Western PA Diving

[Garfish]

I am in Crafton/Ingram and right down the road from Splash. I also have been to Ocean Odessey. My biggest problem is I need some drysuit training. I bought a Viking Xtreme from Bob3 but have not been able to get trained on it yet. Everyone is either too busy or they don't want to train, even drysuit, in colder water. I'm needing some diving before my cruise at the end of May so for now I'm going to head back home to Tennessee and dive with my original instructor. I will hopefully get the drysuit training early in June and my advanced this summer as well. Hopefully we can hook up and do some diving sometime. As for Mt. Storm, I was going to go there but I heard one of the generators was not running and the water was not near as warm as usual and you needed a drysuit, instead of being able to get along with a 7mm like you can when both generators are running.

Thanks

Hi Darylm:

Sorry to hear about you having a difficult time trying to get drysuit certified. Hope everything works out for you. I'm a little surprised that splash reacted like that.

As for mt.storm , i have been down their a few week back and the water temp was about 53 de. f. A buddy of mine used a 7 mill wetsuit and was warm during his dives.

I have a drysuit and love it .
Hey Darylm, i live 30 mi sw of you , in washington so if you want to buddy up sometime and go down to mt storm., send me a pm on here. I'm usually on here daily.

Good luck with your viking drysuit. It's a great suit.

have fun & most important "safe diving"

Sam.

 

[darylm74]

Actually Splash had one class, though they cancelled it a week before they were suppose to have it because they didn't have anyone sign up. I got my suit the day it was suppose to start. They didn't have another one starting up anytime soon. Conrad at Ocean Odessey is the one that told me he didn't like to train in cold water just because it took time to get used to them and so forth. The guy I will probably do training with is Mike at DiveHards who did my refresher with me. He's just been busy with some other things. Anyway I would love to do some diving with you. Hopefully I will get my drysuit training in June and was thinking about heading out to Dutch a little later. Otherwise I know Splash has some scheduled dives so will probably go along with some of those this summer. Sam, maybe you and I could meet up on one of those. Will touch base with you later. Thanks again.

 

[Boater Dan]

Hello Boater Dan:

What part of w.pa are you from? I live about 30 mi sw. of Pittsburgh. Yes , i have been to strawberry quarry once. It was okay if you wanted to get wet.

I am in New Kensington. I dive out of Scott's Scuba as it is the closest to me, about 2 miles from where I work. In addition, with them having Crusty's Quarry, it at least gives me a place where I can see something more than 6" from my face. Most of my diving is performed with a fire department dive team, but sometimes a rec dive is needed just to enjoy the sport.

Take care!

Dan

 

[darylm74]

Hello Boater Dan:

What part of w.pa are you from? I live about 30 mi sw. of Pittsburgh. Yes , i have been to strawberry quarry once. It was okay if you wanted to get wet.

I am in New Kensington. I dive out of Scott's Scuba as it is the closest to me, about 2 miles from where I work. In addition, with them having Crusty's Quarry, it at least gives me a place where I can see something more than 6" from my face. Most of my diving is performed with a fire department dive team, but sometimes a rec dive is needed just to enjoy the sport.

Take care!

Dan

I will have to find Scott's Scuba and pay them a visit. I have been looking for some places in Eastern Ohio as well. The best place around here seems to be Summersville lake, but have to wait for summer for that, though looks like I'm going to have to wait to do any diving before summer now anyway.

 

[msm29]

Any divers that dive regularly in the Western PA area? I know there are a few quarries around here but don't know anything about them. I have a drysuit but don't get trained until the beginning of May. I was thinking about picking up a 7 mm and doing some shallow diving.

I'm in sheradon always looking for more dive partners and locations. I know of a few quarries up 79 do you know of anything else?

 

[darylm74]

I'm not originally from this area. In fact I went back home to TN down on the TN/AL border and dove in Huntsville AL this weekend. I still haven't gotten drysuit certified but I think if I pick up a 6 mm I will be fine. I dove in a 3 mil down there and the air temp was a balmy 94 but the surface temp was 61 and the bottom temp was 49 and I really wasn't chilled. I would have been a bit more comfortable in a thicker suit but it wasn't nothing compared to these Pittsburgh winters. I would love to do some diving after I get back from my cruise. Will try to set something up as soon as I get back and either get trained in my drysuit or get a 6 mm.

Thanks

Daryl

 

[WVMike]

I'm not originally from this area. In fact I went back home to TN down on the TN/AL border and dove in Huntsville AL this weekend. I still haven't gotten drysuit certified but I think if I pick up a 6 mm I will be fine. I dove in a 3 mil down there and the air temp was a balmy 94 but the surface temp was 61 and the bottom temp was 49 and I really wasn't chilled. I would have been a bit more comfortable in a thicker suit but it wasn't nothing compared to these Pittsburgh winters. I would love to do some diving after I get back from my cruise. Will try to set something up as soon as I get back and either get trained in my drysuit or get a 6 mm.

Thanks

Daryl

Hey Daryl,

mount storm is just about 3 mm diving right now, 70 at the surface. Another week or two and it should be in mid 70s.

mike

 

[ams511]

Are there any dive sites between Pittsburgh and Altoona? I am in State College and we always seem to dive in the Lancaster area. Would like something closer.

Thanks

 

[darylm74]

Splash Water Sports has directions to several local sites. Their website is www.splashws.com They are located in Pittsburgh and have trips to these local sites on a regular basis. I plan on getting in on some of those trips. Hope to meet you on one.

 

[diverdown78]

Hi jrrkar:

Do you work for a Consulting Engineering firm which provides underwater bridge inspection on major reconstruction highway projects?

I seen your above reply and could not help to think that your were in that line of work.

I know what you are talking about when you mentioned about bad vis & total darkness when diving. It sucks.

The company that i work for, a local consulting engr. co. in downtown Pittsburgh has been known to have certified divers to do underwater bridge inspection work on several local rivers.

How do you like your job and currious what the pay range is.

I'm a Nicet cert. inspector for heavy highway construction projects which usually i work along with pa.dot. Mostly roadway but now & than i do a little bridge insp. work.
Although i'm a AOW diver i never thought about doing underwater inspection work.

Anyway i thought i would ask:

Safe diving

Sam...................




:

i would be interested it that type of work...i line in NEohio