New Utah Dive Site...maybe

[beperkins]

Can anyone give me more info about the crater?

[Desert_Diver]

Originally Posted by beperkins

Can anyone give me more info about the crater?

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking but here's an overview:


depth- about 65 feet (but do your dive planning considering altitude)
width- varies- about 40 feet in diameter
viz- 20-40 feet
location- Homestead Resort, Heber Utah
temperature- about 91 degrees F all year around
cost to dive- about $22
air and tank- about $10

They have some squirrley rules (can't go below 40 feet/limit dive time to 30 minutes/yadda yadda yadda- but it you object POLITELY and cite your experience level, they will back off. They really do not want you to play human lawn dart in the bottom because it is pretty silty. If you do, it really degrades the viz.)

If you have not done an Altitude Diver cert, do not go below the suspended wagon wheel (about 40 feet). If you do go below the wagon wheel, write "Doofus" on your forehead with indelable magic marker and then drive back to Salt Lake via Provo Canyon (no altitude increase above Homestead). Do NOT drive home via Parly's Canyon (I-80) because there is a significant altitude increase leaving Homestead. (Think flying after diving).

There is not a great deal to see at the Crater. There are some plastic animals on a shelf about 20 feet down. A crocodile and a turtle as of my last visit. If you do go down to the bottom (Bad, Bad), you can see where the volcanically heated water bubbles throught the sides of the old lava to heat the water. Remember to stay 5 to 10 feet above the bottom to keep from stirring up the silt. Adivse frog kick rather than flutter kick to keep the silt on the bottom. You will need a dive light if you are headed to the bottom.

Saturdays can be a zoo with OW cert classes. Middle of the week is better if you can arrange it.

Sign in and pay fees at the building north-west (sort of) of the Crater. Turn you paper work and show cert cards inside the Crater.

The gift shop (where you pay) now has some semi-cool Crater dive T shirts.

If I've missed something you have a question on, just ask.

Have fun. Dive safe.

Art

[Desert_Diver]

I forgot.

If you do go to the bottom of the Crater for any length of time, you can spend some time dumping nitrogen after the dive at a little Mexican resteraunt in Heber called the Tamamuhara (sp?). Great Mexican food and a good variety of Mexican beer.

Art

[bechwel]

Looking back on my post I see I was really negative on the "new dive site in Utah". I have rethought my post and am all for a new dive site. Only hope that if new student dive there they are warned it maybe a cold dive. As we all know all water can't be warm or hot. More diving in Utah h@ll ya!

[calwolf]

Here are a few web sites I've found that have info on several Utah dive sites. Might be useful if you haven't come across these pages before:

Utah Dive Sites

http://mermaidscuba.com/sites.shtml

Rocky Mountain