Ontario Dive Sites - Misc.

[DivingGal]

Bala Falls - possible 100ft

Big Bay Point - 100 ft

Quarries:
Innerkip - 28 ft
Kirkfield - 30 ft
Morrison (Ok not in Ontario , but just 10 minutes into Quebec) - 130 ft

Barrie - The Morrison - 30 ft

Lake Muskoka - The Waome - 70 ft


What else is out there?

[mddolson]

Burleigh Falls, Stoney Lake
65 feet, 1/2 hour from Peterborough.
Hwy 7 just East of Peterborough to Hwy 134,
North to Hwy 28, turn right, follow 28 to Burleigh Falls.
Turn right just before falls (don't cross over rapids)
Take first trun left into MNR parking lot.

Note: the flow at the falls is too swift right now.
This is not a safe sight yet. We are checking next weekend
and wiil advise after we check it in 2 weeks.

Mike

[Chrismac]

sorry mabey I should have posted that link in this thread

http://www.abovenbelow.com/oldsites.htm

[vlada]

other than Toby?

Penetang haa a few and so does Parry Sound and then there is Wexford, etc.

Vlada

[ScubaScott]

Are we narrowing this down to certain lakes, areas, or all of Ontario?

Lots of good sites up my way, but I would like to know some of the southern Ontario sites or Perry Sound area as well.......

SS

[ScubaScott]

Now that I go down the list I see that just about all the lakes have been broken out - nothing on Lake Superior. I'm guessing I'm the furthest north and perhaps the only one who gets to jump into Superior on a regular basis?

Lots of wrecks up here, plenty of locations to go shore diving. A kilometre from my house we have a beech plane and and old wooden hull ship that sank in the late 1800's. Ships only half there, but the half that is there is in great shape for being over a century old. Makes for good night dives - the fishies like to hang out there and always seem to be interested in the bright lights.

Anyone from Thunder Bay area or Sudbury?

SS

[DivingGal]

ScubaScott - feel free to start a a thread for locating dive sites in your neck of the woods. I just didn't have that many.... the more sites, the better.

[mddolson]

We were at Burleigh Falls on Sunday May 26/02
The conditions are swift, TOO STRONG FOR A STANADARD ENTRY AND RETURN. I'd recommend a drift dive, out the underwater cable, THEN turn right, AT THE LOGS , FOLLOW THE ROCKS ON YOUR RIGHT. You will pick up the cable again , swim 50 yards at 180° degrees, then turn right to 240° swim in following profile up to surface. Exit point is at the south Bay.

Attached is a close up map of the sight.

Mike D

[diver gadget]

Another dive site that I frequent is a place called Cedar Hill. It is just north of Owen Sound. It is a rest stop sort of place on the water. Shore entry that gets as deep as I have needed (well over rec limits) and the are many things placed in the water. Divers have put bikes with telephones on them christmas trees road signs and a bunch of other things. Not a bad place to go blow bubbles.

[lakesdiver]

St. Clair river @ Pt. Edward/Sarnia

Monarch - 50ft
"Superman" - to 70Ft
CN docks - to 30ft
Barge - 35ft
Various permutations of drift - to 70ft.

[mr_jmac]

ScubaScott...

Hey, I'm a new member to this group. I live in Sudbury and spend my summers in Sault Ste. Marie.

I started diving at the end of last summer. I've only dived in two spots in Sault Ste. Marie ... a sunken plane at Point Aux Pins and at Gros Cap. I plan on diving many more sites near the Sault area.

I'd appreciate any info on dive sites. Especially shore dives!

Also, I'd appreciate any info on dive sites near Sudbury (or Manitoulin Island and Killarney)

Later,
Joe

[indeco]

just thought i would split some more hairs

Innerkip (the mud puddle that it is) the depth posted of 28 feet isn't too far off, but my depth guage regularly read 47 when i used to dive there ( you will have to be stupid enough to do a swim through in the stone crusher to see the same depth ) a cold dark exercise in futillity.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing
Helen Keller

[mddolson]

We were at Burleigh Falls again Sunday June 9,2002
Conditions were excellent.
Flow from falls was down, very manageable.
Visibility 25-30 feet.
Lots of fish, bass, Muskie, small pickeral

[diver gadget]

What sort of depth is Burleigh Falls?? Anything like Bala falls?? Do you dive above or below the falls?? Are there usually divers there?

