Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Vermont

I dove this site about 4 times now. Twice for my Advance certification and a couple other fun dives. I travel about 1 1/2 hours south to enjoy it and I know others that travel even farther. There is a car to explore at about 40 feet down, the quarry walls are so cool, especially if you've never dove in a quarry before. This quarry has some of the best viz as it gets very little top soil run off. Another car to check out at 80 feet down. I'm not a cave diver, however there is a network of caves from when they mined the marble. I believe there is a map available that some divers have made of the underwater cave system. You would want to ask Bottom Time Scuba in Rutland or Victory Sports in Colchester Vermont. Go from Rutland Vermont to West Rutland on route 4 B. When in the center of West Rutland turn right onto Marble street extension and follow for about 3 miles on your right. There are about 4 large Marble blocks that are place at the entrance where you need to park on the right side of the road. You can't see the quarry from the road. You need to walk in your gear about 150 yards. There are two common entrances. One to the left is a giant stride entrance and the one to the right is a walk in spot.

Along the west shore line there were some live cannon balls from that were left over from the Civil War. If you find one, use caution as they are sealed well and are packed with black powder which can still actually explode. I try to dive this site early in the spring when the water is still pretty clear before the algae grows. A mid-summer dive here can be like jumping into Pea Soup. I've been in this lake with a small two-person submarine down to 50 feet. It has been a nice testing ground for a friend's sub. The floor bottom is mainly mud that get stirred up easily, but the some of the shore line is rocky and large boulders which is fun to navigate around. Lots of tree blow downs along the east shore line, as well, and with caution you'll find it is interesting area to explore. Enjoy! About 10 miles north on route 14 from Vermont's capital city of Montpelier is the little town of East Calais. In the Center of town turn left onto the Dump road and travel some 3 miles of dirt road to it's end. Turn right and follow to North Calais (which you will barely be able to tell you are in a town :), take the next road on the left which will take you right along the west bank of Mirror Lake (or #10 Pond). You'll come across the boat launch area first. It's my suggestion to park at the boat launch and take your first dive from the boat launch along the east shore line. You can enjoy depths from 15-40 feet just within the first 300 yards.

Once you dive in off the Dock or from shore you'll have 6-10 feet of water to get comfortable in. Then it drops down to 20-25 feet right off with 12-15 feet from shoreline. If you go to the right of the dock you'll experience giant boulders the size of school buses in this area. You may see a little fish life. If you go to the left of the docks you'll find deeper water, and a wall dive area. Enjoy! Driving North from Montpelier VT on route 14 to the little town of Woodbury. Once you have come to the center of town you'll take a right turn onto Cabot road and drive approx 3 miles looking for North rd on your left side of this dirt road. Once you turn onto North rd continue until you come to the end of this road. You want to dive from the second to the last camp. There is no public boat launch area for this pond. It is one of Vermont's hidden secrets! This is a private camp that a diver has given us permission to dive from. Please just call me to set up advance reservations (Permission I mean) Thanks, Marke Englert (Vermont Scuba Diving Club Coordinator) 802-433-9897

One of my favorite dives in all of Central Vermont. Large boulders, some wall and shelf dives too. You'll see Large mouth Bass, trout and small pumpkin seed fish. You'll enjoy some scavenger hunting along shore in 20-30 ft and you'll enjoy some large boulders underwater from 10- 60 ft down. I never get bored at this location and the water clarity is the best in mid summer when it's bad everywhere else. From Route 14 in East Calais take the Dump road to the end to the North Calais road and turn right, take the first left and #10 pond (Mirror Lake) will be the first body of water on the right and you can dive here as well, but go on about another 2 miles to Nelson Pond which the road bends right around the pond to the boat launch area. The Vermont Scuba Diving Club has gained permission from Mr. Anderson ( a camp owner) to dive right off his lawn next to his camp. His camp is back from the boat launch there is a road that goes around the south side of the pond, take this road and he is the last camp in. The camp is Red and he said we can park at least a couple cars, if more be sure to just knock on his door and ask. He enjoys watching us divers. SO please ask, Thanks, Marke Englert (Vermont Scuba Diving Club coordinator and past President, 802-433-9897)

Clearest spot I ever saw in Lake Champlain Just West of Burlington Harbor

Check out video on YouTube "Dive Black Bridge". The Black Bridge is also known as D and H Train Bridge.

