How many here have dived Lake Jocassee?

[Padipro]

LOL I taught a lot of openwater classes there when I worked for a dive shop in Greenville. I really liked the place. Of course there wasn't much to see and even if there was the low viz would have hid it from sight. I used to tell people that the only reason to dive Jocassee or Keowee was for the practice. If you dived at the lake a couple of times a year then you'd be much better prepaired for that once a year dive trip to the islands.

Has anyone seen the navigation course to the right side of the divers boat ramp? I haven't been to the lake in a few years but there was a nice platform and nav course setup on that side. It wasn't marked on the surface so you kind had to hunt for it but it was good practice as well.

I dived the pump house in Keowee once too. Nasty vis!!! At high noon on a sunny day we needed lights to see the top of the building. It was wild to see something like that underwater though.

Scott

 

[jamiei]

the platform is still there... to the left of the ramp if you are facing the water. It's pretty big, maybe 14' x 14' and as of sept was about 20' deep on the top of the platform. The water was down 15-20 feet then also. As for a navigation course, I never thought of it as that. There are a couple lines on pvc stakes, one that goes to deeper water from the platform and one that goes out to the left of the platform (again looking from the ramp towards the water) and around the point the ramp is on and over to an old fiberglass boat hull and a stretcher or lounge chair. I've also read somewhere on the internet about someone diving something called "the bell" which is supposedly marked by a buoy. Jocassee is also much clearer than most people give it credit as being in my opinion. When we were out there last August and September, the visibility was around 20 feet. I could see other divers clearly that were spread around us. Visibility at the "chinese junk" seemed even clearer than that. Some divers call it a mud hole and that is just not true. It's one of the clearest lakes you will ever encounter in the south. At times, plankton blooms may limit visibility (like keowee), but more often the problem is when divers stir up a lot of silt. I think there is plenty to see in a lake like jocassee if you just take the time to find it. We dive to see the underwater world mainly, not to see a sunken basketball goal. If you love diving, are landlocked, and on a student's budget, Jocassee is a great place to go. I wish I could find more information about diving around the dam area. I know Off the Wall Charters takes people there and says that its the clearest part of the lake and the best place to see fish.

 

[Padipro]

jamiei once bubbled...
the platform is still there... to the left of the ramp if you are facing the water. It's pretty big, maybe 14' x 14' and as of sept was about 20' deep on the top of the platform. The water was down 15-20 feet then also. As for a navigation course, I never thought of it as that. There are a couple lines on pvc stakes, one that goes to deeper water from the platform and one that goes out to the left of the platform (again looking from the ramp towards the water) and around the point the ramp is on and over to an old fiberglass boat hull and a stretcher or lounge chair.

The nav course used to be on the RIGHT side of the ramp. Divers wern't supposed to go in there because boaters still used the ramp to launch their boats and it wasn't protected like the left side of the ramp was. The PVC pipe and line you refered to was off the platform on the left and went down to the chair and the old fishing boat, then it went on down to another platform at about 80 feet where we did our advanced open water deep dives. From there it went to about 100 feet where it stopped just before it went over the edge where the trees started. It's really wild down there, lots of trees still standing. Like swiming through a forest underwater. It's flippin COLD though, the temp never gets above 55 or so. Definately can't stay for long unless yo're in a drysuit.

Scott

 

[Bobb]

Jamie,
BigK and I went to Jocassee on Sunday..the lake is back up to full pool...the junk is in 60 ffw...the temps....50 degs. BigK was using his 6.5 mil wetsuit and was pretty cold...I had a drysuit so it wasn't to bad...we stayed in approx. 25 minutes though...it was nice to get wet again...we'll be going up the weekend of the 29th (If I can talk BigK into it) and you're welcome to come along..I've got a 24' pontoon boat...we're adding a top to it this weekend (aluminum sun deck)...
Bobb

 

[Miller]

I want to thank you for the lake report. I talk to my instructor last week and he said the water is about 58 degrees. Still to cold for me. I plan on being down there every other weekend. When it warms up. Some people may not like the pond. But it’s better then staying dry. Weekdays at the walk in ramp, the water is clearer.

 

[plsdiver4377]

Did my AOW there and the vis wasn't to bad (15-20) after about 40 divers on the platform at the boat ramp. Water temps 68-72 last October, bloody cold right now though (just went fishing there and the surface temp was 54). Once it warms up a little it's not a bad place to dive between warm tropical trips, at the very least to practice skills and get wet. Definitely more to see than in my pool. Have fun all and see ya at the wall (Teal fish-n-ski).:mean:

 

[jamiei]

Went a couple weeks ago on a thursday and walked in at the boat ramp. Temp at 75' was about 63 or 64 degrees and the surface temp was about 72. We used 6 mm full suits and just got a little chilly. Our total bt was only about 25 mins and visibility was rather good 20+ at the ramp. There were also about 5 other divers there the same time we were. Anybody ever up for a dive at jocassee feel free to get in touch with me cause I'm always ready to go. I'm about 1.5 hrs away in Athens,GA.

 

[I_suk_air]

Went to the lake on June 29th. Air temp was in the 80's, water was 66F at the Junk. The junk was at about 64' at the deck. at 104' the temp dropped down to 51F.

Too dern cold for me diving wet. Vis was very good at the junk 20 feet or better. Once you go down the wall from the junk and hit a thermocline at about 87' it cleared up beautifully.

We started our day with a shore dive from the closed ramp, earlier mentioned. I didn't see any navigation course however it would be a perfect spot for a no vis navigation course.

There is a few objects to see. First we came across a trampolene skeleton "just the hoop on legs" which had a line tied off on a PVC pipe that ran to a platform that was in good shape. The visability was crap due to all the open water students and my group headed back towards the direction of the dock. At a much shallower depth then the previous platform there was another platform that appeared to be in bad shape, with the decking busted. At this point I couldnt see my computer or gauges so I haven't a clue on where to tell you to look for this. As long as your computer isnt beeping its all good right?

The boat dives were with Off The Wall Dive Charters. Bill was our Capt, with Samantha as Divemaster. One of the guys from our group who was basic open water cert missed out on our dives to the wall however Samantha I hear gave him a terrific tour of the lake. He said, " Its amazing what all you can see when you spend a half hour at 10ft." Samantha stated that she doesnt like to hang around on a line staring at each other for a safety stop.

I highly reccomend this charter and eagerly look forward to going with them again.

If there is anyone interested in Diving this lake that hasn't done so before I reccomend you look into a charter.

here is Bill Routh's site

http://www.offthewalldiving.com

 

[plsdiver4377]

We went to Jocassee weekend before last and had a couple of pleasant dives. 1st on the Junk, fairly good vis of about 20-25', had a great time messing with this fiesty little bluegill who took offense to me getting in his territory. 2nd dive was along the wall to the left of the rocky point if your looking from the mooring kegs towards the main wall. Nice dive along this wall at about 70' (still fairly cold though below about 65') with what looked like the abyss (brown and murky) on one side and the stair stepped wall on the other, made for a nice effect.

Hoping to dive there sometime over the 4th weekend depending on the weather and whatnot.

Cheers

 

[jamiei]

any of you guys that dive jocassee ever dive Blue Stone in NC? I'm thinking about doing a course up there soon.