WetCell
Contributor
Had a great set of dives today. Mike and Michelle Cryer run a great dive shop, Hydrosports Scuba, and the lake is a great dive. Clean, well-maintained entry points (in spite of Ike!) and full service at the shop.
Water temp was 77 F, which I found a bit warm, but my 15 YO son found perfect since we both wore suits. Originally we planned to wear the suits down into the "Deep Hole" and then go skin for the C130. Do you ever have that nagging thought in the back of your mind halfway own the road to a dive site that you forgot something? Well, I had that thought and it was swimsuits. Given that we decided to do both dives in wetsuits and no one was the wiser. Yeah, more info than you needed. The checklist has been edited.
Anyway, the "Deep Hole" is a 12' diameter tank that has had one end cut off, at least that is what I think it is, and is sunk into the bottom of the lake. My Datamask reported 58' at the bottom of the "hole" and it is black as pitch. The first time down we had a bit of panic, the second and third descents into the "Hole" were like we had been doing it for years. A great place to get past any personal issues with deep, dark, confined spaces.
On our second fill we hit the C-130. I have flown in them and it was a blast to crawl all over one. My son was blown away--he had no idea about what a C-130 is and we had a great time. I have to admit that the viz was only about 3', but the "Deep Hole" and the aircraft were enhanced by the restriction. Very weird, great fun. If I owned the park I'd put a fake skeleton in the cockpit or the bottom of the "hole", or both. Now that would liven up the Hallowe'en season! (of course, someone would drop dead from fright or drown, oh well)
Water temp was 77 F, which I found a bit warm, but my 15 YO son found perfect since we both wore suits. Originally we planned to wear the suits down into the "Deep Hole" and then go skin for the C130. Do you ever have that nagging thought in the back of your mind halfway own the road to a dive site that you forgot something? Well, I had that thought and it was swimsuits. Given that we decided to do both dives in wetsuits and no one was the wiser. Yeah, more info than you needed. The checklist has been edited.
Anyway, the "Deep Hole" is a 12' diameter tank that has had one end cut off, at least that is what I think it is, and is sunk into the bottom of the lake. My Datamask reported 58' at the bottom of the "hole" and it is black as pitch. The first time down we had a bit of panic, the second and third descents into the "Hole" were like we had been doing it for years. A great place to get past any personal issues with deep, dark, confined spaces.
On our second fill we hit the C-130. I have flown in them and it was a blast to crawl all over one. My son was blown away--he had no idea about what a C-130 is and we had a great time. I have to admit that the viz was only about 3', but the "Deep Hole" and the aircraft were enhanced by the restriction. Very weird, great fun. If I owned the park I'd put a fake skeleton in the cockpit or the bottom of the "hole", or both. Now that would liven up the Hallowe'en season! (of course, someone would drop dead from fright or drown, oh well)
