Salt River Diving

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I'm down for a saturday AM dive at the bridge, I just have to check with the Boss first (aka the wife) I may be required to do family activities since the kids have been at grannies for a week...I will post again this evening if it is a go or not for me sat..

If so I would say 7 or 8am would be best to beat the heat and crowd...
From what I understand just before the bridge would be pretty much the best spot...
A dive knife is a must I have to use mine twice..
Bringing along some extra weight would also be a good idea, I usually use 10lb that was barely enough to keep me down I think due to current and the 5mil suit I was wearing, I will deff bring 16-20lbs of weight next time...

Can some one let me know, do you always have to have a dive flag up or just where there are boats and other watercraft's in use... When me and my cus went we got one of those little suction cup ones and stuck it to a little bouy I found in my boat and tied a rope with an anchor to the bottom worked great but we think a tuber decided to take it with them down the river cause when we came up to check his reg it was gone, 5lb anchor and all. My cus told me usually you would tether it to you but since there were quite a bit of tubers and unknown debri it would be safer to just anchor....He also told me that PA, NJ, and NY only required a flag in in places where motorized boating is permitted...
 
VERY good question about the dive flag in the river.

The purpose of a dive flag is to warn boaters to stay away from an area where SCUBA divers are underwater and may be surfacing. It is a safty issue. In the river there is no boats or jet skis to worry about. Just tubers. If you use a flag and ancore it, it WILL be stolen by tubers as yours was. If you pull it along with you, it is now a hazard to the diver in the current and can get entangled. If it goes by a tuber, THEY WILL PULL ON IT!
All not good! :shakehead:
So if you can afford to have a flag stollen every dive, by all means put a cheap one out each dive on an anchor. I wouldn't use one on a drift. Thats just me and my opinon.

http://www.dive-flag.com/Arizona.html
 
It has been quite awhile, but the sheriffs deputy's would ticket you if you did not have a flag flyiing while diving the river. I think a bit more sanity maybe prevailing now, but I fly a flag is I'm diving areas like Sheeps Crossing, Pebble Beach, ect.
If I'm drift diving the river I don't bother. Going out on a dive kayak I fly one on the kayak. For all the good it does.
What gets me is divers 'must' fly the flag but its 'suggested' to boaters to stay away.
Some day it may get better

Stephen
 
I have been browsing this Salt River thread but would like some "fresh" info on diving the river. I am new diver, but ever since getting to AZ 13 years ago (and tubing it, loosing my wallet in a drunken stooper), I have always had an interest in diving at the river.

Could anyone tell me, where the slowest/safest area would be for me (newer diver) to dive at and is anyone planning a trip anytime soon to these locations ? I would LOVE to go with someone experienced w/ the Salt.

Thanks

Scubeneath
 
Hi Scubeneath

IMHO Sheeps Crossing is one of the best places to learn river diving. You have a large quiet pool to enter, work your way up stream and when you are tired, just let yourself drift back to the pool.
Its one of the reason I take new river divers there.

Stephen
 
Hi Scubeneath. if you check the date this thred was started you will see it is "fresh" info. have fun diving :)
 
Large group turned out for some great river diving. Harley [NoobDiver001], Matt [Scubeneath], Charlette [from Saguaro] Ron, Steve Nichols, Steve Sharp and the Eds 3&4. Matt & Harley, it was great meeting you guys. You did VERY well. Charlette, Steve N, Steve S & Ed 4 it was great diving with you guys.

Flow was 1,100 cf, vis about 6 to 8 feet. I had 4 dives (snuck in an extra dive with Matt. Why change out a tank w/ 1,600 psi?) Wanted to use 4 tanks but after our last dive, Steve Ed 4 & I were pretty tired. Settled for 3. The 3 of us were the hold outs for tank #3. We worked our way up river as far as we physically could against the current. Steve & Ed4 I think went alittle bit farther than I did. Yes we got separated. LOL Its not if but when. Once you hit the sand there are few to no rocks to pull yourself along with. We didn’t have river sticks so you just had to do the best you could until the water wins! But man the FLYIN’ back is fun! After that one the heart was willing but the body said NO! I’m glad the MCSO deputy opened the gate and let Ed4 bring the truck down so we didn’t have to carry our tanks and gear back to the lotJ

Steve Nichols had his camera. I’m interested to see how his pics came out. He comes all the way out from Payson to dive with us. kudoos to his diving spirt. He found a bag with $28 to help with his gas.
I just can’t get enough of the river divin’. Ok Steve S, I’m looking forward to your report. Till next time :D
 
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As mentioned above, my first cerified, OW dive, was at the Salt River. FIRST AND FOREMOST, THANK YOU RON, ED, ED, STEVE, STEVE (no I don't studder) and Charlotte, it was QUITE an adventerous and fun experience river diving. Making this my first dive after being cert'd was a GREAT way to start. Challenging at several times, exciting the entire time, it was NOTHING as expected, but rather MUCH more. I can't wait to do it again. Again, I want to thank you guys for taking the time and patience getting me setup, you all are outstanding divers, very eager to share your knowledge and experience and it is MUCH appreciated.

Diving in moving water was quite challenge and exhausting at times, but never the less, adventerous. The river provides a very unique experience forcing you to be EVER AWARE of your position, depth, and bouyancy. For those in my PADI class who thought getting neautrally bouyant was fairly easy, TRY RIVER DIVING. What a RUSH it was flying like Superman downstream !! Most surprising was the lack of sunlight at 30' feet down. I could not get over how dimly lit the underwater rock formations were. Next time I will bring a light to Illum the Flathead catfish and "river sticks" to save air while manuvering upstream....whew what a workout LoL. Again, it was a terrific experience and nice meeting you all !! Thank You again, you guys who were great in getting me down on Sat. I look forward to doing the river again soon !!!

Matthew
Scubeneath
 
Hello again everyone meant to post sooner just been busy... Well I want to thank everyone for letting me join them diving at sheeps crossing on saturday it was great I hope to dive with each and everyone of you again soon... I really liked the pics, special thanks to Ed for sending them my way and thanks to Steve our onsite photographer for taking them...
 
Well it was another great day at the river. I did not see as many cat fish as the last time. And did not get to spear any carp as I have donated my spear gun to the river about a month ago :( but we had a blast. I would like to thank every one who came. It was nice meeting everyone I did not know. See you in the shop later. If you ever want to dive send me a message. I tried seeing how deep the cans went this time when I found a big pile of them. It was as deep as I could reach, Crazy stuff. The last dive we did me and scuba steev went up river until the current started getting so strong it was pulling me off the rocks. So steev got my attention and signaled to turn around. I thought that was a great idea. Lol so we did and on the way back I saw many carp. We must of stirred up a lot of the bottom and they where coming to eat. O how at that time I wished I had my spear gun. lol
 
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