[ScubaScott]

mr._jmac

Cool - I was wondering where everyone from Sudbury was! We dove the plane and the wreck at Pointe aux Pins this past weekend. Water was a comfy 45 degs, and we had about 10-15' of vis, which is pretty good for being in the shipping channel. I do know of a few other places for shore diving in the area..... a buddy and I are going to Mica Bay this weekend...... some pretty cool rock formations to swim thru, but other than that, its just rocks to look at. A lot of OW certs are done at Gros Cap, but nothing to see but crawfish, so we don't go there very often.

Our local dive club has several events planned in the area this year - a couple in the UP of Michigan- Mackinaw, Copper Harbour, Lime Island..... if your going to be in the Sault, send me a pm and we'll get you out. I take it you know where our LDS is? She can get you in contact with me as well.....

SS

[diver gadget]

Don't bother with my above message as I was just not reading messages!! I read above and It answers most of my questions on Burleigh Falls!!

[diver gadget]

I asked this in a different thread but do you guys in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie know of any charter boats that run out of Blind River in the North Channel?? Or any scuba shops up there??

Also what kind of plane is sunk of Pointe aux Pins??

[ScubaScott]

Gadget - I don't know of any "charters" that run out of B.R. into the North Channel. I have heard of a few backwoods fisherman that will let you jump out thier 14footers, but you may want to look at other options (think of the movie Deliverance!). Actually, I'm not sure there are any charters in the area till you get to Tobey. Fill me in here Gadget, do you know some sites worth going to? I have a friend who has a boat.......

The plane in the river is just a small beechcraft plane - 25-30' long - very easy to get to. Sits in the middle of the shipping channel off Pointe aux Pins in about 43'. Viz is usually in the 10' range, and when the water warms a little, lots of fish hang out there. Pickrel, rock bass, suckers.... The boat wreck I mentioned earlier is only about .5 km up river - you can usually check them both out on the same dive with a little help from the current. Both are best for night dives - lots of fish.

SS

[diver gadget]

The northwind is up in the North Channel and I have been told it is an amazing wreck. I am trying to dive it. There is a boat that does a live aboard from Toby but that is a 4 or 5 day thing with a full day to travel there and back with three days on the wreck. I am looking for more of a weekend thing. I have some URL's somewhere for sites about the Northwind if you want.

http://www.tobermory.com/shipwrecks/northwin.htm

[diver gadget]

I was Just looking at a map and Clapperton Island is much closer to Manitoulin Island. Maybe I should look there instead of the Northern Shore of the North Channel.

[ScubaScott]

Aside from Tobey., I haven't dove any other sites in the area. When I get a chance I'll look into the site about the Northwind. My dive buddy knows that area a lot better than me (originally from Manitoulin) - I'll ask him a little later and let you know if he can dig up some info on the area.

SS

[mddolson]

check back on my previous posts.

There's a Burleigh map to the the area and a closeup map called Burleighclosueup of the dive site you can down load.

Max depth is 65 feet. Average about 40. Water temp. 64°F
Lots of fish right now, good visibility, acceptable current
There are divers there most week ends.
If the curent looks too stiff, move to the south bay (see map)

regards

Mike D

[Goldminer]

Originally posted by diver gadget
I was Just looking at a map and Clapperton Island is much closer to Manitoulin Island. Maybe I should look there instead of the Northern Shore of the North Channel.

The Sudbury Dive shop (out of business for a couple of years now) used to have a charter boat in Little Current most of the time. I don't know if there is anything there now. Water Ways is the only dive shop left in Sudbury now I believe.

