for those that still cannot seem to find it on the news letter here is a direct link http://lrnews.homestead.com/Lake_Rawlings_Dive_Map.pdf
Lake Rawlings Customer Service
- Thread starter RSL
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
jl_va_21
Contributor
I'm a little surprised to see everyone here saying so much good about Lynnhaven and so much bad about Rawlings. I've been diving each each place once. I really enjoyed lake rawlings, whereas I though the diving off VA Beach was pretty bad. Also LDC seemed to really misrepresent the sites they were taking us too. We all expected two stops at two intact wrecks. Ended up getting a two-tank stop and one trash heap (Hanks). Low vis, cold water... not too exciting. On the other hand I though Rawlings had a couple pretty fun dives.
Am I alone in this thinking? Maybe I just happend to go to Rawlings on a good day and Lynnhaven on a bad one.
Am I alone in this thinking? Maybe I just happend to go to Rawlings on a good day and Lynnhaven on a bad one.
Glock Diver
Contributor
Well, the complaints against Rawlings are about its poor customer service and attitudes of the staff, not necessarily about the diving conditions. In fact, for a rock quarry, the water is pretty good. Lots of stuff to see down there, and decent viz
I'll add that when I stayed there overnight in July 2008, and did 2 tanks, I experienced the same poor service. Nothing profoundly rude, but I just got the impression that I was inconveniencing their day.
Diving in the ocean is much less predictable. I've had dive plans scrubbed on the way out, due to weather/currents. It sucks, but it's part of diving in the ocean. I had to try 3 times to get out on the USS Oriskany!
jl_va_21
Contributor
Yeah, understood. Ocean diving is a little trickier. My only complaint was that we did reach the intended site and it was not as described. That said though, the Lynnhaven dive crew was professional and the boat was good for its purpose. I liked BBQ in between dives too.
pelsung
Registered
Been to Lake Rawlings about 15 times in the last four years. It feels like Kevin absolutely goes out of his way to be rude... like he enjoys it. I met Earl Duplesis once, he seemed like a nice guy.
I went this year to finish up my rescue cert with Lynnhaven and vowed never to return to Rawlings ever again. LDC and Dana, (Chappy) were great, but the Rawlings staff seem to take perverse joy in making everything as difficult as they possibly could.
I suppose I will return to Rawlings though - only because its a great place for training new divers and testing new gear configurations. At the end of it all, the old adage remains true: location, location, location. They've got location...though, I think I will be checking out Fantasy Lake in NC for testing new gear in the future.
As far as my real pleasure diving goes....I'm jumping off a boat into the grand ocean or I'm not diving.
I went this year to finish up my rescue cert with Lynnhaven and vowed never to return to Rawlings ever again. LDC and Dana, (Chappy) were great, but the Rawlings staff seem to take perverse joy in making everything as difficult as they possibly could.
I suppose I will return to Rawlings though - only because its a great place for training new divers and testing new gear configurations. At the end of it all, the old adage remains true: location, location, location. They've got location...though, I think I will be checking out Fantasy Lake in NC for testing new gear in the future.
As far as my real pleasure diving goes....I'm jumping off a boat into the grand ocean or I'm not diving.
froglady1969
New
Just returned from a 4 night stay, we had a great time. Did our Advanced Open water with Keven and found him to be professional, well spoken and fun to dive with threw out our training. Their rental gear was better then most I've used threw out the Caribbean.
Campground was clean. Had no problems paying to shower we were able to take nice hot showers together for .75. Having done a fair amount of camping, many camp grounds charge for hot water on top of you nightly rate, so it was no surprise to us.
Planning to head back in a month or two for more training.
Anne
Campground was clean. Had no problems paying to shower we were able to take nice hot showers together for .75. Having done a fair amount of camping, many camp grounds charge for hot water on top of you nightly rate, so it was no surprise to us.
Planning to head back in a month or two for more training.
Anne
I for one like to hear the perspectives of how we are doing at the lake. I am sorry that some feel that they have had a bad time and I do try to be pleasant to all that visit us there. On any given weekend we can have up to 400 people through our gate and as you may imagine we have a very limited staff. While most divers help make the lake a great place, respecting the environment and policing up behind themselves it still takes a great deal of effort to maintain the place. I know I get fussy when I see people crossing barriers and the like as we want everyone to have a great time but safely and return to visit us again.
