ABWA - 2nd Annual Feb Dive.

[ElizabethGreene]

Hi all, sorry to steal the thread. If you didn't get enough dissolved nitrogen last weekend, PennyRoyal in KY is going to be open tomorrow at 10. With expected temperatures in the low OMFG, appropriate exposure suits are "recommended".

-ellie

 

[Tanked Monkey]

I enjoyed diving ABWA even if I did have to invoke my "three strike" rule. It was good to finally get to meet Mwhites and dive with Mike Loyco again. I only got in one dive, 75', sailboat, bus, and the pipes.

My three strikes went like this; As soon as I pulled into the ABWA parking lot- a crown pops off of one of my teeth (strike one). On our first dive I unclipped my spg at about 70', checked my gas, and then when I attempted to clip it back off I got the mother of all cramps in my left hand. My hand would cramp every time I tried to clip off my spg. (strike two). We ended the dive and surfaced after about 31 minutes. We hung out in the water at the dock while planning our next dive. After about 15 minutes at the surface I just got too cold even diving dry and I called it (strike three).

ABWA will still be there when I go back, and I will go back there!

I had a good time out there as well. I also learned a valuable lesson with cold water diving. If I'm ready to dive and my buddy is too, and we're standing in cold water, we need to forget waiting for the stars to align and just get to it or get out. It's not like we're getting any warmer standing in 52 deg water.

Mike (Loyco)

 

[Miller64]

anyone know the water temp at ABWA?

 

[Docc]

As of this past weekend,my computer read the following:

+/- 60 degrees at the surface
55 degrees or so down by the schoolbus
53 degrees at 115' just east of the sailboat.

It may be colder than that deeper but somebody else will have to answer that. There is a thermocline again and it seems to hover around 55 to 60 ffw. There are plenty of people there diving wet now and the usual smattering of we wussies who dive dry.

 

[bamamedic]

Not sure what the surface temp is (60's?), but I felt a very distinct thermocline at around 35 feet, and a smaller one at around 55 feet.

I think it's about the same temp from 55 feet to the schoolbus at around 75 feet (54 degrees) and the very bottom (140 feet) is always at about 52 degrees or so (brrrr!).

Lots of wetsuit divers there last weekend, but they seemed to stay around 40 feet or so. It's definitely warm enough to dive in a wetsuit, but I'd pick a nice, sunny day so you can warm up on the SI

 

[Docc]

I felt a very distinct thermocline at around 35 feet

That was just me "utilizing" the cool Halycon pee valve in my drysuit. Sorry.

 

[bamamedic]

Ya gotta warn me when you do something like that! We've got to create a hand signal for "I'm about to pee!" LOL

 

[noladiver]

I got the hand signal for that. You take your index finger and hold it out sort of arched. We used to use it on the go-kart track to let the other guy know you would be gone for alil bit. I use it under water still to let my buddy know whats going on. esp. if you are one of the types who have to stop and concentrate or cant have anyone looking at you.

 

[bamamedic]

Noladiver!!!

How are ya doing? I see you made it to the Florida Keys

 

[noladiver]

Great, Ive been busy with school but finally the hardest part is over. Ill be looking for jobs in KW within the next couple of weeks. You have a standing offer to come dive some salt water whenever you can.