Thousand Islands, August 2008

The biggest dive trip of my summer is now behind me. On Monday, August 4, Marshall and Renee Allan picked me up at 7 a.m. to begin our trek to the Thousand Islands region of the St. Lawrence River. The Thousand Islands is a beautiful area, both above and below the water. It's at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, where the lake feeds the St. Lawrence River. From a diving perspective, it's one of the most unique areas of the Great Lakes. It offers warm water (72 degrees F this week) with no thermocline! Being a river (albeit a large one), it is fairly immune from wind and rough water, so you never miss a day of diving. Not only do you not get "blown out," but the rides to and from the wrecks are short and calm.

Anyway, after picking up Paul in Plymouth, MI, we crossed the border into Canada and drove east for many miles. The only down side to the 1000 Islands is its distance from my house. Let's fast forward to about 5 pm when we arrived at the motel in Mallorytown Landing, ON. We checked in, unloaded and headed out for dinner at Caiger's Resort, which also happens to be the place where we caught the boat each morning.

Our group consisted of 11 divers including me. I had several certified divers along who just wanted to dive, plus a fair amount of students. Due to the number of students, I had to break them into 2 smaller groups. I dove with one group in the morning and the other group in the afternoon. I worked with Wayne Green of Thousand Island Pleasure Divers who was most cooperative in arranging two trips a day for me to the same dive site.

On Tuesday August 5, we started our trip by diving the Kingshorn, a really nice wreck about 5 minutes from the dock. In fact, you can almost see the mooring buoy on the wreck from the dock! It's a surprisingly nice wreck only about 100 yards off shore in 75'-90' with very little curent and makes a great first dive for those who have never dove the St. Lawrence before. I took the opportunity to present students with some impromptu situations, like out of air drills.

I was finished with both dives by about 3 o'clock, so we headed over to DiveTech for air fills and to browse the amazing inventory of dive toys owner Dan Humble has assembled in his store. For those that have never had the pleasure of visiting Dan's store, remember the scene in Willy Wonka where Gene Wilder (Willy) first opens the door to the chocolate factory and everyone is awestruck by the wondrous sites? Well, DiveTech is like that, only for divers. And Dan doesn't have a chocolate waterfall (yet). After hanging about at DiveTech, it was time to head into Brockville for dinner at Bud's on the Bay. We enjoyed a nice dinner on the patio overlooking the St. Lawrence.

On Wednesday (Aug. 6), we had quite an outing. The plan was to dive the Keystorm, one of the best wrecks in the river. As it's on the American side, and we were departing from Canada, we had to clear US Customs on Heart Island. Rather than go through Customs twice, we put everyone on the boat in the morning and stayed on the wreck for two dives. Our group was also joined by my longtime friend Steve Lewis and his group of divers. Steve is an SDI/TDI instructor trainer and is also International Training's Marketing Director. The Keystorm is one of my favortite wrecks in the area. It's large enough that there's plenty to see and it lies on a shoal, affording you the opportunity to pick your depth. The bow of the ship is in about 30', while the stern is at about 115'. Again, I presented students with the opportunity to practice some skills like manifold drills, lost buddy procedures and lost/malfunctioning deco gas. That last one wasn't a problem I manufactured. The pressure gauge on Penny's deco bottle choose this dive to malfunction. So she and her buddy Bob had a little extra problem to sort out (which they did). In honor of our dives that day, we choose to eat dinner at the Keystorm Pub in Brockville. It's a great place to relax, eat and share a beer or two.

On Thursday, we took a break from wreck diving to do a couple drift dives in the river. Wayne dropped us near shore where we could stand on the bottom to get ourselves sorted out, and then we dropped down and drifted with the current. The two sites we dove weren't as pictureesque as others I've dove in the river, but the dives afforded us the opportunity to get some depth and a little more deco time. At the end of the dive, students deployed lift bags and did deco drifting under the bags. Upon surfacing, Wayne was waiting to pick us up in the boat.

My Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures students were finished on Thursday, but I had 2 Trimix Diver candidates diving Friday. For their dive, we chose the Roy A. Jodrey. The Jodrey is a 640 ft. lake freighter built in 1965. In Nov. 1974, she hit a shoal in the river and sank near the US Coast Guard station on Wellesley Island. She is a unique dive. As she sits in the channel, there is no mooring line to her. Dive boats tuck up near shore and you enter the water in a small cove. Then you drop underwater, swim out to the wall, drop over the edge and descend. If you've done it right, you land on the Jodrey's wheelhouse at about 140', since the wreck lies right up against the wall. There are many levels to dive on the Jodrey. The wheelhouse is shallowest at about 140'. The next deck level is at about 160', the next around 170' and the spar deck is at about 180. The ship also has a pronounced list to starboard, so the port rail is much shallower than the the port side.

The current was minimal when we dove it which was nice for the students' sake, but unfortunately visibility was only fair. Our 20 minute bottom time flew by and then it was time to make our ascent. Since there is no mooring line on the wreck, one ascends up the face of the rock wall. As you ascend, you work your way upstream (into the current) so that you end up back in the cove where the dive boat is waiting.

We had some issues on our dive which I won't go into here. I'll just say "elegant" and "graceful" are not words that would describe our dive that day! But, everyone that got into the water, got out of the water safely, and that's what counts.

That was our last dive of the trip, so it was back to DiveTech to say goodbye and hit the road. It was a long drive and the border crossing could have gone quicker, but I finally fell into my own bed about 1:30 am.

It was a great trip and I'm looking forward to doing it again next year. Thanks to all the trip participants for their cooperation, patience and good humor. Also thanks to Wayne at Thousand Island Pleasure Divers and Dan at DiveTech for their help.

Diving the Minnedosa July 24-25, 2008

It's been a busy summer and I haven't had time to post anything recently. On July 24th, a group of us headed back up to Harbor Beach, MI (seems like my second home) to dive once again with Gary Venet on His awesome boat, the Sylvia Anne (http://www.rectecdivecharters.com/).

Our target wreck was the Minnedosa, the largest sailing ship built on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes. She was about 250' long with four masts. She never really sailed much, being so big that she required a large crew and lots of wind. Plus, lacking maneuverability in port, she had to travel with her own tug. So, it was usually easier (and quicker) just to tow her. In October 1905, she and another barge were in tow of the steamer Westmount. No one knows for sure what happened, but it is surmised that the Minnedosa began to founder and that her captain ordered the towline cut in order to save the other vessels. Today she lies in about 210' of water in Lake Huron, east of Harbor Beach.

Our charter was to leave at 3 pm, but upon arrival, Gary informed us that we would have to cancel. Looking up at the flag standing straight out from the pole convinced us of the merit in that idea. Gary's divemaster, Tom, asked if we would like to visit the Harbor Beach lighthouse, under renovation to turn it into a museum (although it is also still an active light station). We hopped onto his boat and he ran us out to the end of the breakwall for an up close and personal look at the light house. I can't wait to see the interior after the renovation is complete.

By the time we got back from the lighthouse, the wind had died and we decided to give the Minnedosa a try. With little wind, the waves dropped pretty quickly and we were only mildly annoyed with the 2 foot rollers left on the lake. When we arrived at the site, we were treated to the site of an empty lake. No buoy. No mooring line. It seemed we weren't meant to dive that day. But Gary and Tom rigged a new mooring line and dropped it on the wreck. Since everyone else was diving with cameras, my buddy and I volunteered to tie the new mooring in. We dropped in, followed the line to the bottom (just 10 feet off the starboard side of the wreck!) and secured the mooring to the ship. We spent the remainder of our bottom time exploring the stern section of the wreck. The wheel is still there, and quite impressive. There are a number of artifacts on the stern cabin roof for divers to enjoy (and leave in place). We dropped over the stern to check out the massive rudder and elegant curves of the transom and then it was time to head up.

Due to our late start and spending time rigging the new mooring, we didn't get back to the dock until 8 pm. We quickly drove over to the motel to check in and then headed over to Hunter's Bar for dinner (one of only 2 establishments open at that hour in a small town).

