Martha's this weekend

[TheRedHead]

Chuck Baker teaches TDI at the Dive Shop in Memphis. He's a nice guy and was my Deco instructor. I was just complaining in another forum about our lack of local diving. I haven't dived Martha's because it seems like a long drive. Might as well go to Alabama or Pensacola from Memphis.

 

[utdivermatt]

A long drive you say? I love having a place I like that much only 3 hours away. There is tons to check out in it, from the houses to the bus, as well as several items I have discovered that are not on the map. My only complaint about it at all is the lack of depth, mostly because I had trouble finding a way to get a deep dive for my AOW, and the fact that I would love it to be a training site when I start into Adv. Nitrox and Deco, which I plan to do soon. Outside of that though, I see no reason not to love Martha's. Its definatly a place I plan to visit more in the future!

 

[Don Wray]

It was only about 3 hours and we had great viz on day one....the crusher house was alot of fun following the stair casing down to the first level...however, being a DIT (divemaster in training) one of our diver's got cold on the second floor and I took him outside but Matt and Techitoyboy went further. It was a good easy trip Red and not alot of folks on Saturday. Sunday did get crowded. Go by the dive shop and see if they don't have discounts for the quarry. Highly recommend it. Our hotel which was about 10 minutes away was only $52 a night and included breakfast. Very nice hotel. The Sleep Inn in Lebanon. Would love to go back when you're available. I am going to Norfork Sept. 22 and the Juliet Oct. 7...all other weekends are open and ready to go. I can show you what little I know about but I have a map and you can pretty much swim the whole thing if you had too. 50 feet deep was all Matt and I found. P.S. they have airfills on site but no nitrox. I will even drive you and hubby, I have a 350 dually with crew cab. Lots of room.

 

[TheRedHead]

Martha's would be an overnighter for me. If I'm going to do that, I might as well drive to Pensacola. You're a lot closer than me to NC and fabulous wreck diving. That's where you should take your tech classes. You need 150 ft of water. We went to FL for our checkout dives.

 

[TheRedHead]

Go by the dive shop and see if they don't have discounts for the quarry. Highly recommend it. Our hotel which was about 10 minutes away was only $52 a night and included breakfast. Very nice hotel.

It's not the money, really. When I first got certified, we went to Huntsville almost every weekend to dive at Rockdivers. We would stay at the Raddison for the weekend. I need deeper water for the diving I want to do. It might be fun to take the doubles out for a quarry dive sometime.

Do you dive in Sardis Lake? That's close, not a weekender.

 

[Don Wray]

I have but there's not much to it. I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with the big motor on my pontoon but really want to try the dam sometime. They tell me there are spoonbill catfish and other catfish that will make you run for the top. I just laughed and told them if a 10 foot bull shark don't scare me I don't think a 100 lb. cat will either.

Martha's is fun and you could show me about doubles. My instructor wants me to pretty much stay entry level when working with students though. When she ask Matt about his bungied octo this weekend and told him to get with me to practice I told her I was very familiar with the protocol of bungied octos from you and others here on our beloved board.

 

[TheRedHead]

I have but there's not much to it. I'm still trying to figure out what's wrong with the big motor on my pontoon but really want to try the dam sometime. They tell me there are spoonbill catfish and other catfish that will make you run for the top. I just laughed and told them if a 10 foot bull shark don't scare me I don't think a 100 lb. cat will either.

I'm more worried about the cottonmouths. Can you shore dive over by the dam? What's the viz like? It's so close and a big body of water going to waste.

Martha's is fun and you could show me about doubles. My instructor wants me to pretty much stay entry level when working with students though. When she ask Matt about his bungied octo this weekend and told him to get with me to practice I told her I was very familiar with the protocol of bungied octos from you and others here on our beloved board.

What did she say about his long hose?

Maybe we can do that some weekend. Are there any other tech divers there or divers in tech gear?

 

[Don Wray]

Cottonmouths won't bother you but it would be tough to shore dive it. The dam goes straight up 100 ft or so with huge rip rap. We could enter by the ramp but these yayho's have no idea what a dive flag is and would probably think it said HIt ME.....when I go out there I drop diver down buoys in a huge circle with the boat in the middle and a huge diver down flag flying and an observer on board. The viz really sucks though less than a foot when I've dove it...had to use a jon line for my buddy.

Matt hasn't got his long hose yet but I did bring it up and explain the purpose to her...
she said well if you know what it's about then ok ya'll go for it and we did. I teased Matt about kool aide and Tennessee football all weekend and almost got us into trouble.

Also remember, the lake has not been to it's summer level this year...if they let it get there next year, we're looking at 70 to 80 feet at the dam.

As far as tech divers go, there seem to be tech divers everywhere these days. Matt is heading in the same direction you took and we still have a great time. It was just so hot, I didn't want to put on a wetsuit this weekend but the temps weren't that bad to 50 feet. I think I saw where the trench is deeper, I'll run look and let you know. I was at the Dive Shop today dropping off tanks but no one was in the pool, I figured you'd be there.

 

[Don Wray]

It doesn't say how deep the trench is, maybe UTdivermatt can elaborate. Here's the link to the map and attractions.
http://www.marthasquarry.com/map.php

 

[utdivermatt]

Martha's would be an overnighter for me. If I'm going to do that, I might as well drive to Pensacola. You're a lot closer than me to NC and fabulous wreck diving. That's where you should take your tech classes. You need 150 ft of water. We went to FL for our checkout dives.

I would love to go over to NC to get all my tech classes done, but unfortunately its still about a 9 hour drive for me to get there. While this may not be too much in a group, its kinda hard for a broke college kid, to go alone, as well as pay for diving and classes. I wish I had the money, but at the moment I just dont. Hopefully one day I will get out there. Theres a few U-boats I hear calling my name...