Richmond Dive Club

Richmond Dive Club – March 2022 Business Meeting

March 8, 2022

Location - O’Toole’s Restaurant and Pub Richmond, VA. and online via Zoom

Meeting commenced at 7:02 pm.

President’s Comments

· Jim welcomed the members in attendance, both in person and via Zoom.
· Jim reminded members that now is the time to get your scuba gear serviced or updated prior to the dive season.

Dive Destinations

· Debi Moir just returned from 7 days in Turks and Caicos. Got in 15 dives and saw Humpback Whales.

Treasurer’s Report

· Bank Balance as of February 28 (Reconciled) - $4,727.10
· New members since January = 10
o Individual members = 63. 48 are past due as of March 1.
o Family members = 31. 23 are past due as of March 1.
o Debi stated that there had been several additional members paid between March 1 and the meeting.
· It is time to renew. Dues are:
o Individual - $40.00
o Family - $60.00
o Corporate - $130.00
· Thanks to corporate sponsors!
o Tri-City Scuba
o Lake Phoenix
· And new sponsors for 2022!
o Brunswick Scuba
o Fluvanna Dive Center
o The Dive Shop
· Corporate memberships are geared towards local dive shops and facilities. The benefits are:
o Opportunity to promote the following at monthly meetings:
§ New Products and specials
§ Upcoming Trips (links can be presented)
§ Upcoming Classes
§ 2 Photos/Slides of events
§ Recognition at each Monthly Meeting as a Corporate Partner
§ Opportunity to present new gear and trips at the Christmas Party

General

· Jim discussed COVID and the impact on our ability to travel and dive. Offered the recommendation to “Get out, travel and dive!”

Upcoming RDC Guest Speakers:

· April – Speaker on Sharks
· May – To be announced
· June – Charles Mazar – Intro to Fluorescence

Next BOD Meeting

· Next BOD meeting is at 7:00 PM March 24, 2022, at Mi Hacienda 8200 Block of Midlothian Turnpike. Club members are welcome to attend.
· BOD to look at bylaws between now and next BOD meeting to determine changes we think need to be made. Some committees and items are no longer relevant.
· Changes to bylaws would be sent out to membership with 30 days advance notice for review prior to being voted on at a normal club meeting.

Surface Interval

· Banff Film Festival
o James River High School, 3700 James River Road
§ Friday, March 18, 7-9:30 p.m. $6
§ Saturday, March 19, 7-9:30 p.m. $6
§ Sunday, March 20, 3-5:30 p.m. $6
o Tickets are available from Chesterfield County Parks and Rec we have also posted this info on our Facebook Page

Corporate Sponsors

· Tri-City Scuba
o Tri-City SCUBA will be teaching an SSI NITROX Blender class April 14th from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. There is an online class that must
be completed prior to the classroom date. The cost is $250.
o Tri-City SCUBA will host a PSI Visual Inspector class with Mark Gresham April 23rd from 8:30 – 5:30. The cost is $350. RDC members get 10% off.
· Fluvanna Dive Center
o Come dive with us at Bonaire
§ July 30 – August 6, 2022
§ $1495/diver plus Airfare.
§ $1125/non-diver plus Airfare
§ Rates are based on double occupancy.
§ $750 deposit required, with full payment by May 15, 2022
o Come dive with us at Dominica
§ Nov 12-19, 2022
§ Double Diver- $1499 each, plus flights
§ Double non-diver $1019 each, plus flights
§ Single Diver- $2029 plus flights
§ Single non-diver $1589 plus flights.
§ Round trip airline tickets from Richmond $680
§ Deposit of $750 per person to reserve your slot.
§ Final payment due by Sept 1st, 2022
· Brunswick Scuba
o Dedicated to the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understand of the aquatic world.
o A coalition of independent Dive Professionals where all we do is training. Why not train with the best?
o Small classes the norm.
o Private lessons always available!
o Don't see dates that meet your schedule, Give us a call!
· The Dive Shop
o Trips:
§ Little Cayman – April 2-9, 2022
§ Roatan – July 2-9, 2022
§ Florida Springs
§ Florida Keys
§ Cooper River
§ Morehead City, NC.
§ St. Lucia, La Toc – Sandals
· Lake Phoenix
o Thank you, Lake Phoenix!

Thanks to our BOD

· Bart Drummond
· Debi Moir
· Jim Dacey
· Larry Knorr
· Mike Nolan
· Warren Bowman

Survey Results

· Survey sent to full distribution list; 373 total addresses, 89 current members
· 36 responses; 30 current members, 6 former members
· First who we are, then what we’re looking for in the club
o Average Age of respondents:
§ 25-25 = 1
§ 35-45 = 7
§ 45-55 = 10
§ 55-65 = 11
§ 65-75 = 6
o Average Number of Dives per Year:
§ 0-6 = 9
§ 6-12 = 7
§ 12-18 = 8
§ 18-24 = 0
§ 24-30 = 11
o Count of Skill Level
§ Beginner – 5.6%
§ Fish – 11.1%
§ Intermediate – 55.6%
§ Expert – 27.8%
o Count of Need for a Buddy for Diver Days at Lake Phoenix
§ Yes – 45.7%
§ No – 54.3%
o Count of Dive Certifications
§ Open Water, Nitrox - 2.9%
§ Open Water, Advanced Open Water – 2.9%
§ Advanced Open Water – 5.7%
§ Open Water, Nitrox, Advanced Open Water – 22.9%
§ Advanced Open Water, Nitrox – 2.9%
§ Rescue – 8.6%
§ Open Water, Nitrox, Advanced Open Water, Rescue – 25.7%
§ Open Water, Nitrox, Advanced Open Water, Rescue, Dive Master – 11.4%
§ Rescue, Dive Master – 2.9%
§ Instructor – 11.4%
o Do you feel that the current amount for RDC Membership dues is ______ for what is offered with membership?
§ Reasonable = 25
§ Too Low = 9
§ Too High = 1
· Written Responses
o What are the 3 things you want the club to do?
§ Trips (67%)
§ Education (33%)
§ Outings (33%)
o What keeps you from diving?
§ Cold weather (33%)
o If you could change something in the club, what would it be?
§ In person/ Interactive
o What are ways that RDC could add value to your membership dollars?
§ Trips (17%)
§ Swap meet (14%)
o As a RDC member, if you have not participated in Diver Days, what are the reasons?
§ Time (31%)
§ Quarry diving not appealing (19%)

RDC Business meeting concluded at 7:25 pm.

Guest Speaker:

Diving the Wrecks of the Carolinas

Dave Sommers and Marc Corbett of Dive Hatteras, LLC provided an informative and engaging presentation on the background of Dave Sommers and his creation of Dive Hatteras, LLC, the history of the Dive Charter and its boats, the wrecks they dive off the coast of the Outer Banks of NC and the conditions that divers may face when diving these mostly deeper wrecks.

The presentation concluded at 9:02 pm.

The next RDC membership meeting will be Tuesday, April 12 at 7pm at O’Toole’s Restaurant and Pub.