Posted by Jim Haack on June 13, 19105 at 04:18:43:
Hi gang! Summer is almost here and it’s time to do some local diving! There are a number of weekends already scheduled for this summer. For those of you who haven’t signed up yet for your Open Water Diver training dives, it’s time! We will be doing many of our dives at beautiful Haigh Quarry, in Kankakee, Illinois. I have also scheduled several weekends at Cedar Valley Quarry, near Tipton. And, for those of you looking for an end-of-summer fling, Carol is putting together an early August trip, probably to the Florida Keys!
Here’s what’s on the schedule so far:
June 18/19 Pearl Lake Rescue Diver class
June 25/26 Cedar Valley Quarry Open Water Diver training dives
July 16/17 Haigh Quarry Open Water, Advanced Open Water, Nitrox
July 30/31 Cedar Valley Quarry Open Water
August 20/21 Haigh Quarry Open Water, Advanced Open Water
Some of you who were reading closely may have noticed the Nitrox dives scheduled for Haigh Quarry on the weekend of July 16th and 17th. What’s that all about? If you remember from your Open Water class, Nitrox (or Enriched Air) is air that has less nitrogen in it than the everyday air we breathe and dive with. That means longer no decompression limits and more dives in a day! While at one time a “tech” mixture, nitrox is rapidly becoming a way for recreational divers to get the most out of their dive vacation dollars. Diving with nitrox safely requires the diver to learn a few more rules (maximum depth) and how to calculate your dives to take advantage of the longer no decompression limits. The PADI Enriched Air Diver course is made up of a classroom session (scheduled for Tuesday, July 12), a practical session/tour of the nitrox fill station (which we’ll do at the quarry) and two dives. These dives can be combined with your Advanced Open Water or specialty course, so if you’re interested, here’s a way to get a two-for-one deal! The cost of the Enriched Air Diver course is $175, which includes all of your materials, gear rental, nitrox fills and certification. If you combine this with your Advanced Open Water Diver or specialty certification, the cost of the course will be discounted.
O.K., so what’s up with the Florida Keys trip? It is still in the early planning stages, but Carol is putting together a trip (which can be used for Open Water, Advanced Open Water or specialty certifications, as well as just a good time). We are looking at the week of August 6 – August 13. Tentative plans have us either flying out of Moline or Cedar Rapids to Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, or driving down (a long haul, but cheaper and we can dive our way through north Florida!). Driving also allows more flexibility in the event of bad weather – always a possibility that time of year.
Please let me know if you’d like to sign up for a training weekend or an advanced class or specialty course. And even if you’ve already completed your certifications, you’re always welcome to join us for a fun diving weekend. Let us know as soon as you can if you’re interested in the Florida trip. Spots will go fast!
Hope to hear from you soon,
Jim