Best NL dive sites

[DivetheRock]

Where are the nicest dive sites in our province, in your opinion? Not just for wrecks, but for local scenery, underwater scenery, etc.? I only have a few dives under my belt, but I would say that the Random Island side of Trinity Bay is very nice. Perhaps the Burin Peninsula, as well. I'm supposed to be diving there this weekend.
Diver Joe, where are your favorite places? Anybody else have any, list 'em here. Any sites which may have something to see underwater with any historical significance?
I'm from Harbour Grace, originally - I would say that that's probably a nice place too.

 

[jiveturkey]

Can you elaborate a little on the Random Island dive sites? What's to see there? What kind of conditions? Water temps? I've only done a half dozen dives in NL so I can't really comment. I really enjoyed the ones I did at Bauline though. Wish I knew more about those cannons.

 

[Diver Joe]

Check the Atlantic and/or Newfoundland Divers Guides lots of great dive locations listed... See John at OceanQuest in CBS they have copies out there.

Marine Lab in Logy Bay and Quidi Vidi are probably the best I've seen but both have difficult entry/exit points.

Safe Dives

 

[Reel Crazy14]

I've done the bell island wrecks many times (never get tired of them!), but I only have a few shore dives under my belt. The Conception harbour whalers are a great sight below and above water. Tappers cove in Torbay was an awesome dive and accessing it was very easy.

Joe- How are things going man? I think I may be making another trip to Bell Island to visit my grandparents for Christmas. How's the diving in late December? I'm trying to figure out if I should bring my dive gear or not.

-Daniel

 

[DivetheRock]

jiveturkey, there's no one thing in particular which makes Random Island a great dive site. There are various spots around the island where one may dive. The Smith Sound side (I dived there last week) is very nice in that it's a sheltered sound. Water temp was 58 degrees that day. There are lots of cod and other fish there. I have seen numerous porpoises go through at one time, many whales, eagles, just overall nice scenery. I used to own a home in Gin Cove, a very nice place opposite Random Island in the same sound . Unbeknownst to many, but I know where there is an old schooner wreck there, and apparently lobster and scallops in great abundance.
Diver Joe, I didn't know such a book existed - I'll have to check that out.Thanks.
Reel Crazy14, Tapper's Cove is very nice, isn't it? I did a couple dives there for my OW cert. I will do the wrecks after I complete my AOW. Can't wait!

 

[Diver Joe]

Just checked my log and see that I was out several times last Dec...the Air Temp is down but Hour long dives are still possible as the water is not very cold...Also Rick from OceanQuest takes the Rhib out for the odd trip to the Wrecks during Dec...special trips for people just like you who are home for the Holidays... So look me up and maybe I'll come out and blow a few bubbles with you...see you then.

Safe Dives

Joe

I've done the bell island wrecks many times (never get tired of them!), but I only have a few shore dives under my belt. The Conception harbour whalers are a great sight below and above water. Tappers cove in Torbay was an awesome dive and accessing it was very easy.

Joe- How are things going man? I think I may be making another trip to Bell Island to visit my grandparents for Christmas. How's the diving in late December? I'm trying to figure out if I should bring my dive gear or not.

-Daniel

 

[DivetheRock]

jiveturkey,
I thought of an interesting dive site that may interest you. You may already be familiar with it - The Pollux and The Truxton wrecks in Chambers Cove, Burin Peninsula (NL). I believe if you wish to dive there it is only accessible by boat, unfortunately - the area is protected by a cove surrounded by high cliff walls.. To my recollection, there is a nice walking trail to the site of a huge cliff from which the people of Chambers Cove rescued the wreck survivors in a raging storm. I visited there a few years back, very nice indeed (it's not too far from where my brother and mother live). These were American warships that went off course and wrecked on the coastline.
Here's a link to a video clip. Scroll down to the last one on the page and watch it.
http://www.shipwreckcentral.com/video.html
P.S. There is a funny story that goes along with this tragedy. I'll post it later.

 

[jiveturkey]

jiveturkey,
I thought of an interesting dive site that may interest you. You may already be familiar with it - The Pollux and The Truxton wrecks in Chambers Cove, Burin Peninsula (NL). I believe if you wish to dive there it is only accessible by boat, unfortunately - the area is protected by a cove surrounded by high cliff walls.. To my recollection, there is a nice walking trail to the site of a huge cliff from which the people of Chambers Cove rescued the wreck survivors in a raging storm. I visited there a few years back, very nice indeed (it's not too far from where my brother and mother live). These were American warships that went off course and wrecked on the coastline.
Here's a link to a video clip. Scroll down to the last one on the page and watch it.
http://www.shipwreckcentral.com/video.html
P.S. There is a funny story that goes along with this tragedy. I'll post it later.

I've heard of those wrecks before. Are they in recreational limits? Wish I could see the rest of the video. Maybe I can catch a rerun on the Sea Hunters. I'm a cheap bast*rd and have a hard time shelling out for something I could have gotten for free.

 

[DivetheRock]

I haven't seen it on Sea Hunters yet, but with the frequency of which this show airs I'm sure to see it soon. Do you have National Geographic Channel and History Channel? It's on there everyday, if I'm not mistaken.
I doubt that the wrecks are within rec limits, but I'm only judging from my memory of the coastline, and the short clip on that video. I'll see if I can gather some info on it. My brother and I are interested in diving it someday...we just need to gain a crapload more experience.
Imagine - NL has approx. just over 10,000 wrecks. I wonder how many can be dived? That would be a lifetime of diving there!
Oh! And the funny story I promised.
THIS STORY IS NOT IN ANY WAY MEANT TO BE DEROGATORY!!!:
Apparently there was, as one can imagine, quite a mess of debris from the wreck. The story has been told that it was winter, and Chamber's Cove is an isolated community, therefore many of the sailors were left with little option but to stay for quite some time (as guests) at some of the homes of the residents until the weather and travel conditions lightened.
One day the local minister was visiting the different homes in that community, as was and still is the fashion in many small communities. The minister visited the home of one particular resident and asked her, an old lady, how was the health of her stranded guest progressing. She responded by stating that he was doing much better, but she couldn't, for the life of her, get the oil off the sailor no matter how much or how hard she scrubbed him with a brush. The minister investigated the matter by calling for the sailor to enter the room. When the sailor appeared, much to the minister's bewilderment (and then humourous entertainment), the fellow was in actuality Afro-American!!! The minister claimed the poor guy was sore from head to foot!
Ah, a true victim of NL hospitality! Mind you, I doubt this story has any historical truth - perhaps just another bit of Newfoundland humour.
For those unfamiliar with NL, in 1942, in any isolated community it would have been an extremely rare instance where one would encounter a Black person. That's where the humour comes from in this story, and it is not intended to offend anyone of any race (once again).