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<font color='#000080'>The Conception
Over the past year that I had been involved with YD I had met many members, gone on and organised the odd dive trip and even a week's holiday in the Red Sea. Everyone I had met seemed great.
But in that time as well I had also seen a number of heated bust-ups on the boards (which are always fun for spectators but frustrating for those involved). Now it's not as common here as on Handbag.net, probably because the design of the board is more personal. Then last December I organised a trip to Anglesey and a few guys who had been arch protagonists in the past (in the friendliest sort of way!) met for the first time and found that they got on quite well. We agreed that once you had a face and the real personality behind the posts it was much less likely that you'd fall out. The idea of YD-stock was born! Let's get everyone together in a central location for a right good bash!
And, as much as anything else it was a great opportunity to catch up with all those friends I'd made during the year!
The Planning
The choice of location was simple. Where could be more central than Stoney Cove? Sure, it's not the greatest venue for diving but then diving was never really the point!
I'd met Mary and Digger there in October when we'd organised a little get together prior to our Red Sea trip and they'd been kind enough to offer somewhere to sleep. I got in touch with Digs to see if he was up for it and from that moment on his life was turned to chaos! We thought we might get 20 or 30 interested in coming so thought a bit of an after dive party at Digger's place would be in order.
I suggested a suitable date that gave plenty of notice and the gig was posted in Planned Trips
Honey, I Blew Up The Gig
We didn't quite expect it to get as big as it did! Bren picked up the idea and ran with it and soon the momentum gathered. It wasn't long before we passed the expected 20/30 mark and had to revise the plans. Digger's place just wasn't going to be big enough! A function room at the pub was booked.
The wonderfully unsuitable hawaiian BBQ idea then emerged and the tone of the gig was set. Clam-shell bikinis and grass skirts were the order of the day!
The list grew and grew and Digs decided we'd better put Stoney on notice and eventually negotiated the sole use of a car park (even if it was Cardiac Hill!). The guest list soon reached the 100 mark and we had a bit of a scare when Stoney panicked a little at the prospect of 200 divers turning up together. They were soon appeased, though, with assurances that we wouldn't have that many.
The Weekend Arrives
Friday night and we got together in Nottingham for the final plans and preparation, though by that time it was all pretty much sorted. In truth, Digger had done a great deal of the work. The art of successful organisation is delegation! I'd got the souvenir T-shirts sorted with Adrian's help (but even then the manufacturer was Dig's recommendation and he couldn't help but get involved in that!).
All was ready and we went our separate ways with plans to meet at Stoney the next morning.
Mixed Feelings
Well by now you all know what happened on the day. There was no way that it couldn't have effected us and there was a terrible hour of running around trying to ensure that it wasn't one of us. It didn't help that we didn't have a definitive list of who was there, but we'd decided in advance that we didn't want that level of organisation and even with what happened I don't regret that decision. Fortunately it turned out that we had not lost anyone. And soon word got round of Digger's involvement in the rescue and I think the collective YD pride in his actions helped raise the spirits.
Everyone has their own story for the day's diving so it's hardly worth recording it here - Stoney Cove is Stoney Cove after all!
We all gathered for the BBQ in the car park. I'm not sure if anyone got any final numbers on attendance. I know I didn't get to see everyone that came but I'm sure it must have exceeded the 60 mark if not more. Not a bad effort and thanks to everyone that came! Food and drink was had while I set out my stall for the T-shirts and Woz started knocking out his spring fin straps from the back of his car!
It was a good opportunity to get to know people, and as has been said before there was a big readjustment of ideas about people we'd thought we knew! Quite fascinating. I hope there was the start to some good friendships on the day.
Beer Snorkeling
Once the food was eaten we went our separate ways - some went home but a satisfying number stayed for the evening bash. Reinforced by the Notts University Half Squadron we ended up with quite a bustling crowd. Their attendance also ensured that a bit of rivalry developed which led to the beer snorkeling race. I got dragged into it having never tried it before. For those that don't know it basically entails drinking your pint through a snorkel like a straw. Not as easy as it looks! It was a relay race, six to a team. YD won, but only by default due to Digger's interference with the opposition (not to be confused with his more normal intereference with the opposite sex!).
It was a good night all round and exactly what I'd hoped for.
It was down to everyone that came, both for the diving and the beer, that made it a success. Thanks to you all. But sepcial thanks to all those that helped along the way; Bren, Adrian, Porg, Mary and especially Digger.
YD-stock 2005
It is already being discussed with Vobster as a possible location. Daz and the Bristol Massive have already been put on notice!
