Tonmocon II (old thread)

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All this talk is really exciting, especially since I didn't make it to TONMO CON I! I'm in agreement with the 2007 idea, and would probably vote for the Florida or Texas location. I would really love to see that new aquarium, but it seems to me that that would be the only feature to the area. Monterey sounds like it worked so well because there were a host of places to visit and explore. Again, though the thought of going to the NRCC seems absolutely perfect for this site, what else is there in the area?

Out of curiousity, is there any prospect of going for a group dive or snorkel? In that case, shouldn't we maybe be thinking about the Baja Mexico area....:twisted:?

On the plus side, this discussion lets people know that there is the possibility of another TONMO CON and therefore if people are interested they can already start saving, even before we even agree on a location. It also gives organizers a lot more time to find another perfect site, no pressure! :wink:

Cheers!
 
Well, one of the big lessons learned at the first tonmocon, was that a lot of time was spent socializing, not necessarily going to different venues. I learned more about cuttles from an afternoon with Sir Righty at the pub than I would have at any aquarium lecture. And they had beer too. (bonus)
The area we pick should have one attraction, a good meeting place, and good $ value.
 
How about visiting James Wood in Bermuda? He has lots of squid...and I am only 1/3 kidding. :smile:

I like the brainstorming, and Texas or Florida sound good, as does NZ.

I am willing to help in any capacity.

BTW, thanks Greg! My group of 11 are mating all the time right now, so get that house built!
 
Aw...everything's on the other side of the fricking world...
And I think I'll finish paying back my loans at the end of 2006 from going to TONMOCON 1. So, no more TONMOCON-ing for me if it's in Florida or Texas or the Caribbean. :cry: Lack of money is always a big source of sadness.

But if it's NZ, then there might be something I could manage...
 
Chrono, that's why we're talking 2007 now instead of 2006. I'd like to get the ball rolling relatively early, obviously, but one thing I feel the need to bring up - since I'm a big chicken - is that any event planned for Florida, Texas, or other low-lying regions - let's try to avoid hurricane season. Earthquakes I can deal with, but sustained high winds and storm surges? Uh, no.:goofysca:
 
Good call on Bermuda! I think Florida, Atlanta, Texas and Bermuda are all viable choices... NEAq is quite nice as well... no hurricanes there!
 
Are there any nature/marine conferences that you could possibly team up with, either officially or un-officially?
It would be good if people could kill two birds with one stone, and I would imagine you would pick up lots of random visitors who might become interested.
What about a linked Tonmocon II, perhaps one in NZ and one in Fl? Perhaps a vidoe link or something. (I'm geussing this isnt that practical - just chucking some ideas into the mix.) :biggrin2:


The NZ dollar will be pretty sweet in 2007 , well for Americans at least :lol: . So that would mean you guys would have a bit more spending power (probably around 15% -30% more than the present), making the trip a (little) easier on the wallet.
 
I kind of like the Bermuda connection too...Atlanta would be the easiest for me, Florida would be fun...but...
 
Anything good in Europe??? I haven't been to the Netherlands since the 60's, the British Isles or the Med for about 20 years, and I'm always ready for a trip to nearly anywhere in Europe. Bermuda would be fine too, or Florida, I'm not so sure about Atlanta, really big city, hard to get around, etc, etc. The fave is still NZ.
 
Ok, I've been thinking about this. (That's always a dangerous thing.) Erich's right about trying to avoid the hurricane season, so I would like to suggest that anyone who has job specific vacation limits let us know early. If you are a teacher or a student, and you know that your school year always ends at about the 2nd week in June (or whatever the case may be,) and if you have any desire to attend Tonmocon II, then please let us know that you hope to be able to come, and let us know the earliest possible date that you think that would be possible. This is strictly wishful thinking, OK? No one need have any solid expectations at this early stage, it's simply an attempt to find out if there is an early cut off date before which many of you would not be able to attend. Those of you whose vacation times are flexible need not pay any attention to this. Repeat! There is no commitment needed here. This is purely research. If we choose a site anywhere in hurricane territory, the earlier we are in the summer, the better. Late spring is probably not feasible for most students and teachers, because that's when the work load tends to come to a peak. Long holiday weekends in early spring and winter might not work because of inflated prices then, since so many people seek relief from the drudgery of winter. This request is not limited to students or teachers. If any of you have specific limits on your vacation times, please let us know. We are in the earliest stages of planning, so this is when we need to find out about things like this.
 
Part 2 of the obsessive early planner post.
The group that I have been associated with (Mid Atlantic Fiber Association) held week long conferences, with the emphasis on education in our field. We, of necessity, chose places that could accomodate classes. We needed classrooms with open space for looms, or spinning wheels, as well as classrooms with impervious surfaces, sinks, heat sources, etc. Until this last summer, all of our conferences were held at universities. They had everything we needed, but unfortunately, spinners and weavers seem to be an endangered species, as our keynote speaker noticed, most of the heads in attendance were grey. Some of our membership simply could no longer handle the many stairs, etc. so last summer we met at the National Conference Center in Leesburg, Virginia. From the point of view of accessibility, it was great. It was, however, significantly more expensive than our previous venues. We probably won't have the same kind of requirements for specific classroom space, but the prices at universities in the off months can be very attractive, and they do have a multitude of various options for meeting spaces. The other thing they can have, is dorm space and eating plans. The dorms can be great money savers for people, but there was no requirement to use them, many people chose to stay in hotels instead. They usually have meal plans available too, and although it may not be haute cuisine, that too may be an affordable option, at least for breakfast and lunch.
If we start seriously looking at a location, it might be a very good idea to see if any of the labs have an affiliation with a nearby university. Even if there is no such affiliation, if there are any universities nearby, they may be very happy have a way to make a few extra dollars during the summer months.
 
if you pick FL then close enough to visit the johnson sea link at harbour branch in port st lucie is a must. and kennedy space port is just a hop skip and a jump. the 'canes don't really start till late july .
 
That's usually true, but last summer they started earlier, and some experts think that trend may continue for a few years, at least. We might be best off to think last week in June, if we're talking Florida, Bermuda, or Galveston.
 
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