Clear Lake - July 12th

[narcosis Junky]

scubalance = scuba ambulance. readyto save you if you need a ride to go scuba diving duh!

[Sounder]

scubalance = scuba ambulance. readyto save you if you need a ride to go scuba diving duh!

Is it like an ambulance incase of a scuba accident? A retired ambulance now used for transporting gear? Pictures?

[scottsax]

scubalance = scuba ambulance. readyto save you if you need a ride to go scuba diving duh!

Is it like an ambulance incase of a scuba accident? A retired ambulance now used for transporting gear? Pictures?

You can see the back corner of it in his avatar picture. I saw it at Les Davis one day-it is, in fact, a retired ambulance that now transports scuba gear. It's pretty awesome looking!

[Sounder]

I definitely think I'm going to need to see a picture.

[spatman]

I don't know what's going on, but things just don't seem to be going my way...........my car won't be fixed until sometime NEXT week . So, I'm driving a borrowed vehicle and I've received permission from the owner (my step-dad) to drive it down this weekend. Anybody want to drive down with me via Hermiston???? (just kidding) Do you think diving this weekend will break this streak of bad luck I've been having???????

wow, that sucks. let's hope you're bad lucks ends! so, you're still coming through portland on the way down?

[Pez7378]

I definitely think I'm going to need to see a picture.

The things got storage Galore! And believe it or not, it has a place to hold a huge bottle of O2, an AED, plenty of first aid items and if you want you can put a rolling bed in it. It also has a shower installed and you can simply rinse it out at the end of the day. If it weren't for the rediculous gas/diesel prices, it would be a great dive rig. It just needs a compressor!

[spatman]

I don't know what's going on, but things just don't seem to be going my way...........my car won't be fixed until sometime NEXT week . So, I'm driving a borrowed vehicle and I've received permission from the owner (my step-dad) to drive it down this weekend. Anybody want to drive down with me via Hermiston???? (just kidding) Do you think diving this weekend will break this streak of bad luck I've been having???????

wow, that sucks. let's hope you're bad lucks ends! so, you're still coming through portland on the way down?

It's an hour shorter to come down directly from Hermiston; but if something pans out for a car-pool I'd rather go the Portland route.

wow, so you're going to leave at like 5am?

maybe you could ask airsix if he wants to come?

[cardiver]

[/img]

Just a few pics from a mt bike trip down there. It was all good except for the fact that I dislocated my shoulder, tore my bicep, sprained my wrist, and broke my pinky!

[Tom Nic]

It was all good except for the fact that I dislocated my shoulder, tore my bicep, sprained my wrist, and broke my pinky!

All good?!? Sheesh... I'm surprised you haven't burned the pictures yet!

[cardiver]

It was the first time in my life that I was actually "hurt" That's a very humbling experience, and the fact that we were about 4 hours from a trailhead didn't help either.

[airsix]

Yep, 5 am would be about right. I'm dedicated, huh (or crazy, the jury's still out)? What do you say Ben, are you up for diving in some really clear water on Saturday???

Well... Clear Lake is on my to-do list, but I'm going to pass this time. Not afraid of the cold or even the 5:00am departure, but Clear Lake is farrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr away. With the baby only a month old it's too early for me to run off to play yet. Thanks for the invite though.

-Ben

[Sounder]

Yay!!! Something good just happened! My friend picked up my new Apeks regs (2 xtx50's) from the dive shop today and just now delivered them to me! Looks like I'm diving with new regs on Saturday!!!

I've got your spg if someone from around here could manage to swing by my house before then. Otherwise we'll add it on your next Seattle trip.

[spatman]

Yay!!! Something good just happened! My friend picked up my new Apeks regs (2 xtx50's) from the dive shop today and just now delivered them to me! Looks like I'm diving with new regs on Saturday!!!

awesome!! so it's 2 xtx50s as your second stages and a new 1st stage i assume?

[spatman]

Yay!!! Something good just happened! My friend picked up my new Apeks regs (2 xtx50's) from the dive shop today and just now delivered them to me! Looks like I'm diving with new regs on Saturday!!!

awesome!! so it's 2 xtx50s as your second stages and a new 1st stage i assume?

Right you are! It was supposed to be an xtx20 as my octo, but they didn't have stock and substituted another xtx 50, so I got an even better deal than I originally expected!

i'm so totally jealous!

[billandwende]

scubalance = scuba ambulance. readyto save you if you need a ride to go scuba diving duh!

Exactly! I bought a retired ambulance to use as a dedicated scuba vehicle. Fuel mileage is not the greatest but the room and ease of cleanup is amazing. :smt038

I do not have an oxygen tank installed yet but I'm looking.

