Gilboa Again!!?

[diverbrian]

O-ring once bubbled...
Just how cold is Gilboa at depth? Seems there are freeflows up there all the time...is this largely a factor of extreme temperature or people using gear not designed to be used in cold water?

A bit of both. The bottom temp is about 45 degrees. It is a little lower near the spring that feeds the quarry. Many divers do go there with old gear and regs that aren't designed as well for the cold, too.

Another factor, IMO, is that many of these divers are students who may be a little nervous. They may be drawing a little too much air from there regs. Bigger divers who use more air seem to be guaranteed to suffer a freeflow in there. It is simply a matter of time.

I am sure that the other Mid-Western divers will give you their versions and they won't be wrong. These are just ideas on my part. I know that all of the divers at our shop plan on free flows down there. If they don't happen, you are happy. If they do, you are prepared. I haven't had it happen, but I expect it if I keep diving in there.

 

[O-ring]

Big-t-2538 once bubbled...


2 weekends ago at the tubes (60 ft, shallow side) it was 44 degrees.

At the surface, it was 62ish...at about 20 feet it was 58ish....at 40 feet it was low 50's

On the deep side, it remains about 40deg at depth year-round (I don't have first hand knowledge of that, but it seeems to be the consensus from the people I talk to)

The deep side is usually a little colder than the shallow, so I'm guessing at the platform on the deep side at 80' it is like 40 to 42.

So it sounds like an equipment (quality/maintenance) issue then? That is no colder than our quarry and I never hear about freeflow incidents down there...we logged 41 degrees at 90' in Millbrook on Saturday..

 

[Big-t-2538]

O-ring once bubbled...

So it sounds like an equipment (quality/maintenance) issue then? That is no colder than our quarry and I never hear about freeflow incidents down there...we logged 41 degrees at 90' in Millbrook on Saturday..

I would imagine that has something to do with it....couple that with the fact you take a BOW studernt who really isn't comfortable down to 80 feet, it is cold, dark, and a little freaky. They over breath the reg, and wham...all hell breaks loose.

Personally in our classes, we have never had a problem. One student did go up there in Feb on his own, and went to 80ft. (with a "buddy") for the first time. He had his own gear...not school's, and had a free-flow at around 70 feet, and bolted for the surface. He didn't feel comfortable the rest of the day and didn;t want to do any more dives. Dude had an ego he forget to check at the door, then crapped his pants when the "fit hit the shan" (an MHK-ism from this weekend). Dude still has an ego and none of us even go near him in the water....hmmm...I wonder why?

 

[MikeFerrara]

The thermometer at the tubes (55 feet or so) said 40 degrees. We have never had a free flow there. However, what regs are these divers using? In cold deep water they're not all alike. As I look arount at these training sites I see lots of divers equiped for the Caribbean with the addition of a heavierw wet suit. They try to reat a 100 ft dive here like a 100 ft dive on an 80 degree reef dive.

For a diver with basic skills, the right equipment and some experience it's an easy dive that should hurt no one. There isn't any current, surge or waves. The place is small so you can surface anyplace and not have to worry about getting lost at sea. You Northeast, or for that matter northwest guys wouldn't be intimidated or impressed. IMO, the requirements to be able to dive successfully here are minimal. the problem is that the skill of the instructors, students and divers are less than minimal.

Divers are trained to dive under supervission in the tropics and then they go or are taken to 100 ft in 40 deg water. They may has well save every one a lot of trouble and just jump off a bridge.

IMO, there isn't anything mysterious or complicated going on here. It's all basic stuff and the basics are what is lacking.

 

[dcostanza]

O-Ring,
Just looked at my log... temps at 129' over the past few weekends are 41 degree's...

 

[MikeFerrara]

dcostanza once bubbled...
O-Ring,
Just looked at my log... temps at 129' over the past few weekends are 41 degree's...

Have you been visiting Joe Jackson hole? LOL

 

[O-ring]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


Have you been visiting Joe Jackson hole? LOL

Is it called that because it is so cold it feels like you get punched in the face?

 

[MikeFerrara]

O-ring once bubbled...

Is it called that because it is so cold it feels like you get punched in the face?

No. It's called that because it's a hole and the owner admires a diver by the name of Joe Jackson who (on and off) frequents the quarry. The hole is where the pump used to be and depending on water levels you can hit about 140 there.

Does the name Joe Jacksonring a bell?

 

[Epinephelus]

divebuddydale once bubbled...
However, when there is a vehicle accident, the street is often shut down to examine the condition of the accident. I think to do that would be wise, that way you can end any specualtion, and possibly solve some problems that may have been overlooked (if any existed, which in this case it does not seem so for this accident).

The extension of the handling of public safety issues on public roadways into strictly elective recreational activities on private property is an invitation to government meddling where government doesn't belong - and the eventual loss of our freedom to play the way we want to. Keep 'em OUT!
E.

 

[O-ring]

MikeFerrara once bubbled...


No. It's called that because it's a hole and the owner admires a diver by the name of Joe Jackson who (on and off) frequents the quarry. The hole is where the pump used to be and depending on water levels you can hit about 140 there.

Does the name Joe Jacksonring a bell?

Isn't that Michael Jackson's father?