Stoo
Contributor
- Messages
- 3,575
- Reaction score
- 3,880
- # of dives
- 5000 - ∞
Let me clarify... this post isn't about my first dive on the Arabia. I have several hundred dives on this old barque, but I had a first on Saturday... I could see my boat AND the wreck at the same time. (No, mine didn't sink, as suggested by Shirky at Diver's Den...) When you consider that the wreck sits in almost 110', you'll have an idea of the vis this weekend.
I popped out late Saturday afternoon with my trusty boat tender for a little dive before dinner. The lake was like glass, with a very light breeze from the NE. This means that the bow mooring line will be drifting back across the bow of the wreck.
As I worked my way down the line, I saw a bit of a shadow below me when I hit the 50' mark. It took me a moment to realize it, but it was the tip of the bowsprit below me! Since there was no current, I dropped off the line and picked up the bowsprit and headed down toward the wreck. As I moved closer, I could see vast expanses of the wreck. My initial pass was along the centre line and I could see clearly past both gunwales. In 30+ years of diving Tob, I have never seen the water this clear. To get the full effect, I swam along the bottom 30 or 40 feet off the wreck for the "panorama" view!
I blew off a 30 minute bottom time and began my ascent up the bow line. At about 85' I was opposite the bowsprit again, so I decied to keep an eye on it as I ascended. At 25', I could still see the entire bowsprit and a bit of the bow of the ship. At my 20' stop, I could see my Zodiac above me and I could still see the entire bowsprit. At 15', I could just make out the end of the bowsprit... amazing! If this vis keeps up, the glass-bottom boat guys will be adding the Arabia to the tour!
The wreck is still in great shape, although every year she seems to sag a little more... but then so do I!
I popped out late Saturday afternoon with my trusty boat tender for a little dive before dinner. The lake was like glass, with a very light breeze from the NE. This means that the bow mooring line will be drifting back across the bow of the wreck.
As I worked my way down the line, I saw a bit of a shadow below me when I hit the 50' mark. It took me a moment to realize it, but it was the tip of the bowsprit below me! Since there was no current, I dropped off the line and picked up the bowsprit and headed down toward the wreck. As I moved closer, I could see vast expanses of the wreck. My initial pass was along the centre line and I could see clearly past both gunwales. In 30+ years of diving Tob, I have never seen the water this clear. To get the full effect, I swam along the bottom 30 or 40 feet off the wreck for the "panorama" view!
I blew off a 30 minute bottom time and began my ascent up the bow line. At about 85' I was opposite the bowsprit again, so I decied to keep an eye on it as I ascended. At 25', I could still see the entire bowsprit and a bit of the bow of the ship. At my 20' stop, I could see my Zodiac above me and I could still see the entire bowsprit. At 15', I could just make out the end of the bowsprit... amazing! If this vis keeps up, the glass-bottom boat guys will be adding the Arabia to the tour!
The wreck is still in great shape, although every year she seems to sag a little more... but then so do I!
