Dive Spot: "Lake Jocassee" SC Dive Sites
City/State Location: Salem, SC USA
Type of diving: Lake Diving by shore and boat
Picture: Off The Wall Charters has pictures
Directions: from: 139 Anderson Hwy # 210, Clemson, SC 29631 (Upstate Scuba) to: 161 Holcombe Cir, Salem, SC 29676 (Devil's Fork State Park) - Google Maps
About the DiveSite: the following is from the Off The Wall Charters
LakeJocassee Sites:
Posted Depths are with the lake at full pond.
Quarry--The quarry is a 30 acre cove on the eastern shore of LakeJocassee, best known as "The Wall." It has a wide variety of depths and an average visibility of 20+ feet. In the early days of the season, the visibility extends to around 40 feet. The quarry was created when granite was blasted from the side of the mountain to construct an earthen dam leaving a sheer wall that rises almost 100 feet out of the water. Directly below this sheer wall, the blasting created an underwater playground, where additional underwater attractions have been added over the years. The wall descends to approximately 30 feet where it flattens out to form a ledge that is 30 yards wide. It then drops vertically to a depth of 65 feet, the depth of the majority of the cove. This 65-foot ledge then drops vertically to a depth of 175 feet and continues at a steep angle downward to approximately 365 feet. The quarry is only accessible by boat and offers a wide variety of diving.
Junk-- Located at the wall, the Junk is a 40 ft. Chinese sailboat. It is resting in 65 feet of water at the top of the deep wall. It is almost fully intact and is easily penetrable. Fish life is usually very plentiful around the wreck.
Basketball Goal-- This site is located at the quarry in 40 feet of water near the 65 foot wall. What makes this site so exciting is that we play one-on-one basketball. How? A bowling ball makes a great basketball underwater.
Motorcycle--Also at the quarry, the motorcycle is in 30 feet of water and is in the same area as the Basketball Goal. Jump right on, purge your regulator, and feel the wind in your face!
Training Platform--In the same area as the Basketball Goal and Motorcycle, the training platform sits in 25 feet of water and is in the same area as the Basketball Goal and the Motorcycle. This area is perfect for classes and checkout dives. The platform allows students to easily demonstrate their skills.
Dam--Sorry the Dam is now closed to boats as of 1-20-2003
Graveyard-- As seen in the movie Deliverance. This site is located on the open body of the lake and is in 138 feet of water. It was the old Mount CarmelChurch graveyard. The church was moved out of the valley before the lake was filled. Most of the graves were exhumed and relocated to another site. There are several markers that were left behind, as well as some of the curbs that once surrounded the plots. This is considered to be a technical dive beyond normal sport diving ranges. It has very good visibility, but it can be a little chilly.
Jellyfish Hill --This is the top of a mountain that rises to 25 foot below the surface out in the middle of the lake. So named, for the sighting September 2002 of a Freshwater Jellyfish on top of the hill. The North side of the hill slopes steeply into a tree line at 80 foot and on to 150 +. The other three sides are more gently sloping and more open with the exception of 60 or more Christmas trees scattered on the South side of the hill and there is a single motor boat sunk at this site on the eastern slope.
Attakulla Lodge -- This building stands in 300 foot on the bank of what was the WhiteWaterRiver. The building is 2 1/2 stories tall and is intact. The Attakulla Lodge served as a hotel from 1904 into the 1950's. The lodge is the centerpiece of the book Jocassee Remembered by Debbie Fletcher. The book recounts her memories as a little girl visiting here Grandfather who owned the lodge. There is a permanent down line to moor and descend to the lodge. We located the lodge in July 2004 and have done 3 perimeter dives to this date. There will be interior explorations as the dive site is surveyed and evaluated.
SteelBridge & Jocassee Camp For Girls -- The Bridge spans the WhitewaterRiver one mile down stream of the Attakulla Lodge and sits in front of the gates to the Jocassee Camp For girls. The bridge lies in 320 foot of water. It's span was over 75 foot long and is a pony girder, bridge design. There is a line from the bridge to the beautiful stone pillars that still stand on each side of the driveway. The white picket gates still hang on the pillars greeting divers to the camp entrance. This Camp is still being explored to determine if any of the buildings still stand.
Where to park: Devils Fork State Park
Amenities/Facilities: Multiple Landings, Campground, Store, Air / Nitrox Fills and Boat Charters from Off The Wall Diving store that is located on the way to Devils Fork State Park.
Cost/Fee's associated with site: $2.00 per person in State Park Fees
Times Open: Open 7x24x365
Most recent date visited: May 7th, 2008
Website for site: offthewall.com and Upstate Scuba, LLC upstatescuba.com
Expected Vis: 20 f
Depths: if multi-level, give description
Water temps: At certain depths and for particular time of year
Closest Air Fills or Dive Shops: List sites, contact info, URL's.
