the Phoenix rose from the ashes.....
Lake Rawlings/ New name Lake Phoenix
- Thread starter steelsaint
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the Phoenix rose from the ashes.....
telemonster
Contributor
A friend uses the same theme for a Scifi con in Virginia Beach (Ring of Fire con.) And it looks like he is somehow involved in this. Heh. Go figure.
Rawlings wasn't really ashes though, just an all American, the rent is too high, greed battle.
Looks like the park has either a new owner or a new renter (can anyone disclose which?)
Should be interesting!
ErikNYC
Contributor
button
Contributor
Has anyone been diving at "Lake Phoenix" yet?
I will grant that the viz tends to run nicer at Phoenix than at Fantasy Lake.
BUT - there are several entries at FL. You can just gear up from your vehicle. The entry at PL is much much more congested especially on weekend. FL gets warmer and stays warmer longer.
From Raleigh 3 hours of additional driving eats up that $7.
New rules seem to allow Kayaks and snorkelers all week long at PL. Having seen how some folks steer rental kayaks better be careful when surfacing.
BUT - there are several entries at FL. You can just gear up from your vehicle. The entry at PL is much much more congested especially on weekend. FL gets warmer and stays warmer longer.
From Raleigh 3 hours of additional driving eats up that $7.
New rules seem to allow Kayaks and snorkelers all week long at PL. Having seen how some folks steer rental kayaks better be careful when surfacing.
Yep. If you are an Instructor and have three paying students, your admission is free. Otherwise, you have to pay the standard admission (as far as I can tell from the website). So, I think I will pass on a survey trip to see what the facilities are like. Teaching scuba already costs enough, and the conditions at Lake Phoenix, while somewhat better than FLSP in terms of visibility during the late summer, don't justify a 2.5 hour drive and the price of admission, at least for me. I have never felt that the lake offered such a unique teaching environment that it was worth the drive. Others may see it differently.
One good thing about LP is the very large, relatively flat and shallow area that can be used for a Search and Recovery class. Finding a place that has a 200 ft by 200 ft search area (for Dive 3), that isn't deep so you have to use a lot of gas, is really convenient.
Twoblues
Contributor
'rising from the ashes??
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Dove LP last Sunday just for variety. Is an hour and 45 minutes from north Raleigh driving almost legal. Easy driving. Docks and check in "barn" are still there. You can preregister online which speeds up check in. There are a number of shelters some with tables down by the quarry. They belong to dive shops but if one is unused you can use it which is what we did. Supposedly the previous owner ripped out some of the benches, etc., but I saw that several of the shelters still had them. Dive shop at the barn looked pretty complete. Tanks, air, nitrox, rental stuff, etc. On weekends there is trailer selling some sort of food. Viz was as to be expected. Fairly strong thermocline starting at 25 ft. Top layer was bath water. At 30 ft was high 60s. At 40 or so ft we saw 56. Bream were on the beds. Pleasant couple of dives. I was in a hooded 7mm. Comfortable at the top of the blackhawk, ok inside the blackhawk, ice cream headache under the blackhawk.
Note that they now allow solo diving. But you have to tell them that when you check in and you have to check out when you leave. Not sure what cert level they want for that.
General impression is that the new op is better organized and friendlier. Sign pointing the way is new and easier to see.
Note that they now allow kayaking.
Bottom line is unless you know the full inventory and were diving PL for the first time you would not notice any damage. Porta potty down by entry. Up on top of hill are real bathrooms with showers which is nice.
I posted a few pictures over on my facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/steve.camp...2347.1073741840.1664066201&type=3&pnref=story
Note that they now allow solo diving. But you have to tell them that when you check in and you have to check out when you leave. Not sure what cert level they want for that.
General impression is that the new op is better organized and friendlier. Sign pointing the way is new and easier to see.
Note that they now allow kayaking.
Bottom line is unless you know the full inventory and were diving PL for the first time you would not notice any damage. Porta potty down by entry. Up on top of hill are real bathrooms with showers which is nice.
I posted a few pictures over on my facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/steve.camp...2347.1073741840.1664066201&type=3&pnref=story
novasquid
Contributor
thanks for the update and pictures!
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