RED DEVIL SCUBA SUPPLIES

Hey Folks,

I just wanted to let everyone know about my awesome time diving Lake Erie from the New York State side.

On August 20th I left with a bunch of my friends for Westfield, New York which is on the south shore of Lake Erie (draw a line across from Long Pointe on the Ontario side and it is just to the east of that). I had heard some rumblings of the diving on that side of the lake but not as much as some of the other better known locations and a lot of the divers on the other side of the border still seemed more interested in diving in their local quarries then from this area so I wasn't sure what exactly to expect.

It took me about 4.5 hours to get their from Chatham (and return trip was a bit quicker because the border was easier to cross), so it is about the same distance as it is to Tobermory. I arrived around 7 pm and after checking into a local motel that had a deal on for divers (clean but older motel), I headed down to the marina (about 1 km away) and found the boat captain just about to head out for the night. The captain's name was Jim Herbert and his boat was the Southwind, while his charter company is Osprey Charters. Jim was kind enough to give me a tour of the dive boat and I was impressed - twin 735 HP diesel engines, roomy back deck for tanks and dive gear, completely enclosed cabin area with padded benches and tables as well as a microwave and a very roomy head (bathroom for you landlubbers), I could tell I was going to enjoy the next 2 days of diving ... well at least the transportation to and from the dive sites.

Saturday morning came quick and the boat left promptly at 8 am with 10 divers on it (we could have easily had 15 on it and it is actually inspected by the coast guard to hold up to 30 divers). Our first dive was to be the Dean Richmond. As soon as we left the harbour, Jim poured the power to those twin diesels and we were on our way (this boat MOVES). The Dean Richmond was a wooden steamer just over 200' long that turned turtle when it sank (it is sitting upside down for those that are nautically challenged). We descended on the bow (front end) mooring line and for the first 60' the visibility was about 20-25' ... not great but about what I expected for Lake Erie. The water felt like a bathtub and was a balmy 77 degrees all the way to 63', at which point I encountered the mother of all thermoclines. I consider myself an experienced Great Lakes wreck diver so when that thermocline dropped 36 degrees in the space of about 3 feet I was shocked. Yes math wizards - water temp went from 77 degrees to 41 in the space of 3 feet. I had to catch my breath when that happened but I also did a double take - the vis had gone from 20' to well over 75' (I am sure it was closer to 100' but this is Lake Erie and I don't want you to call me a liar). The wreck sits on a silty bottom in 110 feet of water, almost completely intact and with that kind of vis - it was impressive to see. My dive buddy and I did a tour around the wreck and got to see the one prop that is still attached to the drive shaft on the starboard side (right hand side if you were on the ship while it was afloat and you were at the stern/back looking forward). There are also numerous hatches that we stuck our heads and dive lights in but we hadn't planned on doing any wreck penetration so that was the extent of our exploration. Our 20 min bottom time disappeared extremely quickly and we had to head for the surface. At 64' we encountered that monster thermocline in reverse which made our 3 minute safety stop feel like a dip in a hot tub.

Our next dive was to be the Indiana which was a schooner that was transporting limestone when it sank upright in about 90' of water. After a 1 hour surface interval we descended down the mooring line and once again hit that 36 degree drop in temperature, and once again vis opened up to 75' (this time it was actually 75'). We made 2 circuits of the wreck and saw the upper deck still loaded with the limestone cargo, a partial mast, a lower deck that had numerous items of interest including many large pullys, ladders and what appeared upon close inspection to be barrels of some sort. After 22 mins of bottom time we once again surfaced and after all divers were back aboard the Southwind we headed for shore for an extended surface interval.

That extended surface interval was definitely needed as Captain Jim had something special for the afternoon. Our first dive was to be the Boland which was a 250'+ steel freighter sitting on its starboard side in 125' of water you want to try to maximize your bottom time. We descended along the stern mooring line, encountered the daddy of all thermoclines again (after 3 dives, I was liking my drysuit) and at 105' came across a beautiful prop that is still attached to the wreck and made for some amazing photo opportunities. We the dropped off to the port side which is exposed and with 100' of vis (honestly - I kid you not ... 100' of horizontal vis) I was in wreck diving nirvana. Side railings still in place, portholes visible, cargo hatches open, zebra mussel encrusted stairs, hallways just begging to be explored, and a little narcosis due to the depth and before I new it my 13 min turn around point was there and my buddy had to get my attention that it was time to turn the dive (I only made it about half way down the wreck and could just start to make out the bow which looked OOHHH SOOOO inviting). After this dive I was stoked - I've done some amazing dives in the Great Lakes but this one was easily in the top 5 if not top 3 of the wrecks that I have dove (Wexford and Northwind are still ahead but Arabia might have some competition now).

Another 1 hour surface interval and it was time to do our last dive of the day ... the barge "Betty Hedger". Located in 110' of water (yep, below that thermocline again) this barge was hauling "sulfur" (looked like regular stone/gravel to me but there were no zebra mussels growing on the cargo which I was told is because it was sulfur). The sides of the barge have collapsed so we finally had a wreck that wasn't completely intact but the large 12"x12" beams are still in place which makes for great photo's of your dive buddy as he navigates them. I'll admit - I my mind was still swimming from the Boland so although I enjoyed this wreck, I was already planning a return visit to the Boland).

On the way back to shore, Captain Jim pulled me to the side and asked if I would be interested in a return trip to the Boland the next morning ... my answer, "Is water wet? Of course"!!! He suggested that Sunday we would do the Whelan and Boland. Apparently the Whelan puts the Boland to same (this I had to see). So I readily agreed to this plan.

However, my luck finally ran out ... the wind picked up from the North during the night and by the morning we had 6' white caps on the lake and we decided to stay tied to the dock. But, my appetite is definitely up for another helping of some of the best wreck diving that I have done in while (ok - I have been lucky this year and also dove the Northwind and am hoping to dive the wexford too). To find this gem of a dive location in Lake Erie suprised me but I can't wait to go back.