August Long Weekend 2005

Although the eagerly anticipated Captain Ron’s weekend didn’t happen, the group got together for a great dive weekend in Kingston. Thanks to Ben’s quick thinking, accommodations and dives were planned. Mike and I didn’t make it up for the Friday dives, but I’m told the group did a shore dive and found a cool wreck.

We started out Saturday morning in two groups, one at 6:30 (yuck!) and another at 8:30. Ben, April, Mike and I were in the second group, and we were surprised to find that we were the only ones on the boat! The ‘Seadeucer’ set out, and Harold, our captain, took us first to see the Munson. The Munson was a great wreck, a dredger in about 110 feet of water. There was so much to see, lots of tools, two steam engines, a generator, two decks to look at, and Harold’s ‘narc’ test to complete (How many teeth were on the bucket?). We really enjoyed this dive, it was a great way to start the day. Next, we were off to the Comet, a steamer with side paddle wheels in about 90 feet of water. The paddle wheels were fantastic, about 22 feet high. It was very impressive.

After the Comet, we headed back to the dive shop for lunch and to meet the rest of the group. Turns out, they went back to Queens (where we were staying) for lunch! So we relaxed and had a quick tailgate lunch. Thanks to our sandwiches and April’s yummy pitas and dip! For the afternoon, we all (Ben, April, Mike and I) got back on the Seadeucer with Ian and Michelle. The six of us (and Harold) set off, stopping to help a stranded boat out in the lake. “Super-Harold” fixed the engine, then took us to see the George T. Davie. The Davie was an amazing wreck, a coal-carrying barge in about 94 feet of water. At 177 feet long, lying on its starboard side, this is a neat wreck to dive. The lifeboat sits only a few feet away. Upon surfacing, Harold told us about finding the Davie a few years ago, after the divers who originally found the wreck kept it secret. He talked about the dilemmas regarding opening the site up to divers. For example, the rungs on the ship’s wheel were intact (except for one) when he found it, now all but one are broken. And the lifeboat’s seat was broken when someone tried to sit in it and row. Too bad more people don’t just enjoy the wreck and keep their little fingers to themselves! Our last dive was the Wolfe Islander II, an ‘underwater playground’. At about 65 feet, this scuttled ferry has lots to offer any diver. The engine has been removed, and divers can go down through the shaft. There is lots to see, including a bike, bowling ball, motorcycle, and lots of fish! It was a great dive to end the day. We started back, with a scenic waterfront tour of Kingston, and a short stop for a swim/bath. Great thanks to our captain extraordinaire, Harold, who was a great tour guide.

We went back to Queens and were just in time for Glenn’s gourmet feast. Everyone relaxed, ate, drank, and shared stories of the day’s dives. To celebrate Bruce’s 50th birthday on Sunday, most of the group headed out to a Kingston establishment. April and James ambitiously booked a dive for early the next morning, and Mike and I were planning on leaving early in the morning, so we declined the trip to town. Thanks to all for a fantastic weekend. Thanks to Glenn and Lori for the great food, and especially to Ben for his quick planning and organizing. We really enjoyed the amazing dives, and had a great time with everyone. Even though the legendary Captain Ron’s trip didn’t actually happen, we had an awesome weekend. Maybe next year!

Julie and Mike Kuntz

Update from Overseas

Hi gang from misty old England! It has been over four years since my last dip in the great lakes and St. Lawrence with most of you, and much has happened during that period. Here is a quick update. Diving in the UK is expectedly cold, and for the most part relatively deep. The British Sub Aqua Club and its 50,000+ members train in deco diving and do it regularly to hit many of the wrecks which dot the coast. (UBI: You are never more than 72 miles from the coast anywhere in Great Britain). I became a BSAC Divemaster while here, an education second to none. Technical diving is growing with many clubs having growing numbers of divers on rebreathers and often whole boatloads of divers - male and female - on twin sets. Having said that, the average single-tank sports diver, diving less than 135 ft (41 m), can see plenty and still makes up the majority of the diving public. Most wrecks have been down since the war or before and have been badly ravaged by time and tide, not to mention a few well placed demolition charges used to clear channels and harbours. Many are also war graves and Britain has started enforcing it’s ‘no touch - no take’ policies. Unfortunately this has come too late for many of the old ships whose brass now adorns clubhouses, pubs and shops around the country. Top wreck dive so far for me has been the British sub the M2 sitting intact and upright in 36m just out of Weymouth on the south coast. It was outfitted with an amphibious plane which could be launched from a hanger behind the conning tower. It is believed that it sank as a result of the doors being left open with a loss of the entire crew.

