Anyone down for lake Martin?

[BNow0707]

See post below, this one screwed up.

 

[BNow0707]

Us that know the lake know that it's still too expletive deleted cold.

Exactly how cold is that for you? The surface temps on Lake Martin have been in the mid to upper 60's for the past few weeks. Granted it will be colder at depth but who says you gotta go deep as long as your say 20-30ft and outta the way of boat traffic.

 

[Tom Smedley]

Nah =- I'm not elitist. I will dive the lake in the winter but don't find it to be comfortable. We usually get some very long dives in the warmer weather. Most times greater than an hour to get out to the middle of the lake on one side of the span and back on the other and being able to scope it all out. You will have to go at least 30 feet (unless you stay on top of the concrete) if you leave from the shore and go to the shallower portion at the north end. Water below the first thermocline is most likely in the 50s.

I would stop by on my way to the farm for a short dip but if I were driving from a distance I would like the water to be warm enough for some long dives.

The north end of the bridge was blown and the timbers lay in no particular pattern - just strewn in every direction. The roadbed is somewhat intact but is also scattered. The first rock piling is still in place and is nice to look at. The north end gets deep very quickly.

The south end of the bridge collapsed from the beach end out and the road bed is in very good shape is is mostly intact. The timbers lay generally in the same direction and are not scattered. You can go almost to the middle of the lake in shallow water which makes for long interesting dives. Far out in the lake is a rocky ridge that is sort of shallow. There are some nice bottles there because they are not sunken into deep silt and not that many folks go out that far. Msquare and I did get our dive flag stolen from atop our heads in this area.

Sorry if I sounded like a snob to you cause I'm not.

 

[mike_s]

Didn't you post this exact same thing about 2 years ago? Don't get me wrong I respect your 3,000+ dives and I have found your messages entertaining and informative but I also feel cold is a very relative thing. I personally do not find the water of the lake that chilly though I have not dove all that deep in it. BTW the entire message sounds elitist, and while I feel your extensive dive history does warrant it to some extent, it does put people off. I mean hell I did enjoy myself a couple weeks ago, it would have been considered cold by some and the vis was not the best but it was fun to just dive....I guess thats all some people need (me in particular ). I'm afraid I'm coming off like an ******* and I really don't mean to be. I really would like to come dive with you guys when you dive the lake again, but for now I don't mind the cool water and I actually think Morrison was colder last time I dove it (Plus I'm poor and lake Martin is the closest dive spot to me )

**edited for spelling

wow.... Tom offers to "arrange to meet you for a grand diving experience" at this site and this is your reply?

Maybe this was his reply 2 years ago because it was "cold then also". It takes the water a while to warm up as summer approaches. (I'm talking the deeper water where the thermocline is, not surface temp). happens every year, right about the same time....

You should take the time to go dive him as he's offered. You will most likely learn something.

 

[bamamedic]

Is it going to be colder than ABWA?

 

[John L.]

wow.... Tom offers to "arrange to meet you for a grand diving experience" at this site and this is your reply?

Maybe this was his reply 2 years ago because it was "cold then also". It takes the water a while to warm up as summer approaches. (I'm talking the deeper water where the thermocline is, not surface temp). happens every year, right about the same time....

You should take the time to go dive him as he's offered. You will most likely learn something.

I'd definitely like to take Tom up on his offer... and Tom I don't think your a snob, just had a few beers last night and getting cranky due to my lack of diving this year . Sorry, and thanks for all the info on the bridge.

 

[John L.]

Is it going to be colder than ABWA?

How cold is ABWA, I havn't had a chance to dive there yet. When I was at the lake couple weeks ago the surface temp was low 70's and at 30 feet it was low 60's, The area we chose to dive on this occasion didn't get much deeper than that.

 

[bamamedic]

Yippee! Considering I got certified last November, and dove all winter at Vortex and ABWA (in a wetsuit) ...low 70's and low 60's is practically bathwater

I'm not entirely sure if I can make it... but I should know by the end of the day.

 

[Tom Smedley]

What I didn't mention was that in Jan and Feb the water is the same temperature from surface to bottom. This is actually the best time to dive the deeper sites. As the thermocline starts to descend in the spring the silt and trash gets trapped in the cold water layer. Visibility beneath the thermocline is sometimes zero. In June or July the main thermocline is down to about 40 feet and gives you a great deal better visibility and a much more comfortable dive.

Rick Murchison was up there about a month ago and forgot his hood. He went ahead and did a 30 or so minute dive and it took quite a while and some Sam Adams for him to recover his body temperature.

We're looking really forward to the diving season up there because it is near and the price is right. Plus there is Sinclair's restaurant for a fine decompression stop.

 

[John L.]

Yippee! Considering I got certified last November, and dove all winter at Vortex and ABWA (in a wetsuit) ...low 70's and low 60's is practically bathwater

I'm not entirely sure if I can make it... but I should know by the end of the day.

I'm not sure what the temp will be below that, but if Tom or Mike are around one of them should be able to tell us at what depth and temp the thermocline typicaly is.

LOL I started my certification in late september last year. Maybe thats one reason I don't mind the water being non-tropical...It's all I really know

Well off to work, I'll check the post again tonight