Madison Quarry dive (8/12/06)

[mike_s]

Late notice thread, but several of us are diving Madison Quarry on Sunday.

You'll need to be there by 8am as we have to enter as a group. Gates will open again before/after lunch and later that afternoon.

To enter, Goto http://www.sdiscuba.com and download the liablity form, sign and bring with you , and bring $20 cash for entrance.
(direct link to liability form: http://www.sdiscuba.com/Microsoft Word - Aqualine Release Form letter.pdf)

Bring your own gear/tanks. none available on site.


See you there if you want to come.

-Mike

 

[Ltstanfo]

Mike,

Sorry we missed you. Boomer_7 and I dove the quarry at Moulton this past Saturday. I must admit that I was impressed with that place! The quarry is not as large but the facilities are nicer (especially having a compressor on site) and the staff was great to work with...very easy going.

I will of course continue to dive at the Madison Quarry but the Moulton Quarry will get my business at least once a month.

Regards,
Ltstanfo

 

[mike_s]

The guys that operate the Moulton Quarry are great. (Anthony, Tony and Kevin). You couldn't meet a friendlier bunch of folks that run a quarry.

how was water temps in Moulton this past weekend?


Well... here's the report on Madison from this past Sunday. Scubaluke and I were the only Scubaboarders there to my knowledge.

We arrived to find the "upper" (near the old offices) parking lot "full" to capacity as they were checking people in. Cars, trucks, and SUV's were lined up in rows three abreast like cars ready to start a NASCAR race. I thought it was going to be a crowded day in the quarry, but in reality we hardly ran into another diver once we got in the water.

Air temps were around 75f-78f as we arrived and maybe up to about 90 during the heat of the day, which didn't come with sunshine until well after lunch.

Besides SDI, a new shop was using the quarry. I think they were from Tupelo MS area. SDI was doing OW (open water) and starting completed OW students on their first AOW dives.

We did 3 dives per the dive computer, but dives 1 & 2 were basically a cotinuation of each other but with about a 10 minute surface interval. Dive 3 was 1 hr and 8 minutes. Max depth was 40ft, but that was only in the back corner of the quarry. Otherwise the max depth was about 37-38 feet with average being about 35 feet. These shallow depths this year (from water being down), hot summer, and lack of rain have produced unbelievable warm water temps. Water temps on the bottom was 84f to 85f. Back in the 40' section in the far back corner you could tell a small thermocline from about 35' to 40' and a drop in temp of about 10 degree (guestimate).

Neat things about this dive was I did a lot of "exploring" in areas that I've never dove in before and found several boats that I had not seen yet. The "feature" of this dive was a HUGE catfish that we found hiding under the S-10. It had to be 5 feet long and thicker around than the thigh on my leg. We saw him under the S-10 two dives in a row, so this much be his "hiding place". Next time I think I'll take my camera and try to snap a pic of him.

So a nice day of warm-water-quarry diving. Can't beat it (for here).

-Mike

 

[ScubaLuke]

It was a nice warm dive. It wouldn't hurt my feelings for it to be like that year round.

And speaking of warm, the fresh water jellyfish seem to come out more in warmer water so I'm hoping we'll start seeing them soon.

Luke

 

[Ltstanfo]

The surface air and water temps at the Moulton Quarry were almost identical to yours. Temps at 48 ft and deeper were MUCH colder however. IIRC, my computer showed 58 degrees at 48 ft. Definitely a full wetsuit / drysuit dive. Boomer_7 seemed to be fine in his drysuit.

Regards,
Ltstanfo

 

[RV]

is there a web site for the Moulton Quarry? Directions?

 

[Boomer7]

The temp seemed to vary. The coldest temp I recorded was 53 degrees at 58ft. There were other areas that it just got cold and then warmned up as you swam along. I think the sping has a lot to do with that. Vis was good on the shallow side of the quarry but down right non-existant every where else. there is alot of things to see there and plan on heading back.