Friday morning, July 25 brought beautiful weather. Once again, just some small waves on the lake. We motored out to the wreck and lo and behold, the mooring was still there. This time Steve and I got to spend our entire 25 min. bottom time exploring the wreck. We started by checking out the yawl boat on the lake bottom near the stern of the Minne And worked our way all the way to the bow, where we saw the windlass, both anchors, a boiler for a donkey engine to run the windlass and various other smaller artifacts. We swam 250' back to the stern and the ascent line, enjoying the sights as we went along.

The ride back to the dock was quick, at least it seemed that way to me. That may be because I had a wonderful nap the whole way back in!

It was another great couple days diving Lake Huron and we enjoyed every minute of it. Next week I'll be in The 1000 Islands region diving the St. Lawrence River. I'll try to post throughout the week, depending on how internet connections are up there.

Last Adv. Nitrox/Deco Course of the Summer!

The last Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures course of the summer will begin August 23-24, 2008.

This initial weekend should cover the bulk of the academic study and several dives. Remaining meetings will be scheduled after completion of the weekend's activities.

This course is the entry level technical course in the line-up of TDI courses. Graduates will be proficient divers capable of planning and executing simple staged decompression dives using nitrox and oxygen to optimize decompression obligation. This combination course consists of approximately 8 hours of classroom work, at least three skills dives and at least 3 "working" dives.

Prerequisites: Candidates for this course should have experience diving in the conditions in which the course is to be conducted (e.g. Great Lakes). They should have a fundamental grasp of buoyancy and trim, and be familiar with the gear they will be wearing for the course. An advanced certification from SDI or another recognized agency and basic nitrox certification is required. The majority of candidates for this class wear a backplate, wing and double cylinders, but a single large-volume tank fitted with two first stages is acceptable. For a full equipment list, please ask.

Course fee is $850 per person and includes all textbooks, handouts, cards (upon successful completion of course objectives), and the instructor's time and expenses.

Please e-mail questions to rick@greatlakestechdiving.com.

Adv. Nitrox/Deco Course July 12-13, 2008

It was back to Gilboa Quarry this past weekend for the initial weekend of an Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures course. I met up with Brian, Ryan and Wally Saturday morning at the quarry. The plan was to do a few hours of academic material followed by our first training dive. We got off to a slow start due to an unexpected downpour just as we were getting ready to begin. We began an informal classroom session in the office until the rain let up. Marshall Allan brought down his nice new 8' X 10' enclosed trailer for us to use as a "portable classroom." We set up chairs and a whiteboard inside and got down to business.

Around noon we took a break for lunch and then reconvened to get ready for our dive. We looked over each other's equipment and configurations and planned our dive. We entered on the deep side of the quarry, swam over to a shallow shelf at about 30' to do some manifold drills and gas sharing. Then we dropped down to the 70' platform to work on deco cylinder handling, gas switches and SMB deployment.

Sunday morning we again met at 9 to do 2 more dives and just a little more classroom work. The first dive was another skill dive with "simulated" deco stops during the ascent. Our last dive of the day was a deep dive, incurring a small deco obligation, with the emphasis on proper execution of the dive rather than more skill repetition.

Other than some rain Saturday morning, the weather was sunny and hot, making for a beautiful weekend. Brian, Ryan and Wally all did well, although everyone knows what to put extra work on. Marshall was kind enough (or cruel enough) to video tape several of the class dives and give the guys DVD's to take home so they can critique themselves. Video is a very valuable teaching tool and I appreciate Marshall bringing his camera and even his DVD duplicator out to the quarry for us.

This course will finish up with dives in the 1000 Islands in a few weeks. The St. Lawrence is one of my favorite dive sites, so look for a report around mid-August.

Another Great Weekend on Lake Huron

This weekend we were diving Lake Huron once again. I have to admit, diving the wrecks near Harbor Beach, MI from the Sylvia Anne is one of my favorite dive trips. Capt. Gary Venet is top notch (not to mention a helluva nice guy) and his boat is about the best I've ever dove from.