I was on Manitoulin on the May 24 weekend. The guy who owns the marine shop at the docks in Gore Bay is supposed to be opening a dive shop in June. I saw his compressor and cascade bottles when I visited but he had no gear in at that point.

http://www.cycnorth.com/chandlery.html


There is also a fill station and gear rental at the general store (Meldrum Bay outfitters?) in Meldrum Bay. Been open a couple of years now at least. http://boatingontheweb.com/north_channel/meldrum_bay.htm


Maybe if you call one of these 3 guys they can put you onto a charter boat. Gore Bay is not far from Clapperton.

[diver gadget]

Goldminer: I was on the site that you posted, I called up the people there at CYC and they only wanted to rent boats for a week. I guess you didn't get a card or number for the guy setting up the scuba shop??

[Goldminer]

I was in the shop pictured on the CYC website. The photos actually show where the compressor is currently set up. The girl behind the counter didn't know anything about what was going to happen re: the new business but the signs for the new dive shop business were leaning against the counter (the one in the first photo on the website, beside the woman on the left standing in the background) as we spoke. She said the owner was out at the time and she could not answer any questions but invited me to look at the compressor. I did not get a card.

CYC only rents yachts. I have no reason to believe that they run a dive charter business. However. if there is a dive charter currently running on the island I would have thought that anyone going into the dive shop business would know who it was.

I would suggest talking to the CYC store owner/manager. The sales clerks I talked to knew absolutely nothing (which was a bit surprising given that the compressor was already there and the dive shop signs were standing within 3 feet of her). She was probably just a student employee. Sorry I couldn't help more.

By the way. There are a large number of salmon charter boats on the island. Maybe one of them could take out a small group of divers. Boating to the northwind is apparently easy. I have freind who did it 2 years ago. He said there is a buoy to tie off to and a line down to the wreck. I can't confirm this personally though and don't know if the buoy is till maintained.

Also you can access some of these wrecks, including the northwind, from Killarney where there is a dive shop. http://www.sportsmansinn.ca/scuba.html
and charter boats are available.

[diver gadget]

I called the CYC up again and got a number of someone up there who does air fills in gore bay. He told me he dosn't do charters or run boats but there is a guy in meldrom bay. I called up a guy there and he says he runs charters but not to the Northwind as it is about a 4 hour boat ride from his place.

He gave me the name aof a guy who they use sometimes out of little curent and I have left a message with him now. Wow all this trouble to dive a wreck!! Maybe it's time for me to buy a boat and do it myself!!

[ScubaScott]

[/QUOTE]He gave me the name aof a guy who they use sometimes out of little curent and I have left a message with him now. Wow all this trouble to dive a wreck!! Maybe it's time for me to buy a boat and do it myself!! [/B][/QUOTE]


my friends all told me to buy ALL my toys before I got married..........

Let me know how that works out for you....


SS

[Mike Newman]

I'm coming up from the States to visit relatives in Ottawa (Kanata really) in July. Can anyone give me a clue about dive sites near enough to merit a visit?

I'm a recently qualified PADI AOW diver and would be able to bring all my own gear - God bless minivans!

MN

[DivingGal]

Site around here....

Other than the quarry which is 20min away, most of our sites are along the St Lawrence which are about 1 - 1.5 hrs away. We have shore dives: Connie, Rothesay, Lock 28. Of course we have charters out of Brockville to visit an number wrecks there.

Most of the sites are AOW - so you qualify... when you coming? Like a need excuse to dive :tease:, but I could head out with you - if you need a buddy.

[barb]

Hi Divegal:

I'm new to diving and live in Ottawa. I was wondering have you ever done any diving in the Ottawa River? I saw in Chris Kohl's (spelling?) book about Ontario dive sites a mention of diving sites in the river. Do you know anything about these?
Unfortunately, with the recent, sad accident of "ladyduck" maybe there will be a new site to visit. I don't know what the whole story is on that one. Very sad though - I feel even more upset when children die.

[DivingGal]

Originally posted by barb
Hi Divegal:

I'm new to diving and live in Ottawa. I was wondering have you ever done any diving in the Ottawa River? I saw in Chris Kohl's (spelling?) book about Ontario dive sites a mention of diving sites in the river. Do you know anything about these?
Unfortunately, with the recent, sad accident of "ladyduck" maybe there will be a new site to visit. I don't know what the whole story is on that one. Very sad though - I feel even more upset when children die.

