diving visability over the last 200 years or so

[SDE Dennis]

I was thinking about this for sometime and I decided to see if anyone has any information on the subject. I know visibility is dependent on many factors, such as plankton blooms, runoff, waste, chemicals and other substances we put in the water system. My question is. Does anyone know of any research or information on the oceans visibly in the east cost of the US over the last 200 years or so?

I wander what it would have been like to dive here a couple hundred years ago. If I had a time machine that would be my use for it.

 

[1_T_Submariner]

Better take gear and full tanks in that time machine. I guess you could jump on the internet and order from liesure pro if you forget something (LOL Just joking).

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I dunno about visibility, but even a few decades ago there were a lot more fish ... and the big ones were a lot more common.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[CamG]

Greetings SDE Dennis and I am not certain if it is being researched now but I would not be shocked if it was.
What I do know is they have been unlocking many climate / environmental conditions from glacier core samples from the past years.
I am certain that once a scientist wants to know it will be explored how will be the difficult part but I do like your time machine idea.
Good luck and if you find any information, please share it.
CamG Keep diving....Keep training....keep learning!

 

[Drewski]

This is a subject near and dear to me because I live next to the Chesapeake Bay, a body of water continuously influenced by "civilization" since the 1600s.

Probably the best source of what underwater visibility was like 400 years ago was the Journal of Captain John Smith (the same guy that married Pocahontas). He described an area I'm very familiar with - Lynnhaven Inlet and the Broad Bay - as so clear that you could see all the way to the 30 FT bottom. He saw so many blue crabs in the sand that if they swam to the surface he could have walked across the water on their backs.

Another "old" source, a guy called Count Zinzindorf who was a traveling companion of explorer and botanist William Bartram in 1742 along the North Branch Susquehanna's thickly forested shores, described "beautifully transparent" water, so clear that swimming chin deep, they "might have seen a pin at the bottom."

If you went to either of these places now and were lucky to dive them on a GOOD day, you might get to see your hand in front of your face.

As for all of our "accomplishments" at improving water quality in the Chesapeake Bay during the last 30 years, just watch the "making of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel (CBBT)," a "Modern Marvels" episode on the History Channel when it airs again. They show CBBT construction films that had BLUE WATER in the Chesapeake Bay during 1963!

As late as the 1980s, I dived the islands of the CBBT and had 40+ FT of underwater visibility routinely. Dive shop boats did openwater certification trips to the islands regularly during the summer and "after work" night dives on Wednesdays and Fridays. Now? No one runs to the islands anymore because visibility on a good day might be 10 FT, usually less.

So what's the problem? Simple answer, land runoff. All the crap draining from parking lots, streets, sewers, factories and other stuff, just when it rains, puts sediments into the water. I shudder to think about all the salt and other chemicals that went into east coast rivers during the snow storms of last winter.

It's not good...

 

[drbill]

Um, I wasn't really paying too much attention to the visibility back then... I didn't have a camera and I was focused on improving my trim. Glad my relative John Smith paid more attention.

 

[Diver0001]

I was thinking about this for sometime and I decided to see if anyone has any information on the subject. I know visibility is dependent on many factors, such as plankton blooms, runoff, waste, chemicals and other substances we put in the water system. My question is. Does anyone know of any research or information on the oceans visibly in the east cost of the US over the last 200 years or so?

Actually, there might be one or two divers on scubaboard who can tell you from personal experience. I was going to say Dr. Bill, but he's denying it.

R..

 

[tetra730]

Vis. may be better now in some areas,St.lawernce,dutch springs all have improved thanks to the zebra mus.

 

[SDE Dennis]

I thank you all for the information. I dove the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel a couple times about 4 - 5 years ago. Vis was 3 - 7 ft. I dive from the Keys to the tip of Maine. The visibility is the worst around the large rivers coming from the metropolitan areas.

It would be a great accomplishment to bring it back. I'm sure that would help the diving industry.

 

[Crowley]

Can't speak for the East Coast USA but there are plenty of examples worldwide of how coastal development has changed the characteristics of the underwater realm - and rarely if ever do they suggest that the diving has improved.

I work in an environment in Egypt that has seen rapid hotel development along the shoreline over the last 10 years and sadly it has had a very severe effect on some of the fringing reefs. I read about a development in Japan - a land reclamation project that although relatively small, changed the local currents sufficiently to kill off what was once a beautiful coral reef. Coastal deforestation and Mangrove removal in the Asia Pacific region, coupled with industrial and farming development has changed the visibility substantially. If you ever fly into Bangkok airport on a clear day (southern approach) you can see a kilometer wide fringe of brown water along the coastline. It's not so much pollution; rather coastal deforestation to make way for rice fields. 200 years ago, that particular area would have been pristine blue water.

Somewhat ironically, it would appear that the whale shark and manta populations in my location have actually increased in connection with the coastal development and changes to the reef. In all probability this is due to the removal of the top predators in the area due to over-fishing which has trickled down the ecological ladder leading to an increase in plankton availability.

Whilst that doesn't really answer your specific question, I think you could safely place a bet that 200 years ago the East Coast diving would have been very different indeed.

Best solution: stop putting crap in the ocean that doesn't belong there and stop taking out the stuff that does!

Cheers

C.