Jasper-advanced

[Eat my Bubbles]

Well, seeing as Alberta didn't fit into any of the other categories, I thought I'd post this here. I went diving to Jasper National Park in Alberta Canada on the weekend. I took my ADvanced PADI there as it is only about 1 4hr drive from where I live. Dove in 7mm 2 peice wetsuits, hoods, gloves, and boots. We dove in 3 different lakes there. On day 1 we did a navigational dive and search and recovery dive in Lake Edith. the water was around 64 degrees as our max depth of 26 ACT feet(35 TH). It went well. Using a lift bag though is a mighty tricky exercise if i do say so myself. That evening we did a night dive in lake annette, slightly cooler water temperatures. We didn't dive untill about midnight, as it doesn't even get remotely dark till then up here at the moment. Saw tons of fish and really enjoyed the night dive. On day 2 we dove in Lac Beauvert. Much colder water temperatures there. We did our deep dive there to 65' ACT (90' TH) The water temp was about 48 F down there and I absolutely froze. I must get drysuit training before i head up there again. We did our official "altitude" dive in the afternoon, even though all our dives had to take into consideration the pressure changes at alitutde. We enjoyed touring Lac Beauvert as there are many cold water spring inlets, one as big as a diver!

Oh yes, As you can see I did end up getting the cressi fins, I LOVE them, but being a competitive swimmer and waterpolo player means I am constantly swimming to fast for the others, I got the nickname speedy gonzales over the weekend, I must learn to swim slower....

The hard part about these lakes were the fact that about 30' off shore the rocks turned into glacial silt which is extremely fine and even the slightest touch to it will completely mess up the visibility. We all were trying so hard to maintain good buoyancy as swimming in 5 ft of visibility is not much fun. Here are a few pictures

beauvert-group

beauvert-buddy and I doing our pre-dive

beauvert-me

beauvert-me

Edith-dive markers

 

[ChillyWaters]

That place looks gorgeous. I've yet to go to Jasper. Though I have my doubts that the diving is the greatest. How good is the vis (assuming no silting)?

Perhaps it's almost time to make the move to the coast, where you can go shore diving whenever you want. Perhaps use your prosperity cheque to buy the plane ticket.

- ChillyWaters

 

[JeffG]

That evening we did a night dive in lake annette, slightly cooler water temperatures. We didn't dive untill about midnight, as it doesn't even get remotely dark till then up here at the moment.

How did you manage that? Usually the lock the gates at 8 or 9.


Sounds like you had fun. There are two better lakes in Jasper to dive, but they are harder to get to the dive sites. Horseshoe and Lake Patricia.

Horsehoe you can kinda do a wall dive and Patrica has the Habbakuk.

 

[KrisB]

What do you mean by "65' ACT (90' TH)" ?

If that is 65' actual / 90' theoretical, what is causing the "theoretical" depth? Altitude?

I thought the PADI standard for the "Deep" dive was 100' actual...

 

[ChillyWaters]

I thought the PADI standard for the "Deep" dive was 100' actual...

I believe they just have to break 60', but 90-100' is what most instructors aim for. The 60' rule is stupid though, because there is little chance for feeling any narcosis.

- ChillyWaters

 

[Eat my Bubbles]

The pressure acts differently on your body at altitude then it deos at sea level. We use different tables at different altitudes to figure out how diving to a certain depth at altitude relates to diving at sea level so we can then use the RDP correctly. WE didn't feel like iking in, so 90 feet was as deep, theoretically, as we could go. I have done Horseshoe and Patricia as well though. they were pretty neat as well, though the hike into horseshoe is a real pain.

How did you manage that? Usually the lock the gates at 8 or 9.

The dive club "Ocean Sports" has the key to the gate. We can get in there at anytime and leave whenever we wanted to.

The vis was pretty good, about 50' in Beauvert the day we went. Annette had about 30 and edith less. Edith is pretty boring, but it is easy to get into with all your gear on, no rocky shore line.

 

[KrisB]

The pressure acts differently on your body at altitude then it deos at sea level. We use different tables at different altitudes to figure out how diving to a certain depth at altitude relates to diving at sea level so we can then use the RDP correctly. WE didn't feel like iking in, so 90 feet was as deep, theoretically, as we could go. I have done Horseshoe and Patricia as well though. they were pretty neat as well, though the hike into horseshoe is a real pain.

Right -- which is significant for the NDL calculations, but not really for whether it's a "deep" dive or not, that's all I was trying to figure out.

You were still only 65' feet away from the surface, and an unlimited supply of air.

 

[Eat my Bubbles]

I have been dwon to 110' before while in Hawaii. Did the Mahi, airplane canyons, LCU, etc, which were all deep. So I know I can handle the deeper dives, I just wanted the certification so that I am 'allowed' to go on deep dives.

 

[JeffG]

I went diving to Jasper National Park in Alberta Canada on the weekend. I took my ADvanced PADI there as it is only about 1 4hr drive from where I live.

Who was your instructor?

 

[nadwidny]

Sounds like you had fun. There is a group of us that do Twin on almost a weekly basis if you're looking for something not quite as good but closer to home.