L.p 85 or l.p 95

[Caveeagle]

AN overhead environment is NOT the place to be evaluating equipment.... just saying...

Do you STOP evaluating your equipment when you get to the overhead? ..And I guess we should stop doing training in the OH as well.. right? I mean seriously.. we have to assume a certain about of prudence when we are talking about kitting up for diving doubles. I would NOT go into the cavern if 5 minutes in the OW did not feel right. (granted).. But this is a very good spot so see how a new set of tanks feels in the conditions that you will actually be using them.

The Ginnie "Ballroom area" has plenty of open water space, and the actual 'cavern' is widely accepted at safe for OW divers. (although certainly debatable)..
There is good reason I named this location as a better place to check out multiple gear configurations over Troy. Distance from parking, covered shady areas to tweak gear and rest, easy decks and stairs for entry/egress, dive shop nearby for zips & do-dads you might need. *Its is almost 100x more predictable for conditions. Troy blows out a lot with the river level. Viz can really suck there sometimes. I have NEVER seen Ginnie look bad.

I have witnessed multiple examples of Instructors & experienced tech divers and even SM CCR divers using the Ginnie ballroom for this purpose.

You could have pardoned yourself and passed by the slow SM diver... I dive SM and have done the same (bypassed slower).... I have a heat intolerance too... and I don't even wear a drysuit.... sometimes getting in the water is imperative, even if I have to wait 20 minutes on my buddy.

Dude did not speak English. I did ask twice if I could get by and he was so fixated on tweaking his clips, that I don't thing he even heard me. If you are familiar with the NEW steps at Peacock (P1), the left side steps does not really have a "standing area" near the ladder. So if this guy was not clipped in.. He probably was in no condition to float off the ladder.
(I know this is off topic, but..) In BM doubles.. I can set my fins on the lower step and quickly descend the ladder and just float out of the way, and (with one hand on the deck) put my fins on. Most SM divers have at least some arranging to do..

 

[Imbodie]

Troy blows out a lot with the river level. Viz can really suck there sometimes. I have NEVER seen Ginnie look bad.

I have witnessed multiple examples of Instructors & experienced tech divers and even SM CCR divers using the Ginnie ballroom for this purpose.

If you are over head certified... then sure its a fine place... if you are an OW diver it is NOT... and when you say Ginnie Ballroom, it is anticipated that you mean OVERHEAD... not the basin. Pretty sure OP is not cavern/cave certified and therefore really would not be appropriate to be in "new" gear configuration and under an overhead. Ok so you are right about the un-predictability of Troy, but we are moving into the dry season and it will be more stable than in the spring season. I am unsure if the cart is still there or not so yes that would mean some extra effort, but also less likely to have rented tanks wander off while you are experimenting...
You also have to consider that Ginnie costs... Troy (if you have park pass, which you should if you are a diver) doesn't.
I think Troy wins, I have hardly ever had bad viz there and believe me, dove it a LOT.

 

[Imbodie]

Dude did not speak English. I did ask twice if I could get by and he was so fixated on tweaking his clips, that I don't thing he even heard me. If you are familiar with the NEW steps at Peacock (P1), the left side steps does not really have a "standing area" near the ladder. So if this guy was not clipped in.. He probably was in no condition to float off the ladder.

Nope, haven't gotten to dive in Florida for over a year but that is about to change. Can't wait to see the new steps.... sounds like he was a new side mount diver, I know it took longer for me to gear up when I first started... now its walk down, clip in and go... still longer than a back mount diver but not by much.... getting out is the same, I walk my tanks to a bench and unclip.

 

[Imbodie]

It is for a certified cave diver who lives in high springs like @Caveeagle does...Especially if he was looking to see how said equipment functions in the type of environment in which the equipment would be used.

Realistically, for a change like seeing how one set of tanks trimmed out vs another, I would suspect many cave divers would skip the ballroom and do a quick trim check over little devils before heading down the run to enter the cave...

and again... don't think the OP is overhead certified... though I think we need to get him in a cavern or intro class

 

[Caveeagle]

If you are over head certified... then sure its a fine place... if you are an OW diver it is NOT... and when you say Ginnie Ballroom, it is anticipated that you mean OVERHEAD... not the basin. Pretty sure OP is not cavern/cave certified and therefore really would not be appropriate to be in "new" gear configuration and under an overhead.

The Ginnie Ballroom is full of OW divers on most weekends. Sure it is definitely an Overhead, I would probably agree that it should be given more respect for that reason.
..But given the reality of the site and how it IS used! I stand by my recommendation. I will conceed that the OP should sort out trim in OW, but when comfortable, going into the Ballroom cavern is no more dangerous than the hundreds of OW, snorkel sporting divers I see there all the time.

I am unsure if the cart is still there or not so yes that would mean some extra effort, but also less likely to have rented tanks wander off while you are experimenting...
You also have to consider that Ginnie costs..

Umm.. you sure your not talking about Blue Hole/Jug? I've never seen a cart at Troy.

and again... don't think the OP is overhead certified... though I think we need to get him in a cavern or intro class

Agreed. I think CCDS has a class starting up with Jerry soon!

 

[Imbodie]

Umm.. you sure your not talking about Blue Hole/Jug? I've never seen a cart at Troy.


Agreed. I think CCDS has a class starting up with Jerry soon!

There was, it was stolen, and I thought replaced... but then I've been pre-occupied for the last couple of years.... Maybe I need to donate a new one....

Brian..... I think we found you a class......

 

[Caveeagle]

There was, it was stolen, and I thought replaced... but then I've been pre-occupied for the last couple of years.... Maybe I need to donate a new one....

Brian..... I think we found you a class......

If they get a cart like the one at Jug, they will need a forklift to steal it again. That thing is built like a tank!

 

[Imbodie]

If they get a cart like the one at Jug, they will need a forklift to steal it again. That thing is built like a tank!

It was JUST like the one at Jug.... or at least that is how I remember it.