Newbie saying Hi and a question

[marcurts]

First, Hi to all in the group. I am a new diver in Ottawa, most of my diving has been in Mexico, so I'm unfamililar with diving around this area. I have heard that Prescott and Brockville are the closest spots to go.
My question is what type of suits do you use? Wet or dry and what makes, models do you recommend for the water temps around here?
Thanks for your comments

Mark

 

[GDI]

thicK wetsuit 5 mm or drysuit with warm woolies. There are many brands you will just need to find what you can afford and good quality. welcome to Ottawa

 

[Warren_L]

Depending on your tolerance for cold, if going wet, I'd also consider a 7mm. Dry, with the proper undergarments, would be my preference for the tail months of the season - not because of the water but because of the surface interval and boat travel post-dive.

 

[CUunderH2O]

I wore a Pinnacle semi-dry 7/5 full wetsuit this summer, but I'm buying a drysuit this week (probably an Atlan) so I can keep diving for the next month or longer. Last weekend the surface intervals were extremely chilly in a wetsuit! I've been diving the Brockville/Prescott/Rockport area all summer long, lots of great diving to be found within 1-1.5 hours of Ottawa.

Bare makes 7mm wetsuits that you can combine with a hooded vest for extra warmth (as does Pinnacle as well as many other brands), but I'd say if you're planning on diving this fall, buy a drysuit. Check out some of the local shops to see what brands/styles they offer.

 

[darkstar]

I like Bare. Made in Canada for cold water diving and available at a lot of LDS'

My first suit was a Bare 7mm Supra F/J which now as about 70 dives on it with only a few zebra mussel cuts.

Bare also has some inexpensive entry level dry suits. Dry suits are a must for diving in Picton and Kingston and really great this time of year. I got sold on drysuits last year when I climbed out of a late season dive in 60F water to swirling snow and frosty winds.

 

[Tamas]

I dive with a 6.5 Mares Semi dry, lot less money than a dry suit but better protection and more warmth then your typical 2 piece 7mm wetsuit. But eventually you will want to go dry, so why not add a few $$$ and get an entry level shell suit, they can start from the $600 mark and up.

And welcome to the frigid waters of ON

 

[electric_diver]

First, Hi to all in the group. I am a new diver in Ottawa, most of my diving has been in Mexico, so I'm unfamililar with diving around this area. I have heard that Prescott and Brockville are the closest spots to go.
My question is what type of suits do you use? Wet or dry and what makes, models do you recommend for the water temps around here?
Thanks for your comments

Mark

Mark

The type of suit depends on your own personal tolerance to cold and where, when and how much you plan to dive locally.

A two piece 7mm suit is what most people use locally as their starter suit. Its good enough for 2 non deco dives in Lake Ontario in the summer and/or 1 dive in the fall/winter per day. You can use only 1 piece for the river in the summer.

If you plan to do deco dives, or repetetive dives in the fall/winter then you may wish to consider a dry suit.

The water temperatures (very rough estimates ) that you can expect are:
mid 30s F - bottom of Morrison Quarry, the river in the winter, bottom thermocline in lake Ontario occasionally
mid 40s F - usual bottom temperature in lake Ontario, the river in May, November
mid 50s F - the river in June, October
mid 60s F - the river in July, September, shallow lakes and quarries top layer in the summer.
low 70s F - the river in August

Use the above to figure out what suit you will need.

The closest dive site to Ottawa is in the Ottawa River. The wreck of the Bruce is located under the dock at the Ottawa Rowing club. It is a low vis dive though. Next farthest out is Morrison's Quarry in Wakefield Quebec. Then you have the upper St. Lawrence with dives from Cornwall, Morrisburg, Cardinal, Prescott Brockville, Rockport to Ivy lea. Then you have Lake Ontario wrecks accessible from Kingston.

Welcome to Ottawa

Enjoy

 

[Sirius Diver]

Anyone have any idea what Morrison's is now? I'm diving there next weekend in a 7/5 mm...