Manitoba Underwater Council

DIVE SITE MAP
DUCK MOUNTAIN REGION
MANITOBA

The Manitoba Underwater Council suggests that on the day of the planned dive, both the site and diving conditions be adequately assessed and diving should take place only if these conditions are acceptable. Note, the Duck Mountain lakes described in this brochure are 2300 feet above sea level. Caution is advised when using standard nodecompression tables. It is recommended that altitude tables be consulted and the appropriate depth corrections applied.

To ensure a safe and enjoyable dive, the council also suggests that the diver observe the following precautions:

Always mark your dive site with a diver down flag.
Be alert for boat traffic when surfacing and snorkelling.
Never dive alone and always do a buddy check before descending.
After a long snorkel, rest at the surface prior to descent.
Do not dive beyond your comfort zone.
Watch depth and bottom time carefully.
Finally, practice good buoyancy control. Much of the bottom the lake is silty. Bottom floundering can drastically reduce visibility creating a hazard for you and for those following.

The information provided in this brochure is intended as a guide. Although we have attempted to advise the diver of any hazards, some hazards may exist of which we are unaware. It is the divers responsibility to obtain further information where available.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

Call Operator - ask for ZENITH 50,000 Contact the R.C.M.P. and state the following:

"This is a diving emergency."

DIVEPAC is a service provided by the Manitoba Underwater Council with financial assistance from Sport Manitoba and Manitoba Lotteries

This pamphlet has been prepared by:

A.H. Kerr
K.V. Ticknor
D.G. Hartrick

Acknowledgements

K. Kidd
M. Durchak
J. Hood
Travel Manitoba

March 1991

Converted to HTML by:

Sean Ennis

Duck Mountains Notes

The highest point in Manitoba (Baldy Mountain, 2727 feet or 895 m) is found in Duck Mountain Provincial Park. The terrain within the park was formed by two primary geological events. During the Mesozoic era deposits of shale, sandstone and bentonite, derived from volcanic mountain ranges far to the west, were laid down as alluvial plains in the shallow seas then covering the area. The shale deposits, known as Odanah shale, have a high silica content and are extremely hard. During the successive glaciations of the Pleistocene epoch this hard grey shale resisted the scouring action of the glaciers as they advanced and returned across the face of what is now Manitoba. At the same time, softer sediments to the east were affected to a greater degree. The result is the present day Manitoba escarpment. During the retreat of the glaciers during the last glaciation some 11,000 years ago, areas of stagnant or "dead ice" moraine, along with glacial till, were left behind in many locales. The hummock topography, typical of the Duck Mountains, formed as a result. Debris on the glacier ice would slide into depressions on the surface. As the ice melted these formed debris ridges and the last remnants of the glacial ice melted into depressions between ridges to form the elevation of these lakes relative to the surrounding terrain translates into minimal runoff entering them. The result is good to excellent visibility for snorkelling and SCUBA diving. Childs Lake and the Blue Lakes offer the best SCUBA diving in the region. Note that no commercial air station operates in the region on a regular basis. All air requirements must be addressed as part of your pre-dive planning.

Childs Lake

Childs Lake has a been home to the Dauphin Dolphins Spearfishing Contest for over 25 years. The lake can be reached from the east entrance of the park near Garland north of Dauphin on Highway 10 or from the south and west through San Clara north of Roblin. Childs Lake is popular not only for SCUBA divers but fishermen and pleasure boaters as well. Extreme caution is advised when diving in areas of high boat traffic. Use the diver down flag and always surface near the flag. Childs Lake has a gently sloping, silty bottom contour that can be easily disturbed resulting in reduced visibility. A maximum depth of 158 feet is recorded in the south basin. Fish species include pickerel, trout and mariah (object of the annual spearfishing contest). Weed beds in the north end of the lake offer the potential for interesting night diving. A provincial camp ground offers 52 unserviced sites and 37 electrical sites. All general supplies including boat and motor rentals are available at the nearby store-lodge-restaurant complex, as is boat launching.

There are no individual site descriptions for this lake.

Blue Lakes

The Blue Lakes of Duck Mountains can be reached from Dauphin by taking Highway 10 north to Garland and proceeding westerly for 32 km along PR. 366. Approaching from the west, these lakes are approximately 18 km east of Childs Lake. Depths in West Blue Lake range to approximately 60 feet in the north and up to 100 feet in the south central. The southern end of the lake is relatively shallow with a maximum depth of approximately 45 feet. Shore access is limited to the north end of the lake and the area adjacent to the campground. Note that internal combustion engines are not allowed on the lake. East Blue Lake has a maximum depth in excess of 200 feet. The visibility in East Blue lake is generally superior to West Blue and the latter is more subject to algae blooms in late summer. Both lakes have generally sandy to silty bottoms so care must be taken to avoid stirring up bottom sediments. The sharpest dropoff to be found in these lakes is along the east shore of East Blue where depths in excess of 60 feet can be quickly reached. Both lakes are home to numerous fish species with perch, pike and walleye predominant in West Blue and various trout, splake and perch in East Blue. Beaver lodges are found in both lakes and make for interesting observation. As well, East Blue Lake is known to be spring-fed. Including a visit to one of the springs during your dive is highly recommended. A provincial campground consisting of 89 unserviced sites, is in operation between May and October. A general purpose store provides essentials. Boat motor and canoe rentals are available. When diving these lakes, remember they are 2200-2300 feet above sea level. Therefore, make appropriate corrections for altitude diving.

There are no individual site descriptions for these lakes

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