Damn Yankee Spearfishing tour

[Shooter]

Need five divers.  Leaving end of May or early June.  Flying into Tampa.  Have spear guns available to use.  Fly out on a Thursday return on Monday or Tuesday.  Right now Air fare would be about $300.  The trip would be between six and $700.  Wake up Friday morning in the middle grounds and start diving and spearing fish.  Stay on the boat.  Price includes all meals.  Bring back 40 pounds of fillets :o.  I think grouper  fillets cost between $10-$15 per pound  ;D. six drops on Friday, hook and line fish on Friday night, six drops on Saturday, and three to four on Sunday on the way back.  Fillet fish Sunday night, return on Monday night or Tuesday morning.

[MNDiver]

Shooter,

Do you have specific dates.  We have talked about this before and I would like to go. Price is good, just need to nail down dates to make it fit my work schedule.

Chris

[Shooter]

I will dive anywhere anytime, :.  My schedule is very flexible.  I know Art wanted to go, and his schedule isn't so flexible. Hopefully he will post some tentative dates in the next couple of days.  I think arc flash was talking about going as well.  As long as we have three to four divers, we will be able to fill in the rest.

I'm hoping to get in a winter trip, so I'll update the fish report before we get there ;D

[arcFlash]

My work doesn't get in the way much. I can take time almost at will.  I'll dive for sure.

I've been remodeling for a few months so I'm about 8 weeks on the dry. I can't remember the last time I didn't dive at least once a month. Probably been since ice cert 3 years back.

[MNDiver]

I get every third week off so here are some dates to "shoot" for.. .pun intended.

April: 11-17th.  (middle of tax season, may bring us bad mojo.)
May: 2nd to 8th.
May: 23 to 29.

Chris

[Shooter]

The later the better we were dealing with the Gulf of Mexico and weather conditions.  I left them a message for May 22-27.  Typically this trip leaves on a Thursday dives all day on Friday and Saturday and returns on Sunday morning.  We are trying to set it up so we dive on Sunday as well.  We will  most likely have a weather blowout backup plan consisting of loading all of our gear into the rental and heading down to the keys. 8)

[Shooter]

I checked airfare for those dates, And it's still only going to be around $300 round-trip.  Thought it might be more being a holiday weekend.....

[MNDiver]

With enough notice, like now....  I can make the schedule work for a Thursday trip.  Keep up the planning.

Chris

[Shooter]

We have confirmed trip dates.  Leaving on May 22 and returning on May 27.  Airfare for those dates is still under $300.  We won't have to rent a vehicle, as I have arranged for pickup and drop-off at the airport.  The only way we'll need to rent something is if the trip is canceled due to weather.  Then we have two to three backup dive plans,( redundancy is a good thing). Most likely at this time of year, we won't have to worry about a backup dive plan.  Chances are the weather will cooperate.

So we need to get together $300 per diver as a deposit to hold those dates.  I would also recommend that we book airfare before it goes up again.  I will probably fly down a day early to help get the boat ready and tanks loaded.

    this is the company, we will be diving and spearing with.  They have updated their web site, and I even made the Wall of Fame ;D watch the videos I especially like gags like it is Christmas. No, it's not that easy.  The guy doing the spearing and filming at the same time is just that good at it!

[AandA]

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Lookin at airfare and flights....

I just got off the phone with Shooter... as ya know the dates should be set.

The gas prices are jus gonna keep gettin worse...

I'm thinkin we should BOOK the airfare VERY SOON!!!

I'd like to agree to book by this thursday if possible.  I've taken the liberty of looking at some flight options and discussing the times with Nate.  The following NWA flights should work and are currently sitting at $300.

Northwest Airlines 436
Thu, May 22
Flight time  3hr 11min
10:15am Depart Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP)
2:26pm Arrive Tampa (TPA)

Northwest Airlines 435
Tue, May 27
Flight time 3hr 19min
1:50pm Depart Tampa (TPA)
4:09pm Arrive Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP)