Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Listening Point - General Discussion :: Snorkeling in the BW?
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Banksiana |
andym: "Any suggestions of clear EP lakes or within a day trip distance. I'm not sure I want to carry full snorkeling gear on a camping trip (our good fins are big) but it could be fun to do a day canoe/snorkeling trip." For tripping consider Travel Fins == Louisa is within relatively easy reach with a tow to Prairie Portage. |
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WHendrix |
andym: "Any suggestions of clear EP lakes or within a day trip distance. I'm not sure I want to carry full snorkeling gear on a camping trip (our good fins are big) but it could be fun to do a day canoe/snorkeling trip." Alton is very clear and is one easy portage from Sawbill. |
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nctry |
I’ll bet you could fill a tackle box pretty fast if you knew where to look. |
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andym |
Small fins could be the right balance. For most of the areas we usually snorkel I like the power of our large fins. But for a calm lake small might be enough. I actually have a couple of small pairs. One designed for body surfing and boogie boards. The other are for swim training. Those are particularly light. I should try underwater swimming with them. |
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HowardSprague |
nctry: "Hopefully all the fun things like old car batteries and tires along with the rest of the stuff they had to get rid of to make the BW a pristine wilderness is buried now in the muck and all. You’d find that more twenty years ago or more. Just don’t be too surprised. They took a lot of stuff out on the ice and let er go. Wow - if I came across a submerged car battery, that's one thing I'd be inclined to get out of the water. |
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HowardSprague |
andym: "Any suggestions of clear EP lakes or within a day trip distance. I'm not sure I want to carry full snorkeling gear on a camping trip (our good fins are big) but it could be fun to do a day canoe/snorkeling trip." Snowbank is clear. |
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Bushpilot |
My grand father bought scuba gear in the late 60s and we had a place on Burntside. I have scuba dove in many of the lakes Burntside, Basswood, Fenske, etc… also I dove in a few of the quarries like the "Rock crusher" and 13 corners. Never snorkeled in the lakes but many times I have free dove with a mask and fins. I have seen all kind of trash from cars to refrigerators, old logging stuff and 55 gallon drums. I haven't dove in any bwca lakes in more than 20 years. I am not even sure if it is legal to scuba and never thought about it until now. I know your not supposed to remove anything other than "new garbage".There used to be a dive shop in Ely 20-25 years ago. It was called A&W dive shop. It was also the A&W restaurant. |
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WhiteWolf |
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andym |
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HowardSprague |
I bought a shorter pair of fins as well as an inflatable snorkeling vest, to bring on summer trips with my mask and snorkel if I have the space in my pack. If I go in spring or fall,...brr! - forget it! These aren't the fins I have - mine are grey & black - but very similar: compact fins I also like to take them with me in my carry-on or suitcase if I'm going someplace tropical (USVI last March). They do the job. |
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GopherAdventure |
Tony Tony |
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Banksiana |
Visibility is plenty good if you choose the right lake. |
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GopherAdventure |
Banksiana: "I've taken mask and snorkel a few times, a couple of times I included fins. Really fun on the ultra clear lakes (oligotrophic). Sometimes I'd get groups of smallmouth that would follow along to see what was up. Wenonah makes hover canoes? Awesome! Cool pic, thanks for sharing. Tony |
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TrailZen |
TZ |
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Bearpath9 |
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andym |
My wife does use goggles in the BW because hers are prescription and help her see. She just doesn't dive with them. With a mask, snorkel, and fins she's gone pretty deep. |
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missmolly |
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joshawes |
On Alton, I stayed at the southern eastern site, on a peninsula and snorkeled the shoreline back in the little bay behind the site. This was labor day weekend and the water was really cold so I didn't swim long. I Also Snorkeled one of the huge beach campsites on the north eastern part of Insula (just south of Williamson island) in 2015. I swam out maybe 100 yards and it is just sandy bottom galore. However, Insula water clarity isn't ideal for snorkeling as its a darker stained water and there isn't much to see in the massive expanse of sand. But still fun nonetheless. I will only bring my snorkel and goggles when I know I'll be swimming in lakes that are exceptionally clear. As I plan one of my annual trips to the BWCA in July each year I find swimming and snorkeling to a great activity when it gets really hot. I plan on base camping in Boulder Bay this year on Lac La Croix and the water is pretty dark so I will likely leave the snorkeling gear at home. But who knows. ;) Josh |
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andym |
Don't see why it would be against the rules to snorkel in the BW. There is nothing mechanical about it and I have no urge to take anything out. Just happy to take a look around. We haven't been scuba diving lately but when I say snorkel I really mean free dive to depths up to 20' or so. At least if I have my big fins around. |
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andym |