[Sounder]

scubalance = scuba ambulance. readyto save you if you need a ride to go scuba diving duh!

Exactly! I bought a retired ambulance to use as a dedicated scuba vehicle. Fuel mileage is not the greatest but the room and ease of cleanup is amazing. :smt038

I do not have an oxygen tank installed yet but I'm looking.

Wow. I still want to see pictures. I'm not sure it'd be for me - the Sounder mobile works well (1994 Toyota p/u with faded paint but with a perfectly maintained purring engine) for now. Mrs. Sounder says the new 4Runner will be used for SOME diving once the boy comes, but with it I'm going to take a page out of the Monterey crew's book of getting an "X-table" from HomeDepot to don/doff gear on.

[billandwende]

Ill post picture tomorrow. I don't really have any so when I get a second Ill take some.

Still looking to share a ride with someone. Scubagirl45 do you still need a ride?

It seems a waste of fuel to me to go alone.

My start is in Olympia so if your in Washington and don't want to drive that far this is your chance.

And as I am going anyway I do not expect you to pay anything. This is just a free ride to what looks to be a great day. :occasion5:

I'm leaving for work now so I'll check back in the AM

[nice-diver]

the scuba-u-lance

follow me I'm going diving

its very tall

the scuba-u-lance; this thing is stuffed with dive gear

[spatman]

the visibility was great yesterday, ranging from 50-100' and was a real change from diving the sound and hood canal. but as far as clear lake goes, it was not as spectacular as usual, which can run up to 300' or more (or so i'm told). i'll definitely have to go back to see it in it's primo form.

the day was fun, with several NWDC divers showing up. it was great to meet nice-diver and narcosis junky and his wife for the first time. and also good to see a few familiar faces.

the water was clear but very cold. my first dive registered 39F on my computer and the second at 42F. the first one was so cold because i got very close to one of the underground springs that feed the lake, and felt the temp drop as i got within 10' or so.

there's barely any life in the lake, though we did see a few trout here and there. the lake itself is almost like another planet, with light gray ash covering the lake bed which can easily be disturbed and create huge clouds if not careful. a few sparse fallen logs are scattered about and still standing trees rise up from the floor to just under the surface of the lake. swaths of bright green algae carpet large portions of the bottom, and the springs that feed the lake can be found here and there, often in small depressions in the lakebed.

certainly a very unique diving experience, and one i recommend if you can make it there.

a few pics below, and the rest of mine can be found here. not my best day with the camera, but some are ok. i'm looking forward to seeing nice-diver's and narcosis junky's pics, so please give us some links, fellas!

divernick

nice-diver, narcosis junky and his wife approaching

the treeline from 50ffw

[nice-diver]

high cascades wreck dive


narcosis junky and nice-diver; photo taken by sexy-cyn (narcosis junkies wife)


its best to choose a buddy with the same breathing pattern


northwest end of clear lake, its like diving on the surface of the moon in the spring


straight out of the camera, no post processing


northeast?side of the lake, 38ffw, lots of sunny viz


self explanatory, luv ya buddy


follow the leader to the "blue hole"


the "blue hole" is a spring that forms a short river that is the main source of the lake; the headwaters of the McKenzie River


the blue hole


where'd my buddies go? the viz was like 80feet


Clear Lake, west end at the resort, todays nw dive club dive site

to see more of my pictures, click on the flickr.com link in my signature

[billandwende]

Awesome pics.

I had a great time and hope to do this again sometime. Perhaps a winter dive?

This was the farthest I've driven the diveulance so far and it was painful to the pocketbook. Fuel cost $4.59 per gallon @ 42 gallons used $192.78 and I feel it was worth it. Good diving, great visibility, incredible hosts. This should be on everyones bucket list.


Thanks again, Bill

[spatman]

to see more of my pictures, click on the flickr.com link in my signature

awesome pics, nice-diver! i especially like this one (mostly because i'm in it. )

[nice-diver]

Bill: i like the diveulance, it rolls off the tongue easier than scubulance

Matt: I am glad I got a shot with you two in it, with all the others in the water this weekend

I had a great time, the people I have met in person in this club are good people

[Sounder]

Matt - I can pick out EXACTLY who you are in this picture!! Congrats buddy, you've come a LONG way in a few short months!! Course, is that Penelope next to you with her fins tips down?

[spatman]

Matt - I can pick out EXACTLY who you are in this picture!! Congrats buddy, you've come a LONG way in a few short months!! Course, is that Penelope next to you with her fins tips down?

thanks, man, but yeah, i know... actually that's divernick with the most excellent trim!