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From: "Dan Volker" <dlv@ga*.ne*>
To: "Erik C. Schmidt" <cavedivr@uf*.ed*>
Cc: <cavers@cavers.com>, <Randylabel@ao*.co*>
Subject: RE: diving the Princess Anne
Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 13:46:32 -0500
Erich,
I have been diving on Jim's boats for many years. There have been a few
weekend dives where some shop has booked 6 people, 12 show, and Jim makes
room. Typical full load is still limited to more like 22 or 23, and the boat
will certainly hold 30 legally.
But the  feeling of a cattle boat is NOT what typical Abernethy dives leave
you with---normally, you leave wishing all other boats could run trips like
Jim does, and create even half the excitement level. I would really suggest
you try again, and as I said earlier, Jim's boat  Tranquility is a better
boat for someone as advanced as "residence" on the cavers list would "imply"
:-)
I will also add that I and many other divers will go out on Jims larger
boat, the DEEP OBSESSION ( the one with onboard compressor and Nitrox) , and
we bring our own Nitrox or hyperoxic trimix, and Jim is only to happy to
accomodate.

I really think you should discuss the incident with Jim, and my experiences
on his boat would suggest he would go way out of his way to prevent you or
any other divers from ever having anything short of an ideal dive.
His e-mail is jasa@ga*.ne*   and his phone is 561-691-5808
Regards,
Dan


-----Original Message-----
From: Erik C. Schmidt [mailto:cavedivr@uf*.ed*]
Sent: Monday, March 01, 1999 11:59 AM
To: Dan Volker
Cc: Randylabel@ao*.co*; cavers@cavers.com
Subject: Re: diving the Princess Anne


Sorry guys, but I have to speak out against Abernathy's...

First of all, (it must have been one of his larger boats) there must
have been 30 people on the boat.  There was no room to breathe much less
set up gear.  We were told that since they had tanks and fills on board
we were NOT ALLOWED to bring our own tanks on board.  Even though we
(myself and my group of certified divers) already had our own nitrox
mixed and analyzed, we had to pay a higher price to use their tanks
because they would not allow ours on board.

I was teaching an Open Water class of seven students on this trip.  On
our second dive (the students second dive - EVER) the boat left us in
the water.  We surfaced after our dive and the boat was gone.  I spent
the next 15 minutes explaining to my students that this was normal (to
prevent panic) before the boat did a head count and came back for us.
Not too cool...

I will never dive with them again, and I recommend that others don't
either.

-Erik

Dan Volker wrote:
>
> Go with Jim Abernethy Dive Adventures. Most enjoybale will be if you want
to
> spend a few extra dollars and go on his boat called tranquility--a boat
> which could easily hold 18 divers, but he limits to 6.
> This allows you more freedom to get exactly what you want out of each
dive.
>
> I believe its about $55 on Tranquility, and on his larger boats, (18 to 24
> divers) he charges more like $45, and this includes air and tanks ( which
he
> pumps on the boat). Nitrox is also availble on his boat.
> His e-mail is jasa@ga*.ne*
> Dan Volker
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Randylabel@ao*.co* [mailto:Randylabel@ao*.co*]
> Sent: Monday, March 01, 1999 6:54 AM
> To: cavers@cavers.com
> Subject: diving the Princess Anne
>
> to all,
>    We (6-10 people) are planning to dive the Prinncess Anne out of West
Palm
> Beach on March 19th and 20th and again in April and we need some
> information.
> First and foremost is a dive boat, either a charter or price per ticket.
> Second is a room for a night, cheaper the better.  The thought of staying
at
> Dickerson State Park has crossed our minds, does anybody have a phone
> number?
>
>    Thanks in advance,
>    Randy LaBelle

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