Mono Lake

[lostsheep]

Has anyone ever dived or heard of diving in Mono Lake?

Submerged tufa could be pretty cool if viz permits.

 

[tomfcrist]

Better bring extra lead….and a drysuit.

 

[lostsheep]

Buoyancy and thermal concerns are trivial problems to solve.

I’m more concerned about viz than anything.

 

[tomfcrist]

Drysuit isn’t for thermal concerns….that water has the PH of windex

 

[lostsheep]

9.8 ain’t that bad…I’ll send it.

 

[Scubafitravers]

I work in the environmental field at Mono Lake and live in Lee Vining, my work is mostly on the streams and plant life around the lake but a little bit of it is on the limnology side of things. I am also a dive instructor and will dive any body of water I can. We used to dive in the lake for our research but the lake "ate" our gear. It's 2.5 times saltier than the ocean and has a pH of 9.8 which is just insanely harsh on your gear. I refuse to take my gear in there because it truly does destroy it. I was talking to a guy I ran into who was diving the lake and he said that he has done it a few times and just rinses his gear really well, but I would not want to risk it personally. Also, if you go during brine shrimp season the clouds of shrimp can be so thick your vis can drop to 0. Not much to see as no fish live in the lake, but the tufa are pretty cool. Fall is the best time to go if you decide to do it, when the shrimp start to die off but the water is at its warmest.

 

[lostsheep]

I work in the environmental field at Mono Lake and live in Lee Vining, my work is mostly on the streams and plant life around the lake but a little bit of it is on the limnology side of things. I am also a dive instructor and will dive any body of water I can. We used to dive in the lake for our research but the lake "ate" our gear. It's 2.5 times saltier than the ocean and has a pH of 9.8 which is just insanely harsh on your gear. I refuse to take my gear in there because it truly does destroy it. I was talking to a guy I ran into who was diving the lake and he said that he has done it a few times and just rinses his gear really well, but I would not want to risk it personally. Also, if you go during brine shrimp season the clouds of shrimp can be so thick your vis can drop to 0. Not much to see as no fish live in the lake, but the tufa are pretty cool. Fall is the best time to go if you decide to do it, when the shrimp start to die off but the water is at its warmest.

Excellent post, thank you. I don’t think I’ll make a habit of it but I do think it’s worth it to me at least once, maybe I’ll borrow my buddies stuff

 

[leavenotrace]

This blogger did it. She seems kinda nutty but it's some cool footage.

 

[lexvil]

Stick with Tahoe, still nothing to see but not as bad for the gear.

 

[Scubafitravers]

Stick with Tahoe, still nothing to see but not as bad for the gear.

Agreed. Started diving tahoe and while it is boring as heck to dive at times, its better than being covered in brine shrimp and salt lol.