Gilboa logistical questions

[cork2win]

I just did my checkout dives at Gilboa this past weekend and am planning on going back with DH on Friday, 9/22.

For the checkout dives, the instructor was camping there so I paid to park in the camping area and we dressed at the picnic tables at the campsite and walked down the road to the docks to enter the water. What happens when DH and I show up on the 22nd and aren't camping? Where do we get ready? Where do we put our stuff? Do we drive in and drop our stuff at the benches on the docks, then go park the car back out in the parking lot? I'm assuming we can't park in the camping area without knowing someone at one of the sites.

Also, I was so busy trying to keep my buoyancy under control during the checkouts that I honestly can't tell you what we looked at or did while "touring" Gilboa. I remember seeing the plane and bus and motorcycle and stuff but I seriously doubt my ability to get back to those things on my own. I saw the maps on Gilboa's site of the underwater stuff but they don't say anything about the colored lines that lead to and from some of the sites. Does anyone have any information about these lines? Like, I know there's a yellow line and a blue line and a yellow/black striped line. Where does each of them lead? Does the office sell a map or something that can help with navigation? I'm concerned about DH and I diving there, neither being familiar with Gilboa and both being very inexperienced divers and trying to at least find our way around to a few of the underwater sites. We're not going to get crazy or anything but I'd feel better knowing, for example, from the platforms we can follow the yellow line to the plane, then to the bus and back to the platform without getting lost.

Thanks in advance for any info.

 

[Nitrox Junkie]

What I do is simply buy a camping spot for the day. that way you have a place to park your vehicle and somewhere to call home. I think there is a map on the Gilboa website. www.divegilboa.com. If you get a camp site; I think Mike will charge each person independently. Another way to get more money.

I am sure others will chime in here with additional information.

Jeff "Great lakes diver"

 

[Notso_Ken]

I just did my checkout dives at Gilboa this past weekend and am planning on going back with DH on Friday, 9/22.

For the checkout dives, the instructor was camping there so I paid to park in the camping area and we dressed at the picnic tables at the campsite and walked down the road to the docks to enter the water. What happens when DH and I show up on the 22nd and aren't camping? Where do we get ready? Where do we put our stuff? Do we drive in and drop our stuff at the benches on the docks, then go park the car back out in the parking lot? I'm assuming we can't park in the camping area without knowing someone at one of the sites.

Also, I was so busy trying to keep my buoyancy under control during the checkouts that I honestly can't tell you what we looked at or did while "touring" Gilboa. I remember seeing the plane and bus and motorcycle and stuff but I seriously doubt my ability to get back to those things on my own. I saw the maps on Gilboa's site of the underwater stuff but they don't say anything about the colored lines that lead to and from some of the sites. Does anyone have any information about these lines? Like, I know there's a yellow line and a blue line and a yellow/black striped line. Where does each of them lead? Does the office sell a map or something that can help with navigation? I'm concerned about DH and I diving there, neither being familiar with Gilboa and both being very inexperienced divers and trying to at least find our way around to a few of the underwater sites. We're not going to get crazy or anything but I'd feel better knowing, for example, from the platforms we can follow the yellow line to the plane, then to the bus and back to the platform without getting lost.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Sue, I recommend you get the camping site for the weekend and park in the back.

There's going to be plenty of us that know Gilboa well there that weekend, just get a dive buddy that knows there way around and get a tour of the shallow end from them. I've done that with others up there. Best way to get to know it is through the expeience. None of the maps show the lines, they do go from various entry points to different sites. One to the plane, one to the tower, etc. Most of us have been there enough, we don't use them.

Ken

 

[cork2win]

Unfortunately we're *only* going to be there for Friday so getting a camping space seems like overkill. That also means that we may be diving before any other SBers get there (except maybe Divin'Hoosier), which is why I'm concerned about us finding our way around on our own.

 

[eckybay]

They give you two options for parking - you can drop of your stuff, and then drive back to the main parking lot and leave the car there. This would get annoying if you only have one tank and keep having to walk back and forth to get refills, etc.

Or what I usually do. Pay an extra $4 per person to get the parking pass to park back in the campgrounds. Anyone can do this regardless if you know some one camping there or not. Of course its per person and not per car, which I think is a little weird, but it is what it is....

Like others have said, as far as getting around, buddy up with some one whose been there before. If no one is there, grab a map, look it over, and go exploring on your own in the shallow part. If you get too turned around, you can always ascend safely to the surface, get your bearings, and then submerge again. That's how my buddy and I learned the place.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Unfortunately we're *only* going to be there for Friday so getting a camping space seems like overkill. That also means that we may be diving before any other SBers get there (except maybe Divin'Hoosier), which is why I'm concerned about us finding our way around on our own.

You're welcome to dump your gear at my site. I have a Dakota 4x4 that I keep my gear in so I won't need my picnic table until that evening for cooking dinner. Once I get their I'm going to want to quickly get my tent setup and then I'll be ready to dive!

