From Ontario Canada

[Lawrence Debono]

Hello, I want to thank Bren for inviting me over to this forum. I stared diving in 87 with club 333SAA in Malta. After two years diving in Malta I moved to Ontario. I found the diving here different but very interesting. I kept active in the sports and in the last three years I did some TDI courses to keep up. I am a member of the Ontario Under Water Explores http://www.ontario-underwater-explorers.org/
And the Sea Horse Diving Club In Malta http://www.digigate.net/sportdiving/seahorse.html.

The diving here is not just Ice diving. In the summer we get 18C in places like the St Lawrence River, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. It isn't uncommon to see divers using wet suits. In the winter it's different matter. The diving that I do here is in the Great Lakes. The fresh water helps preserving our wooden wrecks. These can be found in various parts of the Great Lakes, which cover about 96000 sq miles of water. In the summer we find that zebra muscles help improve the visibility a lot, and in the winter,  the temperature kills the algae and keep the water clear.

The main reasons why I dive are because I like the adventure, and appreciate the history when diving on wrecks or historical sites.
I also find diving equipment very interesting. I usually get trapped in some equipment building or modification project. Like the canister light which has been going on for over a year:-)
Cheers

Lawrence Debono

[Mr T.]

Hey Lawrence,

Welcome aboard mate - you're now our Western flank and the mainstay of our Canadian Contingent (consider it a 'field-promotion')!! Or, as you chaps are wont to say: "F*ckin 'A'!"

Please feel free to invite any diving mates you might have here too!!

If you wouldn't mind doing a couple of dive reports from your favourite sites over there, we'd be eternally grateful; the only other current member I'm aware of that might dived your fair climes is John Gulliver Esq. and he's in Sweden!!

Any wreck or diving photies that you might have, please email then to Heads Up (the Gaffer!) and he can post them on the Gallery Forum - yes, we do make you work for your membership here......but it's worth it!! ;)

Once again mate, welcome aboard and dive safe always.

(Edited by Bren Tierney at 4:35 pm on Nov. 26, 2002)

[Ben Harris]

The borders of Yorkshire get bigger all the time!!!!

Welcome aboard mate!

[Pierre Farrugia]

Hello Lawrence,

So we will be meeting here as well. At least hope this forum will convince you to finish your light hehe. By the way I dived with him (you), when we was in Malta and passed great time .

Regards

Pierre Farrugia

[Tim Ingmire]

Hi Lawrence,

can't wait to read some of your trip reports mate.  As Bren said above, it'll be good to see any photo's you have of the diving over there.

Tim

[Dr Stevil]

Hi Lawrence, welcome aboard, eh?  (I was told Canadians add that to the end of most sentences).
Diving in the Great Lakes? is the water clean these days? I remember being taught about pollution problems in the GLs, lots of PCBs and other nasties (shudder...)
Che-az
Steve

[PaulC]

Greetings bro! I've not dived Canada but I have folks in Edmonton, and I really fancy coming your way one time for some ice diving. So I'd love to hear any ice divig tales you might have! E.g. where to go, what to see, what the rules of upside down football are, etc, etc. Go safely, Paul

[Frog]

Hi and welcome Lawrence.  Nice to have you with us!  Dive safely.  :froggy:

[andy2tanx]

Hello Lawrence, good to have you from the land of the mounties.  last Canadian I spoke to was a lad on holiday who was a canadian firefighter who tried to fob me off with the age old legend of the diver caught up in his helicopters water bag... you've heard the tale!!

If anyone hasn't I may recount it at some other time.

[John Holmes]

Hi Lawrence !
Welcome to the site - I'm shivering just thinking about the temperatures in the greatlakes at present - makes Anglesey seem like the Med in summer! Viz must be brilliant though. Hope to read lots of posts from you - dive safe!
John