Gilboa AOW Deep Dive

[RPanick]

One of the suggestions for AOW Deep Dive at Gilboa was to take the class to the tubes, continue down the road until you reach your target depth. Then ascend up the wall and return via the shallows. I'm not looking at debating the pros/cons of this, I just have a question about the Deep Dive form that Mike uses.

I haven't taken students over the wall in a while and I can't remember the form. And personally, its cold and dark down there so I don't go there for fun. Does Mike want it filled out only for going over the wall, or anything exceeding a specific depth?

Also, one of the threads suggested it gets down to about 100' at the end of the road, is that about right? We stopped at about 80' last time because we starting to run low on air (didn't go straight there).

 

[BubblesUp]

I'm looking at a copy of Gilboa's regular waiver and it says a Deep Dive Plan must be filed "in order to dive the deep side of Gilboa Quarry (Site #1) and on the north side of the submerged 'wall'." There's no mention of depth as a trigger for requiring a Deep Dive Plan.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

If you're going on the north side you have to fill out the waiver. My DM and I did a 30 foot dive there looking for paddlefish (and found them!) and we had to fill out the waiver.

The road bottoms out at about 120.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[DudleyNMU]

use the shallow side and go over the wall...The pump was at 138' a few weeks ago.

 

[bladephotog]

If you go over the wall, even from the shallow side, you must fill out a dive plan. I don't think Mike will be to forgiving about this, especially now.

Taking the road past the tubes is a good way to introduce new divers to depth IMO. You can gradually descend and gradually come back up.

 

[Notso_Ken]

If you're going on the north side you have to fill out the waiver. My DM and I did a 30 foot dive there looking for paddlefish (and found them!) and we had to fill out the waiver.

The road bottoms out at about 120.
Ber :lilbunny:

You've still never shown me the paddlefish!


Ken

 

[bladephotog]

You've still never shown me the paddlefish!


Ken

One of the easiest ways to see them is to snorkle out over the deep side. I followed one for 30 minutes doing this two years ago. It was very cool. Saw four in about an hour. Plus you don't need to file a dive plan.

 

[RPanick]

Good info, thanks.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

You've still never shown me the paddlefish!


Ken

LOL! That was the first time I had seen them myself! I like bladephotog's method better than mine. Cruising at 30 feet on your back looking up for paddlefish presents some rather interesting buddy contact and buoyancy challenges especially when you see one and start gesturing wildly
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[bladephotog]

Just do yourself a favor and use a wetsuit. I wasn't planning this and didn't bring mine. So I threw on my drysuit over my shorts and t-shirt. This is not the most comfortable way to snorkle!

Another dive I do to see them is to follow the above mentioned road down to the west end of the quarry and back. But I stay very shallow, 30 feet or so, and swim slowly above the dropoff. I end up doing a dive about an hour long and constantly look out into the north side. This is another good way to see them but not as good as the snorkle method.