sstep5884
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I'm going to be in the DC area next week. Is there any good diving in that area or is everything still way to cold?
DC area Diving
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james croft
Contributor
Nothing is too cold with a drysuit until it freezes solid. I was in Northern VA today and it was snowing this morning.
Sinbad the Diver
Contributor
The quarry in NoVA (Lake Millbrook) is closed until April 4. Mt Storm in WV is a couple hours away and is warmer (power plant). There is a bunch that post in the Mid Atlantic Bottom Feeders forumn that can give you more details. Other than that, it's off season here is the DC area for most.
SeaHunt82
Registered
I live in the DC area. I have been curious about this my self.
This link might help with local diving information. It is from Brass Anchor's website. They are my LDS located in Frederick, MD. http://www.brassanchor.com/divewher.htm
There is local diving here. Whether or not it is "good diving" depends on what your definition of good diving is.
There is local diving here. Whether or not it is "good diving" depends on what your definition of good diving is.
SeaHunt82
Registered
Thanks for the heads up Rand. I have been looking into a weekend at lake Rawlings. Where are these "local" dive spots? I realize that we aren't talking about 50 foot visibility and warm water so I'm willing to amend my qualifications for a good dive. =)
I haven't done a whole lot of local diving yet, but I have been to Lake Rawlings a few times and Millbrook Quarry in Haymarket, VA once. Rawlings has the best viz of any quarry in the DC area, 30-60 feet, and the water temperatures in the summer can get up into the 60's. The facilities there (air/nitrox fills, gear rental, running water/hot showers, rental cabins, etc.) also make Rawlings a big winner over the other quarries.
In the other quarries, expect 5-20 foot viz and much colder temps.
There is some diving done out of Ocean City, MD, but I haven't been out there yet. I've also heard of dives out of Virginia Beach, but haven't been there either.
I did a few dives out of Myrtle Beach last year. The diving was so-so, but the temperatures were in the upper 70's. The viz varied from 5-40 feet in July last year, although I've heard it gets better than that.
From talking to other local divers, it seems if you want any really good diving within driving distance, you need to go to Morehead City, NC. It is like a 7-8 hour drive from DC, but my LDS goes at least twice a year, so it must be worth it. I'm going in August and I'll let you know how it goes.
For me, the local quarries are just places to practice skills and test equipment. Real diving for me is in the ocean.
In the other quarries, expect 5-20 foot viz and much colder temps.
There is some diving done out of Ocean City, MD, but I haven't been out there yet. I've also heard of dives out of Virginia Beach, but haven't been there either.
I did a few dives out of Myrtle Beach last year. The diving was so-so, but the temperatures were in the upper 70's. The viz varied from 5-40 feet in July last year, although I've heard it gets better than that.
From talking to other local divers, it seems if you want any really good diving within driving distance, you need to go to Morehead City, NC. It is like a 7-8 hour drive from DC, but my LDS goes at least twice a year, so it must be worth it. I'm going in August and I'll let you know how it goes.
For me, the local quarries are just places to practice skills and test equipment. Real diving for me is in the ocean.
There's plenty of wreck diving out of Va Beach. There's two charters there that are each affiliated with their owning shop(Miss Lindsey to the Lynnhaven Dive Center and the other to Lynnhaven Dive Quarters).
The wrecks are mostly rubble piles, but there's some decent spearfishing and a few intact wrecks. The popular sites are the Tower/Tug/artificial reef(40-60') that's 12 miles out and the SS Morgan at 90' (I think 26 miles out). Va Beach is a pretty good drive from DC. I live in Quantico(1 hour SW of DC right on 95) and it takes up to 6 hours to get there during the summer due to the 4-6 mile traffic backup on the 64 bridge tunnel. There is another way in, though
and it should only take 3 hours from Quantico/4 from DC. If you're leaving before 6-6:30pm, count on another hour or two added for the southbound traffic between DC and Fredricksburg......
The same driving time away you've got the Outer Banks(mainly Hatteras) of North Carolina and Morehead City, NC as mentioned. They both have fantastic wreck diving and tons of marine life(primarily sharks are a big feature there). Hatteras is an end of the road, small village kind of place. The best way to describe it is think of the movie, "The Patriot." Remember the small village on the beach that Mel Gibson's family took refuge at? Hatteras Village is what grew out of that in the several hundred years...... Morehead City is a more typical beach town, so to say, with plenty of bars, restaurants and of course Atlantic beach along with Emerald Isle right down the road.
