Postponed
This sounds like a great new dive site for us! Heison Chak has offered to give an underwater guided tour Saturday at Bonnie Castle Dive Park. Heison is a NAUI instructor, the Training Director of Blue North, and President of the Ontario Underwater Council.
Deadline to Register: Monday, Sept. 16, 2024
Type of dive: Shore diving
Saturday diving: with Blue North Divemaster, Heison Chak, including guided tour of the underwater park, shipwreck accessible from shore, DVP trial, night dive.
Sunday diving: Independent buddy diving on Sunday at the same site, with the option for a boat dive with your buddy on the America and/or the Keystorm (details below under “Dive Experience”)
Number of divers: 8 divers on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024
Pre-Registration: Let us know if you are interested. We will get back to you about meeting location.
Location: Bonnie Castle Dive Park, Alexandria Bay.
Time: Arrive in the Alexandria Bay area on Friday evening, to be ready for an early 8:00 am start on Saturday morning.
Meeting place – TBD, probably at Bonnie Castle Dive Park.
Shore Dive Fee: Blue North Club Dive Fee is $20 by eTransfer to bluenorthscuba@gmail.com by Sept. 16, 2024. When you arrive at Bonnie Castle Dive Park, there is a $20 fee to use the dive park.
Dive Shop & Air Fills: Air fills and Nitrox 32 will be available at “All About Scuba 1000 Islands” Dive Shop in Alexandria Bay at: 45530 NY-12, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607 https://allaboutscuba.com/
Dive Experience:
At the heart of the Thousand Islands, Alexandria Bay provides some of the best freshwater diving in the world. Bonnie Castle Dive Park offers certified divers the challenge of navigating several line systems leading to objects placed underwater at a depth of 65 feet. Additionally, there are two large suspended platforms at 30 feet, perfect for honing diving skills.
This is a great dive site for newly certified divers as well as experienced divers: Improve your scuba skills, buoyancy, experience diving over 60 ft., underwater current, a shipwreck, etc. and some other underwater experiences such as:
- DPV trial: There is potential to try out a DPV – dive propulsion vehicle – under the supervision of Heison – so much fun!
- Night dive: depending on interest
- More shipwrecks for Sunday if there is interest: The America and the Keystorm are popular wrecks in the area. A minimum of 5 divers are needed to book a dive boat. They offer at par pricing to Canadians who pay in cash. Normally it’s USD 120 per diver, so that means CAD 120 cash – a great value for these amazing wrecks.
Visibility: Visibility is generally 20 feet in the summer months, and possibly up to 50 feet at other times of the year.
Shipwreck: The Islander is less than 100 feet from shore in about 40 feet of water. The Islander was built in Rochester, N.Y., in 1871. This side wheel steamer measured 125 ft. x 20 ft. x 7 ft. and weighed 118 gross tons. As well as a regular mail carrier between Clayton and Alexandria Bay, The Islander began island and river tours on July 31, 1893. On Sept. 16, 1909, at the dock at Alexandria Bay, the ship caught fire and burnt. Since the tragedy, The Islander has become a favorite dive site, accessible from shore.
Underwater life – including largemouth bass, crayfish, sturgeon. Some divers have sighted yellow perch, rainbow trout and pink salmon.
Touristing: This location is suitable for families and significant others — a great place for sightseeing on a Boldt Castle tour and enjoy other local attractions. More ideas: https://visitalexbay.org/business-listing/family-fun/
Directions: To Alexandria Bay, NY, USA – approx. 3.25 hours from Toronto if you avoid rush hour.
- Use Google Maps.
- Take ON-401 East
- Take ON-137 South to Leeds and the Thousand Islands
- Take I-81 S and NY-12 N to Alexandria Bay, United States
Travel Documents:
- Bring your travel documents, such as your passport, to get into the United States.
- Note: non-Canadian passport holders require a travel Visa or ESTA.
- It is the responsibility of the diver to sort out their own required travel documents before leaving Canada.
Transportation:
Please arrange your own transportation. We will let you know if we hear of anyone offering carpooling.
Accommodation:
For example, Bonnie Castle Resort, Capt. Thomson’s Resort, Capt.’s Inn & Suites. Or, please arrange your own accommodations. There are hotels, lodges, cottages and campgrounds available in the area. Search the internet to find the one that best suits you.
Membership in Blue North to participate in the dive: If you are not yet a member of Blue North Scuba for 2024, please join the Club, and then you will be notified to sign the annual OUC Release Agreement.
Scuba Gear: Bring all your own scuba equipment.
Note: If you are considering renting gear, contact Heison first.
- Sample list of scuba equipment to bring on a dive
- To rent or buy, here is a sample list of dive shops in the Toronto area
Club Policies: Read the Club dive policies
Questions or Comments?
Contact us – bluenorthscuba@gmail.com
Don’t forget your Travel Documents for the U.S.
Blue North Scuba Club 