9 replies to this topic

[Sean Phillips]

What's up guys. My first diving thread seemed to be popular so as promised, here's another one! So last Summer I went to Gilboa for the first time for 2 days (weekend) and wow....... was it WAY better than Strawberry (quarry on my last thread). Unfortunately depending on traffic it can be anywhere from 3.5-4 hours away from me! But wow was that water clear. Best visibility was first when I got there and it was about 60 feet and blue water . Lowest vis ALL weekend was about 20 feet later that day after student divers kicked up the bottom (if people did that at strawberry vis would be 3 feet and you'd be wishing for 20!). Going down to the water you walk out onto a secure and large diving platfornm due to the fact the edge of the quarry is a wall dropping to about 15 feet. Here is one of the many channel cats that cruised around like sharks below and just outside the platform. (this thread is like the last one, I'm doing it in posts so if you jump on the thread right away be patient, there's more coming!).

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[Sean Phillips]

I was the first to get there on Saturday so I snorkelled for about 20 minutes and even that was exciting with all the fish there. After going off the platform I swam arounf to the edge of the quarry which had so many plant species my head spun! There always was a group of 5-7 Bluegill around the platform that happily greets divers and snorkellers around the platform and will often follow you around . There was even a Rock Bass hanging about 2 feet off the wall. If you swam down to the bottom either under the platform or next to it you would often see channel cats laying around in plain sight. At this point my dive buddies were here and I got out to get my gear together only to get back in about 20 minutes later!

[Sean Phillips]

During the first dive I cruised the edge of the outer wall and observed many Black Crappies in brushpiles along the way as well as Rock Bass, Bluegill, L and SMBs, and even Koi! I also had to go to the signiature attraction in Gilboa.....The Bus. Yes the bus, those of you who have been there know what I'm talking about. Those who don't well just watch the ENTIRE video and try to keep your jaw from falling !

Edited by Everything Fish, 26 March 2014 - 05:06 PM.

[Sean Phillips]

After that amazing experience of trout slapping me in the face I moved on to the sunken airplane before ending the dive. There was a GIGANTIC Channel on the platform next to the plane that I "stalked" for about 5 minutes as well.

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[Sean Phillips]

After the first dive we went into town to get dinner and then returned. Two of the three guys stated it's to cold now for another dive but luckily I convinced the one to go on a night dive with me. There was a massive amount of Bluegill on the bottom and a few trout were hovering on the bus but unfortunately we didn't see any cats. Well I mean we saw a literal cat we when got back onto land if you count that .

The next day I got up and snorkelled for a while, while the other three did their deep dive (110 feet) that I was not certified to do at the time. Now I am so I can do it this year! This time while snorkelling I went about 50 to 60 feet out where the water was about 30 feet deep and the bottom was clear as day! A Rainbow Trout actually followed me out there. Now here is where nobody belives me and I won't blame you if you don't either because I have no proof but....I saw what was about a 30" LMB!!! The thing was massive and sadly I didn't have a camera with me while snorkelling. After that I came back to the platform, took a break and then swam about 20 feet out to a forest of perfectly upright (but dead) trees where 3, 6" SMBs were hanging out. Again very curious to see me! After that they were done with there deep dive and ready to go out again.

[Sean Phillips]

On the next dive we just messed around. Did a quick swim on the shallow wall, checked out a ledge with a pair of LMBs on it and swam through a few wrecks.

[Sean Phillips]

Now sadly it was time for the last dive that trip. We were debating what to do when i thought, I have to see these paddlefish that I see so many pictures of in their dive shop. So I gave them the idea and we went for it. We also decided to look for sturgeon (which have been documented there) with no sucess. We started going out, passed the bus and fed trout really quick (always time for feeding fish). We then went to the deeper wall with TONS of mussels and Rock Bass. The wall dropped down to 50 feet where the tubes are. I planned on going through them but 50 feet at Gilboa even in August = 50- F!!! So I had to wait for them at about 40 feet. Then we took off into COMPLETE open water. The bottom was at 120 feet but we were at about 20 feet. No bottom in sight, no structure in sight, no anything in sight. Pretty scary actually but I had my dive buddies right by my side (for a while until one almost got lost in open water ). We swam for about 20 minutes and almost gave up when we saw something in the distance. I got closer, it moves out. I got closer it moved. I finally decided I needed to see it so I pulled out my olympic swimming skills and swam as fast as I physically could at it and saw it was an about 48" paddlefish. I was so happy to see one when another one came out of the distance. They both swam side by side and wouldn't seperate for the remainder of our watching them. I don't know if paddlefish are monogamous or not but it was VERY awe inspiring to see two massive fish that HAVE the potential to kill (even though they NEVER do) coexisting side by side. We watched for about 10 minutes and then came back to shore, packed up and headed home.

Watch entire video (they don't appear until late in).:

[Sean Phillips]

So, my review of Gilboa. 100 out of 100 stars!!! Easily the BEST place I have EVER dove in the world. The fish are incredibly sociable with divers, vis is amazing, the wrecks and landforms are incredible, I'm just speechless about how amazing it is!

I would HIGHLY suggest to anyone near the place to check it out and either dive OR snorkel there. Either way you'll see some amazing things and make some great memories.

If this does well too I'll make some more of them.

[mattknepley]

I'd probably have wet myself if two beasts like those paddlefish swam out of the distance to me! Not that it would matter cuz I'd be in the water, but still... What a great experience you had at that site. Thanks for sharing!

[Sean Phillips]

I'd probably have wet myself if two beasts like those paddlefish swam out of the distance to me! Not that it would matter cuz I'd be in the water, but still... What a great experience you had at that site. Thanks for sharing!

No problem! I'm always happy to share my diving trips with you guys! Expect another tomorrow or Friday. I don't have that many more pictures or videos for other places so maybe I'll just bunch the other three together.