Anyone done PADI AOW checkout dives at "Pelham Keys"?

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BORG

Contributor
Messages
609
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Location
Tucker, Georgia, just northeast of Atlanta
# of dives
100 - 199
I am wanting to get my PADI AOW checkout dives done at Alabama Blue Water, other wise known as the "Pelham Keys" by Fall. How are the 100ft. depths there required for the deep checkout vis wise?
What are some the 5 AOW dives done at this site?
 
The deepest I have been in Blue Water is 75 feet when I was trying out a drysuit. The visibility was very good (for a quarry) then, probably 40-50 feet, but this was also in December when there are fewer divers there. It was very cold, I think about 57 degrees.

We don't do our deep dive AOW in Blue Water, but do the underwater navigation and search & recovery there and then do the deep dive in Panama City along with two other dives - generally wreck and boat unless we get a request for a different one.

There are several instructors there that do the deep dives there, but that is much colder than what I care to go on myself, or take students in. You can contact Wayne or Stephen at Blue Water to get details on current visibility at those depths.
 
Thanks for the info. I'll probably party up with my LDS, Divers Supply and go over to Blue Water in a few months and get my PADI AOW done then. I would like to dive Blue Water first before I do my check out dives there. The deepest I've ever been is about 55ft. I've heard from alot of folks that you really can't tell the difference in 70 ft. and 100ft. when you're at depth. Unless of course, if you're getting narced.
 
Thanks for the info. I'll probably party up with my LDS, Divers Supply and go over to Blue Water in a few months and get my PADI AOW done then. I would like to dive Blue Water first before I do my check out dives there. The deepest I've ever been is about 55ft. I've heard from alot of folks that you really can't tell the difference in 70 ft. and 100ft. when you're at depth. Unless of course, if you're getting narced.

Correct, feeling wise you cannot tell, so make sure you are checking your guages so you know where you are.
 
Thanks for the info. I'll probably party up with my LDS, Divers Supply and go over to Blue Water in a few months and get my PADI AOW done then. I would like to dive Blue Water first before I do my check out dives there. The deepest I've ever been is about 55ft. I've heard from alot of folks that you really can't tell the difference in 70 ft. and 100ft. when you're at depth. Unless of course, if you're getting narced.

You are correct that there is little to differentiate in terms of visibility when diving between 70ft and 100ft. Curiously, once you get below 115ft the visibility improves considerably.

I routinely dive at Blue Water and have seen alot of classes train there over the years. If possible, arrive there at opening (0900 CDT) and be in the water as quickly as possible. While there are few divers using the quary during the week, there are always classes there on Saturday and Sunday. It doesn't take too long for the shallower depths to have the visibility reduced. Also consider that during warmer months the algae / plant life is really blooming in the shallower regions of the park so between that and the students, deeper is better (IMO).

Regards,
Ltstanfo
 
As Ltstanfo said, it does begin to clear up deep... I saw that change somewhere around 110 to 120, where it typically clears. However, for a quarry, Blue Water has pleasantly good viz, even shallow, unless the crap has been kicked out of it, by classes.

You won't feel the depth change, however, you'll certainly know you're down there when you hit that last thermocline. With all due respect to seaducer, whom is apparently used to the arctic conditions of NJ, it was still a shock to me when I hit that 58 degree thermo. Even with a 5mm full, and 3 mm core warmer, my butt turned brittle that first time.

Add to that the probability that you'll be somewhat narced at 100 ft., and the viz will be reduced until it clears a bit deeper, you'll be dealing with a few new sensations... Additionally, there's no direct descent line where they typically do the deep dive, so you'll be doing a free descent/ascent. Also, you'll have no point of reference the entire descent. Important to watch your gauges. However, these are all reasons for doing the AOW Deep Dive -- to expose you to all those conditions, so they won't come as a surprise in future dives.

I've only done that dive twice at that quarry, and have no desire to do it again (I don't drysuit dive, and I don't like the cold). I much prefer the 78-82 degree water at 90 to 100 feet on the Spiegel.

You may want to practice by the school bus, which lies at about 70ft. There's a descent line (from the bus to a surface buoy). The viz is typically around 15 to 20 ft. at the bus, but it'll give you a taste of the cold (not quite the last thermo), the viz, with a reference point, and no narcosis.

P.S. Once you go to Blue Water, you won't want to go back to Lanier...
 
One minor correction / revision for BKP...

There is a direct descent line for beginning a deep dive at Blue Water. The float is 20ft (maybe more) underwater (on purpose) and goes to 100ft (rock slope). Once at the slope you do a free descent (either following the terrain down or compass course) to the bottom (approx 150ft).

If you look at the picture / map posted on the pelham site, the float is (approximately) slightly left of where you see "wall - 120 bottom".
 
One minor correction / revision for BKP...

There is a direct descent line for beginning a deep dive at Blue Water. The float is 20ft (maybe more) underwater (on purpose) and goes to 100ft (rock slope). Once at the slope you do a free descent (either following the terrain down or compass course) to the bottom (approx 150ft).

If you look at the picture / map posted on the pelham site, the float is (approximately) slightly left of where you see "wall - 120 bottom".
You're kidding!

Been down that same way twice, right off the wall, and never saw the descent line (should've checked the map!). Now I'm going to have to do that Danish plunge one more time just so I can kick myself in the ass... (that is a major boring ascent, with no reference point, in nothing but blue-green nothingness).
 
My wife did her AOW at Pelham. She went to 130 wearing a 3 mil farmer john and a 3 mil over it. I would have been freezing. She didn't notice. She is tough. And she was really focused that day on completing the various tasks that the instructor assigned. I think there are a lot of advantages to doing it there. The cold and Viz add some stress that I didn't have doing it in the warm and beautiful carribean sea (like me). The viz makes navigation and search and recovery a lot more realistic (you won't be in the clear water doing the nav part). All in all I think Pelham is a great training facility.
 
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