I thought I would post my comments on my trip of Dale Hollow. This is my first trip report, so if I left anything out, just ask.
Friday I went down to Dale Hollow Lake with the Louisville Dive Center. We stayed on trooper island, Kentucky State Police: Trooper Island, for the price of 75.00 including food. It is a nice island, and the 75.00 benefits the island to bring children go for camp. Look at google maps and the island is just south of the KY lake Resort. From my understanding, these trips are done about 4 times during the summer.
This was my first real dives outside of Joe's falling rock quarry and I can say this is what real diving is about.
Friday night: two hour dive off the boat ramp. Water was about 85.00 and fairly murky. The thermo was about 25 feet and dropped to about 79 degrees. When dropping to the thermo, the water was very muddy and you could not see until you were on the bottom. There was a significant amount of boat traffic in the area.
Saturday Morning 8am EST: We completed a 72 minute dive on the Tennessee side of the island. Visibility was about 20 feet and the thermo was at about 25-27 feet. A boat came over and I couldn't believe how loud it was. It was rather scary. This was the first time where I realized that surfacing can not be an option in some instances. We saw several small schools of fish and lots of tree stumps.
At 11 we found someone to take our tanks to the Willow Grove Marina to have the tanks filled. There is a special number to call to make sure the person is there to fill the tanks. The air is 10 per tank and it is done on a cascading system so it was about an 1 and 1/2 hours to fill 8 tanks and to get there and back. I have heard stories of needing to drop the tanks off over night and come back. I don't know the number but I am sure the marina could give you the guys number.
Saturday afternoon 1pm: We went around the south end of the island from the south up to the dock. The area is very shallow (see google maps), but we saw multiple turtles and turtle eggs. The dive lasted about 80 minutes and had 20 ft horizontal vis.
Saturday evening night dive: We dove the area around the dock again. this was my first real night dive. We saw some very very large mussels. The cove mid way up has some old junk from the 50s-60s and was a nice little treasure hunt.
Sunday morning 8am: Willow grove school house. The dive is about 16 feet and fairly clear. The foundation is not visible from the surface but is buoyed off. There is a basement you can go in with the wood framing still around the door up through the stairs. We had a good 45 minute dive here.
Sunday 10am: Shore dive in the area of the marina. I got down to 27 feet and didn't see very much but some small schools of fish. Areas tend to sloped just like one would see on a hill.
One place we didn't dive, but was discussed is a place called divers rock. It is a small island on the way to willow grove. It basically is a large rock with one tree on top, you can't miss it. One side is 60 ft deep and the other is 100. On the 100 foot side, there is an old rope ladder, or remnants of it. The dive master said it is not worth going to except at night. He said at night, there are many large fish that hang out there.
There are many places and foundations that have not been found and people are looking for. There is rumors of a mill not far from trooper island.
Over all the water is fairly clear and warm, but the boats do due a number on it. Best diving is in the morning. The thermo is very odd. Once you get to it, it looks like your typical top of a hot grill except it is very muddy, almost spooky like. I am sure most of you know what I am talking about.
The major problem with this area is the boats. Nobody seems to know what a diver flag is and to exercise caution.
Thanks,
Jerrod
Friday I went down to Dale Hollow Lake with the Louisville Dive Center. We stayed on trooper island, Kentucky State Police: Trooper Island, for the price of 75.00 including food. It is a nice island, and the 75.00 benefits the island to bring children go for camp. Look at google maps and the island is just south of the KY lake Resort. From my understanding, these trips are done about 4 times during the summer.
This was my first real dives outside of Joe's falling rock quarry and I can say this is what real diving is about.
Friday night: two hour dive off the boat ramp. Water was about 85.00 and fairly murky. The thermo was about 25 feet and dropped to about 79 degrees. When dropping to the thermo, the water was very muddy and you could not see until you were on the bottom. There was a significant amount of boat traffic in the area.
Saturday Morning 8am EST: We completed a 72 minute dive on the Tennessee side of the island. Visibility was about 20 feet and the thermo was at about 25-27 feet. A boat came over and I couldn't believe how loud it was. It was rather scary. This was the first time where I realized that surfacing can not be an option in some instances. We saw several small schools of fish and lots of tree stumps.
At 11 we found someone to take our tanks to the Willow Grove Marina to have the tanks filled. There is a special number to call to make sure the person is there to fill the tanks. The air is 10 per tank and it is done on a cascading system so it was about an 1 and 1/2 hours to fill 8 tanks and to get there and back. I have heard stories of needing to drop the tanks off over night and come back. I don't know the number but I am sure the marina could give you the guys number.
Saturday afternoon 1pm: We went around the south end of the island from the south up to the dock. The area is very shallow (see google maps), but we saw multiple turtles and turtle eggs. The dive lasted about 80 minutes and had 20 ft horizontal vis.
Saturday evening night dive: We dove the area around the dock again. this was my first real night dive. We saw some very very large mussels. The cove mid way up has some old junk from the 50s-60s and was a nice little treasure hunt.
Sunday morning 8am: Willow grove school house. The dive is about 16 feet and fairly clear. The foundation is not visible from the surface but is buoyed off. There is a basement you can go in with the wood framing still around the door up through the stairs. We had a good 45 minute dive here.
Sunday 10am: Shore dive in the area of the marina. I got down to 27 feet and didn't see very much but some small schools of fish. Areas tend to sloped just like one would see on a hill.
One place we didn't dive, but was discussed is a place called divers rock. It is a small island on the way to willow grove. It basically is a large rock with one tree on top, you can't miss it. One side is 60 ft deep and the other is 100. On the 100 foot side, there is an old rope ladder, or remnants of it. The dive master said it is not worth going to except at night. He said at night, there are many large fish that hang out there.
There are many places and foundations that have not been found and people are looking for. There is rumors of a mill not far from trooper island.
Over all the water is fairly clear and warm, but the boats do due a number on it. Best diving is in the morning. The thermo is very odd. Once you get to it, it looks like your typical top of a hot grill except it is very muddy, almost spooky like. I am sure most of you know what I am talking about.
The major problem with this area is the boats. Nobody seems to know what a diver flag is and to exercise caution.
Thanks,
Jerrod
Last edited:
