Diving 4/5 - 4/6
So I went diving last weekend 4/5 - 4/6 over in Oronogo Missouri. Just now getting around to blogging about it.
We managed to get 5 dives in over the weekend, I left a little early on sunday and missed dive 6. I was diving with a group of fellows i've never dove with before - which isn't un-common. I am a bit of a dive whore, I dive with whoever will allow me.
It has been raining here quite a bit recently, so the visibility was complete crap. At 100ft it was maybe 10 feet, inside of the four doors ( a cavern ) the vis was maybe 4 feet. Ocean divers are lucky :)
Aside from the 50 degree water, and poor vis - the weekend wasn't half bad. I got to meet quite a few new dive buddies, work on my near 0 vis under water navigation, and got to introduce someone to the lincoln diver sign at the back of door 2.
For the people that don't know what i'm talking about. We dive at a place that was once a lead zinc mine. The mine is around 210 feet deep in the middle, i've only been to 130ish though. At around 80 feet along a wall, there are 4 cave entrances. The largest big enough to drive a large dump truck in, the smaller ones big enough for a small car. So whenever I say something about being in a door, that is what I am referring to. The lincoln diver sign is in door 2, about 75+ feet back.
I always thought I would be too afraid to enter a cavern under water in near zero visibility.. guess i'm not, been in several times.
Still would not recommend it for most divers, its not safe without the proper training and equipment.
I still have some things to learn, mainly how to just slow down. I tend to move along pretty fast and end up with pretty short dives, which is no fun.
Our dive club is doing it's open water check out dives the first weekend in May which is going to be fun. Not really the best place to do open waters, luckily we have enough help to keep students away from the drop offs. But it's the closest diving spot to us, and is setup for training.
**Shameless Plug**
Jayhawk Divers are holding club dives at the following locations this year:
May 17-18 Mill Creek Table Rock Lake June 21-22 Lost Bridge North - Beaver Lake July 19-20 Mill Creek Table Rock Lake August 23-24 Lost Bridge North - Beaver Lake Sept 20-21 Mill Creek - Table Rock Lake
Also - this fall Jayhawk divers will be holding another open water class at Pitt State University Weede Gymnasium every tuesday night. Start date / time to be announced. Just a heads up!
Out!