Hugh - how was the Divi?

Do you plan on doing a report?

-HW "Skip" Weldon
Columbia, SC

Skip,
I'll second that.

George

"HW "Skip" Weldon" <skip5700removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:sgvkpvc9enqiio02fe5562k2cs6r27fehn@4ax.com...
> Do you plan on doing a report?
>
> -HW "Skip" Weldon
> Columbia, SC
>

"George Price" <gprice3@cfl.rr.com> wrote:

> Skip,
> I'll second that.
>
> George
>
> "HW "Skip" Weldon" <skip5700removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:sgvkpvc9enqiio02fe5562k2cs6r27fehn@4ax.com...
> > Do you plan on doing a report?
> >
> > -HW "Skip" Weldon
> > Columbia, SC


Guys,

I'm getting there, slowly. Work's been over-the-top and on the
homefront, I've transitioned to a new computer...which has taken my 35mm
slide scanner out of service. I need to pack today for YA business
trip; I'm currently only scheduled to be at home 9 days this month
(including weekends), minus whatever time 1 or 2 additional business
trips that I have yet to schedule are going to steal.


To be brief, we had good weather and we dove just about anywhere we
wanted. The reefs are OK still, although several sites seemed "quiet".
For example, no school of horseeye jacks at the deep pinnicle on
Wilderness Wall. I am getting some raw photo's scanned occasionally,
and dropping them in a "/photo/2003/brac/" directory on my domain site.
The dive operation remains solid and tries their best to please. For
examle, on one day, we were staying local on the Southside on Putt-Putt
and had all repeat guests, and the shortest bottom time amongst the five
of us was 86 minutes (86, 87, 90, 90, 89).


Topside, there's five major things to report:

1) The bar is indeed finished, although there's probably going to be
some revisions (windblown rain issues). IMO, its a really nice looking
structure, and as "homey" as the old bar became with all of the signs,
it did give it a certain kind of "look" that this bar would IMO be
better off without. Without signs, it looks clean and uncluttered; my
personal preference would be to keep it that way.

2) Cliff had a heart attack last January. He's doing (eh) okay, but he
needs to start to take better care of himself. He's supposed to go back
to the Doctor in Miami in January 04, but he doesn't want to go...we all
need to conspire to do some arm-twisting for his own good.

3) The hotel had ~45 rooms closed (that leave around 30 open) while we
were there. This is the tip of an iceburg of rennovations. Because it
was all in-progress while we were there, its going to take another trip
by someone else to report what has re-opened, etc. Suffice to say that
all of these rooms being closed has alleviated the ScubaBoard-reported
problem from July 03 of "the overbooked week" (not enough diveboats).

4) The $777 package that Divi has run through 2003 has resulted in a
lot more business overall, and they've had few absolutely "dead" weeks.
This increase in revenue is what's probably paying for the rennovations,
and the dive operation is scheduled to get its own Nitrox fill station,
and a new diveboat. If business continues to hold, there's vague
promises of a second new diveboat (IMO, probably not until 2005). Part
of the overbooking problem from July and this new diveboat has to do
with the fact that they sold off Ocean Fever early in 2003. Combined
with the sale of Brac Fever while Stevo was in charge (circa 1997??),
what this really boils down to is that the ~72 room resort had gone from
6 diveboats down to 4, and the upturn in business because of the $777
value is what caught them offguard with insufficient surge capacity. To
help pay for all of this, and to possibly reduce demand slightly,
they've reportedly set their 2004 price at $999. IMO, this is bit too
much of a jump in a single year, but I'm only the consumer, so what do I
know?

5) I have some details on what the planned timeshare rennovation are,
but not the time at the moment to detail them. I think what they have
planned will work, and the basic character of the unit's designs will be
retained.


Overall, I think that things are turning around for the hotel/TS, and I
think we can credit Max with being the motivating energy behind the
scene. Its going to take some work, though, which translates into time.
They've already given the rooms that are open a fresh coat of paint
refresh, the pool was generally kept very clean, and even the beach was
getting better raked than I've seen it in past years. Even though
Colleen still isn't "highly productive" at breakfast and other small
things, I believe that simply dampening out the extreme attendence
swings and getting a bigger and consistentflow of customers through has
already done a lot.


-hh

On Sat, 01 Nov 2003 07:50:28 -0500, " H. Huntzinger"
<recscuba@huntzinger.com> wrote:

>
>Guys,
>
>I'm getting there, slowly. Work's been over-the-top and on the
>homefront, I've transitione

snip

Thanks. Enjoyed reading the news.


-HW "Skip" Weldon
Columbia, SC

Hugh,

Thanks for the news! Are any of the rooms in the two, three story
structures at the east end open?

