nitrox diving

On Sunday seven members, with a varied diving background, were certified into the realm of nitrox diving. We gathered early in the morning and promptly completed our classroom section learning of the many benefits and the few challenges of diving with enriched air. The classroom section left us looking forward to the two dives we were going to be doing using nitrox. The dives were completed at the Prescott underwater park in about 45 feet of water. We picked up our tanks at Divetech then headed for our dive site. I can say I was pleasantly surprised on the calm feeling of diving with nitrox and I was not the only one everyone was surprised on how much nicer we felt after diving. The weather was a little rainy but with all of us diving wet it really did not matter. It was a nice way to enjoy a day learning more about our sport and being able use the skills right away. All of the students would recommend air divers definitely talk to an instructor to see about nitrox.

News from the Quarry

It has been a bit since our last post on here. With the nice weather here diving has been great at the quarry. We recently had our first course come and complete all their open water dives at the quarry and a few more instructors and classes are lined up for the summer. We also have played host to divers from various clubs in the area. It is always nice to talk with divers from the CFB Dolphin Club, NTD, and the Belleville dive club. It is great to see everyones passion for diving. We are in the process of laying lines for navigation, ascent/descent lines, and a 100 foot line for visibility and to measure your fin kicks. There was a port a potty on the site for a couple weeks but it had to be removed since it was constantly being knocked over. Additions to our website is an ongoing project and now has shore and charter dives. Our next event is just days away a bbq and dive for Canada Day. Cost for this dive will be $10.00 per diver. If you are planning on attending please let us know so we can make sure we have ample food for all.

A Warm Time in the Quarry

Taking any chance to get wet I was able to get in the water this morning. I was pleasantly surprised by the water temperature at 65f/18c. It felt like bath water and in a dry suit I was overly warm. The vis was great in the range of 50ft +. It looks like for the Sunday May Long Weekend dive the water is going to be great.

Wednesday Night Diving

Today we had two groups come to the quarry to use new gear, practice skills, and shake off some cob webs from the winter months. Groups from Northern Tech Diving and the Dolphin Scuba Club enjoyed their time in the water. The reported temperature was 46F/7.7c. The range of visibility was about 40 feet even with the rain and wind we have had recently. Everyone seemed to enjoy getting into the water for a little review and trying out new gear. I enjoyed talking to the divers which when not diving is a divers favorite past time.

Finning in the Quarry

Enjoying a dive at the quarry today four of us went for a little dip. The water temperature was 45f/7C. One of the divers dove wet today and we stayed down for a little over 40 minutes. We took our time exploring and looking for anything new in the quarry. An empty turtle shell was spotted as well as kids’ scooter. The visibility was in the range of 40 feet. It was a nice time visiting the overturned car and to see the gnomes.

First Annual Easter Dive

On Saturday we had our first annual Easter Dive. It was a beautiful sunny day with a bit of wind. We had eight divers enter the water in search for eggs and to explore the quarry. This also marked our first dive of the season for the quarry. The vis on the dive stayed about 40 feet with the temperatures coming in at between 6 and 7C. Generally all the divers stayed down approximately 30 minutes. Two of the divers dove in wet suits while the rest were in dry suits. It was great to see members from the Dolphin Scuba Club and Canada Subs Sport Ltd all coming out and we are hoping that more people will attend out next theme dive in May. We need to thank DiveTech for sponsoring prizes. Our prizes included premiere tickets, Bare gloves, weight belts, snorkels, dive log, slate, and a line cutter. We would like to thank Mike, Dianne, Kim, Scott, Kevin, Matt, Gaeten, Jim, Steve, Paul, and Sam all for coming out. Also if you have any ideas of what you would like to see done in the quarry you are invited to submit them for us as we are looking at making continuous improvements for the benefit of all divers. There are more pictures non our website.

Preparation Dive

Today we got two dives in at the quarry on highway 15. In total we spent just over one hour in the water. The water temperature had not changed from last week(43F/6C) and the vis was about the same too. Our goal was to prepare for tomorrows Easter Dive and add some under water decoration. With our tasks completed we just continued to enjoy the quarry.

Sunday Dive in the Quarry

This morning granted an opportunity to go diving at the highway 15 quarry (Cruickshank). This was my first time in this quarry although I have wanted to dive in it for some time. The water looked very inviting. After seeing another diver who stopped by out of curiosity we headed into the water. Following the gentle slope into the water we quickly found ourselves at the 30 foot mark. It was surprising how clear the water was; considering all the rain and wind we have had. The visibility throughout the dive ranged around the 40 foot mark. The max depth that we hit was 37 feet and the coldest that my computer registered was a warm 43F (6C). We took our time swimming around and spent about 70 minutes under water enjoying everything we could. It was great to get out of the water and have a warm drink waiting for us too, brought by Kelly. As expected there are tires in the quarry as well as bikes and a car. The bottom was mostly rock and gravel with some sections that have a little silt. There were no fish but three live frogs were seen. It was an enjoyable dive that had no effects of the wind. I can just say I look forward to diving in here again and hope to see everyone out on Saturday for the Easter dive.

Opening of the Quarry on Highway 15

This is the first blog about the quarry on highway 15. Permission has been granted for the quarry to be opened to diving. If you do wish to dive this site you will need to give 24 hours notice. The quarry also known as Pittsburgh quarry and Cruickshank quarry is just north of Gore Rd on Highway 15. It has a gravel bottom and crystal clear water. It is fairly well protected from any wind. It will be open for all types of diving and people are encouraged to come and enjoy the site for relaxation and training. A waiver must be signed once for usage in the quarry. There will be a goal to hold various events throughout the year here for all divers. We look forward to encouraging people to learn about diving, building strong relationships between new and existing divers, and to build upon the rich diving background that is here in Kingston and South Eastern Ontario. Water temperatures and events will be posted on this site. So do not be a stranger and come out to the quarry to dive.