Saturday, June 30, 2007

The Thin Red Line..

A gentle dive at Nicholson's Point today, where a red, nylon line leads off from about the 35' mark to deeper waters. The three of us making the dive followed this down to around 80' for want of anything interesting to observe. One interesting phenomenon noticed though was a very clear silt layer over the cooler, deeper water. This hung like a dirty grey pall over the bottom. As always, the striking contrast between sunlit spells and the shadow periods was very evident. The Gobies were everywhere in the shallow, rock-strewn portions of this site - and completely unperturbed by divers' presence.

Perhaps the most entertaining element of this dive was watching a young Springer Spaniel bitch retrieving a tennis ball from the water with all the enthusiasm only a 'teenager' can muster for pointless exercise...

Water temperature at depth - 48F (9C), with visibility, at best, about 40'.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

No Fish Story: Pump House Night Dive

Scott, Kim, Sly, Jeffy, Tracey and I made a night dive at the Pump House ( Marine Museum ) tonight. This was the second dive for the first four as they were at the Munson earlier.

We followed Mike's previously advertised direction of heading east from the Ahoy Rentals dock until we intersected the Wharf's west side, then made our way until we reached the Barge. We then headed N toward the shore and hit the railway trusses.

Some of us then headed west along the shore in order to exit at the West St Ramp. Along this route back we were treated with a steady flow of impressive fish. 6 pike slowly meandered in all directions and most only a few feet away. One virtually drifted right into me. One impressive walleye was spotted as well as one sheep's head and one carp. This stretch of shore is highly recommended for future night dives.

The water temperature was recorded to be 57 degrees but night dives always seem to feel colder so dress warm.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Cooling of at the KPH

Three of us made a quick trip to the KPH wreck today. We found the wreck quickly and with out difficulty; as it was the first time to the wreck for two of the divers and first time back in 5 years for the other. We spent approximately 35 minutes in 67 feet of water. As expected there were various differences in temperatures but the bottom temperature was 54F (12C). Visibility was about 25 on the wreck. Even though the wreck is not moored we did notice the concrete block and ropes in the water from years past. After our dive on the way back into Kingston we were treated to a brief practice run by the Snowbirds. This was a great way to beat the humidity and smog.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Club Members clean up Brule Road Quarry

8 divers and relatives, 12 in total, came out today to cleanup the popular dive spot. The cleanup began at 9 am in order to get started before the crowd arrived but even by then there was likely a dozen vehicles on the east side of the quarry.

The club members worked hard to remove as much glass and other garbage from the parking areas and all sandy areas.

Less than an hour and a half later Steve Coombs trailer was overloaded with garbage. Many thanks to Steve for the use of his trailer and for looking after the disposal of the garbage.

Yes of course after the cleanup we had to go for a relaxing dive and then Kim and Scott put on a great BBQ using left over supplies from the treasure hunt.

The other clubs / organizations who were present at the quarry took great notice of this effort and several came over to express their appreciation.

Many thanks to Kim and Scott for arranging this event and providing all the supplies . . . and especially the chocolate covered chocolates.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

Pilgrimage to Brule rd Quarry

Three of us made a mid morning run out to the quarry. To our surprise there were two rather large groups od divers, doing their open waters at the site. In all there were a little more then 30 divers using the warm waters of the quarry. We managed to slip in and enjoyed 46 mins of the quarry, seeing all the major objects. The water temperature was 68 f/20c and the visibilty was 20ft to 2 ft in some ares. There were a few people in without hoods as the water felt like we were in a bath. There were large numbers of bass and sunfish through out the area. It seems like the quarry will be the perfect post clean up dive tomorrow.

Navy Bay ...

Six of us made it into Navy Bay for a dive this morning. Conditions were good, though what seemed like very promising visibility from the dockside turned out to be just 20' or so in the water. A lot of silt and weed in the water are combining currently to reduce light and range of vision.

However, that didn't prevent most of us seeing a couple of very large Carp and at least one buddy pair spotting (and briefly pursuing) a Muskie. The sunken piers are hosting large numbers of Bluegills and some decent Bass. I also spooked a catfish in the shallows by the exit ramp

Perhaps the most interesting sighting of the day occurred before we got into the water. Spotting a large Snapping Turtle snorting at the surface, I was able to show everyone the beast as it swam back down to the weedy depths. Its shell was probably as big as a dinner plate.

An air temperature of 68F (20C) was almost matched by the bottom temperature of the water, which was recorded as 60F (16C).

