Opinions on diving Gilboa please...

[Ber Rabbit]

It's a great place to dive and hang out. If your instructor gets you in the water early and everyone stays off the bottom you can have really good visibility the first dive. We were there two weeks ago and the surface temps were 48 degrees but the students were having such a good time they said they didn't notice. A canopy with sides (ex: EZ-UP tent) and a small heater or two when it's cool can make the surface time pleasant as well. Makes a good place to hang your wetsuit to dry if you're camping; just remember to bring a couple of heavy duty hangers.

Make sure you obey the 5mph speed limit or the owner may have a talk with you. Depending on your car you may have to put it in low gear and ride the brakes to go that slow. The Ash Borer has invaded the area (posted on the Gilboa website) so you are not allowed to move firewood between states and even between counties. This means you're not supposed to bring firewood with you; the quarry does have firewood for sale.

The fish will follow you around the quarry, if you want to see a show get some fish food and go to the bus. They are aggressive when they feed so when you open the bag open it away from you and back up so you don't get smacked in the face with a trout I was doing the out-of-air excercise with my students on the platform and a whole school swam between them as they were exchanging regulators, for a minute I wasn't sure if the OOA diver was going to get a regulator or a trout in his mouth.

Have a great time! Gilboa is definitely the premier dive site in the area.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Ber Rabbit]

BTW, I moved this thread to the Great Lakes Wrecking Crew section. This is usually where you'll find the folks who hang out at Gilboa
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[OWSI176288]

Gilboa Quarry is a very well run and professional dive operation. It has plenty of gear benches and entrance docks. The quarry is divided down the middle by an underwater wall/ledge into a shallow side (10-60ft), and a deep side (120+). So it can be a great dive site for beginning recreational divers through technical divers.

Your OW Instrustor should give you a very detailed briefing/orientation, and explain everything once you're there. Gilboa as a general rule of thumb tends to be colder then the other nearby quarrys, especaly this time of year. gloves and hoods are needed.

Just remember, once certified, stay within your training/skill level and increase your depth limit slowly. There is a lot to see within the 10 to 35 foot range on the shallow site.

 

[wreckchick]

A weekend camping at Gilboa is about as much fun as you can have. Come in Friday night and set up, night dive if you're feeling brave. Couple dives Saturday, couple dives Sunday and home you go. Lots of great people, fun diving...

Just be on the lookout for the Boom Brothers.

Rachel

 

[guitar_lord]

Who are the "Boom Brothers" ?

 

[caverdave]

BTW, I moved this thread to the Great Lakes Wrecking Crew section. This is usually where you'll find the folks who hang out at Gilboa
Ber :lilbunny:

shew I'm glad you wrote this... thought I had lost what little remains of my mind... especially when answering with something like "ya might want to check out the GLWC"...

 

[Jchoby]

Who are the "Boom Brothers" ?

Yes...I'd like to know that as well....

vr

JC

 

[guitar_lord]

bump....

 

[Diver Lori]

The "Boom Brothers" are a couple of brothers who have made a cannon out of pvc pipe. Odd fellows. You'll know them immediately if you have the displeasure....er pleasure of meeting them.

 

[wb416]

We dove Gilboa on Holoween last fall. Vis was great 60 ft plus hard to believe for a quarry. You may want to aquire some firewood as there are plenty of fire pits, if not there may be some friendly divers willing to share. Have a great time, there is a really good resteruant in town Something with a Pig great ribs.....Maybe someone that lives there would know the name.

I know Ber mentioned this already, but just to reiterate, Mike doesn't allow firewood to be brought in to the quarry anymore due to Ash Borer issues and regulations.