Quarries - What's up with that?

[tursiops]

If you are an ocean person there's no answer to your question.

I don't get it either but that's fine. Don't think it would be any good to share the ocean with all the quarry divers, they are too many.

I guess I would have put it this way:
If you are a diver, then you go where you can to get wet.
If (a) ocean and quarry were equally accessible (includes location and conditions), (b) equal cost to dive, and (c) both fresh water (for ease of rinsing equipment), then you'd likely choose the ocean. But (a) is not true for many people nor all of the time, (b) is not true for most people, and (c) is not true for anyone.

 

[Ana]

I guess I would have put it this way:
If you are a diver, then you go where you can to get wet.
If (a) ocean and quarry were equally accessible (includes location and conditions), (b) equal cost to dive, and (c) both fresh water (for ease of rinsing equipment), then you'd likely choose the ocean. But (a) is not true for many people nor all of the time, (b) is not true for most people, and (c) is not true for anyone.

These "truths" above are only applicable to some people, which in my book translates to not quite truths.
It all depends on how you set up your life. I've lived in 3 different continents, dozen or more different cities. Starting the day I was borne I haven't been farther than 35~40 miles (~60km) to a sea or an ocean. The first 18 years was my parents decision but the rest (almost 4 decades), was a calculated decision to be close to a shoreline.

Nothing wrong with a landlocked life I suppose, but is not for everyone. I for one don't understand it.
To me it is closer, easier and cheaper to dive in the ocean than any hole in the ground, call it quarry, spring, cave or lake. Again that's not accident, and it isn't just for the diving, is the ocean itself. I don't want a life where I can't smell the ocean everyday. Other people feel the same about mountains, or rivers, or maybe their bank accounts; doesn't matter it is 100% a personal choice based on their priorities.

There's not need to justify why you guys dive in quarries. It is a pleasant conversation but if someone has to ask to seriously use the answer , most likely they won't quite get it.

 

[Schwob]

Well, @Ana , it's great that you were doted to the ocean. These days, I wish I was too. Miserably failed at that though. In that sense, might the below be a get-able answer?

For me, life happened first and long before I knew about how much I might like diving. Turning my life upside down for diving is a bit more than I can handle on short notice and therefore, for the time being, a quarry not too far away is quite welcome. Could I flick a switch right now, yes then I'd much prefer "the ocean" too.

 

[caruso]

Dutch Springs is about 2.5 hours from me. That's a 5 hour round trip which is a lot for one day especially after doing 3 or more dives, so if I went, I'd probably stay overnight in a cheap hotel. That makes it more of a weekend adventure. Many a Saturday afternoon during the summer I've thought about loading the gear in the car and making the trip. Then I think "All that trouble just to swim through a bus and look at a suspended helicopter and a rust covered airplane and some sunken rowboats" and it just never happens.

If it was less than an hour away I'd probably do it at least once per summer. Just because any diving is better than no diving. But 5 hours is a dealbreaker.

 

[Rollin Bonz]

I guess I would have put it this way:
If you are a diver, then you go where you can to get wet.
If (a) ocean and quarry were equally accessible (includes location and conditions), (b) equal cost to dive, and (c) both fresh water (for ease of rinsing equipment), then you'd likely choose the ocean. But (a) is not true for many people nor all of the time, (b) is not true for most people, and (c) is not true for anyone.

@WeRtheOcean , @tursiops has provided the answer to your question in what, I feel, is the most efficient and succinct manner possible. @tursiops 's logic is undeniable if you go through it... there's no arguing it.

I'm a diver... not a quarry diver, not an ocean diver... I dive when and where I can. And although I'd probably love for my life to revolve around diving, it does not. I therefore make the best of it.

Well, @Ana , it's great that you were doted to the ocean. These days, I wish I was too. Miserably failed at that though. In that sense, might the below be a get-able answer?

For me, life happened first and long before I knew about how much I might like diving. Turning my life upside down for diving is a bit more than I can handle on short notice and therefore, for the time being, a quarry not to far away is quite welcome. Could I flick a switch right now, yes then I'd much prefer "the ocean" too.

Preach it...

 

[lowviz]

... it isn't just for the diving, is the ocean itself.

