March Horsetooth Dive: Fun

The March Horsetooth Dive adventure had the scuba divers encountering ice,  fog in the mountains, wind, sun, an enthusiastic dive dog, friends, the park ranger, a tippy dive flag, crawdads / crayfish and more.

Conditions

  • 41 degrees topside
  • 38 degrees water
  • The water is warming up!

So Nice, We Dove it Twice

The local reservoir changes temperature and volume rather quickly over the course of the year. Last month, we had to cancel one scheduled dive due to the thick ice. The DiveDoggie himself however, was undeterred: Ice Dog

March seemed to bring warmer weather and a multitude of people out and about on the nicer days, despite the thick layer of ice on the water. 

Our first dive was chilly, with perfectly still water topside.  There wasn't much to note underwater with 3-5 foot visibility.  
Our second dive was chillier topside with the wind, but under the surface we found 5-10 foot of visibility and much more marine life than just a few weeks prior.  Diving season will be starting up again for many!

Interesting Finds

The water has been rising pretty quickly, bringing with it a little bit of clarity to the water.  The critters seem to be enjoying the shallower depths and warmer temps. With the installation of the docks and the buzz about boat ramps opening, there are far more people out fishing, kayaking and doing outdoor things.  The quiet and solitude of winter is coming to an abrupt end and making way for the spring and summer season.

Local Diving

If you haven't been diving locally, now is a great time to remember a few things:

  • Read the local water regulations to find designated areas for scuba divers
  • Bring a dive flag, with a spool or reel attached to it - and attached to you.
    • Parking the buoy and diving flag somewhere away from where you are is dangerous to both you and boats.
  • 100 foot rule. All vessels need to stay 100 feet away from any dive flag.
    • This means you too paddle boarders!
  • Dress for comfort. Don't "tough it out" if your gear isn't sufficient for the water temps.
    • Cold water diving (think 50s and below) can increase DCS. Dive smart.
  • Check your gear:
    • Make sure it is functional before you get in
    • Make sure your regulators are balanced if you are diving cold water
    • Temps have an affect on tanks
  • Dive with a buddy
  • Have fun!