Mermet Springs Spring Break SCUBA Trip!

Interested in getting out and diving this Spring Break? Join Hoofer SCUBA Club on a trip down to Mermet Springs, a first-class quarry for diving. Located at the very bottom of Illinois, it's a bit warmer than local dive sites and includes many underwater attractions, including a 727 plane and monster Paddlefish. This is a special location and will be a great start to the 2017 dive season!

This is about a seven hour drive from Madison, so we'll be leaving the morning of Friday, March 24 and returning the evening of Sunday, March 26. We'll be staying in a hotel two nights and do 1.5 days of diving. On the way down, we'll make a stop at a SCUBA museum!

A rough itinerary is as follows:

• Friday March 24:
  • 8am: Check out equipment and get everything prepared
  • Drive there, stopping at the Loves Park Scuba Museum in Rockford IL to stretch. Arrive at the hotel in the early evening.
• Saturday March 25: Dive all day! We'll be able to get up to 3 dives in.
• Sunday March 26: Do 1 dive in the morning, then drive back. Expect to get back to the Union around 9:00pm.

Logistics:

• Lodging: We'll be staying at a hotel near Metropolis, IL. Expect a double room to be around $60-70 per night. You'll be able to pair up with another person going on the trip to split the cost. More details to come as we get closer.
• Transportation: This is a seven hour drive through the heart of Illinois. Tolls will only be about $2 per vehicle with an I-PASS or twice that with cash. We will need a couple folks who have a car to be a driver, but we'll carpool to save on gas. (Tanks are filled right at the quarry so we'll only need to bring one tank per diver for the entire weekend.)
• Other costs: Admission to Mermet Springs is $20 per day. Air fills are $8 per tank. Gas, food, and admission to the museum are extra.
• You can rent necessary equipment from Hoofer SCUBA for only $10. This is a great deal!

Much more information will follow. Space is limited, so sign up today!

What: Hoofer SCUBA Spring Break Trip to Mermet Springs
Where: Mermet Springs, Belknap, IL
When: Friday March 24 8am - Sunday March 26 9pm
Who: Current Hoofer SCUBA members. Minimum OW certification is required.
Cost: $10 to rent gear

If you would still like to sign up, please contact Brad at VPMurky@hooferscubaclub.org.