Temporary Repairs Completed...

There is nothing better than getting a new toy, and itch to go try it out on a dive. I finally broke down and got dry gloves for my drysuit.Enough of the limited dexterity and cold hands, I said... We used the excuse to get in the water, have Matt visit the stacked hulls, and repair the parallel shore line section of the line. We got into the water, and swam on a 130 degree bearing to pick up the section of intact line out to the wrecks. After a 20+ minute swim out to the site, we were amazed by the visibility we had. With 30+ feet of viz, we were able to see most of the wreckage by hovering over one of the bow sections. Unfortunately, the elusive long-nosed Gar was nowhere to be seen, an encounter Matt was wishing for. Fairly large-sized bass were seen around the wrecks. On our way back towards shore, we saw a large fish laying on the bottom...possibly a pike ?... Where is Mike with his extensive knowledge of freshwater fish when you need him ?.... Upon our return to shore, Jim and I ran another section of line from the broken end onto the section which runs parallel to shore. The line now forms a letter "T" at the shoreline. The line will need to be staked and straightened at a later date to ensure that it remains in place. For now, the line is serviceable. Remember to be mindful of your air consumption if you plan on diving this site. It takes at least 20minutes to swim to the wrecks at a maximum depth of 50 feet. You must account for your bottom time and air consumption exploring the site, and have plenty of air for the return to shore with your 3 minutes safety stop. This site may have considerable boating traffic during the summer months, so caution is strongly advised. Our dive time : 52 minutes. Maximum depth : 51 feet. Water temp : 40 deg F (4.4 deg C).
P.S. Sorry, but no pics this time...

Braving The Elements.....

Most may be fearful of freezing anatomical parts not needed be mentioned; however, this did not stop a fearless Gaetan from trying out his new Ikelite camera casing today at Morton's Wharf. Itching to try out his new gear in open water, Gaetan took to the water in his Bare Wetsuit, regardless of the frigid lake temperature. We lazily swam from the entry point, next to the old army hospital, to around the wharf bend. We found a large number of bass swimming around who were curious of the strangely-clad intruders trodding on their turf. Dishes and plates from an era gone past still litter the site today, as you can see from the picture. After exploring the inside of the wharf walls, it was time to turn around....after all, tomorrow is another dive day.... Dive time : 38 minutes. Maximum depth : 24 feet. Water temperature : 41 deg F.

Spring Cleanup Continues....

Today's clement weather gave my dive partner and I the opportunity to check the shore line out to the Cora Post on Howe Island. For those of you not familiar with this wreck, take the small cable ferry ride, and follow the road due South off the ferry until you hit a 90 deg bend in the road. This will lead you onto a private entry to the light house shown above and will allow you to visit this old brick barge in about 40 feet of water. Shore entry is easy from the ample parking space close to the water's edge. Once in the water next to the tower, take a South bearing to a depth of 38-40 feet. Then, head due East, and follow the contour of the lake floor. Make sure you stay at this depth, otherwise you will miss it. 10 minutes of swimming should bring you upon the wreck site. The line out to the wreck is currently littering the bottom, and will need some repair and re-alignment. During our dive, we easily found the wreck and took some time taking pictures while the visibility is fairly good this time of year. We took our best shots of the wreck, and then we headed for deeper water. This is the only other site in the Kingston area, besides Nicholson's Point, where you will find 100+ feet of water. We hit a depth of 86 feet, and decided to turn the dive. A relaxing safety stop at 15 feet, and we exited close to the lighthouse. Total dive time : 43 minutes. Maximum depth : 86 feet. Water temp : a balmy 40 deg F.

Double the tanks, double the fun....

My sincere thanks goes out to Matt and Bernie who boldly volunteered to assist me in trying out my double-tank setup in the Route 15 Quarry this evening. We met up at the quarry for 17h00, and hit the water shortly after. I "guess-timated" on my weight requirements to find out after the dive that doubles require considerably less ballast. Lesson learned. Thankfully, I didn't install a V-weight... Contrary to a single-tank setup, doubles are more sensitive to tip; they will flip you upside down if you are not mindful of your position in the water. After this evening's initiation to diving with doubles, my impression is this : doubles diving is like learning to ride a bike.. It takes a while to get your balance and a feel for the gear, but once you get used to it, you truly enjoy the ride.... Maximum depth on the dive : 34 feet. Dive time : 53 minutes. Water temp : 45 deg F.

Sunday Morning Dive

Enjoying a dive at the highway 15 quarry today four of us want for a little dip. The water temperature was 45f/7C. One of the divers dove wet today and we stayed down for a little over 40 minutes. We took our time exploring and looking for anything new in the quarry. An empty turtle shell was spotted as well as kids’ scooter. The visibility was in the range of 40 feet. It was a nice time visiting the overturned car and to see the gnomes.

Finning to the KGH wreck

This morning two of us went for a little swim to the KGH wreck. We got in the water just before the rain started. We took our time following the line out the wreck. This was the first time this year that we had been out to the wreck. We saw a few bigger fish just at the end of our field of vision. Our whole trip under water took about 45 mins. The vis on our dive was in the range of 20 feet. The temperature was 39F/4C. It was interesting to note that my buddy on the dive was amazed that there were still wooden wrecks in decent condition and that they do not get to see wrecks like this in CFB Gagetown.

Fish and things...

