Weekday diving?

[kstakem]

Any thoughts on where to go for weekday diving? I know Millbrook is closed. I just looked up lake rawlings and they are closed too.

O-ring, do I remember you saying people dive off of Solomons Island?

Anyone else try diving in the Chesapeake?? Or is it just too bad?

 

[sillygrendel]

I found out Willow Springs is open during the week. Its about an hour and a half north of me (30 min north of Harrisburg)

Never Tried the Chesapeake but have heard its bad.

 

[O-ring]

You can go there during the week if you call and make an appointment. As a matter of fact, Wednesday is half price diving...Tombiowami and I have dove it on a Wednesday and it is highly recommended...we were the only people there for most of the day.

O-ring, do I remember you saying people dive off of Solomons Island?

Rolf and I heard this from Ron at Sea Ventures, but have never tried it. I definitely want to try it one of these days though...if you are up for it we can try it sometime.


--E

Ken, DaveO, and I are tentatively planning a dive(s) for Sunday at Millbrook...anybody else in? (our VA Beach got cancelled by Rolf).

 

[sillygrendel]

I might be up for Sunday!

I currently have plans but have the feeling they may fall through.

Kevin -- you up for check out willow springs some time? Hmm... Its probably a bit of a trek for you, but let me know!

 

[Lemonade]

Not bad.
Big quarry, nice diving platforms, one of them is right in the camping area, so you can dive virtually straight from the tent , on-site dive shop with Nitrox fills available (though not sure what for), lots of stuff on the bottom including a real 70’ fishing boat. Temp was in lower 60’s.

But visibility is poor, actually it sucks, and depth is < 45’, though I think there is small 52’ hole near campground, at least, my computer logged it.
I personally did not see a single fish or any life for that matter (not implying that there is none)

I say that for some classes (or dives) it's definitely worth the drive (3 hours from Bethesda), and for others Millbrook is better.

 

[kstakem]

I would be up for a trip to Willow Springs. I guess its about an hour and a half to Millbrook for the Baltimore people right? So thats about the same distance. I just realized that next week is pretty much shot for me. I will be fishing in NC :egrin: but the week after that is open. God time flys...

Sunday, I am out. I will be at Rawlings but you all have fun and visit the bus for me :tease:

Lemonade, was the vis like 5 - 10 sucks or worse than that?

 

[Lemonade]

...plus thick and fuzzy layer of silt on the bottom. After a class of "Silt Monsters" (that's how the instructor called us afterwards) passes through, you won't be able to see gauge clipped to your waist for a long time. Have to say, though, it was cloudy. No clouds & no silt from the bottom - I would imagine, you might get 10-12' vis. or perhaps even better.

 

[sillygrendel]

I'm about 2 hours from Millbrook, but I'm a bit further notrh of Baltimore. I'm guessing Willow springs is about an hour and a half north of me.

Maybe closer to 3 hours from DC...

There is this place up by Westminster MD that does diving on Wednesday evenings. It is kind of cool. The shop does a dive or so and then have a BBQ. Starts around 4:30 or so.

Vis isn't too bad and there is come cool fish/plant/rocks there. Nothing sunk down there so not much to see below 25'

 

[divernva]

.... to empty out the BC or wing bladders as best you can before hitting another quarry. Don't want the zebra mussels thing getting out of hand....

There's a new 30' u/w nature trail in one of the parks in MD. It was in one of the Adventure Scuba flyer. Didn't seem too far.

As for the Chesapeake... well I agree with Matt. May be better on the other side... It might be worth a call to Annapolis Scuba (410-266-8327) for recommendations on possible shore dive areas.

Have fun!
Ken

 

[sillygrendel]

An underwater nature trail sounds like it could be cool.