Lake Rawlings Customer Service

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Ummmm H3 Kitty cat before you talk about flawed theorems and other BS; Rad diver has the dives and the experience of any of the best tech divers around. He has the respect of Captain JT Capt JT's Wreck Diving Site and others from the VB tech diving club. Choose your words very carefully and very wisely, I know that he has been 250 + and is well respected. It ain't no macho thing but carefully planned tech diving. I respect him and the others that have dove with him and I take in any knowledge they care to impart on me.

As for AOW certs in Rawlings, a lot of shops do it, remember 60+ ft does technically constitute a deep dive, so a lot of shops are cool with it. Personally I like 75+ in the ocean to qualify someone for AOW, but then again I have that luxery, because we don't live in the mid west. (a.k.a. Quarry heaven).

It's all what you make it, but know those you intend to talk to before you put fingers to keyboard!!!!!
 
Thanks for the newbie welcoming.

Wondering if I'd done something wrong, asked around among friends and local dive shops, found quite a few use Rawlings for AOW. That being said I'm smart enough to realize 68ft is not deep, even if it was 100+ with the amount of dives I've logged going to those depths without an instructor or dive master would be foolish. It actually surprises me how few dives PADI requires for any rating.

Happy to be heading back to Rawlings in a couple weeks to check out my new kit before going to Moore Head City for Labor Day.

Blue Skies, Anne
 
I wanted to resurrect this thread to post my experience at Lake Rawlings this past weekend. After reading this and other threads, I was prepared for an unpleasant experience. It was not to be.

I arrived at 9PM on Friday night to camp, and thought I would get the weekend special for $75, which included 2 free air fills. Since I arrived late, I didn't get to dive Friday so I couldn't get it. I paid $70 for two nights camping and two days diving, with no free air fills. That was the extent of my negative experience. Other things happened that I could have taken offense to, but they weren't done in that way, and I could tell.

Saturday morning I woke up and went to the concession stand to get breakfast. While there I talked to the couple that runs it, and met Dalelynn, a Rawlings employee who posts here. My friends and family don't dive so I was there solo. I mentioned my lack of a buddy and someone suggested a guide. In my limited diving experience, I found it was best to hire a guide for at least my first dive in a new area. Their expertise also helps in finding buddies for future dives.

As it turns out, Dalelynn was my guide and the dive was superb. I got to see an overview of the lake and get a better understanding of the layout. After 5 dives I still get lost, but I'm figuring it out. She and Keven made introductions when necessary and I was not buddieless the entire weekend.

One incident on Sunday that some would have taken offense: I was waiting for my buddy to come back down after changing his tanks, and was basically just floating on my back kicking around the dock to the open lake. I intentionally left my mask on the dock so I wouldn't be assumed to be diving without a buddy. Keven was on the dock and yelled to me asking if I forgot my mask. I explained what I was doing and he suggested I could be diving without a buddy. I said my mask was on the dock and he explained that people will try everything, including hiding their mask on themselves to not appear diving. We talked about it and I can see when you are being scammed and people are constantly trying to bend or break rules, you get jaded and have to assume anyone is capable of trying to pull a fast one. That sucks, but it is a fact of life. At first I was offended, but after talking to him, I see what he has to deal with. It turns out, when I was doing my buddy check he knew the guy and made a joke about my choice of buddies. It was an excellent dive.

I found most of the staff friendly. They do deal with life and death, and can't believe anyone is who they say they are. If something goes wrong, they end up in court. I get that and the experience as a whole was very positive. So much so I am returning next weekend.
 
I've been there several times this year and the experience has definitely been very good. No issues. Perhaps an effort is being made on their part to do better. If they keep it up, then business will increase.

Did my first weekday dive there as my friends wanted to go on a Wednesday. If at all possible, I recommend it! Much less chaotic.
 

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