Hello all, my name is Nick and I am just now getting into scuba diving. Me and a few friends are signed up for classes this month and I am pretty pumped. Not much around where a live we have a local dive shop but that's about it, no clubs or really nice spots to dive. Don't have any gear yet so anyone with a favorite site favorite brands and why just post it on here. Thanks!
Getting Started in Kentucky
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sjmueller61990
Guest
welcome nick, im actually going to be seeing you in a little bit at work but thought id come check out your new account on here...peace
Welcome from another Kentuckian!There actually IS some diving in & around KY! OK,.... its not warm clear Caribbean diving, but it is diving,... if you can stand the cold, murkiness & the KY Piranha
). There are several quarries & lakes that can be dove. Not sure where you're located, so it is difficult to tell you what may be near you; I'm in the Owensboro area & primarily dive the Hopkinsville quarry. If you're ever there, look me up, I'm there 3/5 weekends. There is also a loose club of sorts here on the board. Just look up the KY Piranha Patrol. Lots of good folks. As for equipment I use all sorts. Basically what fits me, is comfortable & functional.
). There are several quarries & lakes that can be dove. Not sure where you're located, so it is difficult to tell you what may be near you; I'm in the Owensboro area & primarily dive the Hopkinsville quarry. If you're ever there, look me up, I'm there 3/5 weekends. There is also a loose club of sorts here on the board. Just look up the KY Piranha Patrol. Lots of good folks. As for equipment I use all sorts. Basically what fits me, is comfortable & functional.sjmueller61990
Guest
yeah hes in the owensboro area with me, where else other than the hopkinsville quarry are there to dive around here? the only one i knew up to this point was the quarry. some variety would be awesome.
Depends on how far you want to travel. 2 1/2hrs west is Mermet Springs. It is just north of Paducah, KY & Metropolis Il. Very nice facilities. The quarry itself tends to be quite murky, but on occasion can be a little clearer. Depths range from 15 ft- 120 ft. Lots to see, including the 727 jet blown up in the movie "US Marshalls". About 3 hrs to the east is Falling Rock Quarry in LaGrange, KY. It is a shallower quarry, with a few things sunken here & there. Not much in the way of facilities though. I have heard that Dale Hollow Lake (about 4hrs away on the TN boarder) is nice for diving, though I've never done it myself. I'm sure KY/ Barkley lakes could be dove in a pinch. Just make sure that you have the proper flag marker if you are going to dive lakes to warn boaters. I personally teach for Aquatech Scuba Center in Evansville. I started off in Owensboro, but found that Aquatech had more to offer in equipment (top of the line stuff at reasonable prices) & courses, as I became interested in Technical & cave diving. The head instructor can teach just about anything from basic Open Water to Master Instructor level & into technical & technical instructor level. Aquatech also has some fantastic trips form FL, to the Caribbean, to Asia & we have a trip leaving in 3 weeks to the Galapagos! (unfortunately that trip is filled up, but I'm sure they would run another if there was the interest). Just look at their web site www.aquatechdivecenter.com.
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sjmueller61990
Guest
awesome thanks alot. i was wondering if maybe you knew anyone that carried tusa gear? i really wanted to look at the liberator sigma and platine evo and have been looking at a place around here that carries them so i can try them on and see what fits and see if i like them?
KY_BOB
Contributor
Welcome from another Kentuckian.
Welcome To Ky's Beautiful Blue Springs Resort Is the quarry at Hopkinsville. They are a Tusa dealer but they have a pretty limited amount gear in stock.
Welcome To Ky's Beautiful Blue Springs Resort Is the quarry at Hopkinsville. They are a Tusa dealer but they have a pretty limited amount gear in stock.
drrich2
Contributor
Hi, Nick. I live in southwestern KY; got certified back in early '06. I'll toss a few random thoughts your way.
If you have an interest in diving in the Caribbean, a trip to Bonaire, with 1 week stay, unlimited shore diving, a rental truck, resort stay and airfare tends to run me around $2,000 per person. If you do a forum search for 'drrich2' and 'Bonaire' you'll probably some of my trip report threads, which use photos to make the read enjoyable and not a hassle.
Some people go stay at a hotel or resort in Cozumel and hire a boat charter to take them out for about 2 dives per day, and I guess mess around Cozumel the rest of the day for a week. I haven't priced it, and it's vary with where you stay, but I suspect a total trip price could be similar.
The SeaSoft Sunray is a popular, high-quality scuba boot that wears a lot like a sneaker, from what I understand. They don't come in my size (15), but my wife & a friend both like them a lot.
Pennyroyal Blue Springs has a fairly large shallow section that used to be a parking lot, but there's a thermocline around 15 - 20' in my experience, and if you want to dive on down, bring a wet suit. Part of this quarry is very deep. They've got a web site online.
Oh, couple of things I've learned along the way:
1.) Always take a tank banger or functional equivalent. If one of you ever runs out of air, you don't want your buddy ogling a fish 15 feet off to your side. In the water you're just not off to the side, in front or behind, you can be several feet higher or lower, and especially in limited vis. it's easy to lose your buddy.
2.) When shore diving, especially in rocky entry sites, walk out into waist deep water before putting your fins on, and take them off there on your way out. If you try to 'duck walk' into (or out of) the ocean shore diving in Bonaire, you can hurt yourself. In fact, you might accidentally bop your wife with your camera holding hands trying to get out, and she might get upset, shout an expletive and throw a fin at the beach...but no, that'd never happen...
Richard.
If you have an interest in diving in the Caribbean, a trip to Bonaire, with 1 week stay, unlimited shore diving, a rental truck, resort stay and airfare tends to run me around $2,000 per person. If you do a forum search for 'drrich2' and 'Bonaire' you'll probably some of my trip report threads, which use photos to make the read enjoyable and not a hassle.
Some people go stay at a hotel or resort in Cozumel and hire a boat charter to take them out for about 2 dives per day, and I guess mess around Cozumel the rest of the day for a week. I haven't priced it, and it's vary with where you stay, but I suspect a total trip price could be similar.
The SeaSoft Sunray is a popular, high-quality scuba boot that wears a lot like a sneaker, from what I understand. They don't come in my size (15), but my wife & a friend both like them a lot.
Pennyroyal Blue Springs has a fairly large shallow section that used to be a parking lot, but there's a thermocline around 15 - 20' in my experience, and if you want to dive on down, bring a wet suit. Part of this quarry is very deep. They've got a web site online.
Oh, couple of things I've learned along the way:
1.) Always take a tank banger or functional equivalent. If one of you ever runs out of air, you don't want your buddy ogling a fish 15 feet off to your side. In the water you're just not off to the side, in front or behind, you can be several feet higher or lower, and especially in limited vis. it's easy to lose your buddy.
2.) When shore diving, especially in rocky entry sites, walk out into waist deep water before putting your fins on, and take them off there on your way out. If you try to 'duck walk' into (or out of) the ocean shore diving in Bonaire, you can hurt yourself. In fact, you might accidentally bop your wife with your camera holding hands trying to get out, and she might get upset, shout an expletive and throw a fin at the beach...but no, that'd never happen...
Richard.
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