# Do we need a dive club in Pensacola?



## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

I am wondering what you think about the idea of forming a dive club in Pensacola. 

Personally I would enjoy getting to know more divers, helping folks get connected with rides, helping out-of-town divers get hooked up with a place to stay, and passing along tips and tricks to new divers and spearfishermen.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Whackum


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## tank banger (Oct 2, 2012)

Sounds fun wish I lived closer to Pensacola. We have a club at my work but the problem is getting people to show up for a meeting


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## tracker19 (Apr 13, 2013)

I like the idea of having a club in pcola. It never hurts to know other divers and have a connection with other people. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.


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## BILL MONEY (Jan 28, 2009)

back when i started in the 90's we didn't need one... we just hung around MBT and that was our club... don't know if Fritz still owns the place or not but it has gotten larger... i must admit i havent stepped in the store since they moved... and the other store was Divers Den.... i don't like Pro Dive (never have) and the one in Gufshores at times has been LESS than i desired on the personel... SO i think a dive club would be a GREAT addition to the area due to our recent trend towards a DESTINATION dive status... i think this might help some less experienced divers avoid "accidents" ( i dont like this word as they are avoidible ) and with the fishing laws becoming more stringent... why CATCH a mediocre fish when i can SHOOT the one i want... lol


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## tracker19 (Apr 13, 2013)

I couldnt agree with you more Bill Money. MBT has been more than helpful with me. I took my owc with them and since then they have gotten 90 percent of my business. They go out of their way to help new divers feel comfortable with diving. Also if you dont know u can check out Gulf Coast Dive Society on Facebook. There are always divers wanting to meet up and dive from the pcola area. Great people and a very informative fb page.


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## divinmama84 (Jun 22, 2013)

I think it would b a great idea! What do we need to do to start one up?


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Why don't you start one up online and just schedule meetings make it so you have to be approved for membership that would keep only members able to post. No I am not interested it's just a suggestion.


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## br11183 (May 14, 2013)

I think in Pensacola it would be terrific! I have seen it work well in areas with a lot smaller dive communities and was really surprised when I moved here to find none of the shops had one. Sealark has a pretty good idea I believe, if nothing else. At the very bare minimal, try and get the 3-4 local shops to advertise this board a little more since no one except Dive Pros has a Dive Buddy board in the shop. I really like that MBT tries to do the weekly fun dive when they can and the conditions permit.


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## aquatic argobull (Mar 2, 2009)

I'd support it.


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## marcuswon (Apr 5, 2010)

count me in.....


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## bama6977 (May 5, 2013)

Check out West Florida Dive Club. We are trying to get it started back up. It has been dormant for well over a year. Planning get together/cookout this Friday, 6/28 at Bay Breeze Day Shop in Gulf Breeze. Give the shop a call. Also, check out Gulf Coast Dive Society, lot of activity and Divers from the P'cola area


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

When I was up in Charleston, SC, we had a dive club that met every first Tuesday of the month at a restaurant of some kind. Usually had a guest speaker to talk about something for 15-20 minutes. Then we just sat around talking, eating, and telling fish stories. All while planning our next trips out.


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## Navarrediver (Jun 25, 2013)

There is a dive club in Gulf Breeze, West Florida Dive Club. It has been inactive for a couple of years but some local divers have gotten together to reactivate it. We had first meeting this month and will meet again the 2nd tuesday of July. In addition we are having a cookout behind the Gulf Breeze dive shop this Friday. The cookout will start about 4PM and we will eat about 7. Everyone that is interested in diving is welcome. Stop by meet new dive buddies and get information about the clubs desires


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## ButlerCoOwner (Oct 10, 2008)

I would also support that endeavor. Count me in.


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## below me (Jan 13, 2012)

i'd try to make it to meetings but weekday meeting are tough for me since i live in mobile.


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## Evensplit (Oct 2, 2007)

There have been a few local clubs in the past, including the "Emerald Coast Wreck Divers" that we started up a couple of times at MBT. With summer diving, hunting season, football season, holidays, and January, February, and March, it was always tough to keep folks active in the club.

I would recommend that if you start or join a club, that you avoid paying anything until you've got some momentum going and can see where it's heading. There was a local club not long ago that took in a lot of money and then just kinda died out. It doesn't cost anything to start a club.


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## El Kabong (May 9, 2012)

Evensplit said:


> I would recommend that if you start or join a club, that you avoid paying anything until you've got some momentum going and can see where it's heading. There was a local club not long ago that took in a lot of money and then just kinda died out. It doesn't cost anything to start a club.


