How early do you start your season?

[zed255]

Hi all,

I have been diving for two years, mostly in quarries local to Southern Ontario, and so far from mid May until late October. I am just curious about two things:

1) How early does the ice typically come off the water in my region?

2) How early do most divers start to hit the water?

I'm not opposed to cold water despite not yet being a dry suit owner (though I aim to rectify that for my wife and I at some point). I'm interested to know as the viz always seems so much better earlier in the season that putting up with the cold seems worth it. Is it possible to have poor viz really early due to the spring 'thermal inversion' as the ice melts?

Jason Kuetemann

 

[imasinker]

Hey how are ya?

I live here in the Scarborough Area. I am with the Oshawa dive club and dive all over. The ice tends to leave usually around the end of Feb into March. Our dive shop usually starts the open water check outs around the second last weekend of May. I know for sure we will be in the water long before that once the ice clears and the waters open up. The season hasn't officially ended for some of us who brave the ice cold water. We were out last weekend and were to go this weekend but of course the storm hit us. We are hoping to get out for a Christmas Eve dive. Some call us crazy we say we love diving. As for the viz, it is a lot better in the spring so it seems with cooler water temps. As for the fall I cant say it was any better than what i was seeing all summer. It all depends on the area and water way. Kingston in June was really great but the viz around Aug on the same dives were not as great. Some shore dives remain with good viz, but they tend to be near flowing water and are constanly recieving fresh cooler water. It also depends with shore dives who is there. It tends to get messy when you have classes going on. Here are some of the places we go...

Let me know if you want to head off for some diving

Take Care


Marmora Crow River
Barrie Big Bay Point, J.C.Morrison Wreck
Humber bay
Kirkfield Quarry
Burleigh Falls
Fenlen Falls
Clear Lake
Kingston
Brockville
Picton
Youngs Point

 

[Jimmer]

Hi Jason, we dont really stop diving, it just slows down quite a bit in the winter. Sadly for us, there aren't many good shore dive spots in our area. I go to St Catherines sometimes, or to the Waterford Ponds, but there isn't a lot to see in there. My dive shop (Scuba Plus in Simcoe) does an annual ice dive in the Waterford Ponds if that is something you are interested in. Otherwise, we try to get our charter boat in the water by April, and get the wrecks marked with buoys for the season.

If you are ever looking for a dive buddy in the area, let me know, and I hope you'll be out on Scuba Plus' charter boat in Lake Erie this summer. We've got tons of wrecks to dive.

Cheers,
Jim

 

[imasinker]

Hi Jason, we dont really stop diving, it just slows down quite a bit in the winter. Sadly for us, there aren't many good shore dive spots in our area. I go to St Catherines sometimes, or to the Waterford Ponds, but there isn't a lot to see in there. My dive shop (Scuba Plus in Simcoe) does an annual ice dive in the Waterford Ponds if that is something you are interested in. Otherwise, we try to get our charter boat in the water by April, and get the wrecks marked with buoys for the season.

If you are ever looking for a dive buddy in the area, let me know, and I hope you'll be out on Scuba Plus' charter boat in Lake Erie this summer. We've got tons of wrecks to dive.

Cheers,
Jim

Sign me up Jimmer!

 

[Jimmer]

Sign me up Jimmer!

Which part? The ice dive or the charters?

 

[imasinker]

I am already doing the Ice Dive Course with my LDS, but I am always up for some charters, specially out your way, have'nt dove any good wrecks your way and I am planning to as soon as I can.

 

[Jimmer]

Right on man. I'm always happy to meet new divers, and show them some of our wrecks. For some reason, the wrecks around Long Point, seem to be a bit of a hidden gem in Ontario.

 

[imasinker]

Right on man. I'm always happy to meet new divers, and show them some of our wrecks. For some reason, the wrecks around Long Point, seem to be a bit of a hidden gem in Ontario.

Was talking to the boys out at Dan's Dive Shop, they got some nice wrecks that way, So for sure I am in you just let me know I am there.... Hey we are diving on new years eve out here, your more than welcome to join us love to have you out!

Rob

 

[Jimmer]

Matt and the boys from Dan's Dive shop come down here now and then to dive off our boat. Infact we might even be doing my tech1 evaluation dives with Matt on our boat here. Matt's end of the lake has so many nice shallow wrecks to dive, my end of the lake is full of deep wrecks. Both are great, but it gets to be a bit of a pain planning for 100+ foot dives every weekend, and having limited bottom time, so I'm really looking forward to doing Tech1.

 

[imasinker]

Matt and the boys from Dan's Dive shop come down here now and then to dive off our boat. Infact we might even be doing my tech1 evaluation dives with Matt on our boat here. Matt's end of the lake has so many nice shallow wrecks to dive, my end of the lake is full of deep wrecks. Both are great, but it gets to be a bit of a pain planning for 100+ foot dives every weekend, and having limited bottom time, so I'm really looking forward to doing Tech1.

I am seriously envious. I am going to take the Intro to Tech with Matt hopefully this year. I just got my doubles and so I think the level one is a bit to soon. I still want to hit the wrecks though. My deepest dive was in Kingston was the Munson 111 feet Loved it. I am studying deco plans now playing with the V-Planner running some sim's so I too can have a few more minutes below. All in good time. ,