Hello Everyone!
Young Joe, and Scuba Steve and I went out to dive Holland Lake in Eagan yesterday morning thinking we'd "might" still have open water, we did on about half the lake, the rest we could walk on. So its time to fire up for yet another season of the best diving in MN. (least in the winter)
One of the best times I had last winter, was icing at night on Waconia, running a couple generators for lights above and below the ice, a bonfire to occupy the time of Popo's and Robert's kids, and for me to warm up to, and to burn some old tax returns, it was a win for everyone, even the IRS. I'd like to do some more of that this winter. Another was the combined jumps on Millacs with the entire crew, the grilling the seafood, the grilling each other, the actual good diving to be had on the south shore of Millacs, especially now that I've got the HUGE 42" bar!
I've got wayyyyy too many anchors at my house, but I do have more space for old bottles, (good thing I live alone) so I think that will be this years goal to see what we can find for vintage bottles.
Couple things that have surprised me over this summer,,, how slow can things get here on MNscuba,,, how close to a bull moose you can get in the waters around Isle Royale,,, that the first 3 icing challenges EVER got more then 8500 reads, little own more then 85,000.
I'd like to welcome back all the regulars, Nate, Popo, John, Robert, Young Joe, Jason and Scuba Steve, but I'd also like to welcome anyone who has an icing card to jump with us, or without to come out and just join in the laughs, we'll make sure you get safely on and off the ice. Look forward to seeing everyone again! Trinity
heres some old pics from past challenges
ice is creeping in, hard to break thru in some spots in the shallow areas, saw water temps on the dive of 36 degrees... its ready.
id have to add that along with an icing card, you'd prolly want a drysuit.
what a day. nearly every launch is froze in. some of the smaller bays are iced over. main lake is still open, but launches are rough.after half a day of everything that could go wrong breaking, fuel line that cracked, small fire that broke out, 3 heaters that died, finally was able to make it out on the lake. several trailer sailers attempted and failed to launch. running across the lake to get to the first stop i we had to respond/ rescue a flipped sail boat. finally made it out, but cut it short. ....the lake is freezing up.
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I know I'm ready. Looking forward to seeing everyone again. I'll second the night diving and Millacs. If you can set a date that would, i got some buddies looking to rent some icehouses up there one weekend. If the weekends lineup that would a good ice diving/ ice fishing weekend.
Anyways....ready to go...(x) Icing Card, (x) dry suit (x) pony bottle
Quite a change from last year. I think we had open water till almost mid-December.
Oh, yes sir. I am in for this ice diving season. Can't wait. It is always fun to be out diving, grilling, chilling with you guys.
Bring on the ice.
Oh, not to change the subject, but we(my dad, son and I) just got back from deer hunting. My son got his first deer. An adult Doe. This is one very proud father.
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Dig out the ice spuds, screws, and spikes! Bring the hot water too, Icing season is officially here, and today in Gray's Bay, it was a balmy 34 degrees water temp, Vis was 10+ feet and the ICE was over 3 inches in most places, I wasn't able to fall through by jumping on it.
I had the fever and convinced Jason and Popo to let me jump first! Scoring 2 bottles for the board. Lots of junk around there but I was testing out jet fins so I didnt want to get too crazy, (the fins feel fine, but I can't get any speed from them.)
Ice under the bridge was like frozen ice bergs, the rope snagged at multiple points, but not too seriously as you could see everything from above and correct it with a spud if needed.
Okay boys, move aside, Canjun Diver returning to Minnesota. My manager at John Deere Thibodaux, Louisiana called me into his office Monday night and told me, "Your services are no longer required." With that, I was escorted out the door, Thank God, had enough of Louisiana, talk about a 3rd world country.
Maybe I can take a dip next weekend. I am presently enroute back to St. Cloud and should be home sometime on Monday.
Trinity, you have that heated drysuit ready for me?
Sorry that I couldn't make it out on Saturday. I had too many things around the house that needed to get done. Getting Zack's deer processed was top on the list. Made and packaged 37 lbs. of burger, and cut up and packaged steaks.
How was the dive. Any pics, or video from Saturday? Love to see them.
Welcome back Dave!
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Doug's right on Dave, Welcome, Welcome back! Though things are different up here, your not going to be in the slow moving, slow thinking deep south anymore, that means,,, no heated suit, no heated shack. Were going to take that Cajun right back out of you, sure you'll squeal a bit when you hit the ice, and we'll let you squeal till all that's left is the spice, that's the best part of Cajun anyway. We'll jump again this Sat or Sun (7 or 8th) hope you can join us!
Last weekend was the first official icing for the season, {we jumped Holland Lake in Eagan the weekend before, (but half the lake was still open, and the thickest ice was only, maybe 2") so you could bust thru by just jumping pretty much anywhere}. Last weekend we dove Gray's Bay at the very lower end of Minnetonka, ice was a clear and solid 5" everywhere on the bay. Visibility was dandy too, 30' or better when the sun was out, no light needed with all the clear ice. Pulled out two sleds and Popo's wagon, you needed grips but one guy could pull two full sets of gear with ease on the bare ice. We did a couple jumps then Steve tuned his handsaw and cut a hole the size of a single car garage floor, and Joe took to running across the 4-5 iceberg's floating in the hole with ice talons on, then challenged Steve to try. It seemed reasonable at first, Steve's probably 25 pounds lighter then Joe, but with all the splashing around on the clear ice you couldn't see where the berg's ended and the solid ice began. So Steve gets set, and off he goes, (though the bergs get smaller towards the finish line) and as he left the last visible berg for what now appeared like a long jump across open water, he lept for it, hoping there might be a berg slightly suspended. Turned out there wasn't, and down Steve went, but with all that forward momentum as he was submerging he found the solid ice edge with the side of his ribcage. He showed that ice that he can take a solid hit! Hardly more then a few good moans, and he was back up on the ice surface, I thought to try again. He said, no, he showed the ice well enough.
We then went over to have a look at a channel that leads to Libbs Lake, (never even knew it was there) looks like a cool spot on the Impulse when the crowds of Minnetonka get to be too much. The whole day was dandy, thin ice, no snow, little bit of sun and a 42 degree high, couldn't ask for more.