Anyone at Mermet this weekend? 3/28-29

[jefm]

I did my open water dives there last weekend and just want to kick around with some new gear, maybe explore some, nothing too fancy.

[skdvr]

Wish I could, but I have to work...

Welcome to the board....

Where are you from?

Phil

[theskull]

Hi jefm,

I will be there this weekend with a Fun-diving group and also some Drysuit Specialty students from Y-Kiki Divers.

You're welcome to join up with us and we can set you up with a buddy. Just come over to the Y-Kiki pavilion and introduce yourself.

theskull

[jefm]

skdvr:
Hey there, I'm in St Louis (just updated my profile). I'm the same jefm in the Mermet post on scubaboard.com.

theskull:
Thanks a bunch for the invite, sounds like fun! See you there.

[theskull]

Very good.

My name is Bill, and I'll be wearing a red jacket and yellow Mermet stocking cap . . . unless I'm already geared up in my DUI CLX-450 drysuit.

See ya Saturday,
theskull

[b1gcountry]

You should stop by the Dive Stop with us sometime. I am setting up an after work dive the second Friday of every month. Get there before the vis craps out.

Tom

[DeepDiverBob]

You should stop by the Dive Stop with us sometime. I am setting up an after work dive the second Friday of every month. Get there before the vis craps out.

Tom

you mean what we had Sunday was good?

[b1gcountry]

Two weeks ago was actually good. Last weekend was acceptable. At least there was plenty of ambient light at 50'.

[theskull]

Two weeks ago was actually good. Last weekend was acceptable. At least there was plenty of ambient light at 50'.

Not that great vis would help much at 50' at Dive Stop . . . you can just see the thick silt better.

When the vis is good at Mermet at 50' you get to see Spoonbills!, swim through the 727, look for dropped dive gear among the rocky bottom, and navigate among the junkyard attractions.

I have Dive Stop on my schedule to join y'all on May 9, but I can't say I'm excited about anything except the short drive to get there.

theskull

[jefm]

Despite mixed reviews I'm still hitting Dive Stop someday. Easter Weekend looks free. At this stage of my game, any place is a learning experience.

See some of you at Mermet tomorrow. Forgot to mention my computer is still in shipping so I'll be using TABLES, oh no, hopefully I get a buddy who doesn't mind not diving very much, lol. I really just want to drill some safety stuff, test out my new rig and Ikelite box, pretty boring (well, exciting to me heh)

[skdvr]

The Dive Stop does not have all the interesting stuff like Mermet but it is a hole with water, and it is a very good spot to go and practice drills and what not. Espically since you are already in St Louis. I love the fact that it is only 40 min vs 3 hours. I love going down to Mermet too, not so bad right now with gas only at $1.99 but last year at $4.00 it cost me $100 to go there and back in my truck, and I did not like that very much. The Dive Stop is a great place to to work on buoyancy because the bottom is very silty and you do not want to get into it.:) Like Tom said, if you ever get the itch to try night diving come on out there on the second Fri of the month after work... Should
be good time....

Phil

[b1gcountry]

All I ever use is tables. Nothing wrong with that.

Dive Stop is pretty neat. I like just going there and exploring. Mermet is great, but it can get annoying with a half dozen OW classes all going on on a Saturday. Once you've seen the 727, firetruck, ambulance, etc, you've pretty much seen it, and those things aren't really attractions to me anymore. Plus the vis at the Dive Stop has been better than the vis at Mermet lately.

Tom

PS, does anyone else find all the lines strewn from one attraction to the next a little annoying at Mermet?

[skdvr]

PS, does anyone else find all the lines strewn from one attraction to the next a little annoying at Mermet?

Not really annoying. I use them sometimes and sometimes I do not... I think that they are nice for a newer diver that wants to take some of the stress out of being underwater by knowing where they are going to.

Phil

[SLIM]

I think they shoudl have the way pointing to the next object with the compass reading. The lines are just a way to learn how to follow and not dive. I have seen some have to hold onto the line.

To me, they should not hvae them. A beter diver that can work a copass is more impotant then learning to just follow the line and not pay any attention to anything else is better. Have had seen some that just keep their eyes on the line and not what is infront of them.

With out them would also help with natural navigation and awarenes of their location instead of just follow the lines and and it wil bring you back here.

Another way of how training has changed so much in the last many many years.

SLIM

[skdvr]

SLIM, I agree that you should be able to use a compass, and I have seen lots of divers not only holding onto the lines, but pulling themselves because they are so overweighted... I too think that they should be able to take a heading and go and see what they want to see.

I also know that the first time I was there I was with another new diver and I was glad that they had them. I was so worried about not finding my way back. It was very reassuring to me... Seems silly now espically because this is in a quarry and not some huge lake or ocean. If I cannot find my way back well I can just swim it from the surface, but it was a real concern that I had at the time.

They serve a purpose. Maybe not all good, but not all bad either...

Phil

[b1gcountry]

I also know that the first time I was there I was with another new diver and I was glad that they had them. I was so worried about not finding my way back.

You were worried I would get you lost, huh?

Tom

[DeepDiverBob]

I know when I am working a class there, I love having the lines installed. We would only be able to do 2 or 4 students at a time for the tour portion without them. We stress in class that the lines are there only for assisting with direction, not to control buoyancy.

In my opinion, majority of OW students have enough trouble with the basics, let alone throwing in compass work as well.

Now, back to the regularly scheduled thread topic.

[skdvr]

You were worried I would get you lost, huh?

Tom

Heck yeah, I did not know if you knew what the heck you were doing??? :)

Phil

[b1gcountry]

I'll have you know that I meant to end the dive over at the West Dock...and all the silt I was kicking up was just a stress test I put all my new buddies through ;)

[theskull]

. . . PS, does anyone else find all the lines strewn from one attraction to the next a little annoying at Mermet?

Actually, I find them annoying as well.

Like DDB, I am glad there are SOME lines connecting the shallow attractions, and always liked that there was a line connecting the 727 to the shallow attractions . . .
but now there is a line from every object to every other object and you cannot navigate anywhere for practice unless you do so in the deep end!

Trip report and conditions in a new thread since this one has become so polluted. ;)

theskull