I guess it depends on where you're diving. The fresh water lakes here in the NW offer nothing to see except muck, decay, garbage, and leeches, with an occasional crawdad or two. Nobody I know around here wants to spend a couple K's worth of of training and gear to see that.
Salt or Fresh Water?
- Thread starter bradymsu
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I guess it depends on where you're diving. The fresh water lakes here in the NW offer nothing to see except muck, decay, garbage, and leeches, with an occasional crawdad or two. Nobody I know around here wants to spend a couple K's worth of of training and gear to see that.
Where are you scoring the leeches....
They are in just about every lake in the northwest, especially on the east side of the cascades. Here in central Or. we have them in every lake. I love diving in some of the lakes here, a couple of them have 100+ ft vis and plenty of life other than junk, muck, and an occasional crawdad. Some of the lakes are just as he explained though, but still it is worth diving.
I haven't been in saltwater yet, but I'm sure I'll like it. I Have no problem with 38F freshwater in my 7mm farmer john, so I'm sure that warm saltwater will be even more relaxing.
:shark:
Later, Hawk.
I haven't been in saltwater yet, but I'm sure I'll like it. I Have no problem with 38F freshwater in my 7mm farmer john, so I'm sure that warm saltwater will be even more relaxing.
:shark:
Later, Hawk.
chuckrt
Contributor
I've been in both and do 90% in fresh. Idon't dislike salt water but as others have said taste and gear problems as well as stinging the eyes when you are stupid enough to get mask kicked off makes a difference. Also living near the Great Lakes is very close to Ocean Diving I think. You can still get very chummy with the fish if you catch my meaning and we have great wrecks and good vis most of the time.
Net Doc; My dive buddy and I are going to Crystal River area this March so I can get a taste of FL. fresh as well.
Net Doc; My dive buddy and I are going to Crystal River area this March so I can get a taste of FL. fresh as well.
Several years ago I took a Canadian visitor doing his first salt water dive on a tour of Edmonds UW park, and he just loved it!
Only lake I'll even consider is Lake Cresent, and then only as a "gear rinse" dive or alternate dive if nearby Salt Creek Park is too rough to dive. I've dived it before during the summer. Relatively warm temps (70+), 100ft+ vis, but still nothing to see. I've heard of an old logging train somewhere in the lake, but it's deep and you need a boat to get to it. Other lakes up here I've tried are Silver Lake in Everett (very nasty), Fields Point Landing in Lake Chelan (moonscape) and a couple others out in the sticks that I can't recall the name of, but they were just as bad as Silver Lake. There would have to be a very good reason other than a fun dive to get me into a lake, such as salvage.
nivtup
Guest
Well salt it is,
There is so much life to see,
Everywhere I have had the chance to dive to date is teeming with life.
I just cant imagine seeing near the same quantity in fresh water.
There is supposed to be an old Lodge in Lake Cushman, guess one can never say never.
There is so much life to see,
Everywhere I have had the chance to dive to date is teeming with life.
I just cant imagine seeing near the same quantity in fresh water.
There is supposed to be an old Lodge in Lake Cushman, guess one can never say never.
I have to like both but if i had to make a choise i pic salt because there is more to see ( sea ) well water. I spend about 4 month per Year in Germany and the rest on the Canary Islands. But i can´t quit diving for four month in one sretch..... get the shivers....so i get the schivers diving in the winter in the lakes in Germany.
nt
trymixdiver
Guest
fresh or salt deeper than a pool im in there
95% of my dives are salt water, i perfer the fresh water diving. Salt water diving is harder on the equipment. I dont get to clean my gear for 1-3 hrs after the dive depending on the site im diving. its not so much the salt water as it is all the damn sand you pick up walking in through the surf and out. I dive dry and still manage to get sand in my bu**
Andy
95% of my dives are salt water, i perfer the fresh water diving. Salt water diving is harder on the equipment. I dont get to clean my gear for 1-3 hrs after the dive depending on the site im diving. its not so much the salt water as it is all the damn sand you pick up walking in through the surf and out. I dive dry and still manage to get sand in my bu**
Andy
BigDiver
Guest
Since I am from Wisconsin most of my dives are in quarries and lakes, but would never turn do a chance to dive in the ocean.
I figure that each one will make you a better diver. Fresh is cold, deep, and dark; while oceans are deep, have currents. I think those are just a few stresses that will make you a better diver. I thing each one if great.
I figure that each one will make you a better diver. Fresh is cold, deep, and dark; while oceans are deep, have currents. I think those are just a few stresses that will make you a better diver. I thing each one if great.
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