Mon Jun 26, 2017 10:33 am
Fortune Pond Dive Report:
- Another great diving trip... Fortune never fails to deliver in that aspect.
- Weather was perfect on Friday as we all began to arrive and dive. Saturday was supposed to rain but held off and changed from cloudy to sunny and back several times before finally starting to rain late in the afternoon when we were all done diving. After raining all night, it was dry again Sunday morning so Rich an I were able to get one more dive in before heading for home.
- Visibility was a little hazier than last time... But, we could see 50-60 feet clearly. On one dive, I looked up directly at the sun from 129 feet down and could see the surface ripples. At 135 feet, the water had a layer... Above was clear and below had the visibility of skim milk... It rested down there like heavy water or something.
- Water Temperature was in the low 60s above 15 feet depth. I think I registered 41 degrees down at 135 ft. Air temps was cooperative with not much wind and usually in the 70's... The sun helped with warm ups between dives.
- Most Memorable Dive was Saturday. Rich and I swam on the surface about 1/3 of the distance around the right side of the pond then descended to the "Bug Garden" ( a ledge at 65 feet deep). From there we continued out beyond and along the ledge to observe the wall and the terrain below. After awhile we began to see the boulders on the side of a road start to appear out of the haze below and the ridge we were following became shallower and shallower. I surfaced to locate where we were and it was just 50 yds short of the other end of the pond. We turned around to begin our swim back in the warmer, shallow water of about 15 ft depth and we came upon a low spot on the bottom that was filled with the same skim milk haze that we're seen below 135 feet. To me it looked slightly green but Rich say is was white. Its like it was heavier water sunk into the low spot. As we swam a little further I saw and recovered a fishing rod and reel... Gotta have some treasure!
- When we finally got back to the cars, we had been in the water for almost an hour. I was cold and tired... But that was a great dive!
- Our Diving Group was me and Rich, SwimJim and Eric P., Sheriffdiver and his three guests. A really great group with lots of laughs, good stories, and good company. Sheriffdiver Ron has to be the hardest working dive buddy of all... He was filling tanks for his guests almost non stop. SwimJim brought along a Healthways double hose reg that he demonstrated, explained, and then dove the heck out if. My buddy Rich dove his Twin 50s, single 95s, and even some Nitrox to build up experience in his log book. SwimJim and Eric also dove full technical to practice their craft for Wreck Diving and Fire Department rescue squad (they are pros). I personally dove one set of 38s after another and then my set of 48s... With a different double hose each dive. And then I refilled the 38s from AL80s for Sundays dive... Did I say I really like Twin 38s? Ron dove Twin AL50s and Twin 72s with single and double hose regs and helped his guests to try double hosing, too. They loved it.
- We had some great pizza Friday night and Excellent Italian at Alices Saturday night with some really good bull sessions over cheese and crackers at the motel. Really a great weekend. Thanks everyone that came, I loved it.
P.S. I forgot to mention Diver Don came down from Marquette and dove with us on Friday. Good seeing you Don!
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.