<font color='#000080'>The Conception
Over the past year that I had been involved with YD I had met many members, gone on and organised the odd dive trip and even a week's holiday in the Red Sea. Everyone I had met seemed great.
But in that time as well I had also seen a number of heated bust-ups on the boards (which are always fun for spectators but frustrating for those involved). Now it's not as common here as on Handbag.net, probably because the design of the board is more personal. Then last December I organised a trip to Anglesey and a few guys who had been arch protagonists in the past (in the friendliest sort of way!) met for the first time and found that they got on quite well. We agreed that once you had a face and the real personality behind the posts it was much less likely that you'd fall out. The idea of YD-stock was born! Let's get everyone together in a central location for a right good bash!
And, as much as anything else it was a great opportunity to catch up with all those friends I'd made during the year!
The Planning
The choice of location was simple. Where could be more central than Stoney Cove? Sure, it's not the greatest venue for diving but then diving was never really the point!
I'd met Mary and Digger there in October when we'd organised a little get together prior to our Red Sea trip and they'd been kind enough to offer somewhere to sleep. I got in touch with Digs to see if he was up for it and from that moment on his life was turned to chaos! We thought we might get 20 or 30 interested in coming so thought a bit of an after dive party at Digger's place would be in order.
I suggested a suitable date that gave plenty of notice and the gig was posted in Planned Trips
Honey, I Blew Up The Gig
We didn't quite expect it to get as big as it did! Bren picked up the idea and ran with it and soon the momentum gathered. It wasn't long before we passed the expected 20/30 mark and had to revise the plans. Digger's place just wasn't going to be big enough! A function room at the pub was booked.
The wonderfully unsuitable hawaiian BBQ idea then emerged and the tone of the gig was set. Clam-shell bikinis and grass skirts were the order of the day!
The list grew and grew and Digs decided we'd better put Stoney on notice and eventually negotiated the sole use of a car park (even if it was Cardiac Hill!). The guest list soon reached the 100 mark and we had a bit of a scare when Stoney panicked a little at the prospect of 200 divers turning up together. They were soon appeased, though, with assurances that we wouldn't have that many.
The Weekend Arrives
Friday night and we got together in Nottingham for the final plans and preparation, though by that time it was all pretty much sorted. In truth, Digger had done a great deal of the work. The art of successful organisation is delegation! I'd got the souvenir T-shirts sorted with Adrian's help (but even then the manufacturer was Dig's recommendation and he couldn't help but get involved in that!).
All was ready and we went our separate ways with plans to meet at Stoney the next morning.
Mixed Feelings
Well by now you all know what happened on the day. There was no way that it couldn't have effected us and there was a terrible hour of running around trying to ensure that it wasn't one of us. It didn't help that we didn't have a definitive list of who was there, but we'd decided in advance that we didn't want that level of organisation and even with what happened I don't regret that decision. Fortunately it turned out that we had not lost anyone. And soon word got round of Digger's involvement in the rescue and I think the collective YD pride in his actions helped raise the spirits.
Everyone has their own story for the day's diving so it's hardly worth recording it here - Stoney Cove is Stoney Cove after all!
We all gathered for the BBQ in the car park. I'm not sure if anyone got any final numbers on attendance. I know I didn't get to see everyone that came but I'm sure it must have exceeded the 60 mark if not more. Not a bad effort and thanks to everyone that came! Food and drink was had while I set out my stall for the T-shirts and Woz started knocking out his spring fin straps from the back of his car!
It was a good opportunity to get to know people, and as has been said before there was a big readjustment of ideas about people we'd thought we knew! Quite fascinating. I hope there was the start to some good friendships on the day.
Beer Snorkeling
Once the food was eaten we went our separate ways - some went home but a satisfying number stayed for the evening bash. Reinforced by the Notts University Half Squadron we ended up with quite a bustling crowd. Their attendance also ensured that a bit of rivalry developed which led to the beer snorkeling race. I got dragged into it having never tried it before. For those that don't know it basically entails drinking your pint through a snorkel like a straw. Not as easy as it looks! It was a relay race, six to a team. YD won, but only by default due to Digger's interference with the opposition (not to be confused with his more normal intereference with the opposite sex!).
It was a good night all round and exactly what I'd hoped for.
It was down to everyone that came, both for the diving and the beer, that made it a success. Thanks to you all. But sepcial thanks to all those that helped along the way; Bren, Adrian, Porg, Mary and especially Digger.
YD-stock 2005
It is already being discussed with Vobster as a possible location. Daz and the Bristol Massive have already been put on notice!
