DaleC
Contributor
Just thought I'd post this as I am reflecting on the days dives.
I feel like I have been blessed by some of the sights I've been allowed to witness underwater. Because I have a family, and have just finished returning to college I haven't had a lot of money for tropical destination diving. Instead, I have made my adventure exploring the local coast line and inland waterways of BC and AB (and by being a vintage equipment / alternative configuration crash test dummy). Along the way there have been a lot of low vis, sterile landscapes occasionally punctuated by amazing encounters.
I've been able to swim in schools of wild trout in crystal clear vis, dive through a submerged building 80' deep, get pummeled by hundreds of rainbows being stocked from a pipe into a lake, observe microbiolites in two different lakes, swim among spawning salmon, discover an old wreck and most of all, spend time with some of the nicest divers on the west coast. Although we sometimes trash talk each other on forums like this, and I solo a lot, I've been lucky to get along with, and learn from nearly every one I've met. Even Marty!
Today was another one of those days.
I did my first dive near Jade Bay on the wreck site I located in order to record some info. It was longish and deepish so for dive two I decided to chill out and swim south from Entrance bay along a shallow contour just to observe the topography.
I dove a very simple rig consisting of a J valved St 72 and a single second stage with drysuit whip. Dropping to 40' I was cruising along and really enjoying the experience of basic old school diving when I began to notice large scale suckers Catostomus macrocheilus staying closer than usual. I often see single or pairs of these fish but they always swim off 10-20' when I venture into range. Today they did not move away and seemed very uninterested in me. As I continued along the contour, that several turned into many and before I knew it I was in the midst of a large massing of fish. It turns out I had stumbled upon a large scale sucker spawning site. I sat for a long time and observed hundreds of these 18-24" fish, with dark breeding stripes running down their flanks, swimming back and forth, spawning and showing unusual curiosity. To have them come within 5' and show no fear was a first for me.The vis was about 20' at this depth and allowed me to see a good chunk of the action. It was with a little sadness but also a lot of gratitude that I had to turn east and head for shore when the J valve finally gave me the nod.
Along the way, in two dives, I also managed to salvage 4 anchors with my trusty lift bag.
They say you have to shuck a lot of oysters to find a pearl but when you do it makes all the shucking worthwhile. Sure, the dive industry of today has made it pretty easy to purchase "cultured" experiences (and I don't knock it) but, if you're willing to put up with the uncertainty and boredom, there a still a few "wild" gems out there to be had at recreational depths for the price of a fill.
Drysuit (used) $300
Reg set + rebuild (used) $5 + $25
Mask (found in lake) Free
Converse hightop rock boots (used) $20
SP Jet Fins (used) $10
St 72 (used with vis and hydro) $100
50lb lift bag (used) $50
becoming a manfish Priceless!
I feel like I have been blessed by some of the sights I've been allowed to witness underwater. Because I have a family, and have just finished returning to college I haven't had a lot of money for tropical destination diving. Instead, I have made my adventure exploring the local coast line and inland waterways of BC and AB (and by being a vintage equipment / alternative configuration crash test dummy). Along the way there have been a lot of low vis, sterile landscapes occasionally punctuated by amazing encounters.
I've been able to swim in schools of wild trout in crystal clear vis, dive through a submerged building 80' deep, get pummeled by hundreds of rainbows being stocked from a pipe into a lake, observe microbiolites in two different lakes, swim among spawning salmon, discover an old wreck and most of all, spend time with some of the nicest divers on the west coast. Although we sometimes trash talk each other on forums like this, and I solo a lot, I've been lucky to get along with, and learn from nearly every one I've met. Even Marty!
Today was another one of those days.
I did my first dive near Jade Bay on the wreck site I located in order to record some info. It was longish and deepish so for dive two I decided to chill out and swim south from Entrance bay along a shallow contour just to observe the topography.
I dove a very simple rig consisting of a J valved St 72 and a single second stage with drysuit whip. Dropping to 40' I was cruising along and really enjoying the experience of basic old school diving when I began to notice large scale suckers Catostomus macrocheilus staying closer than usual. I often see single or pairs of these fish but they always swim off 10-20' when I venture into range. Today they did not move away and seemed very uninterested in me. As I continued along the contour, that several turned into many and before I knew it I was in the midst of a large massing of fish. It turns out I had stumbled upon a large scale sucker spawning site. I sat for a long time and observed hundreds of these 18-24" fish, with dark breeding stripes running down their flanks, swimming back and forth, spawning and showing unusual curiosity. To have them come within 5' and show no fear was a first for me.The vis was about 20' at this depth and allowed me to see a good chunk of the action. It was with a little sadness but also a lot of gratitude that I had to turn east and head for shore when the J valve finally gave me the nod.
Along the way, in two dives, I also managed to salvage 4 anchors with my trusty lift bag.
They say you have to shuck a lot of oysters to find a pearl but when you do it makes all the shucking worthwhile. Sure, the dive industry of today has made it pretty easy to purchase "cultured" experiences (and I don't knock it) but, if you're willing to put up with the uncertainty and boredom, there a still a few "wild" gems out there to be had at recreational depths for the price of a fill.
Drysuit (used) $300
Reg set + rebuild (used) $5 + $25
Mask (found in lake) Free
Converse hightop rock boots (used) $20
SP Jet Fins (used) $10
St 72 (used with vis and hydro) $100
50lb lift bag (used) $50
becoming a manfish Priceless!