Regarding finding your way around the quarry, that is a very good question. I have only done 3 dives myself at Gilboa and I don't know what all of the colored ropes mean, but the fact that there are ropes at all (v. Haigh) is a HUGE help. I know the shallow side well enough that if we stay there, which we should anyway, I should be able to get us around pretty well. If we hang around the plane, bus, boat and car in around 25-35' of water, that should give you and your husband some nice, safe dive opportunities that keep us close to the platform and the surface. The key thing being so new is to relax, keep it shallow and simple and just work on breathing control, buoyancy control and gaining comfort in the water. Luckily at Gilboa there is lots to see in that shallow range. Lots of fish. I love the fish! I can spend an entire dive in a very small area just watching the fish.

I know you mentioned that your husband hasn't dove in 10 years. How much experience did he have before then? Do you have your own equipment or will you be renting?

Congrats on your recent certification! How did the dives go? Did you feel comfortable in the water?

 

[cork2win]

Hey DH, that's cool, thanks for offering to let us use your camping space! I'll PM you with some details so that we can hook-up there.

Hubby did a few dives in Cozumel years ago. Basically he took his class up here, then did his checkout in Cozumel. He was there 5 days, I don't know how many dives he did. He told me he went to Circleville once back here and I believe that's all the diving he's done, so maybe 15-20?

I am definitely not about pushing the envelope. I'm quite content to stay in 30-40ft of water and hubby has agreed that this is all about MY comfort so basically what I say goes! I think I may be a little more comfortable than him on the first dive or two simply because I have more recent time in the water, but in order to save his ego I'll be sure to keep things shallow and easy for "my sake" just so that we're both comfortable. He's very competent at most everything he does and I'm sure he'll be fine once he gets back in the water but I don't want him feeling uncomfortable in any way so we're going to keep things very simple.

We both have our own equipment but he doesn't have a wetsuit. He's going to try diving in just his skin which also means we'll be staying shallow. I have a 5mm shorty that I told him he should at least try on to see if it fits, because that over his skin would be better than nothing. They also rent suits at Gilboa so he may end up with a rental. We have our own tanks but they haven't been tested since he bought them 10 years ago so we'll probably be renting tanks there too.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Hey DH, that's cool, thanks for offering to let us use your camping space! I'll PM you with some details so that we can hook-up there.

Sounds good. Be sure and PM me your cell # and I'll do the same. I'm 99.9% certain I'll be there. The only thing that would cause me to back out is if the weather turns out to be abysmal. I would certainly PM you in that instance. Otherwise, I'll be there around 10:30 barring any traffic snafus.

The water temps in the depths we'll be diving will be in the 70s or as low as the mid 60s. It depends upon where the thermocline is and what the weather is next week. It all depends upon his own personal thermostat, but those temps seem a bit chilly for a skin. Mid to upper 70s I could do in a skin, but in the 60s I would personally need a 3mm. But everyone is different in that regard.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

One easy way to navigate Gilboa is to enter at the farthest platform (Dock 5 on the map). The car shown by that dock is very close to the dock, directly below your entry point there is a small white platform and the car is a few feet to the west of that platform. You can leave the platform or the car and head NE and you should be able to see the plane fairly quickly, if the visibility is good you can see the plane from the white platform. I believe there are two lines running from the cockpit area of the plane, one heads to the bus and I can't remember where the other one goes but again if visibility is good you will be able to see what you are heading for anyway. There is a sailboat between the plane and the large platform (it's not on the map yet as it's new), I definitely recommend using that platform to get yourselves sorted out. Another option is to surface swim to the orange buoy that is basically NE of Dock 5, that buoy is tied to the large platform and would give you a line to use to control your rate of descent. Once you get situated find a line and follow it to see where it goes, that's part of discovering diving, follow it back to return to your starting point--the nice thing about a line You can use your compass while following the line to get a better idea about what direction you're going but if that feels like overload wait until you're a little more comfortable following the lines. Gilboa is not hard to navigate, most of the attractions are within sight of each other so just remember things like "I came from the nose of the plane and saw the front of the bus first so if I leave the front of the bus and go this way I should find the nose of the plane." Needless to say if you head straight away from the back of the bus you won't find the plane, it's "in front of" the bus. Use your map to get the "behind, in front of, right of, left of" orientation of objects keeping in mind there have been some minor changes since the large platform was put in and those aren't on the map. If you look down and the wall is dropping away and the bottom seems to be "gone" you are heading toward the deep end, turn around and stay in the shallower water. If you look down and the wall is dropping away but you can see the bottom and some sort of wooden structure with a line running past it you have found the tower and the line that runs from the bus to the tubes.

You will be just fine navigating around the quarry, it seems huge at first especially when the only time you've been there was for a check-out dive when you were pre-occupied with other things. It's really not that big and once you do a few dives there you too will navigate without the lines
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Great description Ber. Very helpful!