I say to date, as I will be travelling to Scotland on September 1 to dive Scapa Flow, the sight of the scuttling of the German fleet after WWI. It is the ultimate dive site in England but won’t be around much longer as time is taking its toll on the wrecks. It should be a good week. There is also a variety of diving available in Europe. Our normal travel destination is the Red Sea with diving off live-aboards or shore diving out of Marsa Alam or Sharm-el-Sheik after a 5 hour flight from London. Diving is warm, with wrecks, coral and lots of high energy dives (read: Mantas, Hammerheads and Oceanic White Tips). In addition to diving around the med, some of us crazies have made the trek to Oslo for some ice diving in February under nearly a meter of ice. Not something you get up Sunday morning and just decide to do, but fun none-the-less. I have also spent some time behind bars – cage bars that is - taking pictures of great whites in Cape Town. Where to from here? Some of you might remember me bending ears about ‘retiring some day and opening a shop of my own’. Well, after 20 years with Computer Associates, I am retiring (hence the gift to myself of the trip to Scapa), and I will be returning mid September to Vancouver where I will henceforth be found behind the counter of the Diving Locker in Langley, British Columbia.

As a PADI instructor and the new owner of this PADI 5* facility, my staff and I will be teaching, selling equipment and travelling the west coast looking for the top dive locations. If you are in the Vancouver area and would like to know more about diving locally feel free to send me an email at newle01@hotmail.com and we will set you up. In the meantime, and until I get back east to get wet again with Ben, Bruce and the rest of the gang – take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but bubbles…..

Les Newman
Datchet, UK

Captain Ron's Dive Charter

Wow, what a great weekend. I don't think anyone could have asked for better weather - and the diving was fantastic!! Captain Ron picked us up on Friday at 1pm (well we first caught sight of the boat at 1pm) and we loaded all our gear up. I believe this is when everyone first noticed the enormous amounts of food that were accompanying us. It was also fun watching all the first timers faces drop when they caught site of the lovely old tug we were about to spend a weekend on. I believe there was some confusion about whether we would be sleeping on this boat - or diving on the tug at a later time. It did of course redeem itself when they saw the great accomodations inside.

Friday's dives consisted of the Gaskin - which was a gorgeous first dive, and then the Cirtwell at night. The Robert Gaskin is a 3 masted schooner built in 1863 and sunk in 1889. It was a nice clear dive with warm water - and everyone came up raving about the great dive. Our night dive on the Cirtwell was equally as fun. (Thanks to Glenn for a great dive)

Saturday we had the great fun of clearing customs so we could do some diving in the US. It was certainly worth it though. I believe it was most people's first time diving the Vickery (mine included) and what an amazing dive. It is just a stunning wreck - would highly recommend this one to anyone. In the late afternoon some people did the Keystorm, and then we also did a night dive on the Keystorm. Some people had an incredible dive there - others of us not such a good dive, but we will leave that story alone for now.

Sunday had a lot of people struggling to stay awake after a far too late poker game the night before. None the less, troupers that we all are we moved on to do the America and the Lilly Parsons. I opted out on the America - but a couple of people were lucky enough to be on this wreck when a huge freighter went over head. (The America is right in the middle of the shipping channel) The Lily Parsons was combined with a drift dive which was a nice relaxing last dive.

Now on to the social aspect of the diving. Well the two things that we did more of than dive on this weekend was eat and sleep. Wow, did we eat. Apparently Glenn is used to feeding firefighters!! I believe we had enough food to feed a small army, so no one went hungery. And hats off to the chef, the food was superb!! The bunks were great, accomodations comfortable, as usual. (This coming from someone who has never had to sleep in the bow of the boat, so perhaps not everyone was quite as comfortable) The discussions were interesting, card games fun, sunburns amusing, and our onboard entertainment (Dave) great. Overall a fantastic dive weekend, and I would encourage everyone to book early for next year.

Tracy
(ps, checkout the photos!)