BH this past weekend, Aug 14-15th

[robint]

UMM, we are going to BH next week. I will post a thread shortly... You SHOULD go.. but that of course is up to you!

Don't let the scary photo's of family's crowding the BH scare you off.

One of the best dives I did at the Hole was me solo (wearing Stellas crappy 7mm, returning from FL, so no DrySuit) and not ONE other diver there. The Place was packed with swimmers... but .... Vis from top to bottom... and I could see from end to end at the bottom as well, so 130'+

Ron - go back and re-read my posts. I never said the families on Saturday were scary. I said the crowd on Sunday was scary. I also said I did not take pictures of those people on Sunday.

Have fun at Blue HOle, since school has started back here in NM, hopefully the crowds will be smaller.

robin

 

[Jasonmh]

this was really bad this past weekend. People were jumping off the giant stride and aiming at the divers. One guy almost got to our group of divers, as they were descending. ... I also saw some of the swimmer pulling themselves down the platform ropes trying to touch the divers. ... This was all malicious, as was the groups that stood on stairs and refused to let divers get out of water after a dive, or the ones spitting on the divers over the wall as they stood on the ledge. ...

I don't disagree with your points there Robin. I have to wonder if some of this has to do with the coming changes at BH. I have been going there for 10 years, and things certainly seem to have gotten worse lately. I know there are people in town that oppose the changes at BH, like charging swimmers or only allowing swimmers only at certain times. It sure it doesn't account for everything, but I do wonder if there are locals who are "mad" at the divers for the changes they see coming that they don't like, and are taking it out on them.

EDIT- Also, if it has not happened already, I think that you should let Richard Delgado with the City of Santa Rosa know about these issues.

 

[Tjack]

Sounds like a little good will could go a long way towards alleviating tensions. For example, when non-divers are curious about diving, take a second to explain how it works. You might be surprised at how quickly people’s attitudes change with a friendly gesture.

 

[BigBubbaJ]

I was there last month, and it didn't look much different when we went there in the evening to get fills from Stella. I even took my doubles on Scotts dolly and lowered them mostly into the water on the stairs. I did have to "excuse my way in there", but once I lowered the tanks, I had about 4 people ask me genuinely interested questions about diving. I think it is perhaps a cultural issue. I'm here in the UK at the moment and realize that my american concept of personal space simply doesn't apply. I am from LA, went to school in Venice, am very familiar with the crowd you are speaking of. I have never seen them at BH. Not saying they weren't there. I too would have been off put in the same situation.

RonT - Cool new tech gear! Good luck to you and Rick this weekend!

 

[Divedoggie]

Some of you need to give Robin a break! Most of you know her! She isn't a bigot. Wow, she lives in NM and dives BH all the time. Don't you think she posted her concerns in good faith? Gangs and thugs look like gangs and thugs! She was never ripping on anyone for ethnic reasons.
Thanks for the info Robin!

I think I'm going to head up to the Bridgeport Lakes in Nebraska instead of BH next weekend.