kidsdream
Contributor
While diving in a small inland lake during April in Southern Michigan certainly does not bring the excitement or stunning visibility of a Pacific Atoll, doing something to help the environment and hanging out with some new dive buds isn't all bad.
And so goes my first local dives for 2007….
Last Sunday's weather was simply spectacular. With temps rising from around 60 to over 80 degrees, it was a perfect day for my LDS's second annual Earth Day clean-up of Union Lake.
A crew of 20 or so divers and a like number of topside collected enough trash to fill about 3/4th of a pick-up truck bed over a 4 hour period.
The hearty divers were decidedly on the tech side with many sporting doubles and nearly all wearing drysuits,(certainly not a day for wetsuits). Three or four of the group were using scooters that would have made TXDM proud – but they did stir up the very delicate bottom as they made their "trash and rescue” forays out into the lake.
Dive statistics: Dive 1 34 minutes, 45' max Bottom temp – 42 degrees
Dive 2 28 minutes, 38' max Bottom temp – 44 degrees
Fantastic topside conditions
The not so elusive lake bottom trash
In April the bottom is barren, by late summer the weeds will be 3' high.
Once a clean-up group touched the bottom, the vis. went to crap.
Crayfish were everywhere. I am not sure if it was mini-season or not, but we could have made some gumbo with a little work.
Not a bad way to spend a Sunday
And so goes my first local dives for 2007….
Last Sunday's weather was simply spectacular. With temps rising from around 60 to over 80 degrees, it was a perfect day for my LDS's second annual Earth Day clean-up of Union Lake.
A crew of 20 or so divers and a like number of topside collected enough trash to fill about 3/4th of a pick-up truck bed over a 4 hour period.
The hearty divers were decidedly on the tech side with many sporting doubles and nearly all wearing drysuits,(certainly not a day for wetsuits). Three or four of the group were using scooters that would have made TXDM proud – but they did stir up the very delicate bottom as they made their "trash and rescue” forays out into the lake.
Dive statistics: Dive 1 34 minutes, 45' max Bottom temp – 42 degrees
Dive 2 28 minutes, 38' max Bottom temp – 44 degrees
Fantastic topside conditions
The not so elusive lake bottom trash
In April the bottom is barren, by late summer the weeds will be 3' high.
Once a clean-up group touched the bottom, the vis. went to crap.
Crayfish were everywhere. I am not sure if it was mini-season or not, but we could have made some gumbo with a little work.
Not a bad way to spend a Sunday
