Crater, Heber, UT Update

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My thought exactly. I am trying to envision this. Can you help? I am going to describe some of what I see happening in an intro to tech class, and perhaps you can tell me how it is done differently there. I am really interested because I am supposed to go there soon and might welcome the opportunity to do some practice.

In our tech classes, we wear dry suits with pockets. The dry suits are crammed with things like SMB's and spools. These are removed and deployed as part of the class.

We wear heavy steel doubles, which weigh so much that there is often no need for additional ditchable weight, even when diving dry. The dry suit is a critical means of redundant buoyancy in case of a wing failure.

I am obviously trying to envision diving heavy steel doubles with no redundant buoyancy and without a clear means of carrying bags and all.

I was wearing double steel 104's. No additional weight. No dry suit. Water temp is low to mid 90's. Dry suit would have been way too hot. If we had scheduled at Blue Lakes south of Wendover, we would have taken our dry suits. Primary bouyancy is the wing. Reduncant bouyancy is the lift bag. Lift bags and reels were in tote bags snapped onto harness D rings. We did remove lift bags and reels and deploy them.

Or maybe I'm not understanding your question.
 
Or maybe I'm not understanding your question.

No, you got it. Thanks. I have been to the crater, so I know about the heat. I was just having trouble imagining myself diving the doubles that way. I was imagining wearing some kind of shorts with big pockets, I guess.:D

As it turns out, I won't be going there in a copuple of weeks anyway.

John
 
Josh Thornton (Dive Addicts) did my Intro class and he is also teaching the Advanced Nitrox and Decompression class.
Is that the Advanced Nitrox and Decompression scheduled for June or do they have one sooner? I'm looking at Junes.
 
Is that the Advanced Nitrox and Decompression scheduled for June or do they have one sooner? I'm looking at Junes.

I believe June is the Tech Boot Camp. They shove it at you fast and furious.

My class meets March 11, March 25 and one other class room session to be named at a later date. Cert dives are scheduled for April at Lake Mead (B-29 maybe?).

Call Deann at Dive Addicts. She coordinates class rooms and pool time. She will know schedules.

Art
 
I really want to do the Homestead dive. Is it one for the log books or a nice dive? My mom lives in western Colorado so I could make it a day trip when I'm up there.

I dove the Vallhala missle silo with its 59 degree water and nothing to see so I can't imagine Homestead not being worth it.

Thanks

G
 
I really want to do the Homestead dive. Is it one for the log books or a nice dive? My mom lives in western Colorado so I could make it a day trip when I'm up there.

I dove the Vallhala missle silo with its 59 degree water and nothing to see so I can't imagine Homestead not being worth it.

Whether it is worth it or not depends very much on your own personal feelings. You may love it or you may hate it. It is sure a lot better than some dive sites in this world. It is certainly worse than others.

It is located in a very nice resort, so depending upon what time of the year you go, you may have other non-diving activities to do as well. You can ski nearby in the winter, or you can play golf in warmer weather.

Because it has a natural dome, it has its own climate that is relatively independent of its surroundings. It is warmer in the summer than the winter, but not by a huge amount. In the winter you may walk through a blinding snow storm, enter the tunnel, and be in essentially the same environment as the summer.

I have never been in a silo, but I am guessing the crater is smaller in diameter. It's pretty dark in there. I have not been there in nearly a year, so I don't know if they have all the underwater lights working now, but you are usually on the edge of a night dive during the day, and when there is no daylight coming through the hole in the roof, then you are definitely in a night dive situation.

The water is very warm. When is at its warmest, you may be uncomfortably warm very quickly even when wearing nothing but a bathing suit (and possibly a t-shirt to avoid chafing). If you let your suit dry without washing it out afterwards, it will be stiff from the minerals.

There's not much to see under water. There are a few artifacts hanging around for some visual appeal, but not much.

Your dive will be relatively expensive, although I can't recall the fees off the top of my head. (The shop with which I work pays mine when I go, so I have never paid any fees there.)
 
Thanks for the replies. I might try to swing over in Dec when I'm up there. I like the idea of diving in a swimsuit in the winter while there is snow on the ground.
 
As of April 2nd it is still down there. Although, I think the visability was closer to 25-30 ft now.

For those who know the crater layout, I was on the 20ft platform and could see across the crater to the wagon wheel and could make out the diamond.

Still a fun dive, until the certification class came...talk about a lot of whooshing water and bubbles...
 
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