How To Dive Welland Scuba Park?

[cleung]

I'm hoping to bring a small group of dive friends to try Welland Scuba Park this summer. None of us have ever been there so I'm doing my research. I can see that both the main area where the tug boat, sub and cars are as well as the swing bridge, would be attractive places to dive.

One of my questions would be -- usually, would most divers do the main area (tug boat, etc) and the swing bridge during one single dive or are these usually split into two separate dives?

Also, what month of the summer is usually the best time to dive Welland Scuba Park?

 

[Fogest]

It's a pretty simple place. You really just go straight out from the dock area, you'll find a line, you follow the line around to all the sites. That would be one dive, and then the swing bridge would be another. The swing bridge is probably too far away from the other sites to do both in a single dive, and you'd have to rush waaaay too much. You'll see how much of a distance there is if you look on Google Earth at the park. You'll see the old broken bridge a bit down from the park and can look at the distance there. I've been earlier in the summer for checkout dives, and later on in the summer. I don't think there really is a "good" time, though I think if it has recently rained the vis is not the best. Also it's a more popular place so sometimes other divers infront of you may make it messy.

 

[cleung]

It's a pretty simple place. You really just go straight out from the dock area, you'll find a line, you follow the line around to all the sites. That would be one dive, and then the swing bridge would be another. The swing bridge is probably too far away from the other sites to do both in a single dive, and you'd have to rush waaaay too much. You'll see how much of a distance there is if you look on Google Earth at the park. You'll see the old broken bridge a bit down from the park and can look at the distance there. I've been earlier in the summer for checkout dives, and later on in the summer. I don't think there really is a "good" time, though I think if it has recently rained the vis is not the best. Also it's a more popular place so sometimes other divers infront of you may make it messy.

Thanks so much for your input. I'll plan this as a two tank dive for my group then.

 

[cleung]

Oh, one more quick question -- for Welland Scuba Park, does each diver have to tow a flag/sausage or just the divemaster leading our small group?

 

[shoredivr]

One person should be fine. Be aware that the local firefighters can access the boat launch in a Motorised boat for training purposes. That's the only Motorised boat to contend with, and I've never seen this happen in 4 years of diving there. It's pretty easy to see if a firefighter boat trailer is at the ramp though.

 

[Fogest]

Oh, one more quick question -- for Welland Scuba Park, does each diver have to tow a flag/sausage or just the divemaster leading our small group?

No, you do not need to have any to my knowledge. I did not use one except during my OW checkout dives, but that was just so that the divemasters knew where the students were.

 

[Soggy_Diver]

Here is a map of the area around the swing bridge...

 

[Soggy_Diver]

Here is some other info...

 

[cleung]

Here is some other info...

Yes looks like 2 tanks for sure that day. Thanks so much!

 

[rhwestfall]

The other thing is to get there early, before others. If there are classes, the vis is likely to degrade....