George
" H. Huntzinger" <recscuba@huntzinger.com> wrote in message
news:recscuba-09F1D5.07502801112003@east.giganews.com...
> "George Price" <gprice3@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
>
> > Skip,
> > I'll second that.
> >
> > George
> >
> > "HW "Skip" Weldon" <skip5700removethis@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:sgvkpvc9enqiio02fe5562k2cs6r27fehn@4ax.com...
> > > Do you plan on doing a report?
> > >
> > > -HW "Skip" Weldon
> > > Columbia, SC
>
>
> Guys,
>
> I'm getting there, slowly. Work's been over-the-top and on the
> homefront, I've transitioned to a new computer...which has taken my 35mm
> slide scanner out of service. I need to pack today for YA business
> trip; I'm currently only scheduled to be at home 9 days this month
> (including weekends), minus whatever time 1 or 2 additional business
> trips that I have yet to schedule are going to steal.
>
>
> To be brief, we had good weather and we dove just about anywhere we
> wanted. The reefs are OK still, although several sites seemed "quiet".
> For example, no school of horseeye jacks at the deep pinnicle on
> Wilderness Wall. I am getting some raw photo's scanned occasionally,
> and dropping them in a "/photo/2003/brac/" directory on my domain site.
> The dive operation remains solid and tries their best to please. For
> examle, on one day, we were staying local on the Southside on Putt-Putt
> and had all repeat guests, and the shortest bottom time amongst the five
> of us was 86 minutes (86, 87, 90, 90, 89).
>
>
> Topside, there's five major things to report:
>
> 1) The bar is indeed finished, although there's probably going to be
> some revisions (windblown rain issues). IMO, its a really nice looking
> structure, and as "homey" as the old bar became with all of the signs,
> it did give it a certain kind of "look" that this bar would IMO be
> better off without. Without signs, it looks clean and uncluttered; my
> personal preference would be to keep it that way.
>
> 2) Cliff had a heart attack last January. He's doing (eh) okay, but he
> needs to start to take better care of himself. He's supposed to go back
> to the Doctor in Miami in January 04, but he doesn't want to go...we all
> need to conspire to do some arm-twisting for his own good.
>
> 3) The hotel had ~45 rooms closed (that leave around 30 open) while we
> were there. This is the tip of an iceburg of rennovations. Because it
> was all in-progress while we were there, its going to take another trip
> by someone else to report what has re-opened, etc. Suffice to say that
> all of these rooms being closed has alleviated the ScubaBoard-reported
> problem from July 03 of "the overbooked week" (not enough diveboats).
>
> 4) The $777 package that Divi has run through 2003 has resulted in a
> lot more business overall, and they've had few absolutely "dead" weeks.
> This increase in revenue is what's probably paying for the rennovations,
> and the dive operation is scheduled to get its own Nitrox fill station,
> and a new diveboat. If business continues to hold, there's vague
> promises of a second new diveboat (IMO, probably not until 2005). Part
> of the overbooking problem from July and this new diveboat has to do
> with the fact that they sold off Ocean Fever early in 2003. Combined
> with the sale of Brac Fever while Stevo was in charge (circa 1997??),
> what this really boils down to is that the ~72 room resort had gone from
> 6 diveboats down to 4, and the upturn in business because of the $777
> value is what caught them offguard with insufficient surge capacity. To
> help pay for all of this, and to possibly reduce demand slightly,
> they've reportedly set their 2004 price at $999. IMO, this is bit too
> much of a jump in a single year, but I'm only the consumer, so what do I
> know?
>
> 5) I have some details on what the planned timeshare rennovation are,
> but not the time at the moment to detail them. I think what they have
> planned will work, and the basic character of the unit's designs will be
> retained.
>
>
> Overall, I think that things are turning around for the hotel/TS, and I
> think we can credit Max with being the motivating energy behind the
> scene. Its going to take some work, though, which translates into time.
> They've already given the rooms that are open a fresh coat of paint
> refresh, the pool was generally kept very clean, and even the beach was
> getting better raked than I've seen it in past years. Even though
> Colleen still isn't "highly productive" at breakfast and other small
> things, I believe that simply dampening out the extreme attendence
> swings and getting a bigger and consistentflow of customers through has
> already done a lot.
>
>
> -hh
>

On Sat, 01 Nov 2003 07:50:28 -0500, " H. Huntzinger"
<recscuba@huntzinger.com> wrote:

> I am getting some raw photo's scanned occasionally,
>and dropping them in a "/photo/2003/brac/" directory on my domain site.

Hugh where is this? Looked but could not find.

-HW "Skip" Weldon
Columbia, SC

"George Price" <gprice3@cfl.rr.com> wrote:

> Hugh,
>
> Thanks for the news! Are any of the rooms in the two, three story
> structures at the east end open?

Yes. During our visit, these were where a decent number of guests were
staying. Personally, I like an upper floor end unit room here because
they're pretty good at being able to open up the windows and sleeping
under a tropical breeze, instead of running the A/C.


-hh

" H. Huntzinger" <recscuba@huntzinger.com> wrote in message
news:recscuba-DA8ECC.09072609112003@east.giganews.com...
> "George Price" <gprice3@cfl.rr.com> wrote:
>
> > Hugh,
> >
> > Thanks for the news! Are any of the rooms in the two, three story
> > structures at the east end open?
>
> Yes. During our visit, these were where a decent number of guests were
> staying. Personally, I like an upper floor end unit room here because
> they're pretty good at being able to open up the windows and sleeping
> under a tropical breeze, instead of running the A/C.
>
>
> -hh
>

Yes, and you can see the ocean as well, being a bit above the palm trees on
the beach. It is nice to be able to get up and look off the balcony and get
a pretty good idea what the seas are running. The second floor, as I
remember, had its ocean view obscured by the palms.

We also liked the large rinse sinks in the hallways in these buildings,
particularly when making sure everything was washed out good before drying
and packing for the return trip; a well as being away from the center of
activity of the resort.