The portable dive lungs look interesting but I suggest getting scuba certified before using one. There are mistakes you could make that could seriously injure your lungs. Also, you should practice how to make emergency ascents under supervision before using something like that. Finally, good analysis of the device points out that the 15 minute estimate for a dive seems like it is valid if you are not active and very close to the surface. Expect much shorter times if you dive down. This is both because you breathe faster and due to th pressure at depth. It takes about 30 minutes to pump up. So much more time pumping than diving. I think I get more bottom time just snorkeling. But if you really want 5 minutes at 15 or 20 feet it might do the trick. Just take a course first. |
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Bearpath9 |
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andym |
I suspect 10’ is pretty safe with most things. Apparently it is the depth limit the portable dive lung company gives for uncertified divers. And 10’ on tropical reefs gives amazing great stuff to see. |
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andym |
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andym |
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nofish |
Water clarity is going to vary widely by lake. There will be some lakes you probably can't see more than a few feet at most and there will be other lakes where you have good visibility out a long ways. It can also vary depending on the weather as wind can get a lake churned up a bit and would hurt visibility. |
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Blatz |
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Savage Voyageur |
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scotttimm |
Banksiana: "I've taken mask and snorkel a few times, a couple of times I included fins. Really fun on the ultra clear lakes (oligotrophic). Sometimes I'd get groups of smallmouth that would follow along to see what was up. Curious, would be fun to put some on our list...which lakes are the oligotrophic lakes? What is an oligotrophic lake? |
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Rockwood |
Visibility is plenty good if you choose the right lake. " Love that image, Banksiana. |
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nooneuno |
missmolly: "I wanna do this in the worst way. " You mean with only one fin, and a mask that leaks badly? |
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4keys |
nooneuno: "missmolly: "I wanna do this in the worst way. " Now that made me laugh! |
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Jaywalker |
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nooneuno |
Bearpath9: "Jaywalker: "missmolly: "I wanna do this in the worst way. " I also was considering trying these out coupled with the mini fins as they take up a much smaller footprint in the pack. They seem like they would be good on the surface but after diving down the first thing you do is blow out to clear the water from the snorkel I don't think this could be done with a full face mask? Maybe they are only meant to be used on the surface? |
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RMinMN |
There is one spot on our route at the end of a rapids where I will snorkel if the current isn't too swift that I call the tackle box. It has (or had) a large white pine that is submerged and the limbs sticking out from it collect a bunch of tackle. I have found other things besides tackle. Two anchors, a nice camera, an entire pack full of gear with no identification so I couldn't return it, pots and pans, etc. One never knows what you will find next. |
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LittoralZone |
In 2013 my nephew and his friend spent just about every afternoon swimming around camp, taking turns with my mask, as I prepared lunch/dinner. For my 2017 solo trip I packed a mask for "just in case' and did use it to retrieve a rod/reel combo that went overboard. For all the weight and space a mask/snorkel (and even fins) take up, I'd recommend bringing them, at certain times/trips they're worth it and can be a lot of fun. |
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treehorn |
Do you do it to scout for fish, and have you been successful finding them and then later catching them? Or just for relaxation/fun? I know it might vary quite a bit, but what kind of depths can you typically see down to? I've never snorkeled on a freshwater lake. Seems like it might be interesting, since I'm usually up there when water temps allow it. But, in all the trip reports I've read and various threads I read right here, I don't think I've ever heard anyone talk about spending time snorkeling...maybe visibility is just not good enough anywhere. Thoughts? |
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brp |
My first thought was that I could scuba the BW! I'm not sure if this would be considered a "mechanical device" or whatever. If I do end up getting it, I will probably take it along and see what I can see. |
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dicecupmaker |
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Jaywalker |
missmolly: "I wanna do this in the worst way. " Me too. I've looked for gear and thought maybe some nice July/August trip when the water is nice and warm it would be great fun. |
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Bearpath9 |
Jaywalker: "missmolly: "I wanna do this in the worst way. " A friend of mine bought a Wildhorn full faced snorkel mask last fall before a trip, and he says its the best thing out there. I was going to get one, but could never find one in the stores I looked in. Made by Wildhorn Outfitters. |
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ForestDuff |
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arctic |
On clear lakes it's just plain all-around fun to watch fish, recover lost fishing lures, check-out drop-offs and other bottom formations, etc. |
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MikeinMpls |
Mike |
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andym |
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