shallowist wreck dive?

[jayp603]

hi all, i would love to take the kiddies with their masks and fins for a 'swim' over a wreck they could easily see, any suggestions?
thanks

[Old Hubbard Rd]

Take them over to Steaamboat Island. Stay on the North side near the pretty bridge. The wreck is only 10'-15' deep and still very visable. It's amazing this ship wrecked so long ago and parts are still there.

[jayp603]

we will check that out, i'll stop for a quick swim sometime and pull a "look what i found"

[Cobalt 25]

Over the years I have taken my kids to a great barge in Paugus. Tall people like myself can stand on the shallowest corner while the other end is in about 15' of water.

Lots of fish , usually including several fairly large bass. Visibility is good unless there is heavy boat traffic. It's in a fairly quiet spot, so it's safe to dive there.

Location? Coming from the Channel, go past the Pickerell Cove culvert (on the right side of the Bay) and look for a white birch tree extending over the water- maybe three or four hundred yards further up. Go real slow along the shoreline and you can see it below the surface. I have not been there in a year or so, but I hope the white birch is still there.

Let me know if you go there. I love that spot and have been going there for maybe 45 years.

Peter

[jayp603]

any other spots to see?

[Winnipesaukee Divers]

I've surfaced dove the Lady of the lake before. On a bright sunny day in late summer you can see the wreck from the surface. It's just 25' down to the deck, if you are neutral buoyant and relaxed you can easy get to the deck level. However, if it high traffic and you're easily spooked you'll never make it.

There is another wreck just east of Ship Island in about 10' (gravel bottom). All that's left are a few planks and the engine and running gear. When my girls we young, we anchored there and I spent the better part of an hour searching for the wreck for them. When I found it, I was rather disappointed with the condition and thought it would be turn off the the kids. On the way back to the boat I found some discarded chicken bones, so I dove down and grabbed them. When I got back on board the boat the girls want to know every detail about the wreck... I pull out the old bones and fabricated a story about this fully intact powerboat and looking through an open porthole I saw a skeleton hand waving in the currant and it reached out to grab me and as I struggled to get away the hand bones came with me... I told them to put on their gear; we're going back for the treasures. Well, needless to say they weren’t interested exploring any more that day and made me return the hand bones back to the wreck so the skeleton wouldn't come looking for this hand some late night.

If you dive there be prepared to enhance their diving experience with a good story. For some good lake stories I recommend, Three Centuries on Winnipesaukee by: Paul Blaisdell

BTW: Don't forget your dive flag... They’re also required for snorkeling as well.

[jayp603]

swam around steamboat for a while today and all i could find were a plank or 2. although i saw lots of rocks that could easily caused a wreck. i dont know how they (ballard?) ever found the titanic! we will try ship tomorrow.

[Dave R]

swam around steamboat for a while today and all i could find were a plank or 2. although i saw lots of rocks that could easily caused a wreck. i dont know how they (ballard?) ever found the titanic! we will try ship tomorrow.


It's quite close to the south end of the bridge, right about where the stone causeway connects to the island, if memory serves. It's not far from shore at all.

[jayp603]

thanks cobalt, we found the barge wreck today, right where you said, a few hundred yards south of the tunnel, near a birch angleing out over the lake, with a horizontal branch. kids were all excited, will give them somthing to tell their freinds about back home.

[BroadHopper]

Where the railroad tracks are next to the water on a steep embankment. I remember railroad cars full of paper in 10,20 feet of water. This was in the late 60's, early 70's. Haven't been back since.

[Winnipesaukee Divers]

Try 90' to 100' if you want to see the paper rolls... Better bring an extra long snorkel and a wet suit. The last time I was there, mid-summer a couple years back, I think it was 51 degrees, a little chilly for the kids, but, I'm sure you could tuff it out long enough to write your name and date on one of the rolls.

Seriously, there's not much left of the old rail cars, just the big rusty wheels, a bunch of planks and junk. I'm sure if you could spend enough time down there you'd find a lot more stuff. However, my "NDL" (No Decompression Limit) only gives me about 10 minutes at that depth (single tank). For me is a lot longer than I'd want to be there this time of the year. From 80 degrees surface water temp to 48 to 55 degrees at depth, where you chill right down, then back to 80 to 90 on the deck is a recipe for thermal shock. Even with the required 5 minutes safety stop at 15 feet you're still pushing it. You'd be better off leaving that dive until mid-fall.

[Cobalt 25]

You're welcome, jayp.

Glad to hear the wreck is still providing a good time. I wonder how long that birch tree will last. Did you see a lot of fish?

Also glad to hear the train cars are in much deeper water than I was told. I searched for them one day with negative results and thought I was in the wrong location. If only the visibility was a hundred feet I would have seen them!

Peter

[KTO]

Over the years I have taken my kids to a great barge in Paugus. Tall people like myself can stand on the shallowest corner while the other end is in about 15' of water.

Lots of fish , usually including several fairly large bass. Visibility is good unless there is heavy boat traffic. It's in a fairly quiet spot, so it's safe to dive there.

Location? Coming from the Channel, go past the Pickerell Cove culvert (on the right side of the Bay) and look for a white birch tree extending over the water- maybe three or four hundred yards further up. Go real slow along the shoreline and you can see it below the surface. I have not been there in a year or so, but I hope the white birch is still there.

Let me know if you go there. I love that spot and have been going there for maybe 45 years.

Peter

Just tried this one this afternoon with some friends. What a great experience...I was so excited I felt like a kid on Christmas. Much of the ship is still intact (at least the hull) and I was able to swim right inside the hull to get a close up view. The only trouble I had was with the birch trees, as there were about a dozen of them along the shoreline that hung over the water. Great experience, but visibility was terrible (there wasn't any sun and I don't believe Paugus has the greatest visibility to begin with).

I also very much enjoy snorkeling on the Belknap as well. Good wreck with lot's of good history :)