The river is at best very murky, with very low viz, and typically with a strong current near Ottawa.

I personnally have only done a couple of dives in the river-- both associated with the u/w archeology work I've done with SOS Ottawa. One at Westboro beach, and one up in Arnprior at Red Pine Bay. I do recommend the wreck up in Arnprior, an easy dive, approximately 30-40ft (if I recall correctly) - accessible from shore.

The sites that Chris mentions in his book "The Great Lakes Diving Guide" (pub 2001) are not frequently visited by many divers that I know -- mainly because the viz is so poor.

The LadyDuck is a tragedy -- just last year I was on the other boat LadyDive doing the tour so I know exactly where she went down.

[beralp]

hi folks,
great thread.

i'm new to Ontario diving, i know the map okay, but not towns everywhere.

so i'm devising a clickable-map-based dive-site and dive resource web-page.

if you know lotsa dive sites, let me know at
skydive(butnospam)@web2mail.com,
or if you're a web-guru (i am not) and want to improve on it, take the idea and run... please...

for now, try me at
http://www.attcanada.ca/~beralp
and follow the "Scuba Resource Test" near the top.

ideas on how to improve,
better ways to... et cetera.
see you underwater.
boz.

[artw]

barb once bubbled...
Hi Divegal:

I'm new to diving and live in Ottawa. I was wondering have you ever done any diving in the Ottawa River? I saw in Chris Kohl's (spelling?) book about Ontario dive sites a mention of diving sites in the river. Do you know anything about these?
Unfortunately, with the recent, sad accident of "ladyduck" maybe there will be a new site to visit. I don't know what the whole story is on that one. Very sad though - I feel even more upset when children die.

hey barb, if you'd like to go diving some day to one of the local shore dives (rothesay, prescott docks) just send me a private message.

Have you been to Lock 21 yet ? it's great, it's the best shore dive I've been to yet, but I've only been diving for 2 months

[moondog]

:doctor: I was just wondering. I haven't been to the Waome in quite a few years. When you were there did you visit any Dive shops in the area for air fills etc.:confused: Thanks Moondog.

This message was ment for DivingGal. I'm new at this posting thing so I screwed up.
;-0

[mcrae]

Hi, just a little info on the Northwind. It is an excellent dive and the nicest way to see it is on the Dawn Light out of Toby. Typically they leave late on a Thursday night and will be back at Toby early afternoon Sunday. You dive the Northwind Friday and early Saturday then do a couple of shallow wrecks in the area.
On the way back Sunday he will stop and do the Arabia and the Forest City weather permitting.This works out to be a great weekend of diving.

The Northwind and the last two mentioned are a bit deep so he will only take tech divers or very experienced Rec divers with redundant air.

There are no charter boats to my knowledge in the North Channel but some local divers out of Sudbury etc. that have their own boats.

There is a nice charter boat out of Parry Sound which has a few nice wrecks dives, although I have not dove them they looked worth doing.

Still waiting to get wet this year:(

Gary

[CDN ff]

Bala Falls - possible 100ft

Big Bay Point - 100 ft

Quarries:
Innerkip - 28 ft
Kirkfield - 30 ft
Morrison (Ok not in Ontario , but just 10 minutes into Quebec) - 130 ft

Barrie - The Morrison - 30 ft

Lake Muskoka - The Waome - 70 ft


What else is out there?



Quick note on the Waome, and most Muskoka dives for that matter... Dive early in the year, if possible. Especially for the Waome, the algae growth in the water destroys the vis by late June.... Bala Falls is not quite as bad...

