Anyone down for lake Martin?
- Thread starter John L.
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Kevin Carlisle
Contributor
I agree with Tommy that it is too cold for an enjoyable dive but if you avoid the thermo cline it may be pleasant for you, seems too cold for me and I dive dry. A buddy of mine dives it quite a bit and is wanting to go Saturday morning and is looking at low 60s surface and mid 50s below the thermocline. Like you said John, it is cheap and close and I dont think I will be traveling this weekend. Tommy if you care to get wet and you and MM want to dive give me a call.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
aquaknott
Contributor
Me and some frineds of mine as crazy as we are dive LAke Martin quite often. In fact we have made several dives on it already this year and i can tell you from experience that what Tom is telling you is true, it can get very uncomfortable not to mention the visibility can be very bad. However if you are just wanting to get wet you are always welcome to come jump in when we go just be prepared for the cold. We dive in 5mm suits, 7mm hoods and 5-7mm gloves. The cold finds you no matter how well you think you are suited for it.
Just for future advice while you are a new and upcoming diver with limited experience don't let yourself be fooled into doing stuff your not trained or ready for. Diving is not for the people that are trying to prove how tuff they are or how bad A** they can be. Divng is for the level headed and calm individuals who enjoy doing something simply for the sheer enjoyment, and when someone with TOM's level of experience gives you advice I would take it a little more seriously.
Anyway I am off my soap box now, LOL. Enjoy your dving.
Just for future advice while you are a new and upcoming diver with limited experience don't let yourself be fooled into doing stuff your not trained or ready for. Diving is not for the people that are trying to prove how tuff they are or how bad A** they can be. Divng is for the level headed and calm individuals who enjoy doing something simply for the sheer enjoyment, and when someone with TOM's level of experience gives you advice I would take it a little more seriously.
Anyway I am off my soap box now, LOL. Enjoy your dving.
I hope you don't feel as if I think myself some sort of bad ass, that is far from the truth. I dive because I enjoy diving, not because I feel it makes me any better than anyone else (if you recall one of the reasons I had a problem with Tom's original post is because i felt it was elitist, though, I realize now it was not.) Also, I fully respect Tom's advice, mainly because of his experience (not much else to base it on, never met the man). And I don't dive past my limits. If I felt the need to call a dive, because of cold or any other reason, I would. I'm also OK if at any time my buddie were uncomfortable and wanted to call the dive ,or move above the thermocline. Although I don't know if a shallower depth would be okay with Bamamedic, having to make the 2hr drive to the lake. And as I have said before, I was there about 2 weeks ago though no deeper than 35ft for 45 min , 2/3 wet suit, no gloves, no hood, no hypothermia. *returns soap box to aquaknott
*
bamamedic
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*stealing the soapbox*
I'm completely OK with a shallow dive...I was actually going to talk to you about that before we went diving. Considering our combined relative inexperience, I didn't want to go below 60 feet anyways.
The weather looks OK for that day...80 degrees-ish, but there is a forecast for scattered thunderstorms in the area, which makes me a bit concerned, especially if there turns out to be any sort of lightening.
Aside from the thunderstorms, it looks like a great day for a drive/dive, so I'm in
Do you have a dive flag? I don't have one...I might be able to borrow one, though.
Where and what time do you want to meet? I'm unfamiliar with the area...and is there any place to get a tank filled nearby?
I'll be in the gray Miata with an Alabama paramedic sticker on the bumper...
I'm completely OK with a shallow dive...I was actually going to talk to you about that before we went diving. Considering our combined relative inexperience, I didn't want to go below 60 feet anyways.
The weather looks OK for that day...80 degrees-ish, but there is a forecast for scattered thunderstorms in the area, which makes me a bit concerned, especially if there turns out to be any sort of lightening.
Aside from the thunderstorms, it looks like a great day for a drive/dive, so I'm in
Do you have a dive flag? I don't have one...I might be able to borrow one, though.
Where and what time do you want to meet? I'm unfamiliar with the area...and is there any place to get a tank filled nearby?
I'll be in the gray Miata with an Alabama paramedic sticker on the bumper...
*stealing the soapbox*
I'm completely OK with a shallow dive...I was actually going to talk to you about that before we went diving. Considering our combined relative inexperience, I didn't want to go below 60 feet anyways.
The weather looks OK for that day...80 degrees-ish, but there is a forecast for scattered thunderstorms in the area, which makes me a bit concerned, especially if there turns out to be any sort of lightening.
Aside from the thunderstorms, it looks like a great day for a drive/dive, so I'm in
Do you have a dive flag? I don't have one...I might be able to borrow one, though.
Where and what time do you want to meet? I'm unfamiliar with the area...and is there any place to get a tank filled nearby?
I'll be in the gray Miata with an Alabama paramedic sticker on the bumper...
Awesome
, as far as the dive flag goes it's something I need to buy anyway and am positive, if I don't purchase one tomorrow, I can borrow one from a friend. I'm not sure what the closest shop on your way would be, we have Adventure Sports as the LDS here in Auburn but I'm on the other side of the lake. You might want to get your tank filled there and bring it...if not I would be willing to rent a couple more (will shops let you rent a few tanks???)...I think there $6 a piece here. I was planning on renting 2 for myself. Not sure of any places to meet up in the immediate vicinity but I'll check and if anyone on here has any suggetions... let us know. So I suppose it's go for Thursday. Anyone else want to meet up?
bamamedic
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Sweet! What time do you want to meet up?
I'll just get my tanks filled Wednesday at ABWA...
I'll just get my tanks filled Wednesday at ABWA...
