Beneath the Surface: Does Poor Visibility Equal a Bad Dive?
You’ve double and triple checked your list. The car’s gassed and loaded and you’re about to hit the road. It’s at that moment that you remember a few very important things…It’s late summer in Saskatchewan. The forecast is showing plus thirty. Worst of all? You remember that awful smell of the algae blooms the last time you strolled past Wascana Creek.
It’s no secret that the dive season here in southern Saskatchewan is short; made even shorter when your favorite dive spot goes lights out by mid to late June at best. That’s right, I’m talking about Lovering Lake. Now obviously there are more culprits when it comes to poor visibility than just that darned algae; bad finning or diver trim, a few windy days, or a downpour the night before your dive can do just as much to kill visibility.
So, what now? Is all hope lost for your dive? It doesn’t have to be. Navigating the murky waters means stressing the importance of some key points. As with any dive, it starts with a plan. You need to ask yourself and your dive buddy, “What do we want to do with this dive? Are there certain items we’re hoping to see?” On the flip side of that conversation, you should prepare yourself for less than favorable conditions. Ask, “What is our contingency plan? Are we going to continue the dive along a different path?” Once you’ve sorted out the plan, it’s time for a briefing! Make sure you and your buddy both have a thorough understanding of what to do in the event you get separated from each other. Double check your gear and remind yourself, “There's nothing wrong with signaling to end the dive if it doesn’t feel right.” The last thing anyone wants is to get hurt trying to push the limits!
However, if you do manage to find some guidance with the help of a light and your trusty compass, you might just have a great dive. Dropping to a different depth could find you cruising through a remarkably clear stretch or floating through an eerie “fog” just below. Putting those underwater navigation skills to the test could bring you to a new “artifact” in the dive site. You could even end up exploring a new part of the lake if you haven’t quite honed those navigation skills just yet. Though you might run into new challenges, you could also find new experiences to make you that much better of a diver.
Whatever the cause, while poor visibility can make for an undesirable dive it can also make for a unique one. Whether or not it’s a good dive? Well I guess that depends on your definition. If it's all about seeing the sites for you then maybe it's time to grab your gear and head north, or east, or... well you get the point. But if you ask me, there’s more to a good dive than just what’s in front of your eyes. It’s a combination of many different things. It’s what you see, even if that’s only a few inches ahead of your lens. It’s the time in the water where you get to tune out the extra noise. Finally, and most importantly, that thing that makes a good, or dare I say great dive? The people! Those die-hard dive buddies that hit the water, optimistic about the conditions, even if they are often proven wrong, and who are quick to laugh about it afterwards. The people that tell all those great stories as you pack your gear back into the vehicle. And the folks who are already making new plans to do it all again very, very soon!
See you all out there.
Dive safe. Have fun. Tell great stories.