Marshall and Renee Allan, Eric Ward and I arrived Friday afternoon for a trip out to the Glenorchy, a 350' steel freighter that sank due to collision. She's upside down at a depth of 120'. The engine room can be penetrated by those properly trained and equipped, and is really the main reason to dive this wreck. Without penetration, all there is to see is a very large, steel hull.

Saturday and Sunday we dove the Dunderburg, one of the best wooden schooners in the Great Lakes. For the whole story and some outstanding pictures, check out Andy Morrison's website here.

We had excellent weather and visibility all weekend. It was mostly sunny, with nice blue skies and temperatures in the 70's. On the lake, the wind was light and favorable. I don't think we ever had much more than a 1' swell. Visibility averaged 50' or more.

This trip also marked the maiden voyage of Marshall's new dive trailer. He just bought a nice, new 8 x 10 enclosed trailer, allowing us to put four divers in his SUV and all the gear in the trailer. It worked out very well. We had plenty of room to haul everything we needed, plus it gave us a "base" to work out of at the marina to change out tanks etc. Thanks Marshall and Renee.

It was a very enjoyable weekend and everyone had good dives and came home safely.

Lake Huron Trip Report

This weekend (June 7-8, 2008), I had the pleasure of diving with Capt. Gary Venet aboard the Sylvia Anne. I was working with a couple of Trimix Diver students. The target wrecks for the weekend were the Daniel J. Morrell (bow) and the Governor Smith. We were diving Lake Huron, off the tip of Michigan's "thumb." Our departure port was Harbor Beach, MI.

It was a wild weekend weather-wise and I didn't really think we'd get to dive much. We arrived Friday evening. Just after dinner, strong storms rolled through and I wasn't sure things would calm down by Saturday morning, especially since the Morrell is 26 miles from Harbor Beach. However, Saturday morning brought nice weather and gentle winds. We made it all the way to the wreck site and enjoyed waves of 2 feet or less. The Morrell is a classic Great Lakes steel freighter, about 600 ft. long. In November 1966, she broke in half and sank. The stern half of the vessel, still under power, continued steaming on until it sank some 5 miles from the bow section. The bow section is upright and intact (except for being only half a ship) in about 200'. The main deck is in about 160'. Visibility was good and we enjoyed exploring the shipwreck and visiting the wheelhouse and forward cabin areas.

Saturday night brought more storms. Sunday morning was pretty breezy and I turned my cell phone on early anticipating a call from Gary cancelling the dive. But once again, the weather gods smiled on us and about 8 am, the wind dropped. We headed out to dive the Governor Smith, a 240 foot-long wooden steamer that sank due to a collision with the Uranus in 1906. She lies at a depth of about 180'. Again, we were treated to waves of about 2 feet, which subsided throughout the morning to calm conditions. The wreck is nearly intact with many artifacts strewn about the deck and out into a large debris field around the wreck. The bow is impressive with anchors still in place. At the point of impact, you can see one of Uranus' anchors which broke loose and was left inside the Smith. We all enjoyed the dive and the nice ride back to the harbor.

While we were diving, a thick fog had developed. The trip back was like riding through a bag of cotton. When Gary slowed the boat to a crawl, we wondered what was up. Then, we began to make out rocks dead ahead. We were about 50 feet from the breakwall of Harbor Beach Marina! Gary expertly guided us into the entrance to the marina and back to the dock.

It was a wonderful weekend and we got very lucky. Not only did we get to dive both days, but we got to the wrecks we had targeted. I'm looking forward to returning in 2 weeks to do more diving from Harbor Beach.

Charter Space Available!

I have two spaces open for the weekend of June 21-22, 2008. We're departing Harbor Beach, MI on the Sylvia Anne, operated by Rec and Tec Dive Charters. Saturday's departure time is 1 p.m. and Sunday's departure time is 8 a.m.

Charter fee is $110 per day and our target wreck is the Dunderburg, one of the most beautiful wooden shipwrecks in the Great Lakes. Depth on the wreck is about 150'. Advanced Nitrox/Decompression Procedures certification required, as well as Great Lakes diving experience.

E-mail me if you're interested.