Dive Conditions

[Chris]

Wow, that would be cool!

Main page would show current locations with latest conditions.
(Maybe a weather icon to display current weather from one of the weather sites.)

On the main page, there would be an option to add/modify a location. A member can then view the current sites, add a new dive site or modify an existing dive site.

Some (well, probably all) dive sites have multiple locations to dive as well... so maybe the main page would display the last updated data, then when you click on the dive site it would show all data recorded for that location and other locations on that dive site. (Wazee comes to mind as I write this.)

I think you had it pretty nailed down as far as what information should be included; vis, thermocline(s), surface temp, etc. Would also be nice to have an area for additional comments (cool finds, aquatic life, etc). I think this would eventually replace the Lake Info page once we have enough data logged. Which brings up another idea, have a placeholder for a graphic and perhaps a link to a map (MapQuest or something).

This would be updated by divers registered on this site, so their input would be equal to the reliability of the data. In other words members, we need your help. I think this will be one of the greatest values (next to the forum) that this site will have to offer... I have yet to see anything like this anywhere. Looking forward to it.

If it's not too difficult, maybe we could have a running log of the lakes. Then we can determine if there is a trend in vis, etc. This way we can make an entry in July and look back to see how it compares to April and so on. This might be version 2.0, but something to think about anyway.

One last thought on this... I think it will be necessary to have some sort of feature that would not allow you to modify a record that is newer than the one being put in. Otherwise we'll have a log (someday) that jumps back and forth and it will be difficult to see the data in the proper order. (Example; Jane Doe does a dive on the 15th and doesn't have time to log it on the site until following weekend and in that time John Doe updates it with information from the 20th. If Jane Doe updates it, the information from the 15th would replace the information from the 20th, but we'd still like that data from the 15th to be logged.) Maybe I'm getting ahead of myself on this, just something to think about.

Maybe pull-down menus for most of the data?

Date: MM DD YYYY
Thermocline: Yes/No If yes, depth?
Visibility: 0-5, 5-10, 10-15, 15-20, etc.
Water Temp: 33-40, 41-45, 45-50, etc.
Air Temp: Same concept as above.

Also the ability to add new locations to dive sites so they can be selected from a pull-down menu as well to reduce duplicates.

Again, all just things to consider.