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thermocline???
if you drop into some of our lakes over here,the bottom temp stays at 39* all year
(i don't know what that is canadian,,,but it's still freakin' cold!)
because of the density of the cold water,it makes one feel like they are getting pulled down
and if youre diving wet,the suit compression adds to it
a down line,if from a boat,is a big aide!!!!!
be safe and plan your dive and stick to the plan
...no one ever gets smarter underwater!!!
have fun
yaeg
 
39* is still 39* Canadian. It's also the temperature of our hot tubs... any hotter and the polar bears start drinking out of them.
 
Well since you say "backyard" start with a shore entry or boat drop into shallow (less than 20') of water.. Follow the bottom to a reasonable depth and manage the dive for some sort or rectangular or triangle route. Since he'll be a newly minted OW diver the 90 foot hole is way off limits. As you get past 15-20 feet you'll find the 1st thermocline and perhaps several after that though you should not reach the coldest water. Lake bottoms can be weird between the silty bottom and behavior of light. Given your newness to these conditions limit your dive to regions where you have a nice focus on bottom texture. If it starts to look "cloud like" you could soon find yourself in a a blinding fog with a total lack of orientation and buddy contact. In other words stay where the diving is clean and easy and adjust the route accordingly to keep it that way. Bring a catch bag since lakes are about "what you can find" golf balls, medicine bottles, crockery, old outboards, fishing gear and the Budweiser fish. Limit yourself to a catch bag, the lift bags can come latter. Bring flashlights for signalling if separated but si your best not to need them. Dive near 1:00 DST to get the most light on the bottom.

Be sure to have the commensurate 2 cutting tools each to deal with any entanglements.

If it starts to look like an expedition needing shore support you are going in over your heads. The boat of course should be tended.

Pete
 
You guys sure know you stuff. All this advice, I don’t remember when I learned so much practical information in such few words. All I wanted is to make sure I’m not doing something stupid by diving in this lake. Now I know that I’m not readyf or this type of dive. My friend will have to wait a few years and as for me I will look for someone with experience to come with me on similar dives before I can take on the responsibility myself.

However, you also opened up a new world for me. My mind is running all over the place with so many questions. It’s like exploration diving. I don’t know if this exists, but it should. One of you or may be some of you should get together and write a document on this subject, maybe there’s enough information for a book. I copied and pasted all your comments so that I can take notes and then do some more research on some of the things you said. I also think this would make a good forum category.

I looked around on the internet for something that would resemble the subject of diving unexplored sites but found nothing devoted to the subject, no sites, and no books. Just forum comments like yours that come from responsible and experienced divers.
The very fact that you all took the time to write detailed answers moved me to let you know that it’s truly appreciated. Not just by newbies like me, but I’m sure more experienced divers as well.

Now I’m on a mission to compile as much information I can find on the subject and try to apply this in diving unexplored water worlds, lakes and rivers at least.
 
Where have you been diving that is more benign than fresh water shallows?
 
Shipwreckscanada... Dont be scared off by the advice. i agree with DaleC, some of it seems a little overly precautionary... If we followed this I would need to alert the coast guard before i dived. remember, you are trained to scuba dive within certain parameters. things to be aware of are currents, visibility, navigation, depth control, and hazards. your training should have taught you how to manage the risks associated with each. trust it. discuss your dive plan with your instructor. they are sure to give you tips and hints. plan the dive and dive the plan. it is good to be cautious and know your limits. but generally a dive in a lake is not outside the scope of your training.
Go diving man!!! Have fun and stay safe... The two are not mutually exclusive.

Sent from my SGH-I727R using Tapatalk 2
 
You can also check out the link in my signature line regarding the Cultus Lake Project. It's currently in blog format which I find isn't working so well and I haven't added to it for a while (though I have been doing dives almost weekly). Soon it will be updated to a more functional website design. It's one example of what divers can do locally to explore and document sites and add to the knowledge base of species/issues that may occur there. More divers/clubs should become involved in local grassroots activities such as this IMO. It keeps me diving on a weekly basis and I never have to wonder where I'm going or what I'm doing and I feel my diving has a purpose. Within that lake I have located some interesting items such as WWII era folding boats, a mid 50's era Austin car, multiple bailey bridge panels and a submerged dock. I've also stumbled upon spawning salmon and large scale suckers in the hundreds.
 
