Kelly lake / Pavillion day trip

[Slamfire]

Ah, the pullouts... We were getting ready to pull out the machete I carry in my car, and start cutting down a trail from the road into the lake.

 

[Soakedlontra]

Ah, the pullouts... We were getting ready to pull out the machete I carry in my car, and start cutting down a trail from the road into the lake.

Are you kidding?:shocked2: Shall I buy one?

How high is the lake? It must be high enough if you were concerned about its effects on the body after the dives. Let's see if I remember what I have been taught during my OW class: altitude can increase the chance to get DCS/DCI?

At 80' was the temperature in the high 30sF?

Does the lake freeze up in winter?

Visibility of 70'/80'? I cannot wait to see it! In some areas of Puget Sound the visibility has improved to an amazing 40'/50'!. Here on Whidbey Island it still struggles to get to 30'!

 

[Slamfire]

Are you kidding?:shocked2: Shall I buy one?

Machetes are not necessary. The pullouts are small. They are just small dirt areas that extend a little beyond the road shoulders. They do not have a straight geometric shape, are not well lined up or marked in anyway. So they are easy to miss. If you see a less than noteworthy strip of dirt by the road just big enough to park a car or two, that might be a pullout.

How high is the lake? It must be high enough if you were concerned about its effects on the body after the dives. Let's see if I remember what I have been taught during my OW class: altitude can increase the chance to get DCS/DCI?

My GPS altimeter readings at the lake were between 2600 ft to 2700 ft. This is significant enough to alter nitrox MOD's, residual nitrogen loadings, etc. Most computers will be able to handle it either by automatically detecting the altitude change or by manually changing the computer settings. That said, it would be a good idea for the diver to understand why and how these things change rather than just have blind faith in a computer.

At 80' was the temperature in the high 30sF?

I expected lower temperatures than what it actually ended up being. My computer has 48 F for one dive and 46 F for the other. It was a pleasant surprise.

Does the lake freeze up in winter?

Christina says it will freeze in a couple of weeks.

Visibility of 70'/80'? I cannot wait to see it! In some areas of Puget Sound the visibility has improved to an amazing 40'/50'!. Here on Whidbey Island it still struggles to get to 30'!

And apparently that was very bad visibility for that lake. I was surprised to see plants at 80'. Here on Howe Sound, depths in the 80's range are usually dark. Not much photosynthetic plant life if any at all.

Donnie Reid will be giving another lecture on Pavillion Lake on Nov 6th at the West Vancouver Yatch Club. Details here: http://www.diveoceanquest.com/PDF/evening_with_authors.pdf

 

[seahorsey]

The other sweet thing about the pullouts is that there are THREE zones marked on the maps - yet the text talks only about 'the northern and southern' zones. Kafkaesque. Especially since the middle zone is where everyone goes. So I'm not even sure which zone they consider that, since there is one to the north and one to the south of it. Would it kill them to put a little 'you are here' arrow on the sign?

"does the lake freeze in winter?" - HAHAHAHA. Give it 2 weeks and you need an ice auger to dive! Its on 860 or something meters. Temp, 48 at surface (54 at the shallow put-in spot), down to 44 at 70 '. No thermocline I could see. It's been 45 at depth in August, with a pronounced thermocline at 40 and another one at around 60 '.

 

[BackseatDiver]

Hmm, I think this might be worth a trip.. If I wasn't so tired last week I'd have gone Saturday..

 

[DaleC]

Gabriel, are you planning on going to that lecture? I just emailed an inquiry as to the admission cost.

 

[Soakedlontra]

I expected lower temperatures than what it actually ended up being. My computer has 48 F for one dive and 46 F for the other. It was a pleasant surprise.

The water temperature at Whistle Lake on Fidalgo Island, WA, was 41F at 70' This lake is almost at sea level. Interesting that Pavilion was warmer.

Christina says it will freeze in a couple of weeks.

It will freeze in a couple of weeks already? Nooooo!:shocked2::depressed:
I am not into ice diving, well at least right now that my suit leaks. When will the ice melt? End of March?

Donnie Reid will be giving another lecture on Pavillion Lake on Nov 6th at the West Vancouver Yatch Club. Details here: http://www.diveoceanquest.com/PDF/evening_with_authors.pdf

Thanks! Not sure if I can make it, though. I was hoping to dive at Pavilion Lake before the big freeze...

 

[Slamfire]

Gabriel, are you planning on going to that lecture? I just emailed an inquiry as to the admission cost.

I'm so there. I had signed up for a previous lecture and had to skip because of a last minute situation. I'm not missing it this time. The pdf I posted above says admission is free.

The water temperature at Whistle Lake on Fidalgo Island, WA, was 41F at 70' This lake is almost at sea level. Interesting that Pavilion was warmer.

A little more than 2 yrs ago Dale and I were doing cleanup dives in Sasamat Lake, which is almost at sea level as well. My computer registered 43 F at 70'.

It will freeze in a couple of weeks already? Nooooo!:shocked2::depressed:
I am not into ice diving, well at least right now that my suit leaks. When will the ice melt? End of March? Thanks! Not sure if I can make it, though. I was hoping to dive at Pavilion Lake before the big freeze...

You still have a chance. I have no idea when it usually melts. Maybe seahorsey knows.

 

[DaleC]

I recieved an email reply that also confirms it's free. I'm thinking I'll try to make it out too.

 

[askdjasd]

Wow, that would be an interesting lecture..
plus the auctions would be sweet too.

Gabe, carpool?