Where can I go in a time of Covid?

[boulderjohn]

I live in Colorado, and we have exactly one site where we can do dives to the depths I need for trimix instruction, and that is in New Mexico. Over the past 7 months, I have been there exactly twice, each during the two brief windows in which New Mexico allowed people to enter the state and stay without quarantining. The first was in June. The second was in early October, when I could enter if I had a negative Covid test. Now I cannot enter even with a negative Covid test. I have several tech students frustratingly waiting my ability to enter the state so we can dive. Two of them live in New Mexico, so they don't have any restrictions, but they need me to do the dives.

The second time the state was closed to me was the day before I was planning to leave for a weekend in which I was planning to complete two full trimix classes, so I have a van filled with bottles of helium and oxygen, and I am paying rent on those supply bottles. I have a booster pump sitting unused. I have pretty much everything I need except permission to travel.

Does anyone have any idea where I can do these dives? I would be willing to drive a fair distance with my van, or I would be willing to have a local shop supply the gases. For the trimix classes, I have to get deeper than 250 feet. I would also have to be able to get my students a place to stay long enough to complete the classes, and that means having some ability to trust the weather. My experience with Florida in the winter is you can go weeks without being able to dive because of wind, and there aren't many ocean dive sites deep enough. I can't teach in a cave because I am not a cave instructor and most of my students are not cave certified.

I would leave the country if that would work. I have tech dived Cozumel. Grand Cayman is currently closed due to Covid.

 

[flyboy08]

We found CZM to be extremely proactive and safe regarding Covid upon our visit last Sept. SO much so were going again in December.

But 250 ft may be hard to find there?

 

[KDAD]

I got back last week from.a week in Playa del Carmen. Locals, especially those in the service Industry, were mostly all wearing masks and hand sanitizer was prevalent. I felt comfortable there covid wise. There was a fair amount of tourists - enough to notice them but not too many were anything was crowded If Cozumel is similar then you might consider.

 

[Marie13]

Wazee Lake in Black River Falls, WI. Former open pit iron mine. Max depth is 350-380ft.

It’s 2 hours from Madison, WI. Lots of MN divers go there, too.

I was there diving last weekend, but shallow.

Bring all your gas. Madison has the closest air/Nitrox fills. That shop also has helium, but I hear it’s very expensive.

It seems to be the regular place for deep tech classes in the upper Midwest.

I can recommend the Americinn hotel.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Bring 'em here and lets cave train them....

 

[tbone1004]

At those depths, the surface temp doesn't really matter, and Lake Jocassee is open year round. Easy access to 300+ft if you want it with stuff to see at the bottom and it's a small lake so no risk of crazy surface sh!t.

 

[boulderjohn]

We found CZM to be extremely proactive and safe regarding Covid upon our visit last Sept. SO much so were going again in December.

But 250 ft may be hard to find there?

Getting to 250 in Cozumel is no problem. I've done it. I had a couple outstanding deep dives at Palancar Caves in particular. You just have to go with an operator that supports it.

That kind of diving there is very expensive, though, especially when you add the cost of your flights, hotel, etc. Right now it looks like a possibility.

 

[boulderjohn]

Wazee Lake in Black River Falls, WI. Former open pit iron mine. Max depth is 350-380ft.

It’s 2 hours from Madison, WI. Lots of MN divers go there, too.

I was there diving last weekend, but shallow.

Bring all your gas. Madison has the closest air/Nitrox fills. That shop also has helium, but I hear it’s very expensive.

It seems to be the regular place for deep tech classes in the upper Midwest.

I can recommend the Americinn hotel.

Is there a lot of diving there in the winter? I would think it would get a tad nippy.

 

[Marie13]

Is there a lot of diving there in the winter? I would think it would get a tad nippy.

Until it freezes over. Then people ice dive.

It was nippy on Saturday. We had 52F down to 45ft, with a 32F air temp and a stiff breeze.

I didn’t catch from your post when exactly you were planning on going.

 

[boulderjohn]

At those depths, the surface temp doesn't really matter, and Lake Jocassee is open year round. Easy access to 300+ft if you want it with stuff to see at the bottom and it's a small lake so no risk of crazy surface sh!t.

I will have to check this out. Mostly I will have to see if my students can make the trip.