diveprof
Contributor
In an effort to avoid any labor this Labor Day, I put in three dives at East Dam (the post dive walk up the hill was labor however). Group members changed with the dives. Three of us one the first, two on the second and 4 on the third. For the first dive we swam parallel to the parking lot (and about 50' beyond the end of the parking lot) about 75 yards off shore. We dropped down on the last portion of the 40' ledge, headed downward to the angel statue, through the trench and downward to the 100' wall. Vis was probably 15' at this depth (up to 20' in some areas below 50', only 5-8' above 50').
Last weekend there was a big fish kill when the oxygen content at this depth dropped to low to sustain life. Many thousands (probably 100's of thousands) of blueback herring have died. The remains are just decaying (slowly) on the bottom. catfish will not even be able to enjoy this meal due to the low oxygen content. The crawfish along the wall have mostly died as well. this happened last year and in 2004 -Lake levels dropping, water on the surface becoming hot, herring get trapped at depth and die. A reminder how fragile U/W life can be....
Anyway, we dove the 100' wall around until it made the turn towards the cove ( a few mnutes from deco), then ascended upward and turned south along the North wall at about 60' today. Just before the North wall we found a solitary catfish barely live in the low O2 content water. Only a couple live crawdads were found at depth. We headed upward to the big stump and swam along the 55' ledge a ways before dropping to the 65' ledge and the forest. We then headed throught the trench, past the angel again and upward to the 40' wall. We headed upward and East to the 20' dropoff for an extended safety stop swimming southward through the clark hill kelp forest (hydrilla
). Lots of small fish. Then certain members of our group who shall remain nameless decided to toss large logs at each other (yeah diving is a full contact sport with this group sometime 
.... We made our exit after a short shoreward swim along the rocks. Max depth 98', diving time 58 min.
Dive two was to the 3 big rocks, the 40' ledge, angel statue, trench, then a southward turn and down to the 80' wall. Lots of dead crawdads and herring on the bottom. Vis was very good on the wall and no light was needed. At the south end of the 80' wall we headed upward to the three big rocks and then upward to the 20' droppoff for another extended sfaety stop. 1:01 dive time. 90' max depth.
Dive three was to the three big rocks, pool filters, 40' ledge, angel statue, trench, forest, 65' ledge, 55' ledge, Big stump, N. wall and a turn south and upward to the fallen tree. From there it was to the pipeline and 20' dropoff/hydrilla for an extended safety stop. Dive time was 54 min. with max depth of 70'. One last hill climb to the parking lot. A lot of exercise, but I can't call it labor on this Labor Day.
Last weekend there was a big fish kill when the oxygen content at this depth dropped to low to sustain life. Many thousands (probably 100's of thousands) of blueback herring have died. The remains are just decaying (slowly) on the bottom. catfish will not even be able to enjoy this meal due to the low oxygen content. The crawfish along the wall have mostly died as well. this happened last year and in 2004 -Lake levels dropping, water on the surface becoming hot, herring get trapped at depth and die. A reminder how fragile U/W life can be....
Anyway, we dove the 100' wall around until it made the turn towards the cove ( a few mnutes from deco), then ascended upward and turned south along the North wall at about 60' today. Just before the North wall we found a solitary catfish barely live in the low O2 content water. Only a couple live crawdads were found at depth. We headed upward to the big stump and swam along the 55' ledge a ways before dropping to the 65' ledge and the forest. We then headed throught the trench, past the angel again and upward to the 40' wall. We headed upward and East to the 20' dropoff for an extended safety stop swimming southward through the clark hill kelp forest (hydrilla
). Lots of small fish. Then certain members of our group who shall remain nameless decided to toss large logs at each other (yeah diving is a full contact sport with this group sometime .... We made our exit after a short shoreward swim along the rocks. Max depth 98', diving time 58 min.Dive two was to the 3 big rocks, the 40' ledge, angel statue, trench, then a southward turn and down to the 80' wall. Lots of dead crawdads and herring on the bottom. Vis was very good on the wall and no light was needed. At the south end of the 80' wall we headed upward to the three big rocks and then upward to the 20' droppoff for another extended sfaety stop. 1:01 dive time. 90' max depth.
Dive three was to the three big rocks, pool filters, 40' ledge, angel statue, trench, forest, 65' ledge, 55' ledge, Big stump, N. wall and a turn south and upward to the fallen tree. From there it was to the pipeline and 20' dropoff/hydrilla for an extended safety stop. Dive time was 54 min. with max depth of 70'. One last hill climb to the parking lot. A lot of exercise, but I can't call it labor on this Labor Day.