Friday, June 22, 2007

A fond au revoir to Jim and Tracey..


It was certainly the case this evening that no one wanted to say 'goodbye' to Jim and Tracey, but rather a sincere 'au revoir' as they prepare to move to Ottawa. Many members of the Club, including most of the Committee, turned out to have a meal with them and share some memories of dive seasons past and present.

Our Club President spoke warmly of the contribution that Jim has made to the Club, ably and constantly supported by Tracey. Jim's reply emphasised the affection he and Tracey have for the Club and the sense of comradeship they have enjoyed within it. He also related the way that he had been encouraged to take a position of responsibility within the Club at an early stage in his diving and how much he'd appreciated the opportunity to give back time and effort to such a strong and thriving organisation.

Jim and Tracey will be keeping in touch with the Club through many friends. They hope to make regular expeditions to Brockville and Rockport for charters from those locations. I'm sure that I represent the views of all our members when I wish them a happy, healthy and successful time in Ottawa - and look forward to them coming back to Kingston...

Photo Morning..




This was the day for taking on the Underwater Photography adventure, the final dive of Theresa's AOW. The larger picture shows that she grasped the basics well. Truth to tell, conditions were challenging for any kind of photography. The torrential rain, hail and thunderstorms of yesterday had left their mark on the quarry's waters. A great cloud of silt was hanging in the water below the surface and overall visibility - even below the thermocline - was only something like 20' or less. Nevertheless, more than an hour was spent in trying out various lighting and camera settings.

I took the second picture towards the end of the dive, having seized control of the camera to accomplish an ambition to photograph the Bluegills in this location. Water temperature at the bottom - 67F (19C). The surface waters are actually in the 70sF.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Gaskin - Brockville..


It's always good to round off any day with a decent dive. Today's was the Club's Wednesday night charter - this week with Tom Scott's Under Where Dive Charters out of Brockville. The destination was the Robert Gaskin - a schooner sunk in 1889. She lies reasonably close to shore in just 62' of water. Still highly recognisable as a major vessel, she offers access to her holds and good swim-alongs on the deck and sides - particularly the lee side down current. Nine members of the Club made the trip, many of them fairly new to diving. Everyone had a good dive.

Water temperature - 63F (17C) and visibility somewhere around 40' - despite heavy levels of drifting particulates.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Twofer Monday...

Not satisfied with a Navigation qualifying dive this morning, boredom set in this afternoon so a boat trip was made early evening to crank in a Deep dive on the Munson. This proved to be a great decision. The Lake was almost glass calm and the visibility below the thermocline was great - certainly in excess of 50'. It compared very favourably to the morning's experience at Portsmouth, where viz was something like 20' at best.

There was quite a temperature difference too. Portsmouth - in 30' of water this morning - was 61F (16C) The deck of the Munson was registering 43F (6C) tonight.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Deadman Bay ...

The opportunity was seized today to make another trip to the remarkable wreck that lies just south of the CFB Marina. Four of us (including a dive buddy met through the recent NAS course) spent just over 45 minutes delighting in the sheer strength and presence of the timbers of this old warship. Almost as impressive - and certainly equally delightful - were the hosts of fish around the wreck. Small schools of baby Bass were hanging over the open areas and several Catfish were hugging the muddy bottom or drifting through the wooden walls.

Visibility was very poor for Kingston, just 15-20'. The water is like a thin soup these days. Temperature - 64F (18C).

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Wolfe wanderings...


I guess it's just too accessible - and has too much to offer. Whatever the reason, today saw me make another trip to the Wolfe Islander, arriving there just before 10am to find Steve and the Lynn Lea already on station. No problem - two moorings. The dive was enjoyable; hardly any current and visibility something like 40' over most of the wreck. The thermocline at about 24' sees the temperature change from 62F (17C) to just 49F (9C) around the car deck. We poked into most of the spaces and meandered through the saloon before completing a very slow ascent to return to the surface in 46 minutes.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Night Dive...

Three of us set aside the temptations of Friday night revelry downtown in favour of a night dive from the West St Ramp. Entering the water at almost exactly 9pm, we spent 45 minutes gently cruising the breakwater to and from the logs in the bay beside the Marine Museum. Fish life was abundant, with hordes of Perch, many Catfish and at least one Northern Pike. Only a few Bass were around. Curiously, not a single Mud Puppy was sighted.

Visibility easily reached the end of our light beams (HID) and was judged to be at least 30 feet. The water temperature was 59F (15C) at the deeper end of the dive, showing a distinct thermocline at about 24'.

