The best solution is to dive on a weekday when you are allowed to park on the peninsula side. Nice gentle slope and uncrowded.
Dutch Springs - First Impressions
- Thread starter BlondeMermaid
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I was there this past weekend for the first time. From the point of view of an instructor it is a very nice place. And the instructor price is nice, plus I was able to get a pass to park down on the peninsula. Vis was very good saturday and sunday compared to what is available in SW Pa. And comparable to the nicer Ohio quarries. Air fills were a bit on the high side. But then I was diving doubles. But 12 bucks for a pair of LP 72's? At Gilboa my air was free all weekend. I was there for a con ed class for myself and it was a great class. We did have an OW class drop right on top of our class of 9 on the platform and someone from that group dropped a 2 lb clip weight from the surface that bounced off of the right tank of my rig. Less than 6 inches from my head. That was uncool.
For me though, on the other side of the coin is that it is a 5 1/2 - 6 hour drive. Plus the 27 bucks Pa makes me cough up on the turnpike if I want to take the fastest way. Next is the 36 dollar admission price. Per day. Even if you get there at 2pm. Very unpleasant surprise for my DMC. Even a special weekend 2 day for say 50 bucks would have been reasonable. 72 though on top of the drive and tolls pretty much insures we will not be taking students there. I can hit any of the Ohio quarries in 4 -4 1/2 hours, no tolls, less fuel, and admission is less than half of what Dutch Springs charges. I am glad we went since now I can say we were there but I don't see us going back and me only for training that I deem to be very special like it was this weekend.
We did not eat there so no idea about the food prices. Again it was nice but way too far and expensive for my students to consider. If I lived within an hour then I'd use it and push the season pass deal to my people. But just as a weekend destination to get wet from, my part of the map, nah. More economical choices that give the same results closer to home.
For me though, on the other side of the coin is that it is a 5 1/2 - 6 hour drive. Plus the 27 bucks Pa makes me cough up on the turnpike if I want to take the fastest way. Next is the 36 dollar admission price. Per day. Even if you get there at 2pm. Very unpleasant surprise for my DMC. Even a special weekend 2 day for say 50 bucks would have been reasonable. 72 though on top of the drive and tolls pretty much insures we will not be taking students there. I can hit any of the Ohio quarries in 4 -4 1/2 hours, no tolls, less fuel, and admission is less than half of what Dutch Springs charges. I am glad we went since now I can say we were there but I don't see us going back and me only for training that I deem to be very special like it was this weekend.
We did not eat there so no idea about the food prices. Again it was nice but way too far and expensive for my students to consider. If I lived within an hour then I'd use it and push the season pass deal to my people. But just as a weekend destination to get wet from, my part of the map, nah. More economical choices that give the same results closer to home.
This thread has been around for a while now, but I'll sum up my impressions this way (since I've now been there a whopping 3 times in 3 weeks):
Its clean, waters clear, air is fresh, and did you seen the prices of lift tickets last season?
Even on a bunny hill, its at least $40/day; rocking towards $80/day for a full ticket. So I consider this a bargain compared to my snowboarding habit. But in reality its a wash. I mean, Skiing/boarding gear is cheap compared to scuba. But the daily rates are higher. And have a customary beer after the hills? Break out the credit card. At least with scuba, you kinda have a self imposed go-easy-on-the-drinking rule. And it beats the mud hole 2' vis I OW'ed in.
In sum, its a toss up between helicopter-off-big-air-on-the-board vs diving-the-helicopter. Both just flat rip!
Just do it!
Its clean, waters clear, air is fresh, and did you seen the prices of lift tickets last season?
Even on a bunny hill, its at least $40/day; rocking towards $80/day for a full ticket. So I consider this a bargain compared to my snowboarding habit. But in reality its a wash. I mean, Skiing/boarding gear is cheap compared to scuba. But the daily rates are higher. And have a customary beer after the hills? Break out the credit card. At least with scuba, you kinda have a self imposed go-easy-on-the-drinking rule. And it beats the mud hole 2' vis I OW'ed in.
In sum, its a toss up between helicopter-off-big-air-on-the-board vs diving-the-helicopter. Both just flat rip!
Just do it!
Dutch rocks...!
Went there on Sunday to rinse the gear after an ocean dive on Saturday:
Definitely worth the season pass...
Went there on Sunday to rinse the gear after an ocean dive on Saturday:
Definitely worth the season pass...
Sweet pics! We gave the gnome a lift yesterday from the bus. Totally cool.
Here's who was driving the bus earlier this month...!
Why was he surprised? Admission fees are right on the Dutch Springs website.
I bought a 3-year pass at the end of the 2010 season that covered fall of 2010 and all of 2011, 2012, and 2013. Cost me $380 I think. Plus they credited me for my 2009 full-year pass that I did not use at all because I had unplanned surgery. Now that was certainly an unexpected surprise...
:d
mbs
Contributor
Wow, nice viz! I was there in August and thought it was a little hazier then I recalled... Was wondering if the water park was mucking things up?
Viz at the bus was superb this past week. It was murky at the helldiver and the cessna though. Even the platforms on the student side were murky with noone there. Seems like, from what I've seen so far, there are pockets of natural murk and pockets of clear viz. Or, maybe just the same all over, with the depth and sun vs cloud being the difference...what it is however, is great for nav practice. You can get lost, yet you'll never be left by the boat!
I dove ole' Dutch some two decades + ago and used it as a site for training divers. It's certainly changed in many ways. It really is a universe of it's own. You see all manner of diving life there from abject stupidity all the way to students getting a thrill from their first diving experience.
What's good for me as an instructor is near zero maintenance (freshwater) + I get a free pass and parking. Also, the first aid resources are top notch. What I don't like is the territorial nature of the groups - but that is easily amended by pecking order. Big dog rules which is bizarre, but a fact of life with the egos involved in being a "quarrior."
If you're a certified diver wishing a new experience - I'd do it just for the sake of saying you were there. If you have a scooter all the better as you can tour the underwater sights leaving the silt of the arm-flailing students waaaay behind.
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What's good for me as an instructor is near zero maintenance (freshwater) + I get a free pass and parking. Also, the first aid resources are top notch. What I don't like is the territorial nature of the groups - but that is easily amended by pecking order. Big dog rules which is bizarre, but a fact of life with the egos involved in being a "quarrior."
If you're a certified diver wishing a new experience - I'd do it just for the sake of saying you were there. If you have a scooter all the better as you can tour the underwater sights leaving the silt of the arm-flailing students waaaay behind.
X
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