Northern VA Winter diving?

[JayJudge]

The only bad part of Storm is getting out. The water rarely drops below 50. Hope this helps
-J

 

[Doc Intrepid]

OK, maybe a dumb question, and if so, I apologize ahead of time. Most of my dives are in FL (Atlantic and Gulf), but I am heading to N VA for a 10 week school Jan - Apr....not sure I can go that long without diving, sooooo.....

What do you guys do for diving up there in the winter?

I have up to 9 mil of neoprene, but if I need to get drysuit certified, I'm up. I havent gone two months without diving in 4 years....this will be painful unless I can find some options!

I'm going to be in the Springfield area, so any recommendations of shops or charters, events etc.

Mike,

Get the drysuit - it looks like you could use it for those long dives where you live anyway. You can do winter diving in a wetsuit and be comfortable. It's the dressing out (and especially post-dive pee-dance activity, etc.) that gets uncomfortable during winter weekends.

Try this place. They are officially closed during the winter, but if you call them in advance they have no problems with ensuring that you have access to the quarry. They also offer free firewood, outdoor stoves, etc., and if you get a roaring bonfire going and charcoal broil some burgers apres dive, get your cocoa on, etc., it can be an exceptionally laid back environment! I recommend the experience highly...

Lake Rawlings - A Scuba and Camping Park

Best,

Doc

 

[RAD Diver]

For Lake Rawlings in the winter , they will require a certain # of divers before they will open it up.
But they can tell you if there is a group coming that you can get in on the fun with them.
Our VBTech group does a trip usually in Feb. & 1 in March just to dust off our gear as trips off shore tend to have a hard time getting out do to weather conditions that time of year.

 

[Lone Wolf]

We had a guy diving on the 1st in a wet suit, and he did not have a problem. However , once out of the water neoprene gets very cold very quick in any kind of wind.

 

[AlaskaDiver]

I posted about Mt Storm, WV in Nov 2007. It was fun to get an altitude dive in my logbook.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mi...t-storm-wv-1st-altitude-dive-1st-wv-dive.html