Beginner dive location near London

[Mikey0929]

Hello,

My girlfriend and I have completed our OW certification and want to get out for a dive that is relatively simple for our first dive. I have had Portage Quarry in the states suggested to me but am wondering if it's a good spot to go or if there is something a little closer to try out? Innerkip, which is about 30 min away, I have been told is a write off anytime after the end of June for vis as well as the ear infection factor... Is there anything that can be suggested?

Thanks in advance!

Mike

 

[bigz]

We dove Innerkip this past Monday. Viz = 6' - 10' Temp about 70F Very slight thermo @ 20'. Had a great dive. HOWEVER the surface animal life can be a bit disturbing unless you enjoy watching lots of ugly people ( and a few not so ugly ones) drinking beer and smoking up. Not as bad as in past years, but very crowded on the weekends. Get there early and enjoy your dive. NOTE - the air station was closed.

Neil

 

[clarktenk]

Hey Mikey welcome to the board. I am from London as well. You might consider a dive at the csl docks in the St. clair river. It's a drift dive but it's only 30 ft, so you should be fine. You might consider dropping in a Cross Current Divers and get in on one of their Tuesday night dives in the St. Clair

 

[Groundhog246]

You might consider a dive at the csl docks in the St. clair river. It's a drift dive but it's only 30 ft, so you should be fine. You might consider dropping in a Cross Current Divers and get in on one of their Tuesday night dives in the St. Clair

I haven't done that particular dive, but from talking to those who have, it is NOT a beginners dive. I'm given to understand it's a fast drift and you're on the edge of a shipping channel and can quickly get in trouble. (That would be most of the reason I haven't dove it).

London, like Kitchener, doesn't have a lot of dive sites close by. There are some shallower wrecks in Lake Erie that the charters run to. And you can do a beach dive to the boneyard in Goderich (enter by the "Arches" on the road to the main beach). There's the quarry in St. Mary's, but vis there also gets bad as the water warms up.

 

[deepstop]

I am also from London ..local dives would be
the wexford out of grand bend ( contact scubaquest charters)
Innerkip is ok up till the end of june.
Port dover on lake erie has some dives for beginners ( contact long point divers
Port Sanilac Mich on lake huron has lots of good wrecks in the 40 -70 ft range ( contact rec & tech charters)
I do not reccomend st clair river in sarnia for beginners as the currents can be very strong and unpredictable

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

They are building condos along the river front in Sarnia. Access to the river down to the casino will be closed during construction. Once the condos are built there will only be 2 or 3 access points for drop offs only, no parking there anymore. They should be started by now?

 

[Groundhog246]

I wouldn't call the Wexford a simple beginners dive either. Depth can easily exceed those that your average OW student is certified and trained for.

 

[scratchmyback]

They are building condos along the river front in Sarnia. Access to the river down to the casino will be closed during construction. Once the condos are built there will only be 2 or 3 access points for drop offs only, no parking there anymore. They should be started by now?

No the parking lot is still there, no construction yet. We were there on Saturday. I didn't dive but others who did said the viz was horrible.

 

[NARCOSISOFTHERIVER]

I did my open water at the C.S.L. docks and it was a blast! Go out about 20 feet from the entry point(25-30 ft.deep) and let the mild current pull you along for about 40 ft. then head for shore. A natural cross current will bring you back, with a little kicking, past the 100 year old wooden pylons to your point of entry. Vis was about 20 feet.