2nd annual Good Friday dive at Mt.Storm

[Garfish]

Hi jim:

Sounds good. I got your number.

As for it look's now, i will be back to work this week or next for sure so i'll half to see if i half to work the 14th & 15th..

If i can't plan for friday, i think saturday will be better for me. I'll keep in touch.

It sounds like jim Gazz is going down for certification seeing one of your post.

Anyway it will be nice to get wet again.

Hear anything, let me know jim.

later:

 

[caverdave]

Hi Jim- - sorry I'm going to miss out on this, I'll be out of town that weekend.

In case it is of interest the water was 57 down at the 90' platform this weekend (3/31), and the vis was what I'd call a "Mount storm great" somewhere in the 12' range. No problem seeing the indian head from the main line, which is pretty good for storm!

Last minute trip that was put together, sorry about not making an announcement. :-(


Santa's looking a bit dirty, but I had to laugh when I saw him (this was my first time to have the vis to see him?!? has he really been there before?!?). Almost left you a note, but alas time was counting...

Hopefully we'll cross paths up there sometime this summer.

Dave

 

[caverdave]

In case there would be interest to see it I just read on the deco stop that apparently there is a Chevy Sierra in about 20' of water directly in front of the dock. Poster was there March 27th. This is the first I've heard about it, maybe it has been there for quite some time, maybe it is "fresh" and will be gone soon I don't know, just passing it along.

Wish I would have known that a couple days ago, but alas maybe it will be there in a few weeks.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Thanks for the info, that's up about 10 degrees from new years. Still too cold for the 5 mil tho. Guess it'll be drysuit. If possible I'll take a look and see if it's(the truck) still there. There have been a couple other cars pulled out of there. It's starting to get like the Cheat Lake area. Saw the long range temps for that week end. Mid 60's but no word on anything else. Could you tell if the power plant was running at full capacity? Can't wait to get down there. Practice work before Key Largo two weeks later. 1st dive will be on the Duane and I want to get in some time deep.

 

[caverdave]

both stacks were going pretty well.

I'm not sure, but seems the one other time there was good vis both stacks were going...

Hopefully they will be going upon your arrival !

 

[scubarobot]

I'll be vactioning at Deep Creek Lake, MD in June. Thought about diving there, most of my internet searching has led me to Mt Storm. Any idea what the diving is like at Deep Creek? How is the diving at Mt Storm? Is it worth the trip?

Anyone dive there on a regular basis?

Thanks

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Hey robot, welcome to the board. Fill out your profile so we can be of more help. I have not dove deep creek but know people that have. In june it will be cold. like 7 mil/ drysuit cold. you may find warmer temps in the first few feet but this is a mountain lake and as such it takes awhile to warm up. I'd wait til late july, early august if you are not properly equipped. Also you will have everybody and their brother out with their boats come memorial day on. Dive flag is mandatory but even then you'll be dealing with alot of yuppies who think they own the lake:huh: and your flag may be a target for them to slalom around on their jet skis and in their boats. With this vis may suffer and also it's a very popular fishing lake so watch out for lures!
Storm on the other hand is about 45 min from deep creek and last year on june 11 it was 82 at surface and 78 at 90 ft.:14: still 80 at 30 ft. I dove polar tech(think 2/3) all day(4 dives) and was comfy. The spot where we dive you usually do not have to worry about boats, max depth is 120ft plus, and vis can vary from 4-6ft to 8-12 or better depending on number of people in the water, current, and amt of sunshine. Storm right now is around 57-60 degrees depending on whose guage you go by. Deep Creek on the other hand may still have some ice in spots and water temps in the 30's.
As far as is it worth the trip goes it depends on what you consider diving.eyebrow If you need 20-30 ft plus vis and lota of colorful fish then maybe not. But if you like to challenge youself and work on skills such as navigation, buoyancy, and low to moderate vis techniques ( read: if you are a diver) then it is well worth it . The facilities are two porta johns, and a gas station up the road about a mile or so. Cell service is non-existent or spotty if you get in the right area(about a 1 ft square that is up by the road). There are lots of hungry catfish that charge you hot dogs to dive in their house. Lots of small bass and blue gills, and if you're lucky some good size carp that are not the scuzzy brown river kind but actually a pretty bluish-gold color. There are 4 training platforms- 2 at about 27 ft, 1 at 50, and 1 at 90. There are guidelines to all of them usually and some stuff like a motorcycle, statues, a shark and a dolphin. There is also a secretary's station with three typewriters, a sewing machine or two, computer monitor and printer, and depending on the antics of some riff-raff there may be a car that was "borrowed" and placed in the lake. In other words if you say there's nothing to see after diving there it's because you did not want to see anything. Come on down all you have to lose is a few hours of your time. Oh, you will have to have all of your own gear including air. There is no dive shop there. And don't forget your altitude tables. Both deep creek and storm qualify. Don't know deep creek's elevation but storm is 3300 plus so round up to 4000 ft altitude. And yeah I dive there regular :14:

 

[Jim Lapenta]

both stacks were going pretty well.

I'm not sure, but seems the one other time there was good vis both stacks were going...

Hopefully they will be going upon your arrival !

Thanks Dave!! I hope so also. I'm going down a day early. My instructor today asked what I was planning to do if no one else went down early with me. I just smiled and said PADI encourages the buddy system . I'm usually not so politically correct. eyebrow
Again thanks and hope to run into you sometime there or maybe tygart or summersville. Jim

 

[scubarobot]

I dive dry reguarly, I dive up here in New England where it can be 90F in the sun on the boat in July and low 40s on at 30 feet. Although, prefer my 5mil!!!

Sounds like it's worth a dive to me. I can't control when I go to the area as it is up to my in-laws. When I do come out, I'll bring my gear and tanks!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Cool! My bad for not seeing your location. If I'd noticed I would have realized that being from up there you are probably not diving a shorty! If you do deep creek the dry suit would be my choice but again without a buddy you can count on and perhaps a boat with a flag and someone to warn off the idiots it could get quite dangerous. I personally would like to try it but it would have to be when there would not be so many on the lake. I'd guess now would be that time and vis would most likely be pretty good but without someone familiar with the lake I'd have to pass on it until that happened. As far as storm goes as it gets closer to you being here drop me a PM and I'll get my cell number to you and perhaps hook up and give you a tour of our northern caribbean. In fact if it's on the right day I could even give you a lift since I go thru deep creek on the way if your ride depends on your in-laws. Most times I go for the whole weekend but occaisionally just for the day. Depends on how my fiance's feeling since she usually goes along.