Boat Rentals at West Hill Pond

[whmcniven]

I have not dove West Hill Pond (New Hartford CT) since the early 1980's. There used to be a boat rental shack. I think it was on West Hill Road. And even if the owner wasn't there, you slipped ten bucks in the box and a rowboat was yours for the day. This was a great way to transit to the little island with all your gear and set up a dive station out there.

Is there anyone still renting rowboats on West Hill Pond? I have some friends who are newly certified and I'd like to take them to WHP because I remember it as an excellent dive for all levels of experience.

I would greatly appreciate any recent reports and if anyone knows the answer to my question.

Thanks
whmcniven

 

[RiverRat]

I may be up there at the boyscout camp this weekend helping setup a dive platform. I dove off the opposite side boat launch a few years back but don't recall any boat rentals. I'll ask around to see if anyone knows anything. Who knows they may chime in here sometime soon.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I think the boathouse has closed his business. We rented a boat a few years back on the opp. side of the lake from the boat launch.

 

[whmcniven]

Too nice a day today to stay indoors at a desk, so I took a drive up to WHP to see if I could find that boat rental shack.

I think you're right. The rental business is no longer there, assuming my memory of its location was correct. It looks like someone built a rental cottage in its place. Still, some outfit might rent boats.

So if no boat, what is the preferred / recommended access, Brodie Park? Other?

Thanks
Wooda

 

[guggie]

You can not park at Brodie unless you have a waterfront parking sticker, which is $250 for non-residents. The area is patrolled by the local resident troopers regularly.

Most people therefore dive from the state boat launch area at the north end of the lake. I'm not aware of any boat rentals on the lake. Boating regulations have changed this year and limit horsepower to 8hp from Memorial Day to Sept. 15th and speed to under 15mph all year round. No waterskiing allowed at all. Definitely safer for diving.

Here's a link I found:
http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2686&q=384352&depNav_GID=1620

 

[RiverRat]

Most people therefore dive from the state boat launch area at the north end of the lake.

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't CT pass a law making it illegal to dive from boat launches now?

 

[guggie]

Hmm. Well that would pose a real problem. There are other ways of getting into the water from near the boat launch without actually walking off the concrete, but they are not very convenient. Maybe an inflatable boat would suffice as a suitable watercraft to launch from the ramp and put a dive flag on it?

 

[RiverRat]

I'll have to dig deeper into the state regulations. I really wish some laws would get passed statewide to better support divers. Such as stiffer fines for boaters and jetskiers that disregard dive flags. I've even had problems in my Kayak with jetskiers wanting to splash me etc. The laws are somewhat vague and each town has their own overriding ordinances as well. Would be nice to have some designated diving areas just like the swim areas with an entrance just for divers. In fact I think that would bring in some more local $. And divers are relatively harmless to the environment.

 

[ScubaSarus]

I dove ther after the new regs. I geared up in the back PL and walked past the BL and entered off the road near the beach opp. the boat launch. I said hello to the people on the porch and they didnt seem too alarmed as they enforce some of the lakes rules from that eatery. I made my way out along the beach staying as far away from the BL as possible.

 

[guggie]

I said hello to the people on the porch and they didnt seem too alarmed as they enforce some of the lakes rules from that eatery. I made my way out along the beach staying as far away from the BL as possible.

That should work. BTW, there is no more eatery there at all. The place looks abandoned. Police have stationed themselves at the launch and handed out tickets for horsepower violations to boaters this season. That beach opposite the launch remains privately owned by local property owners, so don't anyone think of basing your dive off that beach, appealing as it may be.

I've dove the lake several times this season, including just this past Labor day. Vis was great at about 25' depth to 25' or so. Temps are in the upper 60's at that depth. At below 35' the vis drops and at max depth about 45' it is very cold, dark, and vis about 5'.