Did you take your OW or AOW at Dutch Springs?

[hambleto]

I figured I would ask this. How many people took their OW or AOW at Dutch Springs? I ask because that is the only place the LDS near me do thier diving. What do you think of it? Do you go there often? Tell us what you think and why?
See you soon!
Ben

[SueMermaid]

I did both OW and AOW there.
I have been there on purpose I think twice other than those two times, once to check out a drysuit, and once because I wanted my friends to quit bugging me about going. :)
It's nice though, and fun if you camp out in the warmer months. I really should go more often.

[VTernovski]

I got my OW there. it's a perfect training lake, there only except is that it doesn't comare to any dives that you might training for in regards to current, surf/surge, boat dives. Other than that it's perfect - cold, deep, convinient, controlled environment. Definatelly beats the pool as far as testing new equipment etc.

[ScottyK]

I did my OW in the Atlantic, and my AOW at Dutch Springs. Although it is a good place to train, and test new gear, I'd not do the AOW there again if I could do it over.

This answer is of course, affected by my specific area and diving preferences. Almost all my diving is marine, and a good chunk is from boats. My AOW gave me permission to get on the local boats but didn't prepare me for it.

The dive shop I now use has a policy that your AOW deep dive be a two tanker on a local boat. It's great because your first two boat dives are in the company of an instructor who guides you through everything. They want a card issued by them to really mean something to the local charters. I like that kind of philosophy.

BTW- Welcome Sue! Haven't chatted with you in a while. Are you going to try to make it to DS on Saturday???

[NJDiveGirl]

did my training in NJ but my check out dives in the Bahamas - I did a couple of dives with my DM friend at Dutch before my AOW as to not have such an evil awakening with regards to temp (diving a 7mm) and vis (just about none on that particular day). I think its an excellent place to train as well as get a couple fun dives in.

[JRRKAR]

I used to live a fe mile from Dutch Springs (DS). I got my OW at DS in the late 80's when DS just opened. At that point it was a big rock hole filled with water. I only got interested in diving when a family friend asked to use our pool to practice his scuba techniques. A friend and I followed him to DS, did some fishing and playing around. Don't worry, we were fishing all the way on the north side of the quarry. We never caught anything anyway. We would always let the sinkers go to the bottom. Wayyyyy too cold for any fish.

Anyway, my friend and I got certified. He never went again, and I went non-stop with the Allentown Y-DIvers for a few years. I got away from diving for a few years and then started back where I left off. This time adding a wife who learned to love the sport. A great way to spend quality time together.

After the years and going back to DS, my how things have changed.

Jeff

[mwilding]

I went up for a day before AOW to acclimate to a 7mm and the cold water prior to the class. Then I did my AOW there.

I am doing my Rescue there this weekend.

Sadly half of my LOGGED dives were there....

[Lat. Adjustment]

Am I dating myself? We did the Rescue part in Willow Springs which had a thin sheet of ice on it and the rest of the dives on Capt. Clovers boat out of Beach Haven.

[raviepoo]

I got OW in Australia and AOW in Florida. This summer I've been assisting with OW checkout dives at Dutch Springs. The students seem to enjoy it. Today's batch were kvelling wwhen they got out of the water after the first dive.

If I had it to do over again I would have gotten certified locally (that means at Dutch Springs) prior to going to Australia. It would have saved me a few days of classroom and pool work and allowed me much more diving.

Dutch Springs is a good training ground, but as has been said before in this thread, it really doesn't prepare you for Atlantic diving. I go there to try out new gear configurations and practice, practice practice until reaching for the right thingamijig under pressure is second nature.

[ScottyK]

raviepoo once bubbled...
I got OW in Australia and AOW in Florida.

That's pretty cool. Is it coincidence that you were in Australia at the time, or did you get hooked on diving through a resort course or snokeling trip while down there?

[mdr231]

My son and I both did our OW and AOW up at DS. Was a good, controlled environment and also a lot of fun with the sunken stuff to explore. Although it is not the open ocean, it does present its own challenges such as the cold and unpredictable visibility. It was also a great place to get used to our new gear, as others have mentioned. It's only about an hour and 20 minutes from home, so we've gone up a few times since getting certified and had a great time on each visit (last one was only 2 weeks ago). No, it's not the same as diving in the ocean, but it's convenient, fun, and infinitely better than not diving (or getting rusty).

I also understand that Sue will be running guided tours of the sunken attractions next season :whoop:

cheers,
Michael

[ScubaK-Dawg]

I've a ton of diving at Dutch springs. It's a great place to keep your skills honed and become comfortable with new gear in a controlled environment. Vis can be really good or really bad. It does get old after a while though, since you do run out of new things to see. If you feel comfortable, I'd recommend trying a boat dive off NJ if you're looking for new places to dive in the area. There are a ton of wrecks that never seem to get old.

[Curly]

Did both OW and AOW @ Dutch, and have spent plenty of weekend days floating around there in between and since. If anyone ever needs a buddy up there, let me know -- I am less than an hour away.