Alexander Henry makes its move..


The move of the Alexander Henry into the dry dock was accomplished very smoothly this morning by 7am. A few members of the Club participated in the work, handling lines or providing nourishment to the work parties. Pictures from the event are accessible on my Flickr site.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

You might have wondered....













just what happens in June, when the pool at the KMCSC is closed. The answer is that the whole facility gets a really good clean. To comply with relevant legislation, the pool must be completely scrubbed down annually. All the contact surfaces are sterilized and any routine maintenance work is completed while access can be achieved. A good example is the exchange of all the high-powered overhead lights. These cannot be accessed while the pool is in use, so the likelihood of failure is reduced by an early change of lamps. All the stainless steel fixtures are removed and transported to an off-site facility for deep cleaning. The maintenance staff, whom we all recognise and respect for their excellent work, put in long hours going over all the pool margins, cleaning them meticulously. A small team of lifeguards assists with this work. When we regain access to the facility in July, just have a look at the pool surrounds and see how very clean and well cared for they are. And when you see the maintenance staff - consider congratulating them on a job very well done - year round...

Morton's Wharf and St Lawrence..


Decent dive today on Morton's Wharf and the wreck of the St Lawrence. With visibility down to something like 20', it was certainly a good thing to have a firm handle on the navigation. The round trip was completed without a single surface check. The fish life is frenetic just now. Bass are busy setting up spawning circles, the Perch are very active and Pike are patrolling the shallows in a very sinister manner. The Gobies, of course, are everywhere..

The pic was taken on the top of the Wharf, which we rarely visit. There's an interesting swim-through option here (Adam and Matt, take note). Although I'm prepared to accept that this is a shallow dive, it's still pretty remarkable that the water temperature around 25' is 63F (17C). The only thing that I can say against this dive site is that the entry and exit are a real pain - literally. The broken rocks and building rubble on the waterline are really difficult to deal with. But, the dive is worth it -

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Not the Wolfe again - again..


I guess we should have been grateful that the charter went at all tonight. There was a small craft thunderstorm advisory in effect. But a courageous captain agreed to make the trip - with the single proviso that we avoided the relatively high winds on the open lake and dove a more sheltered site. Around Kingston that means just one thing - another trip to the Wolfe Islander.

Some people say that you can never have enough of the Wolfe, but three weeks in a row begins to wear a little thin. However, the dive itself was pretty decent. All twelve divers enjoyed their experiences, despite a little bit of surface chop and some wind-driven current. Visibility was on the average side - somewhere between 30 and 40 feet depending on the area. A lot of drifting particulates were very evident - blown across the wreck by a mild downstream current. Water temperature at 60' - a cool 50F (10C).

Full marks to several divers whose first charter this was - and who coped with less than ideal conditions admirably.

A bonus on the return journey was a close encounter with the Alexander Henry, which is scheduled to move into the Marine Museum's dry dock this coming Friday. The absence of the barrier caisson, which has been moved aside to allow the transition, gave the site a rather different look.

3mm at Upper Brewers Mills

Denise and I decided to get in the water for a bit after dinner(40 mins). We headed up highway 15 for a quick dip. The water was a nice 75f (24c). We both dove in 3 MM wetsuits with out hoods. It was nice relaxing with lots of fish from blue gills, carp and large mouth bass. No pipes were retrieved this time but we did find a couple stems.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Busy at Brule Road

Today's dive at Brule Road answered a request from one of the 5 Club members making the trip to be introduced to this handy little, sheltered site. The Quarry was busy. About a dozen other people - in various stages of undress - were soaking up the sunshine and enjoying the swimming opportunities the location offers. Despite distractions, the divers made it into the water for about 70 minutes, checking out the sights and reflecting on the increasingly bold fish behaviours of the Largemouth Bass and Bluegills encountered. The Bluegills are particularly colourfully marked currently. It's tempting to speculate that they are in courtship colours. Other fish are clearly past this stage, because at several points we found dense shoals of small fry.

Chris Haslip had reported the presence of a new boat in the quarry last week. This lies in about 17 feet of water immediately to the left of the entrance beach. It should also be noted that the bowrider (which sat beneath the rock edge on the Western side) has been moved towards the cruiser in deeper water. It now stands proudly isolated between the Hyundai and the Cruiser.

Visibility this afternoon was about 35 feet and the water temperature varied from 72F (22C) at the surface to 62F (17C) beneath the thermocline, which sits at about 17 feet.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Barging Ahead...


