Mid-Atlantic Bottom Feeders, Add your favorite dive spots to our directory!

[Ted S]

Along with the launch of the ScubaBoard Portal, ScubaBoard has added several new features to our website including The InsideScubaC.om Directory. InsideScuba is a directory of commercial dive operators/shops but also a place to post and find dive spots around the world. Since this is a new service we are starting at the ground and that’s why we need your help! Since you are on this board odds are you dive and you probably dive often at one or more amazing sites, sites which belong in our directory! So, if you have a moment please head on over to our add a listing page and submit your latest dive spot to our directory so other divers can get a head start on picking their next destination!

Thank you for your continued involvement with the ScubaBoard community!

 

[The Goat Show]

Along with the launch of the ScubaBoard Portal, ScubaBoard has added several new features to our website including The InsideScubaC.om Directory. InsideScuba is a directory of commercial dive operators/shops but also a place to post and find dive spots around the world. Since this is a new service we are starting at the ground and that’s why we need your help! Since you are on this board odds are you dive and you probably dive often at one or more amazing sites, sites which belong in our directory! So, if you have a moment please head on over to our add a listing page and submit your latest dive spot to our directory so other divers can get a head start on picking their next destination!

Thank you for your continued involvement with the ScubaBoard community!

I gotta say, I'm quite dissapointed in my fellow Mid-Atlantic Bottom feeders. I'm a relatively new diver and have not yet dove in the area. I was hoping to find some good spots on this website but didn't see much there. I thought I'd post here to get this topic active again and see if anyone has any dive spots to add. Hopefully people at least will post some local dive spots in this thread if people don't feel like going through the other site.
Thanks

 

[Bubba05]

Well, I have experience only at one place. Mt. Storm, WV. It is a cooling lake for a large coal powered electric plant. Lake is pretty darn big, goes down to around 130 and vis. is, well, its a lake so don't expect much. It is a high altitude dive and in the winter months expect very cold air temps and snow. The water temps soar in to the 90's in the summer and are anywhere from mid 30's to mid 50's in the winter, depending on how active the plant is. The more active, the warmer the water. There is a dive access and there are platforms at 25, 25, 50 and 90. Also there are different things that have been taken down for people to see including a motorcycle and a Santa Claus. There is no dive shop, though the rumor mill is saying there will be a small one opening this summer and will be seasonal.

 

[Froggmaann]

Well id Have to say Lake Rawlings is definite dive not a great dive but you should dive it just because everyone else in the area does and its a good place to meet people. my buddies and i are sorta crazy but we have done some extremly boring shore dives down at Va beach. however there are some pretty cool charters down here in Va Beach.

 

[KEPal]

Can't really claim a "favorite" since this is the only place I've dove, but we've done Guppy Gulch on our C/O dives, and it was pretty cool. Lot's of platforms, and submerged items to explore. A LDS also does wednesday divesat Oak Hill Quarry, but I haven't been there..yet. I'll let you know what it's like once I've been there.

 

[Bowtie22]

Other than the quarries and lakes that most people dive in around here there are several sites that I like.

The U-1105 the German "Black Panther sub". It is located in the Potomac River off of Piney Point, St. Mary's County, MD
I would strongly urge that anyone interested in this dive to have prior experience with deep diving, low/(no) viz, cold temps, strong currents...also keep in mind whatever bit of viz you may have when you start the dive if you touch the bottom it is All gone and you are diving a total black out!

click this link to get more info
http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/org12-5.htm

Also the S-49 sub in the Patuxant River, Solomons, MD
Also an advanced dive about 105-110ft, STRONG currents and dark, cold water.

click this link for more info
http://thesaltysailor.com/s-boats/s49.htm

There is also a lot of history in the MD waters from the revolutionary war and the civil war. Look around on the internet and you will be amazed.... Unfortunately the viz around here sucks and the only time you can see anything is in the winter months as long as there is not a lot of rain.

 

[toodive4]

Quarries, Quarries, Quarries

Guppy Gulch - Delta PA
Bainbridge Quarry - Bainbridge PA
Willow Springs - PA
Hydes Quarry - Hydes MD
Whiteford Quarry - Whiteford MD
Millbrook Quarry - VA
Dutch Springs - PA
Lake Rawlings - VA
Mount Storm - WV

Then there are always:

Ocean City MD - Wreck Diving (great spearfishing and lobstering)
The Fenwick Shoals (great spearfishing and lobstering)
Chesapeake Bay - Oyster Diving
Calvert Cliffs - Fossil / Shark Teeth Diving


Is that enough ideas?

