Does anyone have experience (diving or other [ie boating]) of Minnewashta in Carver County? It looks like there are some areas to swim in the 30' range with pockets to 50,60&70'. The last reading I could find shows about 13' vis. I'm looking for somewhere 'new' that is easily accessible and fairly close by for some fun/skill practice dives.
Am wondering about both vis and if it is a high boat traffic lake.
Same question for Vadnais Lake...
Last year we tried Minnewashta for some fun dives. Viz was much closer to 3 feet than 13 feet. I have not dove it this year, so it may have changed. There is very heavy boat traffic on that lake also.
Tried it last 4th of July, had to swim half the lake to get past the weeds and there was 0 visiblity until you reached the bottom. Once on the bottom vis was less than 2 feet.
You can't dive in Vadnais Lake. In fact you can't even set foot into the lake. The St. Paul Water Utility has facilities there and I'm assuming the Ramsey County Sheriff's Dept. and Water Patrol as there are always a bunch of squad cars, Water Patrol vehicles and boats parked at the buildings when you enter the one-way road to access the lake. Some area cities get their water from the lake. They do not allow any boats, kayaks, canoes or swimming. The only thing allowed is shore fishing.
Thanks for the info! I figured there was a reason nobody was diving either of these lakes... but I was hoping the DNR lake finder was going to find a secret spot to go diving around here :
Local action on Minnewashta. Sept 1, 08 I dove (tried to surface swim to an area deep enough to get a couple feet down before getting into weeds) from the second boat landing in Minnewashta. Well...I guess I can't say nobody warned me that there wasn't much to see but weeds and waves.
With the waves coming across from the lake to the landing, it was an easy drift dive back to shore. The weeds were at about 6 feet down, but the vis was about 2-3 feet. You had to drop down to see the bottom and try not to get caught in them. I did actually see a couple of fish.
We should have gone out in the boat and then found a deeper spot. There were plenty other boats out there on Labor Day! Even the Carver County Water Patrol! One boat came a little close to the dive flag, but other than that, not bad!
May have to check it out in Spring before the weeds grow! Or boat to deeper area mid-season. Really though, the water was somewhat clear!