This morning's task was to determine the ease of access afforded to the barge usually reached from the Marine Museum now that entry from the West Wharf is closed to divers. The good news is that it's quite easy to get to the barge using the Pumphouse Museum Car Park as a starting point. The accompanying pic shows the solution adopted today, getting in - carefully - at Ahoy Rentals little inlet. Entry can be just as easily achieved from the ramp in the bay (it's just a bit of a walk with kit on) or the West St Ramp (which is just a bit of an extra swim..!). It's also quite straightforward to enter by walking cautiously down the breakwater.

The swim to the line, which should pass the corner of the logs (very shortly after starting out), is a gentle 8 minutes worth on an Easterly heading. This brought us onto the line from the Wharf's SE corner just past its startpoint. The return journey is easily effected by coming back to the corner and taking a heading of 290 Mag to get to the logs. From the logs to the breakwater is due West just a few metres. Then, for ease of use (and to see the car at the bottom of the West St Ramp, you can follow the breakwater edge along to exit. Be aware - if viz is really poor and you're uncertain whether you're at the Ramp, there's a large diameter pipe (about 1m) just East of the Ramp entry emerging from the breakwater.

Viz today was pretty poor at about 25 feet, but swimming right over the top of a large Northern Pike when heading up the exit ramp was my high point. He then paraded around the shallows there for everyone to see. Water temp - 55F (13C) out at 40 feet.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Triple Dipping...

The weather must be getting better and the Lake warmer. I got in three dives today. Two with Steve and Marcus, who was finishing off his NAS work in the water at Portsmouth and another in Navy Bay exploring the pier supports at the Lake end of the Bay.

Portsmouth Harbour, first thing, was serene. A light dusting of yellow pollen lay on the inshore surface and the water was almost glassy calm. For the first time ever, I was able to see the nearest wreck segment clearly from the breakwater. I've placed a white line on the outer edge of the concrete sill to mark the wreck's location.

I got into the water in advance of the survey work Marc had to complete to place a baseline on the relevant wreck and lodge some datum points. This was interesting work and poses both buoyancy and accuracy challenges. Just the thing for an early Sunday dive. Once the set-up was complete, there was a chance to visit the anchors and check out some bearings to points of interest. The second dive at Portsmouth was simply to observe the survey activity and recover the artifacts used to set up the location. But, it offered a rare view of a large Bass preparing a spawning circle.

This afternoon's dive was almost as enjoyable. Looking for a location closer to home, and the Club, I dropped into Navy Bay. The initial ambition had been to visit the 'new' wreck near the car parks, but sail training put an end to this. So, the opportunity was taken to check out the old pier structures further South and West, towards Ft Frederick. I answered one question I had posed myself; how many are there? The answer seems to be six, two of which go all the way to shore. All of them were alive with fish, mainly Bass, but also some Bluegills and other small fry.

The best sighting of the day came on the trip back to the jetty. A huge Muskie was spotted busily devouring something on the bottom, totally unconcerned by my approach. In fact, as he finished his meal, he turned towards me and approached to within a few feet, giving me a really good view of a rather broad and intimidating brow.

Water temperatures all day were about 58F (14C) with visibility averaging about 35 feet.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Treasure Hunt Dive a great success


18 divers made it out to the Treasure Hunt dive. The weather was absolutely perfect so it made for a very relaxing and enjoyable outing for all involved. Kim and Scott prepared a feast fit for mermaids and mermen alike. Prizes were awarded to every diver with the addition of two large prizes, a one day kayak excursion and lessons donated by Joan Mercier and a very large Tim Hortons gift basket donated by Jill Atkinson.

Many thanks to all the organizers of this large event including Mike, Kim, Scott, Steve, Jill and the list goes on.
For a more insightful perspective, see the comments by Scott on the club website; www.DolphinScubaClub.com.
Additional photos can be seen here: http://dunfield.ca/scuba/Kingston/TreasureHunt/

The dive season is now officially started so let's get out often.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

2nd Wed Dive results in 16 divers out

The 2nd Wed dive was planned as an advanced dive to visit the Comet. We had two boats chartered to accommodate all the divers, the second departing from Collin's Bay.

The wind did not cooperate fully so the charter from Portsmouth Olympic Harbour changed the destination to the Wolf which is in a protected area. They reported to have had a good dive.

The charter from Colin's bay was called because of the wind direction. Those divers then joined the two divers who were planning on doing the Quarry. This was greatly enjoyed by all, as was the after dive company. Photo by Kim and Scott.

