Diving the Lake Question?
 

OK quick question for the more seasoned Lake divers on this forum? I have a group that wants to do 4 different dive sites in 1 day. What would be your suggestions? Leaving from Gilford. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Jim

Boy, that's a tough one.

But first -- have they ever dove any sites on the Lake? Are they more interested in wrecks, treasure hunting, crazy bottom topology, or anything?

Leaving from Gilford, the obvious "must see" is the Lady of the Lake. The earlier, the better -- especially on a weekend day. Good for entry-level divers, yet cool enough for more seasoned splashers. Shallow, warm, lots of fish. But make sure they don't take any "souvenirs" -- the Lady has taken a beating in recent years.

The Navy Test Site & Empty Pockets at Diamond Island are another good dive that's not too far from Gilford.

Bear Island Horse Barge, Weirs Barge, the three-wrecks-one-cove along Long Island, wall west of Parker Island, the wrecks around Ship Island, Rum Point...

So many sites, so little time.

These are just some of the popular spots. Of course, there are new ones being found all the time. ;)

Diving the Lake
 

Grant,

Thanks for the info.

Appreciate any help I can get as I'm still learning the Lake for sure!

You, Senator Cove Guy, Diver111(Hans) have all been a wealth of knowledge to me for sure.

Yeah they are all seasoned divers, don't dive fresh water that often, and like wrecks mostly.

I plan right now to do "Lady of the Lake" 1st.

Diamond Island #2

Bear Island or Wiers Barge #3

Long Island cove (3 wrecks) #4.

Thanks again,
Jim
Shark Bait Diving Adventures
Fa's Boat Yard
Gilford, NH

I would switch #2 and #3, #3 both are in high traffic areas and would be best done earlier than later plus less fuel burned back tracking. But as dive profiles go the Weirs barge should be the first then Lady.

Yeah I was thinking that plan also for gas, timing, profiles , etc.....

Thanks,
Jim

- If you dive the horse boat at the mail dock at Bear please check the Mount's schedule first to MAKE SURE she is not going to be there-there will be huge problems if you are in the way meaning divers and/or your boat; Dangerous too; Very very bad to get caught in a jam there; Plan your dive really well; Frankly it's not that much of a dive considering the risk due to traffic of all kinds; I carry the Mounts' schedule in my boat and refer to it alot;

-Try the tug boat off Witches (55 feet+-); N 43 36.069 W 71 23.821

- Try the 60 foot wreck off Chase Point (37 feet+-); N 43 38.410 W 71 18.141

- Try the four small wrecks that now have surveyors tape connecting all of them in Wolfboro Bay (thanks to Senter Cove Guy) on the Goodhue & Hawkins side; N 43 34.504 W 71 13.261

- The Lady is a great wreck but the MF (Moron Factor) is huge there-amazing really; Anchor on the wreck, go down the anchor line, don't leave the wreck beyond the distance you can see, ascend the anchor line;

The tug is a very cool dive (thanks, Hans), and I completely forgot about the four-wrecks-one-dive site @ G&H -- and I was on the dive taping those together...duh. Nothing huge, but very cool to find four distinct wrecks within finning distance of each other.

And, yes, beware the Knucklehead Factor at the Lady site. One time, we had a Knuckie pilot his boat between the dive boat and one of the flags tethered to the wreck -- which was about 25 ft from the boat. Unreal.

There are so many sites I've been dying to dive around the Lake...which I probably never will because of their location in crazy traffic areas. The best (worst) example is the little channel between Eagle Island and Governor's Island. A car went through the ice there in 1925 (back when they rarely bothered to salvage such things) and I am convinced it's still on the bottom there. Talk about a traffic zone. You'd have to hit that at 5 AM on a weekday before Memorial Day to be safe.

The knucklehead factor is why I will always ascend at the boat and not the flag. I pretty much treat most dives in the lake as an overhead environment and make sure I can come out where I went in.

Amen, Andy. Seeing the anchor line at the end of a dive is the best sight ever.

Be careful out there, folks!