Diving Quarrys in Ohio. What Wetsuit?

[Comm]

The diving at Gilboa is generally better than White Star. Gilboa has much more to see and tends to have better visibility.

The new management at Gilboa has taken a customer first approach and has been adding amenities over the past couple of years. I've taught my fair share of open water and advanced classes at both and without knowing your build, a 7mm wetsuit, 5mm gloves, 5mm boots, and 5 or 7mm hood should be fine during the late spring to mid-fall time range. If you plan on doing extended time below 40/50 feet or go October through April at either quarry - a drysuit is a must.

Ive been up to Gilboa 3 or 4 weekends already this year - happy to give any info you'd like

 

[Ez E]

I did the same thing you are planning, in the same quarries. I ended up with a 7mm semi-dry with 3mm gloves and was perfectly fine. Summer days can be a bit warm, just unzip neck and flush, heat is gone. Never got cold, if your hands tend to get cold move to the 5mm glove but keep the 3mm for summer, better dexterity and don't need the warmth.

I dove the Ohio quarries for a while in a 7mm suit, 5/3 hooded vest, 5mm gloves, and 7mm booties. That would probably work for most shallow dives mid-late June through mid-September. A semi-dry would be better. If you stay very shallow and you're only diving July and August, you might get away with a 5mm or even 3mm for short dives, but that will be very limiting (and potentially very cold). Circleville twin quarries (now sadly closed) was divable in a 3mm between about July 4 and Labor Day.

Then I wanted to dive in Spring and Fall when visibility is better, but water is colder, so, after swearing I would never buy a drysuit or doubles, I now dive a drysuit and doubles.

If you're only going a few times in the height of summer, you might try renting the wetsuit and seeing how it goes. (Although good fit is key to staying warm, and you're never quite sure how a rental will fit.) If you really like local diving, you will probably wind up with a semi-dry or drysuit.

Edit: one last thought. If you get a 7mm full suit, you can probably use that just about anywhere if you travel. If you're diving Florida or northern Caribbean in December-April, a 3mm might leave you a little cold.

The diving at Gilboa is generally better than White Star. Gilboa has much more to see and tends to have better visibility.

The new management at Gilboa has taken a customer first approach and has been adding amenities over the past couple of years. I've taught my fair share of open water and advanced classes at both and without knowing your build, a 7mm wetsuit, 5mm gloves, 5mm boots, and 5 or 7mm hood should be fine during the late spring to mid-fall time range. If you plan on doing extended time below 40/50 feet or go October through April at either quarry - a drysuit is a must.

Ive been up to Gilboa 3 or 4 weekends already this year - happy to give any info you'd like

Alright these are all good posts. I need to see what these semi dry suits are all about. Sounds like the 7mm is the smart choice. I’ll probably PM you @Comm when I am thinking about a good time for Gilboa.

 

[Marie13]

White Star has much easier access. No freaking stairs of death!

 

[Ez E]

Tell me more about these stairs? Im not familiar.

 

[FF / EMT]

Tell me more about these stairs? Im not familiar.

They’re not terrible, they’re wood stairs down to
A deck which have ramps out to the floating docks,
From there you can giant stride, or walk in onto a platform to put your flippers and goggles on.

Gilboa is really making some nice improvements.

 

[Jared0425]

Tell me more about these stairs? Im not familiar.

The stairs at Gilboa drop about 25 ft from the parking lot to the water. They are notoriously slippery when they are wet. They are quite old, but some have been replaced and some have grit strips on them that have helped a lot.

 

[Comm]

White Star has much easier access. No freaking stairs of death!

Fair point - White Star is a bit easier to get in. No need to pay for parking and It’s all more or less on one plane

At Gilboa, parking is extra and the stairs can be scary. That being said, the first dock has a sloped entry so no stairs. That is where I mainly dive.

 

[Doc Harry]

I dunno. Maybe one day as I get more experience. I read a thread on here the other day about floating to the surface feet first in a drysuit. That doesnt instill much desire in me to try it

I pee in my drysuit. The weight of urine that drains to my feet keeps my feet from floating up.

 

[Marie13]

Fair point - White Star is a bit easier to get in. No need to pay for parking and It’s all more or less on one plane

At Gilboa, parking is extra and the stairs can be scary. That being said, the first dock has a sloped entry so no stairs. That is where I mainly dive.

No, White Star is a LOT easier to get into. If you have bad knees, stay away from Gilboa, or at least the stairs.

 

[MrVegas]

No, White Star is a LOT easier to get into. If you have bad knees, stay away from Gilboa, or at least the stairs.

I dive both Gilboa and White Star a fair amount -- although maybe not as much as Marie13. Gilboa has stairs down to the docks from the parking lot. I walk my doubles down the stairs on my back, and lots of people do that every weekend. But yes, if you have knee trouble, I could see where that would not be fun with heavy gear.

White Star is a great place, but not quite as custom set-up for diving as Gilboa. You will probably be walking from a picnic table a little ways away into a slightly rocky shallow entry point. Both places have friendly and professional people running them, in my opinion.