Round Valley Reservoir Saturday 9/4

[Pyramid65]

A bit late notice but I'm look'in to do 2 dives at the Reservoir tomorrow...I've been there a bunch of times...not much to see down there but it doesn't have the crowds Dutch has...if you've not been there you'll need your highest C card to fill out paperwork at the ranger station....I have a dive flag....look'in to get there around 8:30....you'll need all the air you'll use as there is no fill station....let me know

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

JUST FYI Saturday is 9/5 - so there is no confusion.

A bit on the early side - I would be willing to dive - but I have a map of the old homes before the reservoir was flooded and where the foundations should be located.

If you are willing I would like to go exploring - it is somewhere around the 45 to 65 foot range for about 5 homes in one area I believe we can find. I have tried twice before and have not found them yet - found remnants but not full foundations - but my heading was off due to where we submerged to start the dive - this time I want to leave from the point where I have a better heading. I have found a wet 10 hp outboard motor, lots of anchors, fishing rods, bottles and other such nonsense...

Meet in the sign in lodge at 8:30am?

One dive might be enough but I will bring 2 tanks - last time I dove there - we dove for 62 mins for avg dept of 30 feet with a max of 58 feet. Water temp was 49 degrees at depth and viz was about 15 feet - it diminishes the deeper you go - or kick up the silt. This area is not in the vicinity of the dive platform but it is by the scuba area. Rangers have seen me dive there and have not had an issue - but I would not broadcast it to the front office. Better to ask forgiveness than to be told we should not dive there by the front office...

 

[Pyramid65]

Yeah....sorry....9/5....You must be going in on the other side of the boat launch cove??? I can't imagine you can make it from the scuba entry all the way around to the main road....I'm open for any sort of dive, I've just bought a new BC and need to get it wet before a class I'm taking next weekend....Talk'in with the rangers, they've said they didn't care if you dove off a boat so I don't see why they'd give ya any grief goin in where ya want....I'll PM you my number, shoot me a text...

 

[kwinter]

Just FYI about Dutch - It was empty when I was there a couple of days ago. School has reopened, so crowds disappear during the week. I expect the holiday weekend to certainly be more crowded than it was during the week, but probably less than most weekends. Remember this weekend is also the vintage dive equipment demo, so you would have a chance to look at and even dive some old gear like hardhats, etc.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Well it only took 3 real tries to find the foundations - but we now have done it - found the school house, church and a few other foundations - all around 40 feet deep - but I think the overall reservoir was down about 15 to 20 feet. So maybe on a normal reservoir level the foundations would be between 50 and 60 feet.

We took a 75 to 85 degree heading off the rounded edge of a spit of land - looking out at the diving area - we were all the way to the left and around the land that looks like a "mushroom" to the next cove - so about half a mile to the left side. We started a surface swim into the wind and said the heck with that and walked in the shallows with our fins off until we reached the point. Two of us were back mount singles and one was side mount - if you really want to explore the town - doubles are recommended to extend your range. Either SM or BM doubles would be good.
It is a pretty silty on the bottom - but we dove for 53 mins - avg depth was 31 feet and max depth was 47 feet - min temperature was 53 degrees.
Found a glass bottle that looked cool but the foundations and main street were the best part - we were not sure if we had the right heading but luck was with us. Found what looked like a home foundation and then ran into what I think was the school first - slabs of slate for a floor and the foundation was built underneath that and it was only 3 or 4 feet tall max. Then we hit the church which had a massive foundation with steps and was really large...
When I get some video edited I will post but great day and I can check off one more on my list!

https://youtu.be/_QodbCKdQig

 

[kwinter]

How long a swim out was that? I'm looking for the deep section with the houses and planning to bring a scooter to do it.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Not sure if you can expand the image but from the bottom of the red line on a 75 to 85 degree heading it is about 400 or 500 yards no more to the center of the cluster of homes, school and church.
To get to that point from the scuba area I think is about a quarter mile so we walked in shallow water before we dove - otherwise we would have been OOA by the time we got to that point.
Once you find Main Street you could scooter to 160 feet at the bottom of the Valley but we did not have enough air to get out and back... Some day -

 

[KDAD]

I gave the bottle I brought back to my mother. I always give her the old ones that I find. It was clear with a rounded bottom and long neck. The numbers 65 87 were on the bottom along with the words liquor bottle. It also has a twist off top. Needs a little cleaning but it was different than the average bottle found in a lake.

Kwint, let us know when you bring the scooter . I know three divers who wouldn't mind hitching a ride

 

[kwinter]

Kwinter, let us know when you bring the scooter . I know three divers who wouldn't mind hitching a ride

Damn freeloaders.


iPhone. iTypo. iApologize.

 

[KDAD]

What? You will probably be on the rebreather anyway. They're called dive buddies for a reason.