New Find in Navy Bay..?


Henry Cary - inspired by Parks Canada's Marine Archaeologist, Jonathan Moore - recently went in search of a wreck previously surveyed in Navy Bay. Despite some setbacks, he located it last week. Today, it was the turn of a couple of us to benefit from his guidance and to visit this unusual site.

The wreck lies in just 9 feet of water, very close to shore. Remarkably, there are still some upright timbers and a clearly visible keel element, probably a keelson. I'd estimate the length of the wreck at more than 50 to 60 feet. It is currently home to a fair number of large - and effectively fearless - Bass.

Although visibility was average at about 20 feet, the water temperature was very comfortable at 57F (14C) in this shallow area. For anyone who relishes visiting a new shore site, despite shallow water and low viz, this is another local option. Don't expect to see much, but there are a ship's remains on show..

Another couple of pictures can be seen on the Club's Flickr Page.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Day trip to the Islander...






A long-planned expedition to Alexandria Bay and the wreck of the Islander unfolded successfully today. Five of us, Dianne, Nancy, Theresa, Chris and I made our way over the bridges and enjoyed about 50 minutes in the 60 feet or so of water that surrounds the wreck. Visibility was moderately disappointing at about 25 feet, with a lot of drifting particulates. But the water temperature was peachy - 56F (13C) at 60 feet.

There was an interesting opportunity to watch a Tech 1 course working on the wreck - stage bottles, lines and reels very much in evidence.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Princess Charlotte

As a few of you may have been introduced to the Princess Charlotte as the Prince Regent. I was introduced a while ago to the remains of the ship in Dead mans bay located off of the marina as the Prince Regent. After s few members questioning this and a few say, they having heard Johnathan Moore (marine archaeologist) talk saying it was something else I emailed him for clarification. This was his response:
Thank you for your message. The wreck southwest of the marina is definitely not the frigate Kingston (ex Prince Regent, 60 guns). The Kingston (ex Prince Regent) is at the head of the bay. The wreck southwest of the marina is almost certainly the frigate Burlington (ex Princess Charlotte, 42 guns). Both were launched April 14, 1814 as Prince Regent and Princess Charlotte respectively, but after the War of 1812 they were renamed Kingston and Burlington. The error of identifying the wreck southwest of the marina dates back to a paper written by professor Richard Preston in 1952 in which incorrect measurements of the wrecks were employed to identify the wrecks. I have recently completed a report on my research on the Warships of 1812at Kingston. It is called "Archaeological and Historical Investigations of Three War of 1812 Wrecks at Kingston ...". Copies have been sent to the RMC Museum (Attn. Ross McKenzie), Queen's University, and the Cataraqui Archaeological Research Foundation. Also, I sent a copy to the Limestone Dive Centre and Northern Tech Diver. I plan on printing more copies of the report. If you or anyone at the club is interested, I'll add you to my list. With best wishes, Jonathan

There is more of a history to the bay too. Before the death of workers coming back it was known as Hamilton cove. It also had a quarry in it during the late 1800's

Sunday, June 3, 2007

NAS Course ends well..


Students on the weekend's Nautical Archaeology Course all completed the syllabus successfully. One or two, who encountered administrative challenges - or suffered equipment problems - will finalise written reports shortly to gain their certification. Erika (pictured), who instructed throughout the Course, managed not just to impart the required knowledge to the dozen students, but also to communicate the enthusiasm for the discipline that marks her own involvement. Her dedication to delivery of the key messages was exemplary.

Today's activities were entirely practical - in open water - using a real wreck site. Everyone completed at least two dives, cataloguing, referencing, sketching and triangulating key features. The in-water work was all recorded in detailed plans and field notes.

A selection of photographs taken over the weekend is accessible on the Club's Flickr site.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Archaeology Course in Kingston


Today saw the practical work begin on the Nautical Archaeology Society's Level One Course. The twelve students - mainly from the Club - began to build on information imparted yesterday evening and first thing this morning. Weather conditions couldn't have been better. The Sun shone on the survey area, raising spirits and temperatures.

The picture shows rehearsal of the survey techniques used to plot and record artifacts on a shipwreck - with some precision. With some tenuous skill acquired on dry land, the teams moved to the pool tonight.

Tomorrow, the students head for Portsmouth Harbour and the wreck fragments that lie close to the breakwater.

Everyone acknowledges, with considerable gratitude, the instruction provided by Erika Laanela, the Provincial Marine Archaeologist, who is directing the training.