New member from ohio (cincinnati)

[Scubapro Marcus]

What are some good local diving spots near Cincinnati oh? I would like to go somewhere at least twice a month during the season.

 

[Hank49]

Belize is pretty close.
hah. I was born and raised in Harrison, OH just west of Cincy on I74. Been gone for 33 years but...if you get down this way, look me up.

 

[Scubapro Marcus]

wow, I would love to dive in Bellze. Maybe after we get cert I will look you up. How the heck did you end up in Bellze?

 

[Hank49]

Long story. Read my profile and you'll get an idea.

 

[Jendra]

What are some good local diving spots near Cincinnati oh? I would like to go somewhere at least twice a month during the season.

Not sure it's the closest to you...but on the GLWC forum Great Lakes Wrecking Crew - ScubaBoard

you can read about a few thread postings about people diving at Gilboa, White Star, and Portage.
We had a Meet n Greet at Gilboa a couple weekends ago....where about 30+ divers camped and dove all weekend and shared stories around the campfire.

 

[Elonna]

Welcome Marcus, I'm right across the bridge in N. Ky. We have a local dive group (not affiliated with any specific shop or agency ie all welcome) if you and your girlfriend might be interested in meeting some other local divers. Feel free to PM and I will give you more info. Either way, glad to welcome you to diving, it is an awesome adventure!

Elonna

 

[xtina221]

Yay! Welcome! I Love my Atomic Split fins with the spring bindings. During my pool dives I had issues trying to strap on my fins, so I made sure I bought the spring bindings for my open water dive. If you havent already bought your fins, invest in the Atomic split fins
I didnt realize how difficult it was to put on your fins on when you have surge & waves hitting you at the shore so I'm greatful for spring bindings!

I havent tried any other fins but I think I will check out the Mares X-stream next. Take care!

 

[Scubapro Marcus]

Well I just took the plunge and bought a knight hawk bc, mk25/a700 reg, and a Luna computer.
All I need now is a tank. Has anyone been to vortex springs? Also where did everyone take their ow test?

 

[walesjoseywales]

table rock lake many great dive sites,,30' to 200'+,sukken boat wrecks in all levels..old towns caves,bluffs and bridges,clear water 100 foot vis and great people, missouri

 

[tstormdiver]

Well I just took the plunge and bought a knight hawk bc, mk25/a700 reg, and a Luna computer.
All I need now is a tank. Has anyone been to vortex springs? Also where did everyone take their ow test?

Sounds like a good choice of equipment. Should be high performance & serve you for a long time to come. I did my OW check- out dives at a quarry here in KY (Cerulean- now closed) 5yrs ago.

About Vortex:
I was a Dive Master for an OW class my LDS did, that went to Vortex about 3 1/2yrs ago. The basin averages about 20ft deep with a depression in front of the cave mouth that gets 45- 50 ft deep. Yes, there is a cave that feeds the spring there at Vortex. Let me tell you what almost happened to me as a cautionary tale. I beg you please,.... DO NOT go into the cave/ cavern under ANY circumstances. Going into these environments is a deceptively easy way to die, as I almost found out. Please watch these Videos that SB member, Dive- aholic has on his shop's web site, before you go, it may save your life: YouTube - A deceptively easy way to die , YouTube - Rescue 911 - Episode 202 - "Scuba Cave" (Part 1 of 2) & YouTube - Rescue 911 - Episode 202 - "Scuba Cave" (Part 2 of 2) .

OK, now for my story,.... I went down to Vortex 3 1/2 yrs ago to serve as a Dive Con (Dive Master) for a married pair of instructors. They had 14- 16 students going down & everyone was staying there at Vortex in the rooms they have there. On the first day of class, we went through all the required skills. After the students were done for the day, we grilled out a big dinner & ate. Afterwards, one of the instructors asked me if I would be interested in going into the Cavern/ cave to the grate that is across the tunnel, he had been in several times before & would show me around. It was a commercial operation & in a small way, it is believed to be a "safe" cave to the grate, because of the grate & the permanent lighting that is down there. Even though I certainly knew better than to go in, my curiosity got the better of me & my judgment. None of that is any excuse, but I'm telling it like it is. It was an exceptionally bad example we set for the students there.

The instructor & I went in at dusk that evening. We went down to the grated area, about 110- 115 ft deep & probably 200 or so ft back,... well beyond any cavern zone. Also while we were down, it had become dark. There is no cavern zone at night (one of the major definitions of cavern is that there is natural light in sight & a maximum of 130 ft linear from the surface). After swimming around at those depths for a while, we started back to the entrance. We got back to the depression, but did not know it. It was totally dark that night (no street lights, moon or stars,.... nothing) & that darkness looked exactly like the ceiling of the cave & the walls of the depression, like the walls of the cave. We were in Open Water, but did not know it. Thinking we had taken a wrong turn we swam back & forth into & out of the cave entrance for several minutes trying to find the entrance. My air was starting to get very low at that point. While I had my back turned, my buddy figured out what was going on & took off to shallower water, stirring up the silt. I had no idea where he went. He was freaked out enough that he would not come back down to get me, but did try to signal me with his light. My light was considerably stronger & drowned out his light. I swam around trying to figure out where he was & where the surface was. My air was now becoming dangerously low. I finally thought to cover my light & then could see his. I made my way to shallower water & then eventually to the surface. I only had a couple hundred PSI left. I almost became another statistic that day. I certainly learned my lesson that day,.... if I want to do that kind of diving, I need to pursue the proper training to do it. I just completed my Full Cave Diver course last week. I have learned so much of what I did wrong, what is needed to cave dive safely & am now a strong advocate to use my example as a warning to those who might contemplate doing a similar dive. What is in those caves/ overhead environments, is not worth your life!

When we arrived back home, the head instructor of my LDS (also a cave/ technical instructor), had heard what happened & had a most serious talk with me, with some butt chewing (let's face it, I deserved it) about what transpired. He explained to me all the safe cave diving rules that were broken- 1. diving beyond my training 2. entering a cave/ overhead environment with no continuous guideline to the surface, 3. We did not plan for gas management,.... I almost ran out of air. If there had been a gas loss, my goose would have been cooked. Basically, I took a revolver, put a bullet in a chamber, spun the chamber, pointed the gun to my head & pulled the trigger. That was it,.... it was only sheer luck that I survived. Please take my story as the warning it is meant to be.