Jack
Member
Registered: 06/15/09
Posts: 5
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Reply with quote | #1 |
I am moving to Toronto for August 1st, so reaching out to the local dive community now. Certified in rescue, ice, AOW/OW. 30% of my diving was in the Philippines and the rest was in Nova Scotia. Looking forward to the diving experiences in Ontario.
Is there a lot of wildlife seen during freshwater dives? When I watch videos of wreck dives and such I see a fish or two and a ton of mussels (I assume zebra) but not much else... obviously location plays a big roll, but I am curious for sure.
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Sean
Member
Registered: 02/03/04
Posts: 355
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Reply with quote | #2 |
What part of Toronto are you moving to?
You have the general scene right for great lakes freshwater diving, wrecks with one or two larger fish and millions of gobies and zebra muscles. Occasionally you get lucky and see some of the really large fish like Salmon/Trout, Muskie/Pike or Sturgeon. I notice them more in rivers than the lakes themselves. In terms of wildlife it is nothing like what you would be used to in the Phillipines or the Maritimes. |
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Jack
Member
Registered: 06/15/09
Posts: 5
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Reply with quote | #3 |
Looking for apartments now. Have friends scattered around TO, but I am partial the StClair/Bathurst area as it has a great mix of mobility, cheap rent, and an awesome deli/bakery combo store.
I am going to miss my dive club though. I usually go diving twice a week so it will be a big change to switch to infrequent charters - my understanding is there isn't much in the way of shore dives. Most of my dives now involve being a tour guide for new members of the club so I don't get a lot of sightseeing in. But they're great dives for working on trim and finning techniques.
One thing I always wanted to do was do some river drift diving - and from what I have read on 'unnamed' forums it looks promising. Are there many sites within an hour of TO?
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Glenn
Member
Registered: 04/26/05
Posts: 57
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Reply with quote | #4 |
Not many fish to be seen on the wrecks when diving in the lakes but you will see more on the wrecks in the St. Lawrence. Many weird and wonderful creatures can be observed if you dive deeper than about 150 feet but you have to use air as it seems that they are scared away with Helium mixes. |
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Norberto
The Chief
Registered: 12/20/03
Posts: 893
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Reply with quote | #5 |
If you get your new place at st.Claire/Bathurst area then you have few wrecks within 10 minutes drive. And the best thing about it you can spend surface interval at Ontario Place having ice cream. 
Welcome to the board and come to see us at Aquasub,we'll dive you crazy 
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Live To Dive, Dive To Live |
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Jack
Member
Registered: 06/15/09
Posts: 5
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Reply with quote | #6 |
I am intrigued by whats below 150 feet as I don't know much about deep lake animal life. I grew up in Kelowna, BC but never had the chance to see Ogopogo!  And if you swam too deep the duck weed would try and getcha.
Gonna miss teasing the lobsters and getting scared by the wolf fish when I leave NS though.
Well I will definitely drop in as I'd like to see your establishment. Thanks for the invite.
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Norberto
The Chief
Registered: 12/20/03
Posts: 893
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Sean
Member
Registered: 02/03/04
Posts: 355
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Reply with quote | #8 |
Within an hour is kind of limited but doable. Expand your area to three hours and you have most of the shore and charter dives in the area. |
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Jack
Member
Registered: 06/15/09
Posts: 5
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Reply with quote | #9 |
Thanks for the link - those are some nice wreck pics. For the Ontario diving I am starting to see that a lot of expectations will need to be changed. Nothing wrong with that. Of course explaining to the girlfriend that I need to dive instead of unpack may be hard to do the first month.
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Andrea
Moderator
Registered: 12/20/03
Posts: 948
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Jack
Member
Registered: 06/15/09
Posts: 5
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Reply with quote | #11 |
Wow, if I had to use a form like that I'd be doing something wrong. I am more of a stay up all night Thursday unpacking to go diving on Saturday kinda guy.
Really sounds like I will need cut my diving down to once or twice a month until I get settled in then. Just means I have to dive like crazy while I am still in NS. Diving the Saguenay at the end of this month which is a first for me.
Thanks for the info to help me set some expectations when I get there.
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