Diving in Blessington

djk1000

Hi all,

It's the old "I'd love to dive the underwater village in Blessington" subject. It would be an excellent dive but I'm used to hearing the stories about it being very dangerous and not allowed etc etc. My question is, has anyone ever done it? what is the evidence for it being dangerous? Could it be done if proper precautions were taken? how deep would the dive be? Is anyone interested in investigating the possibility?

Evil Phil

We've talked about this before as I'd love to do the site too. It seems that currently water sports are banned on the reseviour, and if not all then diving is for sure. There's dangerous currents that end up in the turbines apparently.

I think you'd need permission from the ESB to dive the site.

iregk

I live in blessington myself. The lake is extremely dangerous and so all water sports, baring fishing and rowing are banned on the lake.

Basically there are serious under currents, bottom half moves at something like 2.5 times the top half (may not be accurate) but also there are a lot of what you may call swallow holes. Basically parts of the ground often give way where air rises extremely quickly and creates a vortex so to speak that literally sucks you down.

djk1000

The question remains, has anyone dived it?

iregk

Previous to now yes lots of people and many used to swim in it. Problem is lots of those people lost their lives to it hence why they decided to stop all swimming and diving.

nitroboy

Yes blesington lakes have been dived. as the water is so boggy the vis is incredibly bad so you wont see very much. the only people that I know that have dived it were doing Body searches. Diving in a submerged village in basically zero vis is ludicrous but that also might be the attraction!!!

Pataman

was there much of a village there?

Ash.J.Williams

there is no villages there that I know of, small farming communities, a Mill house, a half blown up bridge(good workmanship there, they couldn't knock it) The lake has claimed many lives and as a child I do recall the story of a diver who broke his spine...(would have heard that circa 83). Personally i would love to see it drained sometime for a look!! There is also an old graveyard where the bodies and artifacts were removed to Burgage Cemetary in Blessington.

charleigh

Does anybody know the name of the flooded village under the Blessington lake?

Ash.J.Williams

charleigh wrote: »

Does anybody know the name of the flooded village under the Blessington lake?

Yes, well i'm sure there are a few place names under there, but as far as i know, the nearest thing to a village is Ballinahown. I spelt that phonetically so not sure about the spelling. There would have been domestic dwellings and outbuildings. I reckon only the roofs were removed, so gables and chimneys should still be standing.
I would say ballinahown was between ballyknocken, Blessington (avon ri end) and baltyboys.

HarcourtGreen

Some good info about the submerged village here
http://www.poulaphuca.com

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Yes, well i'm sure there are a few place names under there, but as far as i know, the nearest thing to a village is Ballinahown. I spelt that phonetically so not sure about the spelling. There would have been domestic dwellings and outbuildings. I reckon only the roofs were removed, so gables and chimneys should still be standing.
I would say ballinahown was between ballyknocken, Blessington (avon ri end) and baltyboys.

bitemybanger

Did my first dive in Blessington last week, very poor visibility. was with work so didnt get to explore much, just under vallymount bridge where there is a huge sunken tree at 4 meters. small current there too. dangerous.

ANXIOUS

bitemybanger wrote: »

Did my first dive in Blessington last week, very poor visibility. was with work so didnt get to explore much, just under vallymount bridge where there is a huge sunken tree at 4 meters. small current there too. dangerous.

Any plans to go back? What was the current like?

bitemybanger

ANXIOUS wrote: »

Any plans to go back? What was the current like?

No plans just yet. you have to check with the ESB to find out when they plan on opening the dam as the current can get strong especialy under the bridges where it narrows quite a bit increasing flow.
Might see if i can organise a dive for a small group but not sure if just anyone can dive it. like i said i was with work last week so i can find out the relevant heads to ask.

t1mm

Can I ask who exactly you work for? What was the visibility like?

bitemybanger

t1mm wrote: »

Can I ask who exactly you work for? What was the visibility like?

I work for the minister for defence.... army in other words:)
Visibility is poor, 2 meters max maybe a bit more with a stronger light until you touch off the bottom and visibility goes to zero.

sharkbite1983

dangerous dangerours place, trust me ive lived here 3 yrs and ive already seen bodies coming out of it. beautiful scenery, fishing, camping hiking etc, but much as i hate to say it, theres a reason the ESB fisheries are so strict, id love nothing more then to spend sunny days jumping off my boat for a swim, but i know better. doubt they would let you dive there.

Ash.J.Williams

bitemybanger wrote: »

Did my first dive in Blessington last week, very poor visibility. was with work so didnt get to explore much, just under vallymount bridge where there is a huge sunken tree at 4 meters. small current there too. dangerous.

Could you see any other evidence of former habitation under there?
Also something i've been wondering, would the liffey and kings river still maintain a rough course under there or do they now disperse as soon as they reach the lake, those two rivers meet at baltyboys under the lake and i wonder would there be massive currents there as a result of that?
I am aware of at least one current related drowning nearby (combined with extremely deadly soft swampy ground underfoot).

westwicklow

bitemybanger wrote: »

..........just under vallymount bridge where there is a huge sunken tree at 4 meters. small current there too. dangerous.

Can you give us more details as to the location of the dangerous tree please? I'm in that area every day.

bitemybanger

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

Could you see any other evidence of former habitation under there?
Also something i've been wondering, would the liffey and kings river still maintain a rough course under there or do they now disperse as soon as they reach the lake, those two rivers meet at baltyboys under the lake and i wonder would there be massive currents there as a result of that?
I am aware of at least one current related drowning nearby (combined with extremely deadly soft swampy ground underfoot).

No obvious path of river from before valley was flooded but then again visibility is pretty much zero. as far as currents, ive been in the lake a handful of times and the current was only obvious once.

westwicklow wrote: »

Can you give us more details as to the location of the dangerous tree please? I'm in that area every day.

Its about 15meters out from the bridge on the Dublin side roughly around mid-channel. 3 1/2 to 4 meters below surface. from what i gathered its a large stump with some thick branches attached. probably there since the valley was flooded

westwicklow

Thanks for the information.

xesse

live here all my life
sailing windsurfing and canoeing all ok up here too:D:D:D....but what you are saying about the lake and sink holes is correct.

iregk wrote: »

I live in blessington myself. The lake is extremely dangerous and so all water sports, baring fishing and rowing are banned on the lake.

Basically there are serious under currents, bottom half moves at something like 2.5 times the top half (may not be accurate) but also there are a lot of what you may call swallow holes. Basically parts of the ground often give way where air rises extremely quickly and creates a vortex so to speak that literally sucks you down.