Slamfire
Contributor
We're going to be there around 10-10:30 am. We were thinking of doing one dive in the central zone -- by the resort, and another in the southern zone.
Kelly lake / Pavillion day trip
- Thread starter DaleC
- Start date
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- Messages
- 107
- Reaction score
- 1
- # of dives
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Had two nice dives on left side of the island, acres of microbialites and gorgeous weather. Viz not as good as it usually is, though. Some algae bloom that had little green balls floating all over. Or, as Dale would say,
Green spheres reflecting
low fall sun.
Still, any day:
better than Whytecliff.
Green spheres reflecting
low fall sun.
Still, any day:
better than Whytecliff.
OP
DaleC
Contributor
Ye brought a wee tear to me eye, you did, with that one.
- Messages
- 107
- Reaction score
- 1
- # of dives
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Well then I'll make you cry (or groan) again:
He came to Pavillion from far,
a good diver and quite up to par.
But a hypothetical bear
put in him quite the scare,
and he spent his SI in the car.
You were asking for it.
He came to Pavillion from far,
a good diver and quite up to par.
But a hypothetical bear
put in him quite the scare,
and he spent his SI in the car.
You were asking for it.
Slamfire
Contributor
On our way in we went through Lillooet. On our way back we went by Cache Creek. I took my GPS with me and was monitoring altitude changes on our way in. I did not like the big altitude changes so close to the Lake while on our way in. The return through Cache Creek was much smoother in terms of altitude changes. The Lillooet way is shorter and slightly quicker (~5-10 mins), but Cache Creek was safer in terms of DCS avoidance.
Bighiller was using 32%. I was using 36%. Marty was on air, but he only did one dive. All the rest of us did two dives. Cristina was also on air, but she didn't have the altitude changes we had on her way back home (she lives up in the mountains).
Marty (AKA asksjasd) and I met Mike (AKA bighiller) at the Chevron Station in the 232 St and Hwy 1 interchange. We left the gas station at 6:30am. We arrive at the Lake by 10:10am after doing only one 10 min stop for refueling at the last gas station before arriving at the Lake.
Once we got to the lake, I guess I was looking for larger/better marked pullouts, parking spaces and entry points than what was actually available. That's when Cristina (AKA seahorsey) came in and saved the day. She saw us drive by and chased us all the way to the southern end of the Lake. Then she took us to the right entry spot for the central recreation zone.
Our first dive was 32 mins long. Visibility was great, about 70', but Cristina says this is the worst she's ever seen in the Lake. Vis was better near the top. My max depth was 83'. There's lots of microbialites everywere. I was also surprised to see plants in the 80 feet range. Tells you something about the predominant clarity of the water that allows enough light through for photosynthesis to take place 80' below.
We did a surface interval of 95 mins. Then we went back in for a 53 min dive. My max depth was 85'. There was a lot of particulate in the water that was contributing to reduce the vis to 70'/80'. All of a sudden Mike points out to the particulate floating just around his camera lights. They are actually tiny little shrimplike creatures. Lots of them.
So we pack up and hit the road again by 3pm. We stop in Cache Creek for a 30 min meal break, which also allows us 30 extra mins of offgassing before hitting the adverse altitude changes. There were no gas stops on the way back. We arrived at the Chevron station in 232St and Hwy 1 by 7:05 pm.
Overall, it's not that bad for a day trip. It's not something I would do every weekend, but it is totally bearable. It was much better than a day trip to the Powell River mermaid I did a couple of years ago, where we had to deal with delayed, overfilled ferries and ended up getting home past midnight.
I want to publicly extend my gratitude to Cristina for being our guide in and out of the water. Please do let us know when you come down here for some ocean dives. We would like to return the favor.
This link will allow you to download a Google Earth file of my gps log for the trip. You will need to have Google Earth installed in order to view it.
Mike took some footage. I assume he's going to post it somewhere here when he's done editing.
Bighiller was using 32%. I was using 36%. Marty was on air, but he only did one dive. All the rest of us did two dives. Cristina was also on air, but she didn't have the altitude changes we had on her way back home (she lives up in the mountains).
Marty (AKA asksjasd) and I met Mike (AKA bighiller) at the Chevron Station in the 232 St and Hwy 1 interchange. We left the gas station at 6:30am. We arrive at the Lake by 10:10am after doing only one 10 min stop for refueling at the last gas station before arriving at the Lake.
Once we got to the lake, I guess I was looking for larger/better marked pullouts, parking spaces and entry points than what was actually available. That's when Cristina (AKA seahorsey) came in and saved the day. She saw us drive by and chased us all the way to the southern end of the Lake. Then she took us to the right entry spot for the central recreation zone.
