Hey Divers
It's been a while since I've chatted with many of you so let
me first wish everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
The 2007 Flower Gardens trip schedule is currently on my website,
www.mikescuba.com . Although the diving hasn't changed, the
procedures for booking and the layout of the boats has changed.
All this is for the better but I need to explain some of the
changes you'll encounter.
First, booking of the Fling remains unchanged. You can still
just call the shop or contact me by e-mail mikescuba@earthlink.net
and we'll handle everything as before. Air divers will NOT need
to rent tanks...they're provided by the boat at no extra charge.
The Fling has cut the diver count from 33 to 30 so the boat
will be slightly less crowded.
Major changes have occurred with regards to booking the Spree.
As I said before, the changes are good and will make for a much
more enjoyable trip. Here's a summary:
Booking of the Spree will be done directly with the Spree through
their booking website. Check the schedule for the date you'd
like to go and then click on a link located on the Trips page
of my website to be transported to the Spree's booking site.
Connecting through my website will carry a tag showing you came
from my website and you'll be automatically assigned to my shop
for the trip. If you go directly to the Spree booking site,
you'll need to enter the name of my shop in order to join our
group.
The Spree has been completely refitted for 2007. The diver count
has been cut from 33 to 24 so there will be LOTS more room and
no waiting in line for bathrooms, meals or at the jump gate.
An additional full bathroom has been added directly off the
dive deck so you won't need to remove your wetsuit if the "urge"
strikes you just before a dive. A new wetsuit storage area has
been added under the stairs to the sundeck so you no longer
have to deal with wetsuits hanging in your face while you're
gearing up for a dive. Since the diver load has been reduced,
extra diver stations under the sundeck stairs could be removed
to make room for the wetsuit storage. The galley/salon area
has been completely redone to provide additional space for divers.
Tanks for air divers and Nitrox for Nitrox divers is now included
in the price of the trip...no extra charge for these items anymore.
As before, we'll run specials on Nitrox certification in conjunction
with these trips if you'd like to take advantage of the free
Nitrox.
One additional change will permit you to book ANY trip on the
Spree which is not filled within 30 days of departure. You can
go directly to the Spree booking site and sign up. If you do
that, you won't be associated with my dive shop and will just
go as an "independent". If you go through my website,
you'll be associated with my website and I'll get a few dollars
for the association. If you go as an "independent"
it costs exactly the same but the boat will retain the commission.
So...please go through my site so I can be associated with you!
Once again, this applies to ANY unfilled spots on the Spree
for ANY trip within 30 days of departure. How's that for convenience?
You will note that prices for the Spree are slightly higher
than for the Fling but you also get free Nitrox and a much less
crowded boat with more amenities. It's still a great deal!!
As most of you know, I DO NOT mark up the prices on my trips
so you won't find a lower price anywhere, even if the trip isn't
directly assigned to me (see the previous paragraph).
One last item (I know this letter is getting too long). We will
be returning to CoCo View Resort on the island of Roatan twice
in 2007. The first trip will be June 9th through the 16th and
the second will be October 6th through the 13th. These trips
are not posted yet because I'm still haggling with the charter
service over airfare prices. As you know, I'm constantly fighting
to get you the lowest price possible on these trips. Make your
plans now for these dates and I'll let you know as soon as I
can get an acceptable airfare. I have 16 spots for the June
trip and 20 for the October trip.
Finally, I'm trying to get my website updated to reflect the
changes mentioned above. Please excuse some of the inconsistencies.
The booking link for the Spree is in place as are the trip dates
and the prices for both boats. As always, if you have any questions,
please don't hesitate to contact me.
Happy Diving!!
Mike Giles
Mike's Dive Center
(337) 430-0073
--- Older newsletter ---
Hey Divers
Well...it's spring. Time to dust off the dive gear and start
thinking about water sports again!! We just returned from the
island of Roatan in the Caribbean and everyone had a terrific
time. Now it's time for some local diving. I can't think of
a better way to kick off the season than to dive with the Hammerheads
on the Flower Gardens.
The water is still a bit cool (mid-70's) but when you come face
to face with a few hundred hammerhead sharks, you forget all
about the cool water. Actually, things can get a bit warm with
all the excitement (and if you pee in your wetsuit!). The sharks
aren't anything to be worried about...they're just migrating
and won't even stop to give you a second glance. Of course,
all the usual critters are still in residence. You'll see big
turtles, morays, angelfish, grouper, amberjack and all the little
stuff that hides in the coral. Speaking of coral, according
to a report published in Scuba Diving magazine, the only apparent
hurricane damage to the Flower Gardens is some toppled coral
heads on the East Bank and some damage to a bed of finger coral.
Let's go check it out!! My first trip to the Gardens this year
will be March 30-31. As usual, we'll leave on the evening before
(Wednesday, March 29th) and will return on Friday, March 31st.
The prices are the same as last year. This trip is only $355.
All details remain unchanged from last year. If you'd like to
review them, please visit my website, www.mikescuba.com , and
look under the "TRIPS" tab.
My second Flower Gardens trip won't be until a month later (April
29-30). If you don't want to wait that long, why not get your
feet wet at the end of this month?
Give me a call at the shop (337-430-0073) and let's discuss
it!!
Happy Diving,
Mike Giles
Mike's Dive Center
--- Older newsletter ---
Hey, Divers
I hope this letter finds you looking for clear, blue water.
