Offical Minneapolis Park Policy On Diving

[scubadog76]

        I was in Calhoun this evening and seemed to be getting the "stink eye >" from a couple of officers as I was exiting the lake.  They were unable to stop because of traffic behind them, but it felt like it was coming.  I keep my laminated copy of  the "get out of jail free" card and also provide my buddies with one in case they drive.  The Minneapolis Park Board has really only allowed diving without a permit for the last 4 years or so and I capitolize on it quite a bit.  It's so unfortunate that all it takes is one uninformed person to cause such a headache for those who are doing nothing wrong.  Every time something goes wrong, it's a stir on the switchboard at the Park Board office, which I imagine is wearing thin, and may ultimately effect our ability to dive there.  Something that may help is to prove what a positive role scuba divers play in local lakes.  Be it cleaning up trash, reporting milfoil and zebra mussels or finding historic artifacts like the sunken Minnehaha on lake Minnetonka.  One thing I'll throw out there is to set a weekend date this summer to show up and do a clean up dive.  We can ask the Park Board to provide a dumpster and we'll haul out a ton of trash.  They'll get positive PR which will bounce around to us hopfully.  If anyone is interested, throw out a date.  It would be a great opportunity to try a different lake or to keep the lake as an option for those who already dive it.  I can contact the Park board with our plans if we get enough interest.  Just remember, dive at your own risk.  Jeff-L.L.D (limited liability diver)