Would like help choosing a Beginner dive site in eastern Ontario.

[337]

Hi, I just recieved my certification and I'm having trouble finding a location of a nice beginner's diving site around Eastern Ontario.

I tried a few locations threads, but haven't found anything nearby.

I know about Centeen park in Brockville, but what are some others more east of that (I'm from Quebec)?

I'm looking for...

-A shore dive site (Don't have money to rent a boat).
-Someplace around 50 feet depth with something ice to see.

Also, since I've never done this sort of thing, what do you guys do with your cars? Do you leave them on the side of a road somewhere or do you find a paking lot of somesort and enter the water from there (If shore diving)?

Thanks in advance from a beginner!

 

[artw]

the best beginner level shore dives in the Brockville area are-
Prescott Docks, right downtown by the pier - max 40 feet, there is a little playground with various things and a little wreck too
Conestoga - in Cardinal about 20 minutes east of Brockville. its right on the shore, down the gravel road past the Legion. about 25-30 feet deep. its a wooden cargo boat that burned in the lock and sank.
Rothesay. its just east of Prescott on Highway 2. you cant miss it, there is a parking area and a portapotty. (don't use this). Rothesay is a broken up wooden paddlewheeler about 30 feet deep. Lots of fish! its like an aquarium.

If you do find a boat and want something a little deeper the Gaskin, is about 55 feet deep and its a very nice beginner boat dive in Brockville

 

[jonnythan]

The Gaskin can definitely be done from shore.. it's only about a 10 minute swim out, which you can do on the bottom if you bring enough gas, or on the surface and isn't a big deal.

 

[artw]

for sure yes, but I would be hesitant to recommend the gaskin as a shore dive to a new diver, for various reasons.

 

[chip104]

for sure yes, but I would be hesitant to recommend the gaskin as a shore dive to a new diver, for various reasons.

care to share these various reasons? for the benefit of the others on the board. Thanks.

 

[stisso]

care to share these various reasons? for the benefit of the others on the board. Thanks.

Yes, please share...just curious, since I'm doing the dive tomorrow (though with a boat).

Note on Rothesay: silty fun. Best to go early before the muckdivers show up. Glad I experienced that on my certification dives...it was horror-movie-ish. That being said, it's hard to get lost when there's a rope that takes you all the way to the boat, and it's a fun dive.

 

[canuckdiver]

To do the Gaskin as a shore dive, you have to swim out to the wreck across a very heavy boat traffic area. Doing it on the bottom is fine, but requires a fair bit of gas (more than an AL80). Doing it as a surface swim, you run the risk of some boater running over you (we all know how good they are about paying attention).

 

[CUunderH2O]

The viz on the Rothesay has been disgustingly poor for the past week. I dove it yesterday and it looked like it had been silted up recently, only there was no-one there. It is an easy dive, however, what with the lines, as there is practically no current, and is barely 30 ft max depth. Lots of fish, as Art mentioned, and free parking/porta-potty/change area & picnic table.

There is parking at the Conestoga, only Saturday mornings are iffy, it gets full quickly.
Prescott Docks has a lot of parking, too.

 

[stisso]

The viz on the Rothesay has been disgustingly poor for the past week. I dove it yesterday and it looked like it had been silted up recently, only there was no-one there. It is an easy dive, however, what with the lines, as there is practically no current, and is barely 30 ft max depth. Lots of fish, as Art mentioned, and free parking/porta-potty/change area & picnic table.

There is parking at the Conestoga, only Saturday mornings are iffy, it gets full quickly.
Prescott Docks has a lot of parking, too.

That blows. I was going to take my hubby there on Sunday. Maybe some people silted it up then left??? I know that muck stays around for a long time.

 

[337]

Being new to this, I have no idea what to expect. From what it sounds like, the Gaskin, the Rothesay and the Conestoga are heavily frequented by people. What is heavily frequented? How many people, on average visit those wrecks a day? How early in the morning is the best time to go.

I'm going to definetely start out with either the Connie or the Rothesay.