Hospital Hole
Thinking about doing a dive here with some buddies. When is the best time to dive? High, low, slack tide? I checked the Atlas and there was no mention of tides and one being better than the other. Any other information would be appreciated. Thanks and dive safe.
Tide doesn't matter. Wait a few more weeks and it'll be filled with manatee. I'm planning on going end of this month. Be careful, boaters are stupid every time I go.
Hospital Hole is a dark sulfide hole. The bottom is black mud, studded with old aluminum cans and plastic cups along with a few tree branches. The sulfide layer can be from top to bottom or just 15 feet thick somewhere in the water column. There are a couple of solution tubes off to one side that go up about 40' but the tops are closed so you have to back down and out. A few fish in the upper area of the hole. Your brass will all tarnish and blacken. As for best time of the year, well to view black mud - anytime will do, but if you want Manatees - go with Superlyte27's suggestion.
'You can say what you want about the South, but I ain't never heard of anyone wanting to retire to the North'
So, is it a dive to do or a dive to skip?
It's a fine dive. I've seen anywhere from 5' of vis to 100' of vis in the first 90'. I've never seen more than 5' of vis below 90', and it goes down to 140'ish recently. Not much to see unless you like Manatee. Last December we played with 17 adults and 3 calfs. It was a blast.
It should be done at least once to satisfy your curiosity.
'You can say what you want about the South, but I ain't never heard of anyone wanting to retire to the North'
Thanks for the info gentlemen. I guess we will go check it out in the next couple of weeks. Dive safe.
I used to dive HH every other weekend b/c I lived within minutes of the river, and it's next to free. Boaters are very ignorant, but funny entertainment for a nice floating SI. Many of em like to hover over the hole and tell you it's a whole 99ft deep, but that's about where it becomes a boot shaped overhead and the toe is deeper.
I like the dive b/c I can kayak out to the spot and dive off my yak. Like Superlyte said, it's max depth with high tide is 150'. If you're in a kayak, when the tides are changing most it can be difficult to paddle out, but most people rent a small boat to get up river, so if that's your plan no worries.
Last time I went below the sulfide layer, viz was very similar to Hudson Grotto (a dark 20ft with a good light). At some point it becomes an over head below the layer. When/if I go below, I like to run a line off the buoy line, just to make sure I get back without a second thought.
There are a couple interesting solution tubes in/around the hole's walls. One is big enough to fit in, but that's about it. Nothing too exciting unless you get lucky picking a day where there's lots of life.
Like Metaldector said, its a dive you do once just to say you have been there and done that
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