I gotta say, I'm quite dissapointed in my fellow Mid-Atlantic Bottom feeders. I'm a relatively new diver and have not yet dove in the area. I was hoping to find some good spots on this website but didn't see much there. I thought I'd post here to get this topic active again and see if anyone has any dive spots to add. Hopefully people at least will post some local dive spots in this thread if people don't feel like going through the other site.
Thanks

 

[edylchtims]

I gotta say, I'm quite dissapointed in my fellow Mid-Atlantic Bottom feeders. I'm a relatively new diver and have not yet dove in the area. I was hoping to find some good spots on this website but didn't see much there. I thought I'd post here to get this topic active again and see if anyone has any dive spots to add. Hopefully people at least will post some local dive spots in this thread if people don't feel like going through the other site.
Thanks

Has anyone dived at Summersville Lake in WV?

 

[hdcline]

I have several dives in Summersville Lake. I see you are in WV, I am from the southern part of the state.

 

[Doc Harry]

Summersville Lake

Summersville, West Virignia
Max depth: 300+ feet
Elevation: 1,650 feet above sea level
Lake Area: 2,700 acres



Known as the "Little Bahamas of the East," this reservoir is a great place to dive in West Virginia. There are places for shore diving as well as boat diving. Visibility ranges from 4 to 45 feet depending on depth and conditions. The surface temperature can be 80+ degrees but there is a dramatic thermocline.

See this map for details:
http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/_kd/Items/actions.cfm?action=Show&item_id=4726&destination=ShowItem

Mapquest:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.ad...fAtj5EZ1aNeJZFQnJ1dzlpgbaAEC59dYg==#map1-link

This reservoir is drained every September and is filled by the spring runoff. The diving season is usually June through September.

There are beautiful sandstone cliffs that drop 100+ feet below the surface. Fish are plentiful. There is even a motor boat wreck near the dam in about 20 feet of water.

I have been 100 feet deep at Long Point. It was completely dark below 60 feet; lights and compasses are necessary. Visibility at 100 feet was about 4 feet. The deeper you go, the darker it gets and the poorer the visibility. It also gets pretty cold down there.

Boat diving is available through Sarge's Dive shop located at the one-and-only marina. Obviously you can also launch your own boat, too. The marina is located along the same road that leads to the Summersville airport.

Shore diving is difficult because the lake is ringed with cliffs. However, I am aware of three locations for shore diving: (1) Battle Run Campground near the dam is right on the lake, (2) Mountain Lake Campground also has a private beach, and (3) there is a road down to the water's edge from the "Dam Site and Picnic Area" (the wreck is near here). The shore diving is rather boring, for the most part, just mud, rocks and tree stumps. But at least you get wet.

For more information, see the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers web site, that includes maps of the lake:
http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/projects/lakes/sum/

Area Dive Shop:

Sarge's Dive Shop, Summersville, WV
http://www.sarges.net/index.htm
This is a small, seasonal shop that is located on a floating barge at the lake's marina. They offer dive classes, limited equipment sales, boat dives, gear rentals and tank fills. It is a small "mom-and-pop" operation that is very low key. Getting hold of them can be problematic at times. Their posted hours of operation have nothing to do with reality. You can also rent boats from Sarge's Dive Shop, but scuba diving equipment is not permitted on the rental boats!

Area Camping:

1. Mountain lake Campground
http://www.mountainlakecampground.com/
This campground is located right next to the airport at Summersville Lake. It is quite large and has a private beach. You can shore dive from this beach if you are camping there. Be forewarned, this campground is very poorly managed. From the beach we quickly got to a chilly 75 feet with ease. It kept going downhill where we stopped, dark and cold. It's rather boring, just mud, rocks and tree stumps.

2. Battle Run Campground
http://www.lrh.usace.army.mil/projects/lakes/sum/
Battle Run is a very nice federal campground right on the lake. I have never tried shore diving from this campground. Reservation are through Reserve America:
http://www.reserveamerica.com
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