Greetings from Red Deer

[greatwhitepike]

Wow I have had a hard time finding dive buddies in Alberta and now I find you guys on yet another forum. Come on now why aren't you guys on
http://www.mossmanscuba.com/
we have to stick together in this mostly dry province

don't we?:friday

any one here near Red Deer?

 

[JMD]

Both Erik and I were on there years ago, but generally speaking it's all tech divers and we didn't meet anyone else who was very interested in freediving there.

I've been out with Greg a couple of times, he's a terrific diver, and a good all round guy. He expressed an interest and we made it out to a local pool to train one day but he is really focused on his sport of choice.

Anyway welcome to the forum! Hope we can get out a couple times this summer. Your centrally located for our crew.

 

[Amphibious]

I'm on the Mossman site

but a serious lack of freedivers there

and I posted a pic with a firearm and got flamed, so wasn;t going to even mention spearfishing

good scuba info though

 

[Erik]

Greatwhite, are you a spearo or freediver? If so, consider meeting up with us if you like. We spend a fair amount of time at Twin Lakes.
Peace,
Erik

 

[Erik]

I also agree that Greg, Brian and others over there are excellent guys, but we get lost in the mix as we don't use tanks and our goals/ideas are different. Our little group has about 6+ active Alberta freedivers and a few from Saskatchewan and BC. Not too many weekends between May and November that most of us are not in the water
Peace,
Erik Y.

 

[greatwhitepike]

Thanks for the welcome guys!

Although, I am a little lost... there is a free dive forum on Mossman and I even noticed a spear thread in there. I do however understand that the people on Mossman can be a little picky about things.

I have not done any serious free diving or even tried spear fishing yet but I would definatley love to do both. I grew up in Sylvan Lake and never found my match free diving there but that was 10 years and a couple thousand cigs ago.

Anyhow MELT ICE MELT and look forwards to seeing you guys out there!

 

[JMD]

Sounds great! I spent a summer at Sylvan visiting my friend Jeremy Stratford when I was 16, good times... good times...

We will be exploring central / southern alberta some this summer also. Not sure what the fish situation is out your way, but red deer is halfway between edmonton and calgary. Be nice to get the edmontonians down south.

 

[greatwhitepike]

Well you got 5 years on me James so the name doesn't ring a bell, but the good times were definitley had by all and sounds like more to come. Warning driving downtown these days can be very hard on your neck! Especially if the wife catches you. :ko

 

[JMD]

LOL, yeah back then it was cool, now i'm the creepy old dude staring at the teenagers...

 

[JPPLAY]

I am considering doing a dive in the Red Deer river as from the fly fisherman it seems productive and a clear river. What do you think? Do you know anything about the depths of the river?

 

[greatwhitepike]

Well, I do know everywhere I have tried from East of Red Deer (Fort Normandeau) to Drumheller (you can actually jump off the bridge downtown in one very small spot .... its hilarious to see drivers faces!) I have never seen more than 3 metres but I haven't been out much since the floods last year. After the water calms post run off the water clears to about a 1.5 metre vis but it's still a blast to snorkle, perfect current. You can find a tonne of fish hooks, golf balls, and the occasional firearm as well as some sizable pike, walleye and the tastiest whitefish.

 

[JPPLAY]

You can find a tonne of fish hooks, golf balls, and the occasional firearm as well as some sizable pike, walleye and the tastiest whitefish.

You probally got Willer at Firearm and I am all for some whitefish. If you said compound Bow I would of been there even faster. Why don't you pm me your phone number so we can figure out about setting up a dive when you think the river safe and clear enough to dive.

 

[greatwhitepike]

Sorry it took me awhile to get back to you. I have been working out in the net-less boonies for the past week+. I'm all booked up this week and I am praying I can get a dive in this weekend. I haven't been down to the river in Red deer in a while but I'll give you guys the lowdown if I get down there otherwise I have been watching some pools on the RD out by Mountain Aire Lodge (west of Sundre) and they look like pretty good spots. If anyone heads out that way they are right by the bridge before the lodge, currents pretty rough though .

 

[JPPLAY]

I am thinking of diving the river the weekend after this one. So if you report back good vis. and if we are lucky fish life I will be down all day for a dive. So hopefully you will be able to dive along side me.

 

[greatwhitepike]

I'm heading out by Rocky to free dive/mini tank the North Sask on thurs and look for some holes next week around 6 pm anyone interested in coming?

 

[JPPLAY]

I'm heading out by Rocky to free dive/mini tank the North Sask on thurs and look for some holes next week around 6 pm anyone interested in coming?

The North Sask. River is full of natural mercury. It also a very young river so very dirty. I would not suggest diving in it.

 

[greatwhitepike]

The North Sask. River is full of natural mercury. It also a very young river so very dirty. I would not suggest diving in it.

do you think it has much more mercury than the Red Deer?

 

[feign]

I wouldn't worry too much about the mercury unless you are eating big piscivorous fish out of it.

 

[greatwhitepike]

I wouldn't worry too much about the mercury unless you are eating big piscivorous fish out of it.

Thats what I thought, but I haven't been doing much research on the topic latley. I know that the whitefish have a higher level of Mercury in the RD but they are dammed tasty in moderation.

 

[feign]

I agree - whitefish are excellent eating