Brockville Dive Report - August 2016

[meagicano]

Clint, great report! It's always interesting to read about some "old hat" dives through the eyes of someone new to them. I was in the area this weekend (for my first dives of the summer - yikes) and found the viz was pretty brutal on both Wednesday and Monday.

The group I (and gcarter, above) often dive with barely explore the Lillie. They generally do a quick stop and then a long, fairly deep drift along the rocky wall to where we get picked up by the boat. The drift is relaxing, but at 100-120 ft for most of it. I've stopped doing it due to the charter costs - and because they usually pair it with a dive I don't like - but I know exactly what you mean about the current!

There are a ton of wrecks and shore sites for you to explore along the St. Lawrence. The dive clubs out of Ottawa are all really active so next time you should post on here or reach out to some of them to see if you can tag along for some club dives and visit some of the shore sites. Submerged villages and locks, amazing wrecks (the Keystorm is my personal favourite), fun drifts... it's a great area to explore.

 

[lerpy]

The top of the bridge is 120-130', we'll within recreational limits. I would need to double check, but I'm pretty sure there's a couple of swim thrus @ 130-135. It has something for everyone unless you're a 10yo PADI diver.

I have never heard of a recreational diver going on the Jodery, nore would I ever recommend it. The Jodery is not a wreck that " has something for everyone" It is a very technical dive, in deep water, with a lot of current. I also do not know a dive operator that would put a recreational diver on the Jodery.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

I have never heard of a recreational diver going on the Jodery, nore would I ever recommend it. The Jodery is not a wreck that " has something for everyone" It is a very technical dive, in deep water, with a lot of current. I also do not know a dive operator that would put a recreational diver on the Jodery.

Sounds like a very anecdotal argument I would definitely not call it a "very" technical dive. I've done 3hr leisurely dives on it and found many places to keep out of the current throughout the dive.

 

[gcarter]

Sounds like a very anecdotal argument I would definitely not call it a "very" technical dive. I've done 3hr leisurely dives on it and found many places to keep out of the current throughout the dive.

Recreational divers with significantly more skill and experience than your "10yo PADI diver" would call a 3 hour dive @ 130' feet a technical dive. And that depth, while within recreational limits, is not "well" within it. You are talking out of your hat, and I am not sure what your posturing is intended to achieve.

 

[Diver Rick]

The top of the bridge is 120-130', we'll within recreational limits......

120-130 feet "well within recreational limits" I'm not sure everyone would agree with that statement. In fact I would suggest that just saying so is irresponsible in itself.

I would personally consider 120-130 to be at the very edge or recreational diving, if not beyond it, for most folks. Being 60+ and in the "twilight" of my 33 years of diving, I consider 100' in warm water to be my absolute limit.

 

[Doppler]

The top of the bridge is 120-130', we'll within recreational limits. I would need to double check, but I'm pretty sure there's a couple of swim thrus @ 130-135. It has something for everyone unless you're a 10yo PADI diver.

Well, I usually don't bother to call someone out on a ******** posting, but I had to look at the date to make sure it's not April 1, and in this case, I'll make an exception.

The Jodrey is NOT a sport-level dive. You are entitled to your opinion of course, but I've used the wreck as a checkout site for trimix certs for many years. It is technical. The visibility there now is ****** compared to the 30 metres plus we used to enjoy, and that coupled with current and a hard deck at 70 metres, makes this dive site absolutely technical. And after roughly 14 years of going to the site to dive using charters on both sides of the border, that's a classification every reputable dive boat op agrees with.

And the top of the wheel house is closer to 45 metres than 40.

 

[Diver Rick]

Sounds like a very anecdotal argument I would definitely not call it a "very" technical dive. I've done 3hr leisurely dives on it and found many places to keep out of the current throughout the dive.

Huh? Now a 3 hour dive at 150' is called leisurely & not very technical???

First it was 130' was well within rec limits. Now this.

I'm starting to wonder.......

 

[Jared0425]

I remember the very top of the Pilothouse was at 135-40. I've seen recreational divers do the Jodrey on single tanks with sling bottles. If a diver is compenant enough, he could do this dive on a recreational set up. With that being said, what is the point? The current is a pain in the ass with scooters let alone frog kicking, as mentioned above vis sucks in mid to late summer, river traffic is horrendous, the possibility of the downline remaining on it on any given day is low odds, What time you get to spend on it is too short to even equal out a profitable dive to enjoy the majesty of the wreck, and deco is 100% necessity no matter if you do a real dive or bounce. So yes recreational divers CAN do it, as they CAN go 200ft but it's putting your life at risk for no gain wiout the right equipment and training.

I think this may be the same guy who posted a video of himself diving the Lakeland at 190 on single 120, but maybe not.

 

[Jack Hammer]

I think it's the same guy who claims a .16 SAC rate whIle swimming and does a 35 minute dive to 200' on the Jodrey with a single stage bottle.

 

[Doppler]

I think it's the same guy who claims a .16 SAC rate whIle swimming and does a 35 minute dive to 200' on the Jodrey with a single stage bottle.

Hey: how are things... Hope you've had a great summer, mate. No apologies for hi-jacking the thead!