I can't go during this week but if you do go Thursday please let me know conditions. I am thinking of going Saturday morning. Probably the best place for you two to meet is the Kowaliga Marina. Try lunch at Sinclairs out on the point. You won't regret it.
If you go to the Kowaliga Marina you will see the Church in the Pines across the road. Park along that rock wall and then you will see a barracade where the old highway used to be. Go to the left of that barracade down to the water and you will have the old road on your right. There are two fiber optic cables that go across the lake. If you go to the end of the roadbed and take a compass heading on the willow tree across the lake - you will begin to see pilings that were cut off about two feet high. Then a pile of wooden beams. There was a line going out last year. Finally you will find the concrete roadbed laying at a 60 or so degree angle to the east. You must move off the concrete to find anything. We usually keep the concrete on the right going out. You will get to an area that is shallow and is rocky (fist size flint). There are some christmas trees filled with fingerlings. Cross over the concrete and come back with it on your right still. The water is deeper on the east side so you may have some cold and bad vis. If so stay on the concrete. You will come to the end of the concrete. If you stay on the east side of the rubble you will find some more Christmas trees. They are filled with fingerlings and there is usually a two-foot or so catfish hidden in the trees or just laying out on the timbers. There is also some old stereo equipment scattered about. Look for lures.
Go west and if you see a line going off to the west follow it. You will cross the fiber optic cable. Keep following it at about 30 feet and you will come across some old boats. These are very fragile so if you see them please don't touch or pull on them because they come apart easily. This is the famed ghost fleet. if you keep on this contour you will see more.
Have lunch at Sinclairs - you won't regret it.
The north end of the bridge is at the public boat ramp. There is a fence that is marked private property that is set aside for the Elmore County Sheriff's dept. Go to the right of the barracade down the bank and stay close tot he roadbed. Go to the end of the roadbed and then take a heading on the road across the lake. The old road is not exactly parallel to the new bridge. The water gets deep in a hurry here. The bridge on this side of the lake is not as intact as the south side. You have to be careful here with your flag line because of timbers jutting every direction. At the bottom you will see the mile marker zero sign and one of the old channel marker lights. Then there is the rock piling that marked the north end of the metal span.
Do carry a flag. The Marine Police up there does not seem to care about folks running your flas or stealing it from you but they will and have written tickets for divers not having one or not being close enough to it.
If you get off the structure just go north or go west and you will intersect the fiber optic cable.
Have fun!!
If you go to the Kowaliga Marina you will see the Church in the Pines across the road. Park along that rock wall and then you will see a barracade where the old highway used to be. Go to the left of that barracade down to the water and you will have the old road on your right. There are two fiber optic cables that go across the lake. If you go to the end of the roadbed and take a compass heading on the willow tree across the lake - you will begin to see pilings that were cut off about two feet high. Then a pile of wooden beams. There was a line going out last year. Finally you will find the concrete roadbed laying at a 60 or so degree angle to the east. You must move off the concrete to find anything. We usually keep the concrete on the right going out. You will get to an area that is shallow and is rocky (fist size flint). There are some christmas trees filled with fingerlings. Cross over the concrete and come back with it on your right still. The water is deeper on the east side so you may have some cold and bad vis. If so stay on the concrete. You will come to the end of the concrete. If you stay on the east side of the rubble you will find some more Christmas trees. They are filled with fingerlings and there is usually a two-foot or so catfish hidden in the trees or just laying out on the timbers. There is also some old stereo equipment scattered about. Look for lures.
Go west and if you see a line going off to the west follow it. You will cross the fiber optic cable. Keep following it at about 30 feet and you will come across some old boats. These are very fragile so if you see them please don't touch or pull on them because they come apart easily. This is the famed ghost fleet. if you keep on this contour you will see more.
Have lunch at Sinclairs - you won't regret it.
The north end of the bridge is at the public boat ramp. There is a fence that is marked private property that is set aside for the Elmore County Sheriff's dept. Go to the right of the barracade down the bank and stay close tot he roadbed. Go to the end of the roadbed and then take a heading on the road across the lake. The old road is not exactly parallel to the new bridge. The water gets deep in a hurry here. The bridge on this side of the lake is not as intact as the south side. You have to be careful here with your flag line because of timbers jutting every direction. At the bottom you will see the mile marker zero sign and one of the old channel marker lights. Then there is the rock piling that marked the north end of the metal span.
Do carry a flag. The Marine Police up there does not seem to care about folks running your flas or stealing it from you but they will and have written tickets for divers not having one or not being close enough to it.
If you get off the structure just go north or go west and you will intersect the fiber optic cable.
Have fun!!
bamamedic
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10am or later would be good for me...I guess it's about a 2 hour drive, and I can't see myself getting up any earlier than 7am
I totally suck at directions (I could get lost in a paper sack!) so if you want to meet somewhere in town (say, Alexander City, if that's close to you), I could just follow you to the dive site.
I'll bring two tanks also, so we can go for two dives, if we're not too cold LOL
Is the dive site relatively safe? I don't have an extra car key, so I've got no way to lock my keys in my car. Maybe I could lock the keys in your car?
Anyways, looking forward to meeting you! What kind of car do you drive? (so I know what to look for)
I totally suck at directions (I could get lost in a paper sack!) so if you want to meet somewhere in town (say, Alexander City, if that's close to you), I could just follow you to the dive site.
I'll bring two tanks also, so we can go for two dives, if we're not too cold LOL
Is the dive site relatively safe? I don't have an extra car key, so I've got no way to lock my keys in my car. Maybe I could lock the keys in your car?
Anyways, looking forward to meeting you! What kind of car do you drive? (so I know what to look for)
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