Philadelphia Quarry, Tennessee

[downdeep]

I don't actually work with them. My instructor used to have a shop, but sold it. So now he partners with them and I use them as my local shop. They have been great to us.
Rescue is a tough course, but really fun. I loved it.

 

[utdivermatt]

What is his name? Does he actually work with Adventure, or just like uses their air and quarry? Just curious if he might be the one doing my AOW later this month.

 

[downdeep]

His name is Ken Kirby. He works for the City as a firefighter. He has his own compressor and membrane system for Nitrox fills in his garage. He has a building behind his house with a pool and classrooms. So I guess you could say he is self-contained.
He refers everyone he works with to Adventure for equipment purchases. We were using the quarry when Mr. Waller owned it (hence the name - Waller's Holler). hehe

 

[utdivermatt]

Wow.. I wish I had known about him before I signed up for my AOW with Adventure. I like the place and the people, but I feel like they try to pressure me into buying new stuff I really dont need. My instructor in my hometown was very similar, working at a fitness club doing nothing but teaching scuba. No selling or anything. I loved this, just because I really felt her focus was purely on teaching. While I dont want to send a bad message about Adventure, they definatly dont seem as though they will teach the same. I do however understand why they must be concerned about selling more, and am sure they will teach me everything I need. Just miss having ana instructor that did not work for a dive shop.

 

[downdeep]

You are welcome to dive with us anytime. The ORNL crowd are all engineers and scientists so you'll have something in common.
Some of our folks are Parrot Heads as well (not me, however, but they let me hang with them anyway). One girl was a Divemaster on Roatan at Anthony's Key for a year. They are a rowdy group.

 

[utdivermatt]

Not trying to get too far off topic here, but where do all of you usually dive? I know only of Philadelphia and Loch Low around here. I am thinking of going to Marthas next weekend, and will actually meet my instructor from home there the last weekend in April. It would be great to have some dive buddies around here, especially in the engineering field!

 

[downdeep]

Those are the usual places. Some of the gang went to Norris in November. Vis was about 6 inches and it was COLD. I did not attend.
There is a quarry in Mermett Springs, Illinois that is supposed to be really cool. They have sunk a 747 (it was used as a movie prop). Haven't been there but it would be fun. Most of the winter diving is done in the Fla. Springs.
I will post you and let you know when we make our next quarry trip. Gotta do my swim test for DM in a couple of weeks (UGH).

 

[utdivermatt]

I learned about Mermett quite a bit. My home dive instructor goes there often. It looks incredible, but its definatly a good drive. I will be out of here at the first of May, so I dont know if you will be diving while I am here, but come the fall I will probably be ready to jump on dive trips. Good luck on the DM. Are you taking it with Ken Kirby? I may be real interested in DM come next spring or so!

 

[downdeep]

My husband and I are both in DM class with Ken. The waterworks are all we need to finish.
Hope you have a good summer. Where will you be? Are you from Memphis? I'm originally from that part of the state.

 

[utdivermatt]

I will actually spend the summer working in Huntsville, AL, at Space Camp. Yes, I am from Memphis, and lived there my whole life up until I moved to Knoxville to go to UT. What part are you from?