Yep, I have several friends that paid dues into a local dive club, and were promised certain things in return. They got exactly zero for their investment, and the money went right into a certain someone's pocket. I bet we're talking about the same "club" Evensplit. (not the MBT Club you mentioned, but still based in the Pensacola Area)

The worst part of all that, is that the club started off associating with multiple dive shops. They were able to get discounts from local shops, and shops in Destin, and Panama City. There were regular meetings, lectures from scientists, world-class spearfishers, photographers, and Florida natural resources employees. Everyone was able to play nice and get along. I imagine all the shops in the area benefited from more divers in the water, more fills, more gear sold, etc.

Then, someone decided the "club" should only benefit a single shop. All the folks who were putting time and energy into organizing events quickly figured out that the "club" was becoming a marketing scheme for the shop in question, and the members weren't getting anything except for broken promises, and unreturned phone calls. I'd bet the current crop of folks investing in the club will figure all of this out too, just like the last 2 or 3 crops that found out the hard way.


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

I'm not into reinventing the wheel, that's for sure. Checking out the Gulf Coast Dive Society and other clubs in the area makes a lot of sense. I probably would not attend regular meetings myself. However I would be interested in occasional meeting of groups of folks with similar interests such as a diving couples and big game spear fishermen. I guess we would not really need to join a club to have these kinds of meetings. Perhaps posting invitations on the PFF would work just as well for now.


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## Navarrediver (Jun 25, 2013)

A few bad apples can spoil any barrel. When you get one or two members in a club that wants everything there way can also ruin a club. We do not want this type in our club. If you are not here to just have fun diving, then please do not join.


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## bama6977 (May 5, 2013)

Navarrediver said:


> A few bad apples can spoil any barrel. When you get one or two members in a club that wants everything there way can also ruin a club. We do not want this type in our club. If you are not here to just have fun diving, then please do not join.


Have been trying to respond in a nice way to the earlier post and you said it very well. 

Just want to have fun diving, learn more about the sport and enjoy being around others with like interest.


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## El Kabong (May 9, 2012)

WhackUmStackUm said:


> I'm not into reinventing the wheel, that's for sure. Checking out the Gulf Coast Dive Society and other clubs in the area makes a lot of sense. I probably would not attend regular meetings myself. However I would be interested in occasional meeting of groups of folks with similar interests such as a diving couples and big game spear fishermen. I guess we would not really need to join a club to have these kinds of meetings. Perhaps posting invitations on the PFF would work just as well for now.


I think the current social club format of the GCDS works well. They have a "meeting" about once a month, where everyone gets together and socializes over good food, and cold beverages. It's a great way to meet new people, and reconnect with old friends. Basically they pick a restaurant, set a time, and get a general idea on numbers so they'll know how many seats they need.

I'm pretty sure Panama City has a similar club, but there's lots of overlap. There are a number of Pensacola folks in the GCDS club, and a number of Mobile folks in the Panama City group.


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## Navarrediver (Jun 25, 2013)

I agree that GCDS is a great group of people. I Attend the meetings regularly and dive with several members. I enjoy my relationship with these 600 plus members and enjoy dealing with Gulf Coast Dive I am in mobile. I will always continue and enjoy this relationship but I will also enjoy the relationship with local people here in a local dive club that do not want to drive to Mobile or PC to meet new dive buddies. A local club for fun people that enjoy safe diving.


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## eodryan (Mar 4, 2009)

I would love meeting some of you guys. Honestly, spearing/diving for me is really hard because I don't have any friends who do it nearly as much as I like. I got certified, bought a boat, all my gear, a gun, tanks, and try and go out when I can, but I just don't have enough friends that like to dive. Solo diving is one thing, but not even having somone else on your boat for a deep dive is a lot for me to handle. I would really love having some of you guys that spear some of the bigger stuff and wouldn't mind showing a newer guy some of the finer points. As I get into it more I'm starting to learn an appreciation of stalking and hunting techniques. Since I don't really have anyone showing me the ropes, the same 2/3 sets of public numbers that everyone dives at kind of plays itself out. I'm on leave all this week if anyone is going out. Just got back from the keys and had to laugh at the stupid dive times since it's so shallow.


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## erik_p (Jun 23, 2013)

Hi everyone, this is actually my first post post on this website. I came here specifically looking for dive buddies, haha. Looks like I will be checking out the GCDS meeting next tuesday, wherever that may be. I have a lot of free time from now until August, I have my own gear (except tanks), and I want to go diving as much as possible. If any of you have a boat, or know of a good place to go where one is not needed, please send me a PM.


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## Captain Jack (May 15, 2013)

erik always looking for extras to share fuel on the Nautikat. check out facebook.com/Nautikat


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