Also 6 hours away is the Jersey Shore. Great wreck diving. Best beaches anywhere. But of course I grew up in Jersey
I think there is only 1 charter operating out of OC maryland, called the OC Diver. I think he spends some of his time in NC too....
So, if you want ocean diving it's a drive. There's some quarries if that will quench your thirst for the time being. You could always go diving in the anacostia waterfront for dead bodies and what not. Don't get lost in DC. If a cop is giving you a strange look as "what the HELL are you doing in this neighborhood?" then you may want to kindly ask him to escort you to where you need to be.
Lake Rawlings is an awesome quarry and is just southwest of Richmond. Plan on a 3.5 hour+ drive from DC unless you're a slow driver. I think it's $22 to get in for the day. They close at 5 on sunday, so beware. The staff/owners are incredibly rude, keep in mind, though it really is a great quarry for diving. My buddy from Kansas couldn't believe a quarry would have such fantastic viz.......I guess they're all mudholes out there in the mid-west. Thinking of it, he has a t-shirt that says, "Mid-west Muck Diver" and has a guy splashing around in a old-west style bathtub thingy.
There's also Bainbridge Quarry is southern Pennsylvania. I think it's about 3 hours from DC, but I've never been.
The wrecks are mostly rubble piles, but there's some decent spearfishing and a few intact wrecks. The popular sites are the Tower/Tug/artificial reef(40-60') that's 12 miles out and the SS Morgan at 90' (I think 26 miles out). Va Beach is a pretty good drive from DC. I live in Quantico(1 hour SW of DC right on 95) and it takes up to 6 hours to get there during the summer due to the 4-6 mile traffic backup on the 64 bridge tunnel. There is another way in, though
and it should only take 3 hours from Quantico/4 from DC. If you're leaving before 6-6:30pm, count on another hour or two added for the southbound traffic between DC and Fredricksburg......The same driving time away you've got the Outer Banks(mainly Hatteras) of North Carolina and Morehead City, NC as mentioned. They both have fantastic wreck diving and tons of marine life(primarily sharks are a big feature there). Hatteras is an end of the road, small village kind of place. The best way to describe it is think of the movie, "The Patriot." Remember the small village on the beach that Mel Gibson's family took refuge at? Hatteras Village is what grew out of that in the several hundred years...... Morehead City is a more typical beach town, so to say, with plenty of bars, restaurants and of course Atlantic beach along with Emerald Isle right down the road.
Also 6 hours away is the Jersey Shore. Great wreck diving. Best beaches anywhere. But of course I grew up in Jersey
I think there is only 1 charter operating out of OC maryland, called the OC Diver. I think he spends some of his time in NC too....
So, if you want ocean diving it's a drive. There's some quarries if that will quench your thirst for the time being. You could always go diving in the anacostia waterfront for dead bodies and what not. Don't get lost in DC. If a cop is giving you a strange look as "what the HELL are you doing in this neighborhood?" then you may want to kindly ask him to escort you to where you need to be.
Lake Rawlings is an awesome quarry and is just southwest of Richmond. Plan on a 3.5 hour+ drive from DC unless you're a slow driver. I think it's $22 to get in for the day. They close at 5 on sunday, so beware. The staff/owners are incredibly rude, keep in mind, though it really is a great quarry for diving. My buddy from Kansas couldn't believe a quarry would have such fantastic viz.......I guess they're all mudholes out there in the mid-west. Thinking of it, he has a t-shirt that says, "Mid-west Muck Diver" and has a guy splashing around in a old-west style bathtub thingy.
There's also Bainbridge Quarry is southern Pennsylvania. I think it's about 3 hours from DC, but I've never been.
I actually had 60 foot viz at Rawlings in February, but it was off season, with no students in the water. In fact, they opened the quarry for a total of four of us. Temps were in the mid 40's, so unless you're hardcore, you need a drysuit that time of year.
Speaking of drysuits, DUI does a demo weekend once a year at Rawlings. This is a good opportunity to try out their stuff. It is in October this year. Here's a link to their calendar Lake Rawlings - Calendar of Events
I think you pay a bit more for the demo weekend, but it includes dinner and I think you get unlimited opportunities to try their various suits out. They give you a crash course in drysuit diving if you aren't drysuit certified/familiar yet.
Something to think about if you are planning to go to Rawlings.
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