Blue Springs Conditions

[crpntr133]

As I recall, Wally's old LDS also used to complete a deep portion at BS (Don't quote me on this).

Use to is the right phrase. When I did my AOW we went to Haigh. I think what he did before was to do most at BS and then plan a deep someplace else.

Speaking of my LDS I think he will be gone by the end of the year. I told him that I would buy his inventor when he closed and he said "make me an offer".

 

[Dan Gibson]

Why 80 ft? Why not over 100ft?

I did all my AOW at BS as well. My instructor was about the farthest thing from lazy you will find. Actual depth in class has little to do with it. It's the skills and planning you learn as well as the perils and pitfalls one is taught about deep diving that are important. The standard drills used in class like comparing how long it takes to open a lock on the surface versus at depth are pretty much worthless in my opinion. IMO it's like trying to get someone drunk just so they can see what drunk is. Stupid and pointless in my book. If someone tells me its painful to touch a hot stove, I don't need to actually do it to prove to myself its hot. One can learn how to dive deep in shallower water than you are suggesting. In fact, most advanced training begins with a series of shallow dives to train and prepare the diver for greater depths. The fact also remains, AOW (deep dive)is not an advanced class by any means. It's strictly an introductory to deeper diving class. Taking someone to deeper depths without doing the shallow training work first is crazy in my book.

I certainly hope you were joking about doing any "deep" dives at BS. That's absolute laziness in part of an instructor. A student gains nothing from being at 62' that he hasn't experienced at 55'. Any kind of honest, deep-training has to hit 80' IMNSHO. Otherwise you shortchange the student. And yes I realize deep is subjective, but water column pressure and proper dive planning is the guts of the class. It's silly to use less-than-stellar viz and cold as cop outs.

 

[rakkis]

Why 80 ft? Why not over 100ft?

Because over 100' is not allowed for AOW under the standards I've agreed to follow

Now that I'm back in So. Cal, 90-95' is is the norm for my AOW Deep dive. Back in Indy, it was the hole at Haigh or over the wall @ Gilboa.

I understand the issue you bring up with planning being the focus of the class, and I agree. But I'm not about to tell someone they can consider diving to 100' (given conditions and progressive practice) when I've only taken them to 61'.

 

[Hoosier]

Use to is the right phrase. When I did my AOW we went to Haigh. I think what he did before was to do most at BS and then plan a deep someplace else.

Speaking of my LDS I think he will be gone by the end of the year. I told him that I would buy his inventor when he closed and he said "make me an offer".

Yeah,, "Used to be"


Now, I can see why you need to build your own fill station desperately.

A scuba has a really small market specially in the land-locked state.

 

[Dan Gibson]

Neither would I.

The problem is under the AOW system you have been involved in, there really isn't any significant progressive practice during the AOW class. It's strictly an introductory class. Let's face it, most are probably just out of OW in these parts. I would never even consider taking someone to 60 ft, much less 80 ft, if I wasn't comfortable with them at 20 ft. I have seen to many things go wrong over the wall at Gilboa at depths as shallow as 80 ft. The over 100 ft was just an example of why 80 ft over any other depth. I could easily say any instructor who doesn't take their students to at least 90 to 100 feet is short changing them of the experience. I just happen to believe BS is a great place to initiate divers to increasing depths which is what the deep dive in AOW should really be about. Gilboa's shallow side is a good place as well. Gilboa's deep side should be left to much more experienced divers who have done a lot more than a couple dozen dives and carry the right equipment for such a dive.

Because over 100' is not allowed for AOW under the standards I've agreed to follow

Now that I'm back in So. Cal, 90-95' is is the norm for my AOW Deep dive. Back in Indy, it was the hole at Haigh or over the wall @ Gilboa.

I understand the issue you bring up with planning being the focus of the class, and I agree. But I'm not about to tell someone they can consider diving to 100' (given conditions and progressive practice) when I've only taken them to 61'.

 

[rakkis]

I'm of the opinion that a student shouldn't take AOW right off. maybe @ dive 10 or so at least. 15-20 is the sweet spot to get the most out of it for most people, imo.

 

[Dan Gibson]

True, but tell that to the shop owners and instructors trying to sell classes.

I'm of the opinion that a student shouldn't take AOW right off. maybe @ dive 10 or so at least. 15-20 is the sweet spot to get the most out of it for most people, imo.

 

[crpntr133]

So what are the local conditions since we have had another two days of rain?

 

[erparamedic]

Wow, Jim! Pretty amazing pics. Thanks for sharing them.

And... fwiw... Rod did all his AOW at BS too. And he had a great instructor. I did my AOW in FL... in some kick azzzz current! It was awesome!