 

[84CJ7]

My local quarry happens to be Lake Wazee. The mine was in service long enough to get several hundred feet deep and as large as a decent sized natural lake. There are steps to the depth because of how the road spirals down around to the bottom so you get wall dives. The upper steps had a long enough time period before the mine was abandoned to grow full sized forests in places, and thick stands of several inch thick trees in others.
There are fish and plant life but not so much as to cloud the water up with the massive amount of deep area so viz tends to be really good which to me is more than 20 feet and sometimes much more depending on the season.
Its better than a haunted house to swim through a dead forest in the blue gloom at 50+ feet and look out over a several hundred foot cliff into total blackness.
I once borrowed an underwater scooter the local dive shop brought along for people to try out and did a slalom course in the larger shallower trees complete with barrel rolls and loops around some of the large extended branches.
Another neat feature (and an irritation) is the fact that the only map I have ever seen looks like it was drawn by a 5 year old with crayons and only covers the general highlights and some depth markings. So unless you have a guide there are a lot of dives worth of wandering around to figure out where stuff is.
I did my AOW at Haigh quarry which has a fair bit of odd stuff sunk in it in addition to a large rock crusher from the original quarry. It is so overloaded with fish its like a freshwater aquarium in places. I have dove there after OW classes have reduced visibility to arms length at best. Try that at 85 feet and its total blackness. I did my deep dive and my night dive during the day at the same time in 40's F degree water (thermoclines).
You really do need quarry or cold ocean training to be ready for many of the great lakes shipwrecks. A master diver from the tropics would have to practically start over up here.

 

[TMHeimer]

These "truths" above are only applicable to some people, which in my book translates to not quite truths.
It all depends on how you set up your life. I've lived in 3 different continents, dozen or more different cities. Starting the day I was borne I haven't been farther than 35~40 miles (~60km) to a sea or an ocean. The first 18 years was my parents decision but the rest (almost 4 decades), was a calculated decision to be close to a shoreline.

Nothing wrong with a landlocked life I suppose, but is not for everyone. I for one don't understand it.
To me it is closer, easier and cheaper to dive in the ocean than any hole in the ground, call it quarry, spring, cave or lake. Again that's not accident, and it isn't just for the diving, is the ocean itself. I don't want a life where I can't smell the ocean everyday. Other people feel the same about mountains, or rivers, or maybe their bank accounts; doesn't matter it is 100% a personal choice based on their priorities.

There's not need to justify why you guys dive in quarries. It is a pleasant conversation but if someone has to ask to seriously use the answer , most likely they won't quite get it.

I grew up close to the ocean and thought I would miss it moving to northern Manitoba. Amazed that I didn't, perhaps because of the massive northern lakes and only a 10 hour train ride to Hudson Bay. Then again, I wasn't a diver then.

 

[Marie13]

My local quarry happens to be Lake Wazee. The mine was in service long enough to get several hundred feet deep and as large as a decent sized natural lake. There are steps to the depth because of how the road spirals down around to the bottom so you get wall dives. The upper steps had a long enough time period before the mine was abandoned to grow full sized forests in places, and thick stands of several inch thick trees in others.
There are fish and plant life but not so much as to cloud the water up with the massive amount of deep area so viz tends to be really good which to me is more than 20 feet and sometimes much more depending on the season.
Its better than a haunted house to swim through a dead forest in the blue gloom at 50+ feet and look out over a several hundred foot cliff into total blackness.
I once borrowed an underwater scooter the local dive shop brought along for people to try out and did a slalom course in the larger shallower trees complete with barrel rolls and loops around some of the large extended branches.
Another neat feature (and an irritation) is the fact that the only map I have ever seen looks like it was drawn by a 5 year old with crayons and only covers the general highlights and some depth markings. So unless you have a guide there are a lot of dives worth of wandering around to figure out where stuff is.
I did my AOW at Haigh quarry which has a fair bit of odd stuff sunk in it in addition to a large rock crusher from the original quarry. It is so overloaded with fish its like a freshwater aquarium in places. I have dove there after OW classes have reduced visibility to arms length at best. Try that at 85 feet and its total blackness. I did my deep dive and my night dive during the day at the same time in 40's F degree water (thermoclines).
You really do need quarry or cold ocean training to be ready for many of the great lakes shipwrecks. A master diver from the tropics would have to practically start over up here.

Haigh is my home quarry. I've actually had students pretty much sit on my head. When I was swimming along around the rock crusher.

Wazee is where my shop does the AN/DP deep dives (150ft).

 

[Marie13]

I choose to be close to the Great Lakes. I'm a Mitten state native.