100 - and he doesn't look a day older..!

Last night marked a major milestone in Marc-Etienne's diving. He made his hundredth logged dive - at Morton's Wharf. It was a mark of his reputation and standing in the Club that most of the Executive turned out to join him, and several other members besides, for a total of 10 divers in the water. Calm, mild surface conditions could have led us to believe that we should expect excellent visibility, but it wasn't the case. Curiously enough, we had only about 10-15 feet. But, the mild temperatures more than made up for it - and if you turned your gaze upwards - the outline of the Wharf was beautifully defined against the night sky. Everyone spent about 40 minutes in the water hunting wildlife, largely unsuccessfully, though a large school of Perch was seen almost immediately in the weed beds in the shallows at the entry point, and a probable Carp was also spotted later.

Many congratulations to Marc-Etienne. Matt will provide pictures later of the happy diver - and the commemorative certificate he was presented during a deco stop at the Portsmouth Tavern..

Oh what a night..!

It's not very often that the Lake is glassy calm, but it certainly was last night, when Todd and I jumped in at KPH. We'd expected good visibility and were rewarded with exactly that. The range was limited only by the reach of our lights. Was there much to see though, you ask..? Well, yes, some Bass, Perch and Mud Puppies - and the occasional Catfish (we were in the water quite early). The water temperature was the same 52℉ (11℃) we've been seeing for a few days now. The good news is that the weeds are definitely dying back. We spent about 45 minutes in the water, checking out a rumour passed by one of the local estate managers that a car might lie off the eastern end of the wharf, amongst other things. There was no car, but it was interesting to note how badly undermined that eastern wall of the dock is. The cavities extend more than a dozen feet in some places. The key message - don't park on the eastern side of the wharf - the pothole may be deeper than you think!

Earlier in the day, I had the pleasure of introducing a member of our sister Club, the Flying Frogmen in Trenton, to Morton's Wharf and the St Lawrence site. That too was a good dive, with moderate visibility. This is a great time of year to be in the water. It's not too desperately chilly yet, and the algae and particulates are settling out nicely.

Oh what a night..!

On Marc-Etienne's suggestion, several of us made a night dive this evening from the ramp by the Marine Museum. Six divers had fun venturing out to the barge in rather limited visibility and then returning to tour the logs. The predominant fish species seen, if you ignore the overwhelming number of Gobies always present, was Catfish. Many of them were swimming around in the rather murky water. A couple of decent Walleye were also spotted under the ramp supports during the final minutes, and many pretty large Perch were around too.

It's been a while since I've been out to the barge and it was good to see that the line is intact and the wreck itself makes an interesting tour. Somehow, by night it seems larger.

Todd had a chance to try out his new light, which is an LED model with three 'bulbs'; very bright and effective - no missing him in the water. Total dive time about 40 minutes.

Ain't Raining? Still Training...

Now that things are getting a little quieter, there's been the opportunity to catch up on some training. Today a refresher in underwater navigation was offered. Only one Club member took advantage of this, but I think that they benefited. It was certainly fun to run through some of the basics and then to put them into practice underwater. The dive presented the opportunity to take Todd on his Underwater Navigation Adventure; a mandatory component of his Advanced Open Water course. The dive was fun, with all the exercises completed well - and a chance to see some of the sights around the Marine Museum Bay. A large Pike was cruising the logs, probably threatening the well being of a shoal of small Perch living in the weeds below the slip.

Signing gear in and out this weekend at the Club, it was noticeable how active and successful it seems to be. There were literally no tanks sitting idle - and the large quantities of excellent new gear are obviously attracting more custom. Well done to all the members who are making the Club work - and to those who are getting some diving in.... It's what we're all about.

Picture credit to Marc-Etienne...

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...

Stacked Hulls ...