The opportunity was seized today to go and investigate Brule Road after the Winter. There's always the chance up there of another abandoned car or some other example of the disposable society. Kevin, Jim and I enjoyed about 40 minutes in the 45℉ (7℃) water without discovering anything obviously new.


However, we did appreciate an encounter with the large Carp that is sometimes seen. It seemed interested to see us, but kept a wary distance. The other unusual sighting is illustrated below. One of the many Bass in the waters had attempted to push its body under the silt and weed, apparently lying in a form of trench of its own making. We speculated that this may be a spawning behaviour. That being the case, we didn't disturb the fish. Visibility was about 30 feet - typical of the quarry. Divers using the site should be aware that several bottles have been broken on the beach at the normal entry area. Caution is advised...

Stacking the dives...

James and Kevin took the opportunity offered by calm waters to check out the line to the Stacked Hulls today. Despite bright sunshine, a bitter northerly made conditions cold in 4℃ air temperatures - just a little warmer than the water. The line is almost wholly intact. A section near shore will need some attention and the divers cleared a heap of accumulated weed from the outer sections, but the site is good to go. Don't forget, if you plan to attempt this dive, to check out the guide on the POW Kingston website and to keep close track of your air. If you're lucky, you'll encounter the unusual Long-Nosed Gar that Kevin and James did. It was resting on the bottom. There were several large Small-Mouth Bass on the wrecks themselves.

Thanks for performing a valuable check-out service James and Kevin...

Easter Egg Hunt at the Highway 15 Quarry..

Bright sunshine and a cold north wind fought one another for control today as several divers enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt (underwater) organized by Kelly, Dan and Chris - to all of whom many thanks for their work. The conditions in the quarry - 45℉ (7℃) and about 40 feet of visibility made for a fun swim in depths up to 37 feet (11m). It was great to see divers from Canadian Sport Divers in Belleville along for the dive. A selection of prizes rewarded the lucky participants - although some eggs went undiscovered...

The intention of the organizers is to add a variety of items to the bottom to make the site more attractive to divers. There's also a plan to introduce a toilet. Information about the facility and arrangements to dive it can be found on the blog set up to publicize the quarry. Kevin's excellent picture shows Jim enjoying a 'ride' on one of many abandoned bicycles to be found in the quarry. The second picture is of a 'cat' placed by the organizers for divers' amusement.

Pre-Dive Season Cleanup Begins....

One aspect of being a safe diver is knowing when to call a dive.... Mike, Dianne and I had planned to dive the Murney Tower Wreck to check out the serviceability of the line out to the wreck yesterday. Unfortunately, strong southerly winds were churning up the lake quite ferociously. We regrettably took a raincheck, postponed our dive plans and went for a coffee instead. Today's excellent weather conditions provided us with an excellent opportunity to see if the winter weather had been kind to the line out to the wreck. Some misplaced gear added a chuckle to our expedition, and provided us additional time to enjoy the surface weather Mother Nature had bestowed upon us.... A gentle 12-minute swim out to the wreck allowed us to inspect the line from shore. We found the line to be intact, with only slight debris and silt covering it in a few spots. A swim around the wreck, and it was time to turn around. We cleaned up the line all the way to shore, and ensured that the shore line remains highly visible. Total dive time, 38 minutes with a maximum depth of 61 feet... Water temperature ?... A frigid 36 degrees F...

KGH Wreck guideline intact and in great shape...

The first dive of the 2009 season was made on the wreck at Murney tower today. To the delight of the divers, the guideline is perfectly intact and in great shape. There were a few lazy Bass on the wreck, but they took little interest in us. A couple of small Perch were also seen towards the shallows. The visibility was about 30 feet and the water temperature 37℉ (2℃). The whole dive was a blast - especially after being frustrated yesterday by high seas and strong, southerly winds...

Another visit to the Highway 15 Quarry

Today, we got two dives in at the quarry on highway 15. In total we spent just over one hour in the water. The water temperature had not changed from last week and the visibility was the same too. Our goal was to prepare for tomorrow's Easter Dive and to add some underwater decoration. With our tasks completed we just continued to enjoy the quarry.

Highway 15 Quarry

This morning granted an opportunity to go diving at the highway 15 quarry (Cruickshank). This was my first time in this quarry although I have wanted to dive in it for some time. The water looked very inviting. After seeing another diver who stopped by out of curiosity we headed into the water. Following the gentle slope into the water we quickly found ourselves at the 30 foot mark. It was surprising how clear the water was; considering all the rain and wind we have had. The visibility throughout the dive ranged around the 40 foot mark. The max depth that we hit was 37 feet and the coldest that my computer registered was a warm 43F (6C). We took our time swimming around and spent about 70 minutes under water enjoying everything we could. As expected there are tires in the quarry as well as bikes and a car. The bottom was mostly rock and gravel with some sections that have a little silt. There were no fish but three live frogs were seen. It was an enjoyable dive that had no effects of the wind. I can just say I look forward to diving in here again and hope to see everyone out on Saturday for the Easter dive.

Dippin' in Deadman...

So, five of us took the opportunity offered by the only recently departed ice to brave the still cold waters of Deadman Bay this morning. After the recent heavy rains and high winds, it was no great surprise to find the visibility poor for this time of year - at about 20'. The water temperature, probably only in the shallow confines of the Bay was relatively warm at somewhere around 36℉ (2℃). Highlights of the dive - sightings of a turtle and a salamander, both looking slightly stunned.