Instructing at the Blue Hole--How?

[boulderjohn]

Our LDS used to do local OW instruction in Carter Lake until that got too bad. We shifted to Chatfield, and I had the "pleasure" of helping a friend conduct a class a couple of weeks ago. I am scheduled to conduct a class there September 20-21, and I wanted to scout out the situation. I was not impressed by the visibility, and I shudder to think what it will be like in late September. Consequently, there has been some talk of going to the Blue Hole instead. (Yes, I know there will be a RMO gathering then as well.)

I don't have a lot of Blue Hole experience. I was there for pleasure dives one weekend a couple of years ago, and I could have run across the top without getting my feet wet by stepping on people's heads. I was also there about a month ago briefly to get Stella to fill our doubles. (We were actually at Rock Lake.)

I need some advice from those with experience.

I see there are platforms there for classes, but how does one get into the queue to use them? Is there any other advice someone can give me about this process?

I have thought about bring the group down a day early or leave a day late to avoid the crowds. I am told they drop the water level, though, and I know Stella will not be there.

I appreciate any help.

John

 

[robint]

a few dive groups from CO usually arrive on Fridays, and from what I have been told, the water is back up then. Stella is not there, so be sure to bring down enough tanks to do Friday and maybe an early one Sat before she arrives (around 8-9am).

getting in the queue for the platforms.... just get all your divers into the water and have them stand on the ledge waiting until a platform opens up. That is the protocal. It may or may not be busy that weekend so it may not be an issue.

We always try to get there early, like 7am both Sat and Sun, and have the divers ready to dive asap. That way we can get dive #1 each day done before it starts getting crowded. From around 11am-2pm is when it is the busiest but sometimes whole groups take off to go to lunch and I have seen it completely empty during that time, too. By 4pm on Saturday it is usually dead... that is because with only 3 training dives allowed per day, most classes are done for the day. On Sunday it is always pretty dead around noon - on. So even if it is crazy busy in the morning on Sunday, expect most of the CO dive ops to be gone by 10am for their drive home.

robin

 

[ABQdiver]

Hey John,

Classes at BH! Our shop does two sets of OW classes every month there, plus the other stuff like AOW, S/R, etc. So, we are there a lot....

There are two 4" PVC pipe platforms in the hole. The white buoy set are at 20' the orange buoy set are at 25'. On busy weekends, it can be tricky to get a class to the platform with others using them. I keep an eye on the dressing of the groups and you can kind of see how the "que" is forming. Sometimes I even post a non-diver lookout to give us better timing.

The viz has been pretty good lately, if the divers on the bottom don't kick things up. I still like smaller groups for the tour after skills to enable the dive leaders to keep track of the students in your group and not get mixed up.

On crowded weekends, ascents can be tricky as well. If the platforms are occupied then a swimming ascent and mid water safety stop will be in order. Can the student do this? Sometimes not as well as we would like . I always brief them about that possibility and how to handle it before we get in the water, just in case.

Robin makes some good points on timing as well. Although I hate to have students hang out on the ledge to long as they can get cold. If you can be there on weekdays, it it truly impressive! Although you'll have to coordinate that with Stella to get your fills.


Good luck, you'll be fine. I'll be there with a group this up coming weekend.

 

[RonFrank]

What they said!

It has been a long time since I did OW at the hole, but the trick is to kinda watch the other groups. Since most OW classes will not be on a platform for more than 25 minutes (top), it's not all that hard to get to an open platform.

The hard part is DRIVING down! :11:

Now they have destroyed a lot of the landscape, most park in the main parking lot, and space there can get tricky. Not sure how many divers you generally instruct, but having a good spot where you can all meet up, and gear up may require getting there early.

I hope you do come down the third week in September. While I prefer NOT so see crowds, it would be cool to meet you. We may have met once.

Were you in the Keys just after the Grove turned upright? I think you may have been as I met some divers from your shop there years back. I was diving with the now defunct Aquanuts, and I was with my Cuz Tammy (Tallish, Blond).

 

[Dive-aholic]

How about heading over to Perch Lake. Shallow, less divers, and decent visibility for a lake.

 

[boulderjohn]

What they said!

Were you in the Keys just after the Grove turned upright? I think you may have been as I met some divers from your shop there years back. I was diving with the now defunct Aquanuts, and I was with my Cuz Tammy (Tallish, Blond).

I was in the Keys not too long before the Grove turned upright, but not within a few months of it. In fact, I was in Bonaire when the Grove turned upright. Hurricane Dennis just missed us there, causing some rough seas that kept us away from some sites before heading north on its ship-righting mission. (I am still in awe of that force, BTW.)

I dived with Aquanuts a number of times before they ended operations, but it does not sound as if it was the time you mention.

I have had a lot of personal bad luck with Keys trips. The last four I was scheduled to lead all fizzled for me. In one case, the trip (shockingly) did not have enough people sign up and was canceled, even though the ones before and after sold out. (I would have taken it personally if potential clients had had a clue about me leading it.) I had to cancel another when my real job needed me elsewhere. I was switched out of another because of some kind of a screwup in the shop, and I dropped another when I decided it was too soon after my knee replacement. I am beginning to wonder if I will ever return.

 

[boulderjohn]

Thanks for the help, folks. I think I have everything I need now. I am going offline for a week or so starting this weekend, so I will not be able to respond to any new tips.