Our first dive was 32 mins long. Visibility was great, about 70', but Cristina says this is the worst she's ever seen in the Lake. Vis was better near the top. My max depth was 83'. There's lots of microbialites everywere. I was also surprised to see plants in the 80 feet range. Tells you something about the predominant clarity of the water that allows enough light through for photosynthesis to take place 80' below.
We did a surface interval of 95 mins. Then we went back in for a 53 min dive. My max depth was 85'. There was a lot of particulate in the water that was contributing to reduce the vis to 70'/80'. All of a sudden Mike points out to the particulate floating just around his camera lights. They are actually tiny little shrimplike creatures. Lots of them.
So we pack up and hit the road again by 3pm. We stop in Cache Creek for a 30 min meal break, which also allows us 30 extra mins of offgassing before hitting the adverse altitude changes. There were no gas stops on the way back. We arrived at the Chevron station in 232St and Hwy 1 by 7:05 pm.
Overall, it's not that bad for a day trip. It's not something I would do every weekend, but it is totally bearable. It was much better than a day trip to the Powell River mermaid I did a couple of years ago, where we had to deal with delayed, overfilled ferries and ended up getting home past midnight.
I want to publicly extend my gratitude to Cristina for being our guide in and out of the water. Please do let us know when you come down here for some ocean dives. We would like to return the favor.
This link will allow you to download a Google Earth file of my gps log for the trip. You will need to have Google Earth installed in order to view it.
Mike took some footage. I assume he's going to post it somewhere here when he's done editing.
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What a nice thorough debrief,and thanks for the kind words. You bet I'll come down soon, the waters' surface gets kinda hard here in about two weeks.
Puzzle of poor(ish) viz also solved, I thought 'fall turnover' (surface water getting colder than deep water, sinking down and flipping the whole water column in the process), but had the mechanics wrong: it's not new growth from mixing of more and less oxygenated waters, but lake bottom debris churned up:
"Turnover is quite an event for the body of water in which it occurs. It stirs up the lake bottom creating floating decayed vegetative debris and drastically increases the turbidity of the water. Oxygen levels decrease for a short period and the fish usually turn off from feeding. This event usually last from 1-2 weeks, depending on the wind. When the turn is done, the oxygen levels rise quickly and the fish, god bless them, get hungry and start to feed again."
Noticed algal scum floating on the surface of some small area lakes, too.
Puzzle of poor(ish) viz also solved, I thought 'fall turnover' (surface water getting colder than deep water, sinking down and flipping the whole water column in the process), but had the mechanics wrong: it's not new growth from mixing of more and less oxygenated waters, but lake bottom debris churned up:
"Turnover is quite an event for the body of water in which it occurs. It stirs up the lake bottom creating floating decayed vegetative debris and drastically increases the turbidity of the water. Oxygen levels decrease for a short period and the fish usually turn off from feeding. This event usually last from 1-2 weeks, depending on the wind. When the turn is done, the oxygen levels rise quickly and the fish, god bless them, get hungry and start to feed again."
Noticed algal scum floating on the surface of some small area lakes, too.
bighiller
Contributor
I got a busy week ahead, but I'll try to post up the video as soon as I can. Some of it turned out great, but some was filmed a bit fast and will end up on the cutting room floor.
my ear is still being all weird.. i fear my tuwanek trip on saturday wont happen.
annnyways.. yes, thanks Gabe, Cristina, Big Mike for the good times, and the excellent memories, particularly the worry about the militant natives that could kill me during my rest while the rest were on a second dive.
Cant wait to see the video, Mike.
annnyways.. yes, thanks Gabe, Cristina, Big Mike for the good times, and the excellent memories, particularly the worry about the militant natives that could kill me during my rest while the rest were on a second dive.
Cant wait to see the video, Mike.
- Messages
- 107
- Reaction score
- 1
- # of dives
- 100 - 199
You're welcome, any time. Just remember to call them 'First Nations", avoid the 'I' word, and you'll be fine!Yes, I like to freak out city people 
. You can return the favor if I come to Vancouver, just send me to some dark cramped parking garage...
Sorry to hear about your ear! Have you ever tried the vented earplugs? They saved a few dives for me when my ear was borderline after a cold. Doc's, I think they are called.
. You can return the favor if I come to Vancouver, just send me to some dark cramped parking garage...Sorry to hear about your ear! Have you ever tried the vented earplugs? They saved a few dives for me when my ear was borderline after a cold. Doc's, I think they are called.
OP
DaleC
Contributor
It's funny about the pullouts eh Gabriel. I remember thinking that if NASA and CSA were so worried about recreational divers staying within the zones that they would mark them or something.
Sounds like you guys (and girl) had a good time.
Sounds like you guys (and girl) had a good time.
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