. Come to a pre-trip get together – Saturday May 21 at 5 PM. My house at 1057 Richwood Ave Cumberland.

If you are undecided or just want to get together and watch diving videos and pictures please come. We will have light refreshments and snacks – don’t bring anything.

If you are planning to come to Lake Phoenix and can’t attend this Saturday please get on the Lake Phoenix website and complete either the student waiver or certified diver waiver on line and watch the video. We will do these things this Saturday

— Bill Lamm

We were originally planning to go to Lake Rawlings 10/14, but so far no takers. New firm plan is to go to Dutch Springs in Pa. and dive 10/13-14 ( Sat and Sun). Plan to drive up Friday night and get an early start Saturday. Have 2 students going to do checkout dives. Will stay at Comfort Inn – Bethlehem Pa. Dutch Springs is a scuba quarry. Many platforms for training at 20-25 feet. Many underwater attractions 25-40 feet. Below 30 feet is pretty cold. Even to 25 feet a 7mm wetsuit, hood , gloves are recommended( can get by without gloves for training platform). Easy drive – about 3.5 hours. Let me know if you want to go.

– Bill Lamm

Title: Florida Keys Trip

Location: Florida Keys, FL

Description: Dive club trip to the Florida Keys.

Start Date: 2012-07-14

End Date: 2012-07-21

Notes from Bill:

I have just found out that we can rent a 2 br condo at Ocean Pointes through the dive operation- Conch Republic Divers- for $110 plus tax /night. this will bring that cost to about $870 for the week. Dives are $70 for a 2 tank dive including tanks with air and weights. I have booked the following dives:
7/14 – arrive and get settled into condo
7/15 – reef dive 0830hrs
7/16 – reef 1300 hrs ( wreck of tugboat Duane is in AM if you are advanced certified)
7/17 – Spiegel Grove 0830- this is a 500+ ft long wreck upright in 80-120 ft water. Excellent dive             and easy for training. Will do the deep dive or Advance OW course for those who can come.
7/17 – reef 1300hrs – for those not interested in the AOW class or not AOW certified
7/18 – reef 1300 ( could do a deeper wreck in the AM if anyone is interested)
7/19 – reef 1300hrs
7/20 – Spiegel Grove 0830 – don’t worry you can’t see the whole wreck in 10 dives!. Again if you             are not interested or certified for this and want to do a reef dive in the afternoon let me                 know. Remember the 24 hour interval for flying after diving!
7/21 – return home – – look at my sad face!

As of right now I have 7 divers scheduled and have booked spaces on the larger and more comfortable of their 2 boats ( this accounts for some of the afternoon dives- some of the morning dives are full already) . I clarified the CRD policy on cancellations. If we have booked a spot and CRD turns away a diver because the boat is full and you don’t show up you will be charged for the dive. So look at the schedule and if you want a day off or don’t like the dive let me know ASAP!! I have not booked Bill/Sharon for deeper dives so let me know if this is not OK. At a minimum I will be on every dive where one or more of our group is diving. YES I know – I will make this sacrifice willingly!

IF THERE IS ANYONE OUT THERE THINKING ABOUT THIS TRIP IT IS TIME TO MAKE A FINAL DECISION. SO IF YOU ARE NOT SIGNED UP AND WANT TO BE LET ME KNOW NOW

As I said before I just returned form a week with CRD and they run fun safe dives. When we get closer to the time I will check water conditions but most likely would recommend at least a shorty and a 3 mm fullsuit offers good thermal and skin protection. Would also recommend a light pair af dive gloves or go to Walmart and by a cheap pair of pvc coated utility gloves- if you are not sure call me. Anchor lines have barnacles and sometimes fishing hooks.

Bill Click here to email Bill

Title: Lake Rawlings Trip
Location: Lake Rawlings, VA
Link out: www.lakerawlings.com
Description: There is a trip planned to Lake Rawling’s, VA where Bill and Spotty will be conducting advanced training, and OW checkout dives. Please contact Bill Lamm (Click here to email Bill) for more info.
Start Date: 2012-06-28
End Date: 2012-06-30
Notes from Bill:

Lake Rawlings 6/28-30
Some of this may be redundant but we are planning to dive Thursday afternoon , then 4 dives on Friday and 2 dives Saturday. We will do a night dive either Thursday or Friday – or both if there is enough interest. I need liability releases and signatures on the group log ahead of time. Call me 301-707-8752 to set up a time to do this. The release you can fax to me 240-522-0104. Remember to bring your c-cards. We will do OW checkouts and the Advanced course these 3 days. We have enough time to get in all the dives- even if anyone can only be there 2 days. If you are going to take the advanced course let me know and I will get course book to you.

The Lake Rawlings caravan will leave Burger King on Industrial Blvd at 0700 hrs on 6/28. We usually stop before getting to I-95 for pit and eat stop. Will arrive Rawlings around 1200-1300. I will already have everyone registered in if I have your paperwork before 6/20. If you need to rent equipment email me and I will set it up. Prices are on the Lake Rawlings website, but remember we will get at least a 20% discount as the group. I am assuming that everyone will rent tanks. They have 80 and 100 cu ft. The 100’s are steel and have different buoyancy characteristics. You need less weight with them. This is part of the AOW we will teach. For Rawlings extra gas is not an issue but it will be for deeper dives in Florida so for those going on that I recommend the 100’s. If you cannot commit till after 6/20 then Spotty will have blank releases and we will add you to the group roster and sign you in at the lake. I will keep an accounting of each person’s expenses and you can reimburse us at the end of the week. For accommodations there is the Nottoway Inn about 3 miles for the lake 804-478-4421. Let them know you are diving with Western Md divers at Rawlings (doubt it saves you any money). For this room you pay yourself. The other option is a cabin on site at Lake Rawlings. Reserving this is done on the LR website and for 4 or more people it is less expensive than the hotel but more cramped. Easier logistics for early AM and night dives. Ok that’s about all for now but if anyone has questions call or email me. I think we are going to have a big group and a LOT of fun.

Bill