[beflythis]

hey crew

i'm going up to my gf's cottage (which is right on stoney lake w/a boat and private dock) in mid-late july, and I just had a few questions before i endeavor into the water.

what's the clarity of the water in the summer? i heard some other people talking about algae growth contamination.... it'd be a shame if that occurred in excess here, too. Furthermore, what kinda temp can I expect in late july? i have a 3-mil shorty.... with legs and hood at my disposal - will this suffice? my gf gets really cold under water; in fact, she even had to double-up the shorty's in mexico if you can believe that...

also... being a freshly-certified OW diver, how will i establish a sufficient location depth-wise? i thought of a depthfinder, but i don't have one, myself, and i can't really rely on anybody up there to have one, either.

lastly, is there anything particularly dangerous (or neat, for that matter) that i should watch out for?

cheers

-johnny

[Groundhog246]

Furthermore, what kinda temp can I expect in late july? i have a 3-mil shorty.... with legs and hood at my disposal - will this suffice? my gf gets really cold under water; in fact, she even had to double-up the shorty's in mexico if you can believe that...

also... being a freshly-certified OW diver, how will i establish a sufficient location depth-wise? i thought of a depthfinder, but i don't have one, myself, and i can't really rely on anybody up there to have one, either.

lastly, is there anything particularly dangerous (or neat, for that matter) that i should watch out for?

cheers

-johnny
My first reaction is You're diving beyond your training. Where did you certify (where did you do your OW dives)? If you are not familiar with cold water diving (ie you did your certifying and other dives in Mexico), you need at least a couple of supervised cold water dives before you head off. Adding the hood, gloves, extra lead needed up here is a whole new game. Lot's of people chill easily and I know a guy who dive a 6.5mm full suit in Mexico. Water at 85F is still 11 degrees colder than your body temp (at 85F you're probably dead) and water cools much more effectively than air.

A quick search turned up this STONY/STONEY LAKE Three interconnected lakes (Upper Stoney Lake to the northeast, Stony Lake in the centre, and Clear Lake to the southwest) form the eastern end of the Kawartha lakes region. All three lakes are typical of the northerly Kawartha lakes, being generally deeper, colder, and relatively more influenced by the Canadian Shield than lakes to the south. So, I expect the answer to your temp question is COLD, certainly way below shorty diving more most. Probably a full 6 to 7mm, hood, heavy gloves, and probably the jacket too.

On finding the depth, lacking a depth/fishfinder (portable units are not all that expensive, get em at Canadian Tire). There's a small on with a wireless transmitter made for fishermen. Tie the transmitter in the end of a fishing line and cast (as far as you can?), then read the depth on a wrist worn screen. If you want the 'econo' method, go back to the days of sailing ships. take a light line, tie knots every 10 feet (or for the nautically inclined, every fathom). If you want to be fancy you can tie one knot at 10 feet, 2 at 20, 3 at 30, etc. I mark the anchor line on my boat every 25 feet using small coloured ribbon. Start with a colour and one ribbon tied through and around at 25 feet, 2 ribbons at 50, 3 at 75, 4 at 100, then change colours and 1 at 125, 2 at 150 and so on (I carry 300 feet of rope). This allows me to quickly lay out the correct amount of rode for the depth I'm in (FYI, 6 feet of rode for every foot of water). The 30 feet of chain between the anchor and the rope isn't counted as it covers the height from the deck to the water's surface).

[beflythis]

thanks for the reply; your message provided alot more info than I need!! as per the temp. and experience, yes, this is my/our first freshwater/coldwater dive.

You provided lots of info regarding both depth and temp, but I guess now that we've established that we probably shouldn't be diving by ourselves, it's time to ask the question - who's in the area what wants to dive with us? we'll be up in kawarthas late july (20th-30th), and would greatly appreciate any experienced diving partners willing to spend an afternoon diving with some freshwater novices.

thanks for your time,

-john

[Groundhog246]

In my world (yes the sky here is blue) there's no such thing as too much information, in my experience it's lack of info that kills. I'd offer to dive with you, but that's a long way from where I hang around. You might be able to find someone local to your current location to introduce you to cold water diving. Most people (me included) would rather do so in a location they're familiar with.
Hopefully your search will turn up suitable buddy(s). You could approach a local LDS and inquire about a cold water checkout dive. I certainly know the stores local to me can/would accomodate.