2008 NSS Convention

[Sharon Faulkner]

Here's the preliminary data on the 2008 NSS Convention. Might be a bit of a conflict on the scheduled dates for folks with school age children. In many places the school year will have already started back or will start the week of Convention. Might have an effect on the Junior Speleological Society's planning and activities too.
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The 2008 NSS Convention will be held August 11-15 in Lake City, Florida (Columbia County).

The programs will be held at Lake City Community College set on 100 acres of natural woodlands. The camping facilities will be located at Columbia County Fair Grounds. The camp site is 10 miles from Lake City Community College. The photo salon will be held off site at the Columbia High School Auditorium on August 14, 2008.

Besides caving and cave diving, there are many things to do in the area, including canoeing, tubing, open water diving, and exploring state parks.

The 2008 NSS Convention is being hosted by members of:

* NSS-Cave Diving Section
* Tampa Bay Area Grotto
* Florida Speleological Society
* Central Florida Cavers
* Flint River Grotto

[Brian Roebuck]

That's going to be an interesting convention. I hope there are no hurricanes that time of year nearby! It will be a different location and one to enjoy I am sure.

[Azurerana]

I hope they have plenty of shuttle busses and parking. Having helped put on a convention where the campground was 11 miles from the session site, a 46 mile round trip could be a really big fiasco.
Parking was a MAJOR issue in Washington last year--the fact that cavers had to pay to park on campus, and it wasn't cheap-- angered a lot of people.

(Edit August 5: From the time they put out the info to this last post, they changed the campsite to only 10 miles away. Still am not impressed. That's about at the limit of most people's shuttle tolerance. Hope they have plenty of onsite parking.)

[L Roebuck]

I have hoped for a Convention in Florida!

But August and camping in Florida. Well no doubt -- it is going to be one HOT Convention! ;D

[Sharon Faulkner]

I was looking forward to a Florida Convention too. I'll have a little one in school by then so I'll have to see what arrangements are necessary to attend. But it is in northern Florida and I can't seeing missing out on the event. Isn't this the first ever Florida Convention?

Yea, I imagine it will be quite warm camping in Florida in August. ;D

[Sharon Faulkner]

Convention Registration

Main-In Pre-Registration is Open for the 2008 NSS Convention. Registration forms are available for download here. Mail completed form to:

NSS 2008 Convention Registration
c/o Sue Kettles
35 Freewill Drive
Cashiers NC 28717



Online registration will begin January 2008.

[Azurerana]

Actually climactic averages for Gainesville (closest big town) are 93/72. Averages for the same time period in Huntsville are 93/72. Looks like a wash (or a steambath) either way.

I really don't want to camp in that, but I may have no choice. *|:-(

[Sharon Faulkner]

True Azurerana, it's hot camping in Alabama right now too. Doesn't really cool off enough to sleep comfortably outside until after 1:00 a.m. or so.

Makes you wonder why we do the things we do for fun sometimes. ;D

[Kelly Jessop]

nsscavers.ning.com/video/video/show?id=1981829%3AVideo%3A28784