Dive Poughkeepsie?

[bogrady]

I'm the Swamper that may be heading for Lake George. In case I don't make it all the way north - is there anything of interest in the Fishkill/Poughkeepsie/New Paltz area?

Has anyone done the lake at the Mohonk Mountian House?

 

[Flea Dog]

I've done Mohonk Lake multiple times. The problem with access is, they only let one person/shop take students to the lake.

The lake is nothing really special. Some fish and BIG trout. A small amount of weeds and a gooey bottom. The max. depth is 61 feet and visability averages about 6-10 feet. A week ago the serface temperature was 82F with the first thermal at 12-14 feet. The temperature dropped to a refreshing 58F.

Close by is Lake Minnewaska in Minnewaska State Park. They allow diving (with buddy only). The rules are pretty simple, out by 16:30 and don't mess up the place. There are nice benches in divers cove so gearing up and entry is easy. This lake is for the most part a dead lake. The pH is low because of the acid rain and the bowl the lake is in is made of shawangunk conglomerate with no buffering capacity. You will see salamanders, water snakes, tadpoles and an interesting rare protein eating plant. (Don’t worry it rarely bothers divers.) The visability is 3-12 feet. There is a thermal at abut 12 to 25 feet. The surface temp last week was 78F, but below the thermal at 15 feet it was about 62. Some went to the bottom (72 feet) and found the water to be a brisk 41F.

This year the park has implemented a $20 a year fee to dive in the park, (thank you Geroge Pataki).

Safe diving,

Flea Dog

 

[jonnythan]

If you make it up, the Hudson River near Corinth is a great dive if the Hudson is low enough. I'd be happy to dive it with you if you're in the area and the river is low.

 

[Water Science]

I used to dive the lake at the Mohonk Mt House and the Lake at Bear Mt (under the guise of clean up dives) while I was a cadet at West Point. I found many very old bottles at both lakes and that's was the main reason for diving there.
Long ago they used to sell bottled water in glass bottles at Bear Mt and people would just throw them overboard from the row boats they rented. There a lot still down there.