Lake Jocassee update

[AlabamaExile]

I dove the Junk on Saturday, 8/1. The temperature at 55 feet or so was around 73 degrees. I dropped down briefly to 100 feet at it dipped into the upper 60s.

The viz was ok. Probably 15-20 feet or so, but difficult to estimate exactly. The viz was better in the morning, but deteriorated as the day went on, as is to be expected.

All in all it was a nice spot to dive. It certainly wasn't the Caribbean, but it was definitely worth a 2 hour drive. I would recommend that anyone who has not been to Jocasse make the trip and check it out.

AE

 

[cranstonjdc]

anyone have gps cordinates for the junk? or visual land marks to help me find it?

 

[TonyW388]

I do not have my gps handy, but it's easy to find and marked pretty well.

After you put your boat in turn around head out up the right shore line. When you get to open water head for the large rock wall to the left of the dam. There was two orange mooring balls and one white buoy. Either one will get you to the junk. The white buoy leads you directly to the junk. The orange mooring balls you will have to follow the lines and i do not have the heading for the correct line to the junk. I will update later with the gps coordinates to the bouys(if I can find them).

 

[cranstonjdc]

Thanks Alot. I was just certified and just got my own gear. So i hope to get up to jocassee once or twice a month.

 

[TonyW388]

Thanks Alot. I was just certified and just got my own gear. So i hope to get up to jocassee once or twice a month.

No problem! You can also dive the divers boat ramp too. There is a couple of good dive ops up there that usually does runs out to the junk.

Off The Wall Charters

Scuba Shop Spartanburg SC      

Congrats on the cert and getting your gear.

 

[KarolinaKid]

No problem! You can also dive the divers boat ramp too. There is a couple of good dive ops up there that usually does runs out to the junk.

Off The Wall Charters

Scuba Shop Spartanburg SC      

Congrats on the cert and getting your gear.

I can vouch for Bill at Off The Wall Charters / Jocassee Dive Shop. I have dealt with and dove with him for several years. Bill knows the lake better than most and has been responsible for marking and mapping most of the dive sites there. I highly recommend stopping by his shop on your way in or giving them a call before you head that way. He does charters, rents and fills tanks, sells gear, does training and is quite reasonable.

I dove the cemetary last Saturday and cleaned the silt off the "Baby Doris" head stone. Max depth was 129' and temp was 50. Also dove the junk and surrounding area as well as the wall near the intake towers...and found "While E" rock. Always love diving Jocassee.

 

[Jocassee Junkee]

I can vouch for Bill at Off The Wall Charters / Jocassee Dive Shop. I have dealt with and dove with him for several years. Bill knows the lake better than most and has been responsible for marking and mapping most of the dive sites there. I highly recommend stopping by his shop on your way in or giving them a call before you head that way. He does charters, rents and fills tanks, sells gear, does training and is quite reasonable.

I dove the cemetary last Saturday and cleaned the silt off the "Baby Doris" head stone. Max depth was 129' and temp was 50. Also dove the junk and surrounding area as well as the wall near the intake towers...and found "While E" rock. Always love diving Jocassee.

I dove the Mt. Carmel Church Cemetery last Saturday morning also with Off the Wall.Were you in our group of 3 divers? I was so cold I took off on the wrong line down there,but now I know where it goes.Once I adjusted to the 50 degree water I was fine but time is limited in the Cemetery.I got 128 feet at Doris' stone and had a 4 minute Deco obligation.I hope Bill and Trip got a new bucket on the downline---don't think that Coke bottle will last long.I love diving Jocassee.

 

[KarolinaKid]

I dove the Mt. Carmel Church Cemetery last Saturday morning also with Off the Wall.Were you in our group of 3 divers? I was so cold I took off on the wrong line down there,but now I know where it goes.Once I adjusted to the 50 degree water I was fine but time is limited in the Cemetery.I got 128 feet at Doris' stone and had a 4 minute Deco obligation.I hope Bill and Trip got a new bucket on the downline---don't think that Coke bottle will last long.I love diving Jocassee.

Yes, I was one of the other two down there with you. I followed you down that line and wondered where we were going, but I had the least amount of air among us, so I was going to stick with someone - Ha! It does get cold in a hurry when you drop like a rock down that line. I heard that Bill was out putting a better marker on it later that afternoon.

 

[Jocassee Junkee]

Yes, I was one of the other two down there with you. I followed you down that line and wondered where we were going, but I had the least amount of air among us, so I was going to stick with someone - Ha! It does get cold in a hurry when you drop like a rock down that line. I heard that Bill was out putting a better marker on it later that afternoon.

I am glad you got the Cemetery dive in on your vacation. I know we missed it on Sunday the 9th due to the clowdy weather and not finding the downline. Sorry I got us on the wrong line on the bottom but that was only my second dive of the year in the Cemetery,but at least we toured all of the graveyard.Diving the Cemetery just does not seem to work out much for me. The Tech divers think it is too shallow and most recreational divers can't handle it so it is a rare treat to get down there.

 

[krawlings]

Does any one have the current water temps at the junk and of the wall at around 100'+ I will be there on the 17th and is the viz any better than 10 to 15 feet . It has been a couple months since Tony and myself were there