Week of diving

[CMAN]

We started our week of diving last Sat at White Star Quarry. My son is working towards his divemaster cert and had to work with OW students so my daughter and I made a dive where she worked on her bouyancy which she handled well. She only has three or four dives since her cert last summer but she's coming along just fine. The daughter only wanted to do one dive (she's a warm water wiennie) so I tagged along with the OW students for the next dive. On Sunday it was just my son and I returning to the quarry so he could finish his work with the students. While he was on his first dive I was getting set up to try out one of the Whites Fusion Drysuits. They were there doing a promotion so I figured what the heck I'ld try it. I went down to the platform and played there to get use to it then we went over to the bouyancy rings and played there for a while. My observation was it is more steamline in the water (I dive a DUI 450) and thus easier to swim with and more flexable too but it is kind of hard to put on but I imagine you would get use to that. On Mon my buddy Ed and I hooked up the boat (after the thunderstorms) and towed it to Port Sanilac. We put the boat in but the waves where a little too rough so we got a dock for the night and went back to the mobile in Lexington. Tuesday we went out to the New York but there wasn't a bouy on her or the Checota so we went over to the Col. A.B. Williams (see picture). Viz was about 30-40 ft and bottom temp was 46* Our next dive was going to be the F.B. Gardner but again there wasn't a bouy so we went to the North Star (stern). Viz was about 10-15 ft. and bottom temp was 46*. We returned to port and got the dock for another night and went to get our tanks filled. The shop in Port Sanilac wasn't open (as usual) and the phone number I had for the guy to meet us there was disconected so we drove back to Port Huron and filled our tanks (next time I'll bring more tanks). On Wednesday my son joined us and we went to the Mary Alice B. Viz was about 30-40 ft. and temp was 48*. We swam around her for awhile then return to the boat. It was a little choppy and while we were ungearing Ed's weight pouch must have fallen out of his BC:depressed: which we didn't notice until we were back in the boat. So we dropped a shot-line down and our next dive was looking for the weight pouch which we never found so if anybody finds it he would appriciate it you would return it (darn pouch's are expensive not to mention the lead). We get a day off today and then its off to Kingston on Friday to dive the St. Lawrence River for the week-end.

 

[CMAN]

I'll try the picture again

 

[CMAN]

The heck with the picture it wasn't that good anyway!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BoneCrusher]

Its amazing, the lines keep getting cut on the New York and the Checotah. I think Rick has set about 4 or more markers on the New York so far this year!

Sounds like the Mary Alice B is the place to loose gear! Another Scubaboard member (who shall not be named) decided to drop his camera off the dive boat on that wreck. Good thing there was an experienced diver around to locate the lost camera for unmentioned diver!

I am amazed on the NorthStar. The stern always seems to have so-so vis, but a couple weeks ago we dove the bow and the vis was great!

 

[Jendra]

Sounds like an interesting week CMAN! Too bad the photos didn't work.


Hey Bonecrusher.. so what happens if I mention the names??

 

[CMAN]

WEEK OF DIVING PART 2: We drove back home Wed after diving and spent Thrusday getting the gear ready so we could get on the road to Rockport (east of Kingston) early Friday morning, well mother nature had other plans and the thunderstorm knocked the power out and I spent the night swapping the cords from the small generator from the refrigerators and the freezer. In the morning we still didn't have power so I tried hooking the big generator up (need 220 for the well)so we didn't get on the road until noon. The drive to Rockport should have taken about 7 hrs. but the traffic was bad and it took us 2 1/2 hrs. just to get thru Toronto! We arrived at Caigers Resort around 9:30 PM got our room and crashed. On Sat. we had breakfast and then drove to Brockton to meet the dive boat. Our first dive was the wreck of the Daryaw (89 Ft. max and 73*). This was my first time diving the St. Lawrence River so I didn't take the camera and it was just as well because the viz was 10-15 Ft. and there was a pretty good current. Our next dive was the Lillie Parsons (62 Ft. max and 73*) the current was a bit less but the viz improved to 15-20 Ft. On Sun we got on the boat right at Caigers and went over to the American side and had to go thru customs before we could dive. Our fist dive was the Keystorm (111 Ft. and 73*) viz was 20-25 Ft. This wreck was definately the highlight of the trip. She is a 260 Ft freighter that hit a shoal and sank right on the slope. She is pretty much intack with the bow in 21 ft. and the stern in 112 ft. I brought my camera for this dive but it flooded as soon as I got it underwater so I handed it back to the deckhand and continued my dive. This is the second time this has happened (Sealife DSC 800) and I tripple checked the o-ring before closing the housing and we checked it as soon as we got back on board and could find nothing wrong with the o-ring! Anyway the dive was great as there was very little current and with the ship on her side you could explore her very easily. Our second dive was the America (75 Ft and 73*) viz was 20-25 Ft. This is a barge that was used to dynamite the bottom (it solid rock) to deepen the shipping channel. She was struck by lightning the dynamite exploded and sent he to the bottom. She is lying up-side down with lots of fish (mostly walleye) around her. I did have a three foot eel swim right next to me while we were under the wreck. You have to stay off the bottom because there is oil there and it does make one heck of a mess to your wetsuit. We got back to the dock and had to wait for Canadian Customs to come and clear us then we loaded up and drove home (we only loss about 1/2 hr. going thru Toronto this time). All in all it was a great week of diving.