What is the best place for PADI AOW checkouts, ABWA or Lake Jocassee?

[BORG]

I'm going to finally get my PADI AOW done later this summer. Which place is best for vis and overall fun of diving, in your opinions, ABWA in Pelham, Ala. or Lake Jocassee in SC?

Thanks!

---------- Post added May 15th, 2012 at 09:01 AM ----------

No need to answer. I just talked to Bill Routh there at the Lake Jocassee Dive Shop. I'm going over there by mid to late July and have my PADI AOW checkouts done through him.
Great and caring guy from I could tell on the phone. Looking forward to diving there. Small and personal class size.

 

[divad]

I just talked to Bill Routh there at the Lake Jocassee Dive Shop.
Great and caring guy from I could tell on the phone.

Yes to that.

 

[krawlings]

The next time Tony and me go up to Jocassee I will give you a call and you can join us . I promos you will love diving Jocassee and all the great divers up there

 

[BORG]

Thanks, looking forward to it. I would like to dive it before I do my PADI AOWs there with Bill Routh. From what I saw in some videos on youtube, it's even better than Lower Overlook, vis wise. I can do a dive on the weekends since I work during the week, as you guys, do of course.

 

[TonyW388]

Thanks, looking forward to it. I would like to dive it before I do my PADI AOWs there with Bill Routh. From what I saw in some videos on youtube, it's even better than Lower Overlook, vis wise. I can do a dive on the weekends since I work during the week, as you guys, do of course.

The vis at Lower Overlook in the deeper waters is comparable to Jocassee or atleast they have been! The shallows is where the big difference seems to be. At Lanier it goes to touch vis(at times) from 15-40 feet then clears up. At Jocassee it goes to 12-15 at the worse unless you are diving the ramp and there are lots of students.

What advance courses are you taking? Wreck,Nav,night, and deep? I am thinking he would take you over to the wall for portions or all of those classes(on the boat.) Did he mention any specifics? That would determine if we need to book the boat on a weekend for you to dive some of those sites!

 

[BORG]

I will be doing my PADI AOW later this summer there. He(Bill at the Dive Shop) said he would have the deep dive about the 3rd dive of my 5 required dives. I assume it would be near the wall where it's the deepest. Thanks for your consideration for me!

Here is some late breaking news, though. It's our anniv. on Sunday the 20th for my wife and I. She always likes to see new places and I told her about the Lake and the pretty scenery there. We're thinking about driving up(if we can get a motel room) to the area late Sat. afternoon and me bringing my gear and going out to Lake Jocassee Sun. a.m. and letting me get in a quick shore dive there, if there are some more divers in the area going in the water. Just to check it out. I don't have time to get on a charter. I don't want her to spend the day bubble watching or stuck on the shore. She's not a diver.
Is the boat ramp at Jocassee a good shore dive or is there a better place?

 

[TonyW388]

I will be doing my PADI AOW later this summer there. He(Bill at the Dive Shop) said he would have the deep dive about the 3rd dive of my 5 required dives. I assume it would be near the wall where it's the deepest. Thanks for your consideration for me!

Here is some late breaking news, though. It's our anniv. on Sunday the 20th for my wife and I. She always likes to see new places and I told her about the Lake and the pretty scenery there. We're thinking about driving up(if we can get a motel room) to the area late Sat. afternoon and me bringing my gear and going out to Lake Jocassee Sun. a.m. and letting me get in a quick shore dive there, if there are some more divers in the area going in the water. Just to check it out. I don't have time to get on a charter. I don't want her to spend the day bubble watching or stuck on the shore. She's not a diver.
Is the boat ramp at Jocassee a good shore dive or is there a better place?

The divers ramp(a retired boat ramp in the park for divers and canoe launches) is the perfect place to get in a quick shore dive. The wife can enjoy the surrounding view of the mountains. There is plenty to see at any depth from depth range. The vis was poor between 10-30 ft but below 35 it cleared up nicely. There are lines you can follow or navigation is pretty easy too. The lines lead to the bones family,boats, airplane wings, forest, and etc.

Shoot me a pm and I will give you better navigational directions to the ramp and things under water if you want them.

By the way I dive with Krawlings. So I have heard a little about you.

 

[BORG]

Thanks, Tony. You guys have been a big help to me. I assume the ramp is near from where I would drive from the Dive Shop to the lake? Which is about a mile or so from from the lake from what I understand. How close to the shore there would you say are the 40-50+ ft depths? I guess once I get in there with some of the other divers, I can find the lines and do some sight seeing.
Krawlings has been very helpful in telling me about Lower Overlook and Lake Jocassee. I'm looking forward to diving up there with you both this summer in the deeper waters, at least for me and getting my PADI AOW done with Bill Routh up there at the shop.