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SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Fortune Pond June 25-26

Mon May 24, 2021 12:00 pm

Fortune Pond Dive Trip June 25-26

We had such a good time the last trip, we wanted to get one more in before all of the BUSY-ness of Summer SwimJim and I checked out calendars and we both have the weekend of June 25-27th open. So, we're setting that up as the date. We have no other dive trips planned.

Motel Reservations - Look these up online in Iron River MI...
Lakeshore Motel
Chicaugone Motel
AmericInn Motel

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1727945 ... 563235778/
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

SheriffDiver
Master Diver
Posts: 194
Joined: Sun May 29, 2011 9:07 pm
First Name: John

Re: Fortune Pond June 25-26

Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:58 pm

I'll see you there. Hopefully I get to try the new Unisuit and the Desco mask this trip. Sounds like a new diver will join us on Friday!!

swimjim
Master Diver
Posts: 1694
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:28 am
First Name: Jim
Location: Belgium WI

Re: Fortune Pond June 25-26

Wed Jun 23, 2021 10:23 am

I'm looking forward to the weekend. It will go extra fast as it will be my last trip for the year. I'll make up for it in '22 I'm sure. The plan is to shoot the moon. Drysuit, Hydroglove and my vintage style three mil. Not to mention a whole host of vintage regulators! Modern stuff too. The trip wouldn't be complete without a scooter ride around the pond and a visit to the Grim Reaper!

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SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: Fortune Pond June 25-26

Mon Jun 28, 2021 11:23 am

Fortune Pond Dive Report
Image
- We had six divers turn out for this terrific diving weekend at Fortune Pond. Ron met a new guy named Tony on line and Tony came and dove with us both days. We also had Mark with his re-breather... It's really neat to have someone with such a high degree of technicality that likes diving with us. Then we had the Intrepid SwimJim (see photo)... Jim did one Full-out Tech Dive to stay in practice and then dove nothing but vintage the rest of the weekend. SheriffDiver Ron came prepared with a variety of vintage gear. Seen here in his silver Sea Hunt suit... He also has a neat Techna suit we all envied for its smooth black skin with yellow and white accent decals. Rich 50,001 Questions came prepared for adventure. He had his new twin steel 45s and actually got two dives out of them. He brought along his DIY Snuba/Hookah system which we dove from the pier with a 50+ feet long hose. Rich dove it with a single hose reg. But he set it up for ME to dive with a DA AquaMaster. And, he had along the Tekna DV3 scooter with brand new batteries. Myself, I (SurfLung) came prepared to dive nothing but Twin tanks and double hose regs all weekend. Had my BEAST Submerge UV-26 scooter, too.
Image
- Weather was supposed to be partly cloudy Friday and Rain on Saturday. Instead, we go blue sky and calm wind all day Friday. And Saturday was bright overcast and calm all day... Really about perfect weather for diving. Warm air temps between dives so no freezing and shivering.
Image
- Visibility was up to 100 feet I think. It varies with where you are and how much has been stirred up. But it was really good at just about all depths. One of my dives was a slow speed scooter ride all the way around the lake at about 13 feet deep with great visibility. Another one was a scooter dive all the way around at medium speed and 85 feet... with a swoop down to 95 feet at the "Grim Reaper" formation. That one I had to go medium speed because I can only take the 39 degree temperature for 30 minutes! Let's see, we did a double hose twin tank bounce dive down to 134 feet. I dove my Snark II single hose for the first time it worked great down to 80 feet.
Image
- Vintage Equipment... Wow there was lots of variety. Above you see a Snark III double hose on a set of Twin 48s. SwimJim and I dove DivAir regs on one dive. I dove a Voit 50 Fathom, a Royal AquaMaster, and a Japanese Kowasaki DA AquaMaster. Oh and I dove my YELLOW AMF Swimaster mask and it worked even better than my usual favorite Pacifica.
- Food and Lodging... We stayed at our favorite the Lakeshore Motel and we ate out both nights at Alice's... Fabulous.
- Good Deed by Vintage Divers - While diving the Hookah rig we discovered the big, heavy park picnic bench had been jammed under the pier by vandals. Us old farts managed to muscle it down, over, and out... Then we floated it to shore, lifted it out and put it back where it belonged.
- After Thoughts: I really treasure these trips. Got some great diving friends to talk diving and vintage with... Always enthusiastic over this or that latest acquisition or diving method they're trying. We don't have another FP trip scheduled but we're hoping to do some shorter day trips until then. :D
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

swimjim
Master Diver
Posts: 1694
Joined: Thu Mar 23, 2006 12:28 am
First Name: Jim
Location: Belgium WI

Re: Fortune Pond June 25-26

Mon Jun 28, 2021 2:12 pm

Yes, perfect weather all the way through this time. The water conditions were excellent as well. Here's a video I put together...

https://vimeo.com/568553098

User avatar
SurfLung
Master Diver
Posts: 1763
Joined: Sat Jan 01, 2011 2:03 pm
First Name: Eben
Location: Alexandria, MN
Contact: Website

Re: Fortune Pond June 25-26

Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:43 pm


Wow! Nice video Jim! Color and clarity are excellent. Story composition is great, too.
SurfLung
The Freedom and Simplicity of Vintage Equipment and
Vintage Diving Technique are Why I Got Back Into Diving.

User avatar
couv
Master Diver
Posts: 453
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2006 10:26 pm

Re: Fortune Pond June 25-26

Mon Jun 28, 2021 5:53 pm

SurfLung wrote:
Mon Jun 28, 2021 3:43 pm

Wow! Nice video Jim! Color and clarity are excellent. Story composition is great, too.
Agree. Well done, Jim!
A sincere THANK YOU to all at VDH who make this wonderful resource available and to all the thoughtful contributors.

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