Open water cert in a pool?

[matts1w]

Don't some students do their Open Water cert. dives in quarries? Haven't I seen that mentioned here before? Is a quarry really open water in the true sense?

Just a question.

yeah, exactly

or a sinkhole here in Florida (Blue Grotto, Devil's Den, etc.)

I think you guys make a great point...and of course quarry divers are certified, just as warm calm water divers are certified.

Once I took a couple to Devil's Den and Rainbow River for their checkouts as they were headed to the VI the next weekend and there was no way to gert them in the ocean that weekend as the winds were 30 knots all week. After doing the dives I really had think about what had happened. In no way does Devil's Den get one ready for the ocean. There are no swells, no boat ladders, no currents, no critters but those crazy catfish, no sea sickness, convenient platforms, the list goes and on....

However, some days the ocean does not really get one ready for the ocean either. I have taken classes to the Keys when the conditions were so serene it felt like diving in an aquarium. I always think the best checkout dive weekends are a day of great conditions to get them hooked, then a day with 20 feet of vis, three foot swells, and moderate surge. I was certified in freezing quarry near Indianpolis in 1984. Two weeks later I did AOW where we pretty much simulated a deep dive as 58 feet was the best we could get could there. I think the water was around 48 degrees and the vis was less than 20 feet. Two weeks later I was in Key Largo for the first time and assumed that blue, warm water would be easy. It wasn't as I remember hating the fact that the water actually had the nerve to move and I had to actually work to stay in place. I assumed blue and warm meant easier than cold and dark. That was not the case.

I always tell my classes that someday I want to get to Monterey Bay and dive the huge kelp forests. I have little experience in conditions I would experience in California such as big surf entries, cold water, the kelp, etc.. I let them know that even though I have been diving a while, when I do get to Nor Cal I will not head out with out someone who knows what they doing... i.e. a local. Any good diver knows his limitations and deals with them as such.

It would just be impossible to expose a new diver to every condition he/she might encounter, but hopefully we can show them somethings that are amazing and beautiful as well as conditions that are not perfect. The more experience the more confidence...and hopefully an individuals who keeps on diving for years.

 

[EastEndDiver]

I was certified in the northeast ,cold ,low/no viz ,currents ,waves,etc.etc.etc. 20 foot viz is unheard of up here.

Seriously there is no way to prepare students for everything they may encounter,I do feel that if you learn in a place similar to where I did you are better prepared for most other places.Just for the simple fact that conditions in other places are usually better than here.

Oh yeah one other thing .When I was certified you had to swim a mile uphill both ways in the snow.

 

[plot]

Oh yeah one other thing .When I was certified you had to swim a mile uphill both ways in the snow.

in swimming trunks only right?

 

[EastEndDiver]

You were alllowed to wear trunks?

 

[TxHockeyGuy]

To those who don't think a quarry should be considered OW, my question is have you ever dove a quarry? In a quarry you typically have limited visibility (5-6' is common where I dive). This means you have to have good buddy contact and good buoyancy control as you will need to be somewhat close to the bottom to even see it. It also means you will have to use anti-silting kicks or you'll turn that into a braille dive very quickly. You also have to be comfortable in zero vis conditions because it is not a matter of if but when you will be put into one and you might need to make an ascent without being able to see anything. I'm not saying there aren't ocean dives with these conditions, and much more, but I am saying in many ways that a quarry dive is a more advanced dive than cruising a reef in 100' vis.

 

[JohnW]

Oh yeah one other thing .When I was certified you had to swim a mile uphill both ways in the snow.

Like This?

I just got this from Rowan at work......what great timing to get this photo.

 

[Skyjunky]

Hah who wears a snorkel anymore!

 

[EastEndDiver]

We couldn't use fins,They must have lowered the standards.

 

[altitudemike]

I hope he was wearing protection. Freezer burn sucks!
He should be wearing 7mm boots & gloves for that water!!

 

[joe rock]

A great many people in nothern NJ, eastern PA, NYC area and southern CT do their check out dives at Dutch Springs quarry in PA. 100' depth, viz usually around 20' but could be much worse, occasionally better. Water temp. in August low 70's above the 1st thermocline, stays in the 50's below the thermocline. Unless you stay above 25' you need a 7mm wetsuit, many dive in dry suits. While not the Atlantic it's not a swimming pool either. I've seen many a warm clear water ocean diver balk during the descent at this quarry.