Greetings everybody. New Diver.

[chillyinCanada]

Me and my Cousin (who has more experience diving and works at a dive shop) figured we'd do a shore dive/spearfishing/lobstering off Scout Key. I havent been there in a decade, but knew the reef real well then. Park was closed so we lauched off the boat inlet on the other side. Figured long ass surface swim out to the reef then dive. Current ripped us under the bridge and we had to fight it, then surface swim a few hundred yards. The sandbars gotten much shallower and covered in grass... cant walk it youll go though it. Duck walked a good ways. Started surface swimming out to the main reef which should be due East of the island by about a quarter mile. 2hrs fighting a mild current surface swimming and no reef in site... Tide changed to incoming with an outgoing undertoe and were in 12' of water with 10' visability, and oh our dive flag was towing a chum block, At dusk... which got ditched real fast. WE Called it then. If we hadnt called it then, or stopped a swimming for any reason wed have been picked up by the Coast guard. 3hrs of kicking it on the surface or literally crawling on the bottom, sucking gas. Used a total of 700 psi, lost my tilos fins and my kracken 900l light. Reefs 10 years ago arent the same... Conditions change real quick. Shore dive and Keys dont belong in the same sentence.

Sounds great!

 

[jtscuba02]

Nice place. I was there in March vis was about 10 feet at best. Drove down and camped for the weekend. It was a great 4 days

The visibility is a touch better, or at least it has been. It's now up to about 15 feet. lol The water temp isn't bad either, until you get to about 50 feet. Then it's just... cold. lol

Good place to get wet though and there is always a bunch of people there on the weekends. I love it because so many new divers and to see them excited about diving.

 

[John Scholven]

Welcome, fellow Tarheel. If you're up for a dive this weekend, come out to Fantasy Lake Scuba Park. I will be up there with some friends while they do some qualification dives.

May have to take you up on that, I occasionally have short days at work during the week but am usually lacking a dive partner.

 

[Divin'Papaw]

Welcome to ScubaBoard!

 

[Jay Adams]

The visibility is a touch better, or at least it has been. It's now up to about 15 feet. lol The water temp isn't bad either, until you get to about 50 feet. Then it's just... cold. lol

Good place to get wet though and there is always a bunch of people there on the weekends. I love it because so many new divers and to see them excited about diving.

I am from the northeast, the water was 46 at 60 fsw on sunday here. Fantasy lake was a great dive it's not too deep, I'll bet when you can actually see the things on the bottom and all the fish its fintastic!. I liked it enough to do it again. When the lakes freeze over here it's a tough wait for the water to open up. your water is much warmer in march than here, was 50 degrees in fantasay lake in march. I went in a Semidry 7mm

 

[John Scholven]

If any of the NC folks who commented live close to the triad area many of us are PDRA members and dive the quarrys often. You may go as a guest up to twice before purchasing a membership. As for temps two weeks ago it was 77 down to 40', a month ago it was 85 down to 60'

 

[Lost Shaker]

So, what is PDRA?

Forgive me, but I'm guessing it isn't the professional drag racing association...

 

[Paul M]

So, what is PDRA?

Forgive me, but I'm guessing it isn't the professional drag racing association...

Piedmont Diving and Rescue Association