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Sudbury > Recreation > Sports >
Sports: Scuba Diving
[ Background | Equipment | Where ]
Background
Scuba diving was created by Jacques Cousteau who invented the Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, which includes the air tanks, regulators, hoses and mask needed for effortless breathing under the water. Scuba diving is a great sport for seeing the undersea nature. When you have your PADI (Professional Association of Diving
Instructors), TDI (Technical Diving International), or NAUI (National Association of Underwater Instructors) scuba diving certification, you can dive almost anywhere in the world.
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Equipment
Scuba diving involves not just the cost of the equipment, but also travel to good & often execotic scuba locations. The equipment for scuba diving is life-critical and always top quality, though you can rent it (especially if you don't dive a lot) at almost any resort or dive shop when you have a recognized certification.
Typical diving gear includes: a mask, a snorkel, a full length wet suit, a hood, a pair of diving gloves, a weight belt, a BCD (Buoyancy Control Device), a primary regulator with an alternate air source (second stage), an air tank, instrument console, diving boots, flippers, a diving knife, dive tables, a slate and an equipment bag for carrying the gear. The equipment is not cheap to buy, with a BCD costing $300-$800y.
Equipment and lessons are available at one of the scuba diving shops here. Try on every piece of equipment before buying. Those with a pool on location, will even let you try it underwater to make sure it functions and fits properly. If you choose to buy used equipment, check it thoroughly, have it inspected by a professional scuba diving equipment technician and ask to test it out (remember, its your life support underwater).
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Where
There are a number of places to dive close to Sudbury. The The North Bay Scuba Club recommends some of the following locations:
- Trout Lake
- Spring Lake - clear water
- Emerald Lake - old gold mine site
- Recollect Falls - see 6 foot Muskesi and Sturgeons
- Byng Inlet - Underwater wrecks
There is also great diving in Killarney and along Georgian Bay/Lake Huron:
- Robertson Rock - The 1888 built 299 foot steel freighter "North Wind" unk in 1927 in aobut 30 metres of water
- West Mary Island - This 976-ton wooden steam barge "India" burned to the waterline in 1928, in 9 metres of water
- Killarney East Lighthouse - "Dove" and "Branch" are scuttled 28-foot and 32-foot classic Chris Craft cabin cruisers in shallow waters with 20 ft visibility.
- Mississagi Lighthouse, west of Meldrum Bay on Manitoulin Island
Of ourcse, from there you can take the Chi-Cheemaun ferry rom Manitoulin Island to Tobermory,
widely considered the Dive Capital of Canada, with its deep clear waters and plenty of wrecks.
Visit Canada's first National Marine Park, Fathom Five National Marine Park which two components,
45 square miles of clear water plus an archipelago of 19 islands. The park features sheer cliffs, limestone overhangs
and large caves can be found both on the islands and submerged beneath the water. There are
also the remains of over 20 historical shipwrecks in these waters.
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