DWF spent this weekend doing what he loves, welcoming new scuba divers into the tribe. But as this is the very last weekend Hyde’s Quarry will be open, it was tinged with a bit of melancholy.
First things first tho’! Congratulations to 4 of Columbia Scuba‘s newest PADI Open Water Scuba Divers!
Doing our Open Water checkout dives at Hyde’s is a non-trivial undertaking. The visibility can be challenging, the temperature of the water can be challenging, and the extra neoprene, weight to offset said neoprene, and the reduction in comfort and dexterity can all make this a challenging weekend.
All the more reason for my new divers to be proud of their accomplishment.
To paraphrase Obi-Wan Kenobi “You’ve taken your first dive into a larger aquatic world”
“You’ve taken your first step into a larger world”
01:00:06 into “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”
But in case you hadn’t heard, zebra mussels have been found at Hyde’s and the county had decided to close the quarry to prevent the spread of this invasive species.
Zebra mussels are a bit of a dichotomy for us divers. I mean on the one hand they supposedly keep the water crystal clear, which not many divers would argue with. But as good stewards of the environment we shouldn’t be fans of invasive species.
So today was the very last day Hyde’s Quarry will be open to the public, and it was packed! There were multiple Open Water classes going on this weekend. I counted at least 3 shops there in addition to Columbia Scuba. York Divers held their annual picnic there this weekend. It was almost like getting the family together to say goodbye to an old friend. 🙁
As I reflect on my last 6 years here in MD, I was at Hyde’s for a whole lot of dives. I’ve spent more than a few New Year’s days there ringing in the New Year with a frozen butt. I mapped it for my Divemaster mapping project. Most of the classes I’ve taught were there. I have dozens of photos of over a hundred happy scuba students with Hyde’s as the backdrop.
Yeah, the viz wasn’t always great. The temps weren’t always warm, but darn it. I’m gonna miss the old gal.
