How 'bout a shore dive or two?

[ACR]

Hey folks,

I was planning on tagging along with an OW class this weekend (Nov 10/11) but since their instructor came down with a cold, that's been canceled. So now I'm looking for an excuse to go diving.

Anyone in the area interested in heading out on either Saturday or Sunday for an easy dive or two? I'm thinking Tobe, but I'm open to suggestions. I'm in the Kitchener/Waterloo area and would like to limit it to a 3 hour radius if possible :)

Thanks,

Adam

[shoredivr]

Yes, I'm up for a dive on Saturday.

Groundhog246 had suggested the Morrison, I've never dived there and would be interested. I pm'd him, maybe we can all get a dive or two in.

[ACR]

I also haven't dove the Morrison but I'd be game (and it's a bit of a shorter drive for me).

Saturday afternoon, is probably best from my point of view. I'm free Sunday as an alternative.

[Groundhog246]

I was hoping to do the Morrison Saturday, although my Sunday is open. I'd prefer to get out of K-W by 9:00a, to leave time for a couple of dives. Would also prefer to carpool ( I can drive our van), just to keep the costs down a bit. Any and all welcome. Vis this time of the year is as good as it gets, usually lots of fish, sometimes a few fishermen, so treat as a virtual overhead and if you have to ascend, use great caution and an inflateable surface marker is good.

[ACR]

Normally, I'd be game to carpool, but I'll be bringing the wife and kid to visit the grandparents while I'm in the water. So we'll be a full house.

I'll probably leave KW around 9 as well, but I'll be making a stop in Newmarket for a little while. How does being on-site between noon and 1 sound to everyone?

PM me if you like.

Thanks,

Adam

[shoredivr]

Groundhog246 and ACR, I'll be there around 11.30, can't carpool that day either.
Groundhog, you're driving the Groundhog dive van? Just in case there are lots of other divers there...

[ACR]

I can probably do 11:30...

Groundhog246, are you GD staff? I guess I'll see you tomorrow when I stop in to rent some tanks :)

[ACR]

looks like it'll be closer to 1pm for me actually (guy from work wants to come too, and he won't be able to be there until 1pm)

Don't know if you guys will want to stick around for that long, but we may catch ya on the second dive?

[Jimmer]

Where is the Morrison located?

[ACR]

Where is the Morrison located?

OUC says:

GPS - OUC Confirmed (Shore Entry Point)
Latitude: N 44 22.662
Longitude: W 079 41.304

and the non-smart-*** answer: Barrie :)


44 22.662 -79 41.304 - Google Maps (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=44+22.662++-79+41.304&ie=UTF8&ll=44.37884,-79.689331&spn=2.547967,4.504395&z=8&iwloc=addr&om=1)

[Jimmer]

How deep? Shallow enough to get 2 decent dives on it?

[ACR]

It's about 30' ... or so I hear... I've haven't dove there yet but it sounds good.

[Jimmer]

Cool, well I don't know if I'm in for that this weekend, but possibly in the future. I'm trying to get a group together for the Crystal and Tradewinds by the end of the year if at all possible in Lake Erie. I have a guy that will run the charter as long as the lake is open and we have enough guys to go, but both boats are about 120 feet deep. I'd like to get that going on a weekend sometime soon.

[Groundhog246]

I am not GH staff. My only association with the shops is training and customer, as well as having been initiated as the 246th "Groundhog".

The wreck is about 400 feet off Centenial park in Barrie and a max depth in the 30 foot range. Quite easy to do two dives on it in a day. During the warmer months, several dives shops use it as a location for checkout dives.
Finding the line from the shore entry can be tricky if you haven't been shown/dove there before. Sometimes it's tied to abig stump on the shore, other times that parts missing and you have to swim out a bit and pick up the line. Some folks have been working lately on a new SOS buoy to be placed at the wreck next spring and upgrading the line from the shore to the wreck. They're also working on having the area made a "no anchoring" zone. Should be already, since wrecks are supposed to be protected and damaging can carry a fine.

ACR, would your guy from work be interested in carpooling. I really don't want to drive all the way up and back on my own. Or Jimmer, if you'd like to come along and come via Cambridge (according to Google maps from:waterford, ON to:43.411033,-80.169983 to:+44° 22' 39.72", -79° 41' 18.24" (44.377700, -79.688400) - Google Maps (http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=3676044580447828328,43.232160,-79.950550&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=waterford,+ON&daddr=43.411033,-80.169983+to:%2B44%C2%B0+22'+39.72%22,+-79%C2%B0+41'+18.24%22+(44.377700,+-79.688400)&mra=dme&mrcr=0,1&mrsp=1&sz=9&sll=43.550539,-79.950256&sspn=1.40735,2.38678&ie=UTF8&z=9&om=1) about 15KM further and an extra 20 minutes, I could meet you at the carpool parking out in Puslinch,or further along at Hwy 6 & the 401.

[Jimmer]

Hey Groundhog, I appreciate the offer, but I've already got plans for this weekend, but hopefully sometime soon. For the record, Cambridge is about an hours drive for me, so it would definetly have to be a weekend with not much else planned to get there, and then carpool to the dive site. Please keep me posted tho, I want to dive a reasonable amount this winter, but I unfortunetly don't have much in the way of shore dive sites around here.

Jim

[ACR]

He'll be coming from Mississauga, not Waterloo unfortunately. That's the problem with Waterloo, all the good dive sites are at least two hours away!

[ACR]

D'oh, not going to make it this weekend :( ... Dive buddy is having car trouble... actually a car accident... maybe next weekend though.

[Groundhog246]

I hope he's ok. Cars can be replaced, people not so easily. I'm still suffering from a bump in 1999. Almost no vehicle damage, but I didn't do so well.

[ACR]

Yes, it sounds like he's OK... just a little fender bender on the 401.

[volks_r_us]

So were you able to make last week end ?
How was the dive ?

I would love to be still diving at this time of the year, but it's freaking cold in a Wetsuit :S