Shipwreck...I am not sure why you are so concerned. All the stuff that has been covered is in fact very basic.

Couple of principles: Crawl, walk, run, KISS (Keep it Simple Stupid) and plan the dive and dive the plan

First thing first...hit the internet and attempt to gather as much info about the site as possible. You might even be able to find a depth chart. If your friend knows the lake from a fishing use his experience from a depth and GPS perspective.

Crawl, walk, run and KISS. First dive...do it from shore. I assume you have a compass...if not get one and learn how to use it. You could do a straight line out and back, a square pattern or a triangle. Set max parameters such as depth, time per legs or turn time based on PSI and plan to get out with a reserve that you can then deplete in the very shallow upon your return to your entry point. In addition to compass, lights, cutting devices and SMBs are a most. Unless diving a rocky bottom...use proper finning technique and stay away from the bottom. Expect sediments and obscuring phenomena if stirred. That's it. When diving a lake, expect thermoclines. If diving relatively shallow (less than 60 ft), you could expect one or two. Lakes also tend to get darker as you go deeper. How dark...I have seen night diving dark in the middle of the day starting at 40-50 ft on the way down.

As you gain knowledge about the lake, explore other areas. If you go by boat, it is always preferable to have an extra person tending the boat. Depth finder will provide you with depth and contours.

Here you could do a couple of things...anchor the boat and use the mooring line to come up and down. The problem resides in the fact that unless you are diving a specific feature of the lake, as you get down it will get darker (remember what I said earlier) and you may have problem getting back to the line unless you use ...a reel and/or install a white strobe light on the line at depth. You could use a finger spool of 100 ft and do various out and back or if using a strobe light, take a bearing and swim in a specific direction and before the light disappear, turn back, return to the line then repeat the process using a different heading, etc. That way, you will still explore the area but in a clover leaf fashion.

The second method is to go down, preferably on a line, and start swimming in a certain direction or following a depth contour and towing a dive flag or SMB with the boat following you (however to do that you need somebody who is well versed in operating said boat). When you surface, the boat is nearby and you can either swim to it or it will move closer and then you can get back in it. Safety equipment remains the same shore dive...compass, lights and cutting devices.
 
Spectrum, I think it’s more that I want to be well prepared.Your comments made it clear that I have to take this dive seriously. Being a bit cautious, I would feel more comfortable doing such a dive with a more experienced diver. Then I can be responsible for someone else.

P Stickmen, although there is much advice, I think that it all deserves taking into account. That’s why I would like to read up more on the subject. I agree with you about applying my training. I did many PADI specialties in rivers and lakes, and many of the reminders where discussed in these courses. So I will “Go diving, have fun and stay safe.” J I really liked your coast guard reference. LOL

DaleC, that’s what I’m talking about. Like an archeologist needs special training, I would imagine that doing what you are doing needs at the very least some kind of special considerations. The only courses available that I can think of in my neighborhood are PADI specialty courses. And I took my fair share of them. I listed them below. Included is a NAS UW archeological course. I figured that this will give me all the basics.

Deep Diver
Wreck Diver
Project AWARE Specialist
Night Diver
Underwater Navigator
Search and Recovery Diver
Enriched Air Diver (Nitrox)
Underwater Videographer
Drift Diver
Digital Underwater Photography
Dry Suit Diver
Peak Performance Buoyancy
Multilevel
Equipment Specialist
Rescue Diver
NAS introduction and Level 1

RTee, I like the idea of doing the dives in many stages. This can become a long term personal project. I will also do my homework, looking for more information about the lake in question. Buy the way, for those interested,it is Lac Achigan, nothing special in itself, I chose it because my friend lives on the lake. So his house will be a base for the dives.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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