While I cannot speak for the others I for one would like to hear from you before you leave the lake if I am every rude to anyone as I believe that we can reach an understanding better than the faceless web can offer.
In the interim if there is anything I can do for you just ask when you see me at the lake.
While I cannot speak for the others I for one would like to hear from you before you leave the lake if I am every rude to anyone as I believe that we can reach an understanding better than the faceless web can offer.
In the interim if there is anything I can do for you just ask when you see me at the lake.
gfwjr2
Registered
I have visited Lake Rawlings 2x in the past month, The first was with Dive Quaters completing my Open Water Cert, Ill have to admit that when I checked in kevin seemed a lit frustrated, but in his defense there was about 10 people in the office, and only 3 people behind the counter. He was short but you have to think when you have someones personal safety on the line there is not much time to play games with someone. I went there yesterday, And It was an awesome Day got in five short very sucessful dives and got to try out new computers. Dalelynn I think I might have met you late in the afternoon. Thank you for all that you guys do up there we should be greateful to have such a controlled enviroment to dive and test out new setups.
Gary
Gary
I had a long response written, but I'm just going to summarize.
I've been training at the lake for the past 6 years. I did my initial OW checkout there. Kevin was rough around the edges when I first started going too. TBH, he was a bit apprehensive for a while afterwards, but calmed down once he saw that I had learned, and got better in the water. Now, it's a non issue because he knows that I'm not going to do something ignorant. People have died at the lake, and he has to deal with tons of beginners every weekend. I would expect him to be a little rash. Start showing your face around there more often, you'll find him to be pretty straight up. He's a lot of fun to dive with too, if you ever get the chance.
As for the cost, their rate hikes have afforded me luxuries that were unimaginable 6 years ago, such as covered staging platforms and nitrox, luxuries which I am happy to pay for. Check out their weekend diver package anyway. You get 3 days of diving, 2 nights camping, and either two free air fills or one free EAN fill for $75. For the record, the cost in 03 was $17 to dive, plus another $7 to camp. I can't remember how much their air was exactly, but I think it was $8 a fill.
Oh and the shower banter is cracking me up. Their is a freshwater shower by the lake, why you would need a heated shower is beyond me, unless you are diving in the off season.
I've been training at the lake for the past 6 years. I did my initial OW checkout there. Kevin was rough around the edges when I first started going too. TBH, he was a bit apprehensive for a while afterwards, but calmed down once he saw that I had learned, and got better in the water. Now, it's a non issue because he knows that I'm not going to do something ignorant. People have died at the lake, and he has to deal with tons of beginners every weekend. I would expect him to be a little rash. Start showing your face around there more often, you'll find him to be pretty straight up. He's a lot of fun to dive with too, if you ever get the chance.
As for the cost, their rate hikes have afforded me luxuries that were unimaginable 6 years ago, such as covered staging platforms and nitrox, luxuries which I am happy to pay for. Check out their weekend diver package anyway. You get 3 days of diving, 2 nights camping, and either two free air fills or one free EAN fill for $75. For the record, the cost in 03 was $17 to dive, plus another $7 to camp. I can't remember how much their air was exactly, but I think it was $8 a fill.
Oh and the shower banter is cracking me up. Their is a freshwater shower by the lake, why you would need a heated shower is beyond me, unless you are diving in the off season.
RAD Diver
Contributor
I have to say that if you are looking to just dive & really get no new experience diving than Rawlings is your answer. It is great if you are training, getting some new gear sorted & the such, but really gives you no problem solving experience.
Diving Va. Beach is surely not for everyone, I think you just hit it on a bad day though & that happens. I have never been to the Hanks or Ricks, but have hit just about everything else. Yea it is cold, we aren't in the tropics after all.
Last time I went out was on a Sunday & I knew of some divers that went out on Saturday & had 40+ ft of vis on the Morgan, we were 1 day off & were at the Luchenbach a mere 2 miles from the Morgan, we had 15 ft of vis, but made the most of it.
Diving outside your comfort zone will make you either a better diver or get you to quit. New experience will always make you that much better the next time it happens, it will also help you in better conditions. Remember what doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger.
So if that isn't you enjoy Rawlings, but I think I would take some bad conditions in the real world diving in the big beautiful Ocean.
Similar threads
