Local 'body of water' exploration

[rocketry]

I am not an explorer. But I do enjoy new challenges.

My family owns a country house in upstate New York, which is directly on a lake (Lake Louise Marie). It is a man made lake, whose depth maxes out at ~30ft near the middle. While the visibility is far from perfect, I have surely dove in much worse. My question is: what kind of surveying is necessary before I could reasonably deem this lake (or a small portion of it) safe to dive in? While boat traffic and water-temp could be accounted for, I am very nervous regarding any unforeseen 'circumstances' that could jeopardize a dive team's safety. Entanglement (due to moderate fishing on the lake) and silt are risks that I think can be managed. But, there are many things that could go wrong, in my opinion. What are your views on this situation? What would YOU do before you jumped in? Would you at all? I am leaning towards the NO side, but I think it would be interesting to hear your opinions.

---ryan dellolio (heavy scubaboard'er 3 months ago, resuming his habit)

P.S. I am traveling on the RCCL Enchantment of the Seas, departing Feb. 17 from Fort Lauderdale. I am planning to book dive trips in both of our ports of call: Georgetown, GC and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Anyone else going to be on this cruise? I had a horrible time finding a buddy, last cruise, when I booked through the cruiseline. I would love dive with a SB buddy, and would feel more comfortable with an outside diveop that I was recommended to. Thanks!

 

[Crazy Fingers]

I say just make sure you've got a knife and/or shears so you can cut yourself out of a sticky situation. If visibility is really bad, it'll practically be a solo dive so keep your **** together. Be prepared for an absolutely wicked thermocline. Other than that, just get in there and dive it. Concern and thoughtfulness about risk are healthy, but paranoia will just ruin your fun.

Of course, I am reckless and have a death wish.

 

[Gary D.]

These little man made lakes and ponds can, I specify Can, be some of the most dangerous diving rec divers will ever do.

They become attractions for everybody with a child. People that have never been fishing in their life will take their children to them to teach them how to fish.

So now you have non fishermen who don’t have a clue as to what is in there using line and tackle they don’t have a clue as to what it’s for.

I mean you might have a Crappie lake and so called fisherman using line and tackle suitable for Marlin.

If they used Crappie gear in a Crappie lake it wouldn’t be a big deal because you can usually swim right through moderate amounts of the light tackle. But when they start using stuff like Spider Wire and hooks the size of your sun glasses the water now becomes a serious hazard.

On a search a couple of years ago I ended up with an 8” lure in my hand and about half a roll of about 40# line coiled over my body. When I got to the surface it took about ten minutes to cut it off of me. Not quite appropriate for the lake because the biggest thing in there might be a 2# Bass or 12" Trout.

Then there is the special sauce you need for the hooks, eggs, lure’s and worms. Everyone has seen it, Beer. It comes in Kegs, cans and bottles but for some reason they have to bring bottles and they need to be tossed into the lake after they break a few.

While sitting there fishing people get bored when their not biting and decide to clean out the car or pick-up which hasn’t been cleaned for several years.

In goes every bit of thrash the now intoxicated so called fisherman/babysitter can find. That might include old fast food, the containers, rusty old broken tools, hose clamps, hypodermic needles, other drug paraphernalia, the washer and dryer they have put off taking to the dump, a few dozen used condoms, and an old tire.

So just make sure you are prepared to encounter some if not all of these and more. Those cute close by little bodies of water take on a whole different appearance below the surface.

I didn’t do this to scare you off but just make you aware to take it slow and be ready for whatever.

Enjoy

Gary D.

 

[Dive-aholic]

I would check it out. But I've also been in several lakes in Arizona just because they're there and they're wet. With manmade lakes, your main concern will be trees or bushes that were in the basin before it was filled with water. Another issue might be the dam, but in a 30' deep lake, I don't think you have much to worry about. it's not like you'll find big intakes on the dam. Just go for it. And take it slow. Make sure you have shore support. If the visibility is so bad you can't see your gauges, then abort the dive. It's not worth it if you can't see anything. If you have a foot or two of visibility, then you might want your shore support to tender a line. This will help keep the dive team together. If you have at least 5' of visibility, they just stay close to each other. As for a thermocline, in a 30' lake, I doubt you'll find one. It'll probably be cold from surface to bottom.

And take Gary's warnings to heart. Arizona's lakes are all manmade (except one) and for the sole purpose of boating and fishing. I really haven't come across too much fishing line, but I do carry a z-knife for when I do. I also haven't come across too many hooks except on the bottom. So just stay off the bottom. As for the trash, it's rampant in Arizona. I usually take a mesh bag along to collect the trash.

 

[ScottB]

you MIGHT want to see about getting a water sample tested for nasty biologicals... small relatively stagnant bodies of water are generally breeding pools for bad bacteria...

 

[JahJahwarrior]

P.S. I am traveling on the RCCL Enchantment of the Seas, departing Feb. 17 from Fort Lauderdale. I am planning to book dive trips in both of our ports of call: Georgetown, GC and Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Anyone else going to be on this cruise? I had a horrible time finding a buddy, last cruise, when I booked through the cruiseline. I would love dive with a SB buddy, and would feel more comfortable with an outside diveop that I was recommended to. Thanks!

www.cruisecritics.com


See if you can find the "roll call" forum and thread for your ship, then post and see if anyone's a diver, or if there is a time and place on the ship htey are meeting. I met a few divers on a holland america ship this way.

 

[Dive-aholic]

www.cruisecritics.com


See if you can find the "roll call" forum and thread for your ship, then post and see if anyone's a diver, or if there is a time and place on the ship htey are meeting. I met a few divers on a holland america ship this way.

????

If there's fishing going on in that lake, the water is probably safe to dive in.

 

[ZzzKing]

Not quite appropriate for the lake because the biggest thing in there might be a 2# Bass or 12’ Trout.

I would think you'd need pretty heavy tackle to land a 12 foot trout...

 

[Gary D.]

Fixed it.
Thanks

Gary D.

I would think you'd need pretty heavy tackle to land a 12 foot trout...