As suggested yesterday, the chance was taken today, in ideal weather conditions, to make an expedition to the Stacked Hulls. It's been a week or two since the line was checked, so there was no knowing what to expect. In fact, the line was easy to pick up and ran uninterrupted out to the wrecks, where the viz was in excess of 40 feet. There was at least one very large shoal of Perch on the wrecks and several large and lazy Bass. At the shore end, it's remarkable how quickly the weed beds in the shallows are dying back and thinning out. The plants are already mainly brown and lifeless. Anyone who wants to make us of this new line, which takes several minutes off the old swim to the Hulls, should e-mail me for info on picking it up. Alternatively, if you take the old line out of Portsmouth to the right-angled bend in it and 'jump off' there swimming 220° you'll pick up the new line at about the half way point. Water temperature today out on the Hulls (where a small thermocline could be felt at about 50 feet) 57℉ (14℃).

Stacked....

Tonight presented the first opportunity to check the line laid last week, in the dark, from a boat, between the Stacked Hulls and the shore near the Psychiatric Hospital. The delightful outcome was a 75 minute dive that began by picking up the cross line leading to the main one in less than a minute. Look out for details of the location very shortly. But be aware, this dive is not for the inexperienced or those who are a bit heavier on their air...

The swim out to the wreck took 20 minutes - the same as the testing run last week. One curious observation - since the line has been in the water only about 5 days - was the huge amount of weed that has drifted into it and accumulated on it. Perhaps not so surprising given the high winds and big seas experienced over the preceding 24 hours. Out on the two wrecks (are there more ?) the fish life was abundant, a mix of Perch and Bass. There was plenty of time to have a look around the whole site before heading back to shore - clearing some of the weed on the way to reduce strain on the line.

The low temperature on the wreck was 68°F (20°C) and the visibility about 30 feet.

Leisure Show and the Stacked Hulls - all in a diver's day..

Today started with representation of the Club at the Base Fall Leisure Show. This seemed to draw a decent attendance and Dianne and I were certainly kept busy answering the questions of many visitors to our stand. It seems likely that we'll pick up about half a dozen new members who are already certified - and likely as many or more people who want to take training.

This evening there was a golden opportunity to hit the Stacked Hulls from a boat and take a really leisurely tour of this interesting site. The fish life was incredible, literally dozens of Perch and Bass. We were out there, once again, beyond the onset of darkness. It's a magical experience to enjoy a dive on a calm lake with the lights of the City on the skyline and the various navigation beacons twinkling out on the darkness of the water. Difficulty in getting divers to join us made it impossible to fulfill an ambition to run a line ashore from the site, but we'll get that done very soon. These wrecks are deserving of more visits. Thanks to Adam for making his fine dive boat available - and to Tom and the team aboard Seadeucer, who gave us numbers that put us right on the wrecks in short order...

Morton's Meandering

Following up on a visit by others over the weekend, I made a dive on Morton's Wharf this morning. Conditions were pretty good and a couple of lazy Bass accompanied us for much of the dive. Perch were also seen near the entry point. Life, as reported recently, really is returning to the Lake. Visibility was in the order of 40 feet and the water is showing signs of warming up. A minimum temperature of 41°F (5°C) was recorded.

Spin Cycle Selected...

Since options to dive in the Lake became a little restricted, the opportunity was taken today to go and revive acquaintance with Upper Brewer's Mills. As the accompanying video illustrates, conditions were less than ideal. For whatever reason (and it's hard to see where the flow is coming from) there was a healthy current flowing down the channel. This led to the adoption of the tried and tested 'spin cycle' dive experience. Entry was made in the usual place and an immediate descent to the bottom of the bowl allowed a few minutes to have a look around before allowing the current to take us, counter-clockwise, around the shallow margins and back to the entry point. Rinse and repeat three times for a total of just over 30 minutes in water at 34F (2C). The air temperature was -4C (24F) and only one, rather frozen-looking Perch was spotted throughout the dive. Novices are advised to avoid this dive site when a noticeable current is running. It is possible to be carried out of the circular current flow and swept downstream.

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'.

Algae Busting in Navy Bay..

Six Club members made a late afternoon dive in Navy Bay - just because they could really...

Four of them already had dives under their belts today; Mike and Dominique on the charter described earlier, and Scott and Kim at the Quarry. Joined by Malcolm and Theresa, they enjoyed about 38 minutes exploring the structures just South of the RMC jetty.

Visibility was an issue, probably no better than 25 feet, but the water was 'warm' at 48F (9C). The algae was drifting in clouds, driven by a little bit of surface disturbance and some chop. But this didn't prevent the group seeing a few very large Carp, a shoal of Perch in the shallows by the boat ramp and a Turtle.

Pottering at Portsmouth..

The brilliant sunshine today was more than tempting enough to draw Dianne, Jim and I to the water at Portsmouth Harbour. We set ourselves the task of measuring the pipe and lines that run out to the twin anchors. Then, Jim practiced some bag deployment drills. The remainder of a dive approaching one hour in duration was spent looking for Crayfish and other wild life. Our researches were rewarded, close to the breakwater wall, with a very close sighting of a large Northern Pike, which seemed intrigued by us. It was probably also very interested in the shoal of small Perch in the same area.

Water temperature, 41F (5C) and the air temperature about 14C (57F). Visibility was exceptional - certainly in excess of 50 feet.

Double Dipping...

Now that the warmer weather is here - two-dive days (and more) may become the norm. Today was a good example. I started out with Jim, Nancy and Malcolm at Portsmouth Harbour, where I wanted to get some pics and video of the wrecks inshore. Then, after a quick break, it was into Navy Bay with Dianne and Chris.

Both dives were really enjoyable. The water is now up to 41F (5C) quite consistently, making prolonged dives quite bearable. The bright sunshine in the shallows is a joy - and visibility, this early in the season, is routinely 50 feet or more. The large shoals of Perch were very much in evidence in Navy Bay - threatened somewhat by a lurking Pike. There is also a lot of the spawn shown in the second pic around. Can anyone positively identify it, please?

Five minutes of video showing the wreck fragments by Portsmouth Harbour can be seen here, and a three-minute video clip of the sunken structures at RMC's Navy Bay can be accessed here.

Dead reckoning with the Deadman..

Three of us returned today to Deadman Bay with twin aims. The first was to satisfy a request from the CFB Yacht Club for work on a mooring in mid channel; the second to make another pilgrimage to the beautiful wreck that lies just South of the Marina. We didn't reckon on being approached by another couple of sailors, who, before the season has started in earnest, had already lost items over the side of the docks. Long story short - we retrieved a fancy knife clip and a $600 GPS set from the bottom.

The mooring work was fun - especially when we discovered, on the first attempt, that the pin on the clevis provided wouldn't fit through the links of the new chain. An added ingredient in an entertaining mix was using a lift bag to take out said chain - and to bring back the old one for inspection and disposal. Useful exercise.

Once we had completed the work for the day, it was time to play. We meandered down to the wreck site - with brilliant sunshine streaming through the shallow water. Huge shoals of Perch were spotted and the water is full of what we believed to be Frog Spawn. Great strands cling to the few standing weeds every couple of feet in the shallows.

Total time in the water - a new personal best for this year - 1 hour 27 minutes. It must be getting warmer. The thermometer suggested 41F (5C) at the coldest point, but much of the water was warmer. Visibility was at least 50 feet - and probably better. Air temperature, despite a chilly Northerly breeze, 17C (63F).

Deadman ? - not quite...

Dianne, Malcolm and I made a trip into Deadman Bay today to find and explore the wreck usually known as the HMS Psyche. This proved to be a minor challenge in viz that was only about 15 feet, but we succeeded. Measurements were taken for the record; Length overall 156 feet, Beam couldn't be accurately assessed - she's too broken up. The Keel timber was 15" deep by 12" wide and the ribs 12". She lies pointing down the Bay at 230 Magnetic.

A huge Pike was spotted on the journey back down to exit at the CFB Marina and Malcolm spotted a Turtle close to the wreck. Around the Marina, there were also large shoals of Perch (literally dozens of fish).

Preparing to exit at 71 minutes - Dianne and I were prevailed upon to assist with a mooring task for the Sailing Club. This proved moderately interesting - especially fingertip searching for a Clevis I dropped at one stage. Total time for all the elements of the dive - 1 hour 49 minutes. It's clear the water is warmer. We recorded 42F (6C). Of course, it takes the chill off when you're hauling chains around too...

Kingston Nightlife is abundant...

Despite an appalling lead-in to the event, with thunder, lightning and lashing rain, the night dive that four of us completed tonight was a serene and memorable experience. Entering the water just before 9pm, to the accompaniment of the booming fog horn on the Wolfe Island Ferry, Dianne, Joan, Dominique and I discovered that there is much more nocturnal life in the Lake right now than daytime dives would lead us to believe.

Immediately we submerged, several Perch were obviously evident. This species proved to be very numerous across the range of depths encountered on a trip out to the barge and back. Some large, but very sluggish Mudpuppies were also spotted - and a couple of pretty large Bass. Dominique believes that he had a close encounter with a Muskie in the basin of the Henry as he prepared to exit.

With three HID lights between four divers (and the fourth, weaker light), illumination wasn't an issue. Visibility, despite the rain and squalls that had swept through the area just hours before, was about 25 feet. The best news of all is that the water temperature clearly appears to be on the rise, with 38F (3C) recorded out at 40 feet. Air temperature, which had dropped steadily throughout the evening, was just 11C (52F).

The divers were most appreciative of a surface presence provided by Malcolm and Steve, who provided practical as well as moral support. Regrettably, the conditions precluded any successful photography to mark this occasion. Next time....

The First Goby of Spring...

Well, today's Easter Saturday dive was a really good one. The greatest achievement was making it back into the waters of the Lake again after many weeks thwarted by ice. Dianne, Steve and I entered the basin of the Alexander Henry just after 11 AM today to find startlingly good visibility, but very low temperatures - 34F (1C). We found absolutely everything in place, just as it had been left in January. Same old beercans, truck tires and bottles....

We made a leisurely progress out to the barge, which has been undisturbed by Winter. Only a couple of large Bass were seen - hugging the bottom, a Perch and a single Goby - first of the year. Visibility was in excess of 40 feet and the air temperature was -2C (28F) with blowing snowflakes driven by a chilly westerly wind.

Gananoque - Open for diving...

Hurrah! A dive venue that isn't Brewer's Mills at last. Chris and I spent some time finding a decent dive site in Gananoque this morning. I guess he'd tired of driving from his home to Brewer's all the time. Long story short, after checking out the River (too dirty, lots of silt, some current) we finally went in by the Beacon on the Eastern side of the Marina. An easterly wind ensured that the breakwater sheltered us from any drifting ice and we had a good 45 minutes or so to explore the area. An undistinguished muddy bottom, with some weeds, led us to a trench that holds a large bore pipe heading directly South. Following this took us (after a gentle 20 minute swim) to the intake / discharge point - a large, cubic, concrete structure. Maximum depth achieved was only 33 feet.

The water is colder than at Brewer's; we both registered just 35F (2C). Visibility though, in sun-dappled water, was a brilliant 40-50 feet. We disturbed a couple of large Catfish en route, spotted a large, lazy Bass resting by a rock and spooked a Pike. But the highlight, encountered on the way back, was spending time with a shoal of 150-200 baby Perch. These fish, measuring about 3-4", swam just ahead of us in the trench for about 10 minutes. A magic few moments - and perhaps quite unusual. For weather freaks, the air temperature was 6C (43F) - in bright sunshine, but with a cool easterly breeze.