Good Places to eat near site: List names, numbers, addresses, URL's
Other Comments:
Add any other field about this site:
City/State Location: Salem, SC USA
Type of diving: Lake Diving by shore and boat
Picture: Off The Wall Charters has pictures
Directions: from: 139 Anderson Hwy # 210, Clemson, SC 29631 (Upstate Scuba) to: 161 Holcombe Cir, Salem, SC 29676 (Devil's Fork State Park) - Google Maps
About the DiveSite: the following is from the Off The Wall Charters
LakeJocassee Sites:
Posted Depths are with the lake at full pond.
Quarry--The quarry is a 30 acre cove on the eastern shore of LakeJocassee, best known as "The Wall." It has a wide variety of depths and an average visibility of 20+ feet. In the early days of the season, the visibility extends to around 40 feet. The quarry was created when granite was blasted from the side of the mountain to construct an earthen dam leaving a sheer wall that rises almost 100 feet out of the water. Directly below this sheer wall, the blasting created an underwater playground, where additional underwater attractions have been added over the years. The wall descends to approximately 30 feet where it flattens out to form a ledge that is 30 yards wide. It then drops vertically to a depth of 65 feet, the depth of the majority of the cove. This 65-foot ledge then drops vertically to a depth of 175 feet and continues at a steep angle downward to approximately 365 feet. The quarry is only accessible by boat and offers a wide variety of diving.
Junk-- Located at the wall, the Junk is a 40 ft. Chinese sailboat. It is resting in 65 feet of water at the top of the deep wall. It is almost fully intact and is easily penetrable. Fish life is usually very plentiful around the wreck.
Basketball Goal-- This site is located at the quarry in 40 feet of water near the 65 foot wall. What makes this site so exciting is that we play one-on-one basketball. How? A bowling ball makes a great basketball underwater.
Motorcycle--Also at the quarry, the motorcycle is in 30 feet of water and is in the same area as the Basketball Goal. Jump right on, purge your regulator, and feel the wind in your face!
Training Platform--In the same area as the Basketball Goal and Motorcycle, the training platform sits in 25 feet of water and is in the same area as the Basketball Goal and the Motorcycle. This area is perfect for classes and checkout dives. The platform allows students to easily demonstrate their skills.
Dam--Sorry the Dam is now closed to boats as of 1-20-2003
Graveyard-- As seen in the movie Deliverance. This site is located on the open body of the lake and is in 138 feet of water. It was the old Mount CarmelChurch graveyard. The church was moved out of the valley before the lake was filled. Most of the graves were exhumed and relocated to another site. There are several markers that were left behind, as well as some of the curbs that once surrounded the plots. This is considered to be a technical dive beyond normal sport diving ranges. It has very good visibility, but it can be a little chilly.
Jellyfish Hill --This is the top of a mountain that rises to 25 foot below the surface out in the middle of the lake. So named, for the sighting September 2002 of a Freshwater Jellyfish on top of the hill. The North side of the hill slopes steeply into a tree line at 80 foot and on to 150 +. The other three sides are more gently sloping and more open with the exception of 60 or more Christmas trees scattered on the South side of the hill and there is a single motor boat sunk at this site on the eastern slope.
Attakulla Lodge -- This building stands in 300 foot on the bank of what was the WhiteWaterRiver. The building is 2 1/2 stories tall and is intact. The Attakulla Lodge served as a hotel from 1904 into the 1950's. The lodge is the centerpiece of the book Jocassee Remembered by Debbie Fletcher. The book recounts her memories as a little girl visiting here Grandfather who owned the lodge. There is a permanent down line to moor and descend to the lodge. We located the lodge in July 2004 and have done 3 perimeter dives to this date. There will be interior explorations as the dive site is surveyed and evaluated.
SteelBridge & Jocassee Camp For Girls -- The Bridge spans the WhitewaterRiver one mile down stream of the Attakulla Lodge and sits in front of the gates to the Jocassee Camp For girls. The bridge lies in 320 foot of water. It's span was over 75 foot long and is a pony girder, bridge design. There is a line from the bridge to the beautiful stone pillars that still stand on each side of the driveway. The white picket gates still hang on the pillars greeting divers to the camp entrance. This Camp is still being explored to determine if any of the buildings still stand.
Where to park: Devils Fork State Park
Amenities/Facilities: Multiple Landings, Campground, Store, Air / Nitrox Fills and Boat Charters from Off The Wall Diving store that is located on the way to Devils Fork State Park.
Cost/Fee's associated with site: $2.00 per person in State Park Fees
Times Open: Open 7x24x365
Most recent date visited: May 7th, 2008
Website for site: offthewall.com and Upstate Scuba, LLC upstatescuba.com
Expected Vis: 20 f
Depths: if multi-level, give description
Water temps: At certain depths and for particular time of year
Closest Air Fills or Dive Shops: List sites, contact info, URL's.
Good Places to eat near site: List names, numbers, addresses, URL's
Other Comments:
Add any other field about this site:
), one pavilion, a "dive shop in a trailer", training platforms, air fill station.
