River Diving

[landlocked]

Diving is finally getting fun with my discovery of river diving. Lets face it, fresh water lakes are cold miserable places in this geographic area. Sixty degrees on top and several thermoclines on the way down to a murky, muddy bottom. The only thing really interesting is stuff that fell off the dock or someone else's boat.
But river diving has opened up a new horizon for me! The challenge of swimming into the current, interesting rock formation, no thermoclines and you still have the same junk, I mean treasures to find. All in all, a lot more interesting. Besides, there are some fabulous rivers out here. Anyone want to come dive the Firehole in Yellowstone Park before it snows?

 

[JDostal]

Oh heck yeah, I'll join you! If you pay for my flight...hehe.

I'd have to agree with you on a lot of lakes - you seen one, you've seen them all. Weeds down to about 15-20 feet, and then....mudflats. Yippee.

We go to Lake Wazee alot around here...one of the best diving locations I've ever been to. 50+ feet of viz year round, cliffs, boulders, underwater forests, fish cribs. Gotta love it!

 

[Tractor Tom]

I haven't done it yet, but a popular place to dive in Michigan is the St. Clair River, right in Port Huron, where Lake Huron drains south going towards Detroit and Lake Erie. The currents there are very strong, and the divers will go in upstream quite a distance, and drift down to a car parked further down the river. The water there is quite blue and the river quite deep. I'd like to give it a try! Perhaps next year when I've got something warm to wear!!

 

[greg somers]

I went out with Divegal ans we hit 3 wrecks, including a current dive which allowed us to fly along the keel.Awesome. With the right conditions you can have a great dive....and maybe catch a few fresh water crayfish....beautiful roasted over an open fire, or in a pan with garlic butter...Mmmmm
Cheers Big Ears,
The Gasman

 

[tholt576]

One of my few dives this year was in the Cooper river in Charleston, SC. It was pretty fun. Lots of artifacts and what not. I went in winter so the vis wasn't bad, maybe 5 feet.

 

[landlocked]

Any other rivers of note? I have dove the Firehole in Yellowstone and the Snake River. Anyone have more recommendations?

 

[divrnr]

Dude, you've got to dive the Colorado river just below Hoover Dam. Awesome, especially the rapids, 60+ vis, temp always 54 degrees and FUN!!! check out the web for Drew's Dam Divers...

 

[landlocked]

divrnr once bubbled...
Dude, you've got to dive the Colorado river just below Hoover Dam. Awesome, especially the rapids, 60+ vis, temp always 54 degrees and FUN!!! ... [/B]

It's on the list! Sounds like some serious fun.
Found another great spot Saturday on the Fall River. Fifteen minutes from my house, interesting rock formations, easy in and out, 62 degrees and a school of around 100 trout (that were starting to get a little friendly by the end of the dive.) Found a ring. Had a blast. I think that river diving is the only way to go in this part of the world. At least until they get blocked up with ice flows. ;-0 The interestomg thing is that these spots are just local swimming holes, this one on a rather small river, maybe 15 yards/meters across. It narrows into a small channel and then opens into a deep pool (23 feet/7 meters deep.) Small but very fun. Had a lot of fun trying to swim up the narrow channel with the current trying to grab my mask.

 

[budgy]

I heard that river was to thin to plow and to thick to drink.