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Burlington Bay Horse Ferry is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in USA, Vermont which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.

Compliments of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum . The Sloop Island Canal Boat is a standard canal boat from the last generation of canal boats on Lake Champlain. The Champlain Canal locks expanded over time, and with them the size of canal boats. At 97 feet long and 17½ feet wide, the Sloop Island Canal Boat was built after the 1873 canal expansion. Standard canal boats had no independent means of propulsion, and were towed by mules or horses in the canal and by a steamboat or tug on Lake Champlain. The name and exact details of the sinking of the Sloop Island Canal Boat are unknown. An archaeological study in 2002-2003 indicated that the boat sank in distress around 1915. The entire artifact collection from the cabin was recovered and conserved, and a selection placed on exhibit at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum's Basin Harbor facility. The artifacts suggest that a family consisting of a man, woman and at least one child lived on board. An entire household of goods is represented: glassware, dishes, silverware, a woolen coat, and woodworking tools. The cargo hold is filled with bituminous coal mined in western Pennsylvania. Timbers removed from the cabin are stored in the hold below the walkways: please do not disturb. Marked by buoy from Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. Sloop Island Canal Boat is also known as Wreck Z.

Shane and I dove this site just once so far, but it was great and we will return. We obtained special permission to park in a private driveway anytime if we park just as instructed by the landowner. So please contact me and I'll be glad to share the information. At this site you'll walk your gear in approx 500 yards to Dog River pools that are below some falls. They are 18 feet pools that are fun to dive. Shane and I took some pictures that I've had developed but not available online yet (I need to scan them in). Some very large trout are in this pool, we counted 6 and two of them were at least 20 inches long (That's NOT a FISH story) Driving north on Route 12 from Northfield Vermont you'll go through NorthField Falls VT and on about two miles to Ellies Market (a Vegetable stand), You'll need to obtain permission to park here, or call Marke Englert (Vermont Scuba Diving Club coordinator) 802-433-9897 to gain another special parking location.

From Lake Champlain Maritime Museum's website (www.LCMM.org): The General Butler was built in 1862 in Essex, New York. The schooner-rigged Butler is an example of a Lake Champlain sailing canal boat designed to sail on the lake and, with masts removed and centerboard raised, travel though the Champlain Canal. On her last voyage she was under the command of her third owner, Captain William Montgomery of Isle La Motte. While sailing up the lake on December 9, 1876 a powerful winter gale struck and upon approaching Burlington, the Butler's steering mechanism broke. The captain jury-rigged a tiller bar to the steering post and attempted to maneuver his craft around the breakwater. The attempt was unsuccessful and the schooner crashed headlong into the breakwater. The force of the water was so great that the vessel was repeatedly lifted on top of the ice-covered stones. One by one each of the ship's company made the perilous jump onto the breakwater. The captain was the last to leave the ship which immediately sank into the 40' of water where she now rests. Having narrowly escaped death by drowning, the Butler's survivors now risked freezing to death on the breakwater. All surely would have perished had it not been for the heroic intervention of Burlington ship chandler James Wakefield and his son, who rowed out in a 14' lighthouse boat and took all five to safety. The Butler was declared a total loss. Artifacts from the General Butler are on display at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum's Basin Harbor facility. Features of Interest Size of wreck: 88' long, 14' wide The vessel rests on her keel, bow towards the breakwater. There are five hatches in the deck. Note the dead-eyes, windlass and cleats used for sailing. The masts were stepped on deck in three sided Access via boat, right next to the breakwater in Burlington Bay. Site is marked by a Lake Champlain Preserve System buoy. Make sure you register yourself and boat at a local dive shop or at the harbormaster before diving the site. Only need to register one time per year. Approximately 75 yards west of the southern end of the Burlington breakwater.