Whitestar or Portage this weekend.

[schu1842]

Busdriver - We were too busy on our rescue drills in the morning to do any touring around. Once our work was completed we moved from the shallow entry by the platforms to the other end of the quarry where the rock crusher building and shaft is located. They did sink a new sailboat in that area.. Did you make it to that end of the quarry? My buddy's computer indicated water temp. of 47 at depth. Did you record any temps? Hopefully they will add some items but going through the building and dropping down the shaft makes for a pretty good dive. Hope to see you at Gilboa and Portage this summer.

 

[Busdiver]

We played around the rock crusher for a while. I found that to be the neatest part of the experience. My computer also read 47 at depth which was 74 feet. We also saw the sailboat.

I would like to see them develop this site. I love the fact that it is $10 to dive and that is it. I don't have to pay for parking, my daughter can come down and I don't have to pay for her. Is it a matter of Divers Inc. doing more with the site or the county saying no they are not allowed to develop the site.

My next trip down to see you fine Ohio divers will be on the 30th for DUI days at Gilboa. I prefer to dive on Friday and avoid the crowds. I am bringing a guy who is large in stature with me. It will be his first time in a dry suit. I just want to watch him get in it, should provide for some good humor and a year's worth of ribbing. I for one will test diving the DUI delta. I have had my eye on it for some time.

 

[schu1842]

A friend here in Springfield wants to be at DUI days and I told him I'd go with him. I'm leaving the state in the morning and will be back on the 26th so I'm not sure which day we'll be going. I'm still a wetsuit diver and with layering tolerated Whitestar with no problem. It may be my first time trying a drysuit too but so far I'm not sure its worth the expense and hassle. Hope to see you at DUI days.

 

[Notso_Ken]

A friend here in Springfield wants to be at DUI days and I told him I'd go with him. I'm leaving the state in the morning and will be back on the 26th so I'm not sure which day we'll be going. I'm still a wetsuit diver and with layering tolerated Whitestar with no problem. It may be my first time trying a drysuit too but so far I'm not sure its worth the expense and hassle. Hope to see you at DUI days.

I have found the primary advantage of the dry suit is cold weather diving. On New Years Day, I used to only get in 1 dive because I didn't want to leave on the cold wetsuit, and if I took it off between dives, there was no way I was putting it back on!

A dry suit lets me get more than just the one dive in on those cold days now.

I think all your gauges are optimistic, my computer had 45* up there this past weekend!

Good seeing you at White Star!


Ken

 

[Busdiver]

Hmmm, 45.?.!? This could change my coldest dive of the season if your computer is correct. Dove a 35 degree dive in February--does that make it 33? LOL

Ken I agree with what you state as the primary advantage. I have a buddy who dives wet all year (the same guy who will be at DUI days with me). He has no problem doing one dive. He does not get to enjoy doing the second and third dives which bums him out.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

It was great to get a chance to meet some new people and a wonderful treat to see some old friends as well! Unfortunately I only got one dive in due to surface logistics with the AOW class and a sinus headache that only intensified on the dive. My computer recorded 52 degrees at our safety stop above the thermocline, I wasn't deep long enough to give the computer all the time it needs to adjust but I did see 49 degrees at about 40 feet.

I like the more open layout, it makes the navigation training more challenging

Haven't been to Portage in quite a while, we're heading up there Saturday so I'll get to see if it has improved. I've never been there when there was good visibility so I've only been able to find a handful of the attractions. I'm hoping for a better day this weekend. We'll be doing a night dive there as well, something I've never done at that site. Y'all are welcome to join us there or at White Star on Sunday.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Divers Incorporated]

BUSDIVER: I would like to see them develop this site. I love the fact that it is $10 to dive and that is it. I don't have to pay for parking, my daughter can come down and I don't have to pay for her. Is it a matter of Divers Inc. doing more with the site or the county saying no they are not allowed to develop the site.

I appreciate your comments and your support of White Star. To answer your inquiry, we are able to put stuff into the quarry, problem is that transportation, cleanup and the sinking itself is something that takes time, money and some charity. The big thing is the transportation. Right now we have three big boats that are ready to go but no way to get them to the quarry. The park district has been super supportive. They have let me sink everything that I was able to get delivered to the quarry. Problem is that it costs money to move a sailboat 100 miles, or even 25 and an airplane needs three trucks.

There is another concern. We have seen a number of underwater sites become underwater junk yards. People come to me all the time with stuff they want to clear out of thier back yard. I just can't take everything. The bottomlands plan for the quarry that was approved early last year, does not allow just anything to be sunk. To put it super simply, if you wouldn't pay $10 to see it in a field somewhere, it probably won't make it into the quarry.

Improvements have been coming (we only have been there a year.) Since we took it over (Divers Inc.) we have sunk two boats and placed an engine on one of the underwater trailers. We also have put in new buoys, Nitrox, and repaired the platforms. More to come, that is just the beginning.

Now I have a question for you, what would you like us to do next?

Hope to see you diving at the quarry soon! I will be at Gilboa next saturday on the deep side with a class, and sunday at white star with a rescue course. Come find me if you are there.

Dive Safe,

Rich

 

[Busdiver]

Rich,

Thank you for your reply. I am glad to see that you are continuing to develop plans for this site. My concern was that, if I am correct, your contract for the site is limited (2009 or 10). I was also not sure that the county/state would allow you to develop the area as a scuba park. What would I like to see next? 40 foot boats that are abandoned at marinas in the Detroit on a yearly basis. But I hear you about the cost to transport. Can you share some of the ideas that you have for the long term for quarry?

I will not be diving this weekend. The little one just turned four and I will be directing many little ones around my home. Then I will drink beer and unwind in a deep coma.

Bus

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Hope to see you diving at the quarry soon! I will be at Gilboa next saturday on the deep side with a class, and sunday at white star with a rescue course. Come find me if you are there.

Dive Safe,

Rich

Hi Rich, the bunny will be by the crusher with her advanced class Sunday. I'll try to say "Hi"

Personally I'm glad to see the tunnel re-opened, a couple of my staff did that dive last Saturday.

I will not be diving this weekend. The little one just turned four and I will be directing many little ones around my home. Then I will drink beer and unwind in a deep coma.

Bus

Herding cats for the weekend are ya?

Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Busdiver]

Herding cats for the weekend are ya?

Ber :lilbunny:

Yep. Within two houses of my home exist twin 6 year old boys, and 3 four year old girls. Add my rug rats friends from school and sunday will lead to a Monday AA meeting. If no one moves from our street then imagine high school.

Now back to the thread. Last week was my first time down to Whitestar so I have no idea what it was like before Divers Inc took over. I do not (and I do stress this) want anyone thinking I am harshing/flaming/complaining about this site. I do hope Rich shares a few of the changes he wants to make with the rest of us (by no means is he required or feel obligated). I do like the fact that air fills where not out of line with other areas. And as stated I like the fact that I did not feel nickeled and dime-d to death.

Bus