Hello from new board member

[GreggS]

Hi, all. I have just joined scubaboard and wanted to take a moment to introduce myself.

As my user name suggests, my name is Gregg. I am 60 years old, live in the Triad area of North Carolina (High Point/Greensboro/Winston-Salem) and have been a certified diver for a little over 2 years with over 80 dives to my credit. I had wanted to get into diving for several years and had done a few resort dives in various locations, but just never took the time to get into it until 2014. My wife got certified last year so we try to go diving every weekend since we live only 4 miles from one diving quarry and within at least 1¾ hours drive of 4 others. We also try to do some dives at least a couple times each year at the NC/SC coast. We are now both SDI Advanced Adventure divers with Nitrox certification.

As I said, we try to dive often during the summer and will try to travel a little during the winter to warm weather environs. We hope to make it to Florida this coming winter for a long weekend to do a little diving.

If any of you are in or going to be in the Triad, NC area and want to get together for a little diving, let me know.

 

[DiverDownD3]

Welcome to the board Gregg. I'm in the Morehead City area, so if you end up this way let me know.

But to your point, I'll be in W-S (Pfaffton) this weekend visiting family. What quarry is nearby and what's the temp/viz like? If I can get away for a little bit might try to sneak a dive in.

 

[GreggS]

Blue Stone Diver Resort is the one closest to me. Temps there 3 weeks ago were in the low 80s to upper 70's down to about 25 feet, then dropped to the mid 60s down to around 35 feet. I marked 56° at 50 feet. But there is a really nice PT boat at that depth. There are several pretty nice objects to explore in the water including a military style helicopter at about 25 feet. As for visibility, I've seen it anywhere from 30 feet down to 6 inches but would say it averages around 5-10 feet. Cost to dive there is $20.00/day, but it is a full service dive resort including air/nitrox fills, snacks, hot showers, and trolley service from the main building to the entry points which are at both ends of the quarry.

We are also members of NCPDRA (NC Piedmont Dive & Rescue Association) which, if you're unfamiliar with it, owns 3 quarries in NC. We are almost centrally located to all 3 with the farthest being about 1½ away. We have access to all 3 quarries 24/7/365 at no additional cost to the annual dues and can take a limited number of guests. There are no amenities at them like there are at Blue Stone, but they do have changing areas, nice setup areas, and quite a number of objects in the water. Temps there are similar to Blue Stone, but viz varies from Quarry to Quarry. The closest PDRA quarry to me has terrible viz once you get below 15 feet and gets worse the deeper you go. This past Sunday, viz at 35 feet was about 2 feet

We also go to Fantasy Lake near Wake Forest, which being from Morehead, you may be familiar with.

Anyway, if you would can get away and would like to do a little diving, let me know. We're always ready to get wet.

BTW, we were in Morehead City last fall for the Discovery Diving Co. Treasure Hunt and are planning on doing it again this year.

 

[NYCNaiad]

Welcome to Scubaboard!

 

[socaljohn]

Welcome aboard....(See what I did there)
seriously though, it's a great sport, have a blast.

 

[TMHeimer]

Welcome to SB. The closest I've been to you was a few years ago in Myrtle Beach. Took a couple of inshore charters in Feb./March with Coastal Scuba. Was pretty good.

 

[The Chairman]

Look us up when you come down to the Keys! (You know you want to).

 

[GreggS]

Yes, we do want to. I'd love to dive Key Largo. Heard it is great.

 

[The Chairman]

I'd love to dive Key Largo. Heard it is great.

I'll check it out again for you on Tuesday!