You've already received the news on our upcoming trip to CoCo
View Resort on the Island of Roatan and also our first trip
to the Flower Gardens on March 24-25. If, for some reason, you
need that info again, please let me know. These trips are filling
fast and we'd hate for you to miss your chance. For more information,
click here.
The primary purpose for this letter is to let you know that
Gulf Diving (the owners of the Spree and Fling) have confirmed
my next trip to the Flower Gardens. I'll be on Saturday and
Sunday, April 9-10. As usual, this trip will depart Freeport,
Texas, on Friday, April 8th. We need to be on the dock no later
than 8 p.m. on that date. As mentioned in an earlier letter,
the prices have increased $25 over last year to offset the high
cost of fuel. This is the first price increase in several years.
For those of you who like to play with numbers, that amounts
to a $3.57 increase per dive with food, air and lodging still
included. The Nitrox charge remains unchanged from previous
years. It's still the best bang for your buck...and for a world
class diving destination to boot. The cost for the two-day weekend
Flower Gardens trips is now $380.
The remainder of our summer and fall Flower Gardens schedule
should be coming out in the next month or so and I'll be sending
you a letter on it.
O.K. I'll keep it short and quit for now. I've got some exciting
news on a storewide sale and some new inventory but I'll save
it for later. Don't worry...we haven't started it yet!
Hope to hear from you soon.
Mike Giles
Mike's Dive Center
Phone: (337) 430-0073
www.mikescuba.com
--- Older newsletter ---
Hi, Divers
I hope this letter finds you well and looking for a place to
dive. Several of you have mentioned that you hadn't heard from
me in a while and the reason is that I was in the process of
gathering new merchandise for the shop and setting up the trip
schedule for 2005. I'll save the merchandise for a later newsletter
and devote this one to the trip schedule.
The ever-popular Flower Gardens trip schedule is nearing completion.
Gulf Diving (the owners of the Spree and Fling) take our requests
and formulate a schedule which is released to us in two stages...spring
and summer. I have one of the spring trips ready and another
hasn't been confirmed for me yet so I'll hold off on the date.
The only difference in the trips this year is that Gulf Diving
has been forced to raise ticket prices to cover the huge price
increase in fuel. They didn't raise prices last year and it
really hurt them financially. This year they're increasing the
prices by $25 per ticket and we're passing that price straight
through without any markup. Each boat has three 12-cylinder
turbocharged diesel engines and they drink a lot of fuel. I
think you'll agree that the price increase is minimal. Nitrox
fees remain unchanged.
Our first Flower Gardens trip of the 2005 season will
be Thursday and Friday, March 24-25. As is the usual
custom, this trip will leave Freeport, Texas, on Wednesday,
March 23rd. While the water is still a bit cool (around 70 degrees)
the visibility should be superb and there's a good chance that
we'll see schooling hammerhead sharks. Of course, all the other
"regulars" will also be there so it should be a terrific
trip. Grab your wetsuit and come join us!! As mentioned above,
the prices have increased slightly to cover fuel costs so the
new cost for this trip is $330. As before, this price
is all-inclusive and covers diving, snacks, water and sports
drinks, meals, airfills and all bed linens. Parking at the dock
is, of course, free. For a detailed description of this trip,
please click here.
If you want warmer water, why not join us on our second annual
trip to CoCo View Resort in Roatan. We've set up another
trip and, believe it or not, we managed to get the same trip
for about $100 less than last year. That's right, with increasing
costs, we've still managed to slash the price. This price
is still all-inclusive and includes everything except a
$25 departure tax paid at the airport when departing Roatan
at the end of our trip. We'll be departing the U.S. for Roatan
on Saturday, May 28th and will return the following Saturday,
June 4th. This trip will include the Memorial Day weekend
so you don't need as many vacation days to do it. We'll have
6 full days of diving (two 2-tank boat dives every day)
along with unlimited shore diving. We'll spend 7 nights on Roatan.
Including travel days, we'll spend 8 days on the Island. All
meals are included. As last years travellers can attest, there's
lots to do when you're not diving. You have options to pursue
Jungle River Rafting, Treetop Canopy Tours, Dolphin Encounters,
Shark Dives, Deep Water Submarine trips (1000 feet +) or simply
take one of the free kayaks and explore the mangrove swamps.
There's lots of shallow water for snorkeling and even a 150
foot shipwreck and a DC-3 airplane within a short swim from
shore. We did it all last year (and have the pictures to prove
it)! I have a limited number of video DVD's and we've got some
flyers coming so contact the shop and I'll be glad to show you
what the resort looks like and what you can expect. Oh...so
you want to know the price? The price this year, INCLUDING
ROUND TRIP AIRFARE FROM HOUSTON, is only $1475. In case
you're wondering, Roatan was not in the path of any of the hurricanes
this year so it is completely undamaged. I have reserved 7 cabanas
(all over the water, with private bathrooms and daily maid service)
and can take 14 fellow adventurers so give me a call today to
reserve your spot. A deposit of $200 will guarantee your spot.
The remainder is due by April 4th. If you need to arrange connecting
flights or need to make other arrangements, we can also help
you with that. Just give us a call. Our job is to make sure
you have fun!! The owner of the dive shop at CoCo View is a
good personal friend of mine and she's assured me that we'll
get the royal treatment!
I'm looking forward to hearing from you soon!!
Happy Diving,
Mike Giles
Mike's Dive Center
www.mikescuba.com
Phone: (337) 430-0073
