Bad Times Despite Great Dives at Crosby

[tim]

I'm there for a clean up.  Another idea, there is that sign about adopting a pit at the entry. MNscuba could adopt a pit, there are enough of us up there at any one time it wouldn't be that bad. 

As far as the night dive from the portsmouth boat launch, another idea is from the beach dive over that way. If you stay shallow you can get to the boat launch and back with plenty of air.  There is a lot of fish life in that area especialy by the power hose foundation.

Tim

[Jolly_mon]

I saw all the post about the garbage, the last time I went there with my family (which I won't camp back there with the kids again) there was an idiot running a chain saw for 2 hours back in the woods at night until someone found him and cursed him out (very loud with lots of #@&% which the kids shouldn't of had to listen to) but well deserved...  the next day when I went back I found they had cut down a whole area of birch trees and cut them into about 5' pieces and placed around the fire pit... by the end of the weekend they burnt the entire lot (and left the camp site trashed with garbage also...  it was truly sad!

[AandA]

That's similar to the experience Art and I had when camping at the pits (which we also will NEVER do again as long as that area is unregulated).  Our first night was fine but the second night there were some people camping who played loud music most of the night and were yelling. That's not the experience we're looking for when we camp. 

Organizing clean-ups for that area is definitely needed, but these other issues with the individuals and groups who have no respect for the area or other people will continue to be an ongoing problem as long as that area is left the way it is.  It is such a shame because despite the garbage it really is a beauitful area that could be so much better if it was regulated as a park.  I fear what the pits will look like in 5-10 years regardless of the numbers of us who are willing to clean up other people's garbage.  When I hear about a grove of trees being cut down just to be burned, that really makes me sick!

Aly

[MNLakeDiver]

If a date gets set for a clean up, I will discuse it with the Northern Star Boy Scout Council's Leave No Trace Chair about seting it up with the scouts wanting to earn their Conservation awards or just get some community service time in.

[spitfire_er]

It's too bad to keep hearing about this kind of behavior. When a group of us went there for the first time about a month ago at the same location we found trash there also... mostly empty bottles and misc "party night" stuff, but didn't have any bags with because it wasn't expected that we would have to pick up after careless people. We also saw 2 other sites which were in the same condition. I believe it's a good idea to get people together to try and keep things clean but we also need to be looking a little further out into the future as to how can we prevent such behavior. Unfortunately it will most likely end up involving more of the DNR's time and the State of MN's money to get some results. I guess I like most people don't have an answer right now... but only a suggestion or two. I recently dove the Madeira in Superior and was impressed with how they have that access set up only for Divers. For those of you not familiar with it, you just stop at the parks office a few miles down the road, register with your certification for FREE, and they give you the combo to the lock. Of course it would need to be for anyone at Crosby, and it would be a major pain for most people, but it's something to think about, or maybe improving on the idea. One thing is for sure, something needs to be done to preserve this, cause you don't see things like this happening at Itasca.