Two Jack Lake in Alberta is situated on the loop road to Lake Minnewanka, 12 km from Banff. Banff, Alberta is a popular tourist attraction but I bet there are not many people that know about diving Two Jack Lake!
Two Jack Lake has been dubbed “Canada’s Best Kept Secret” and was named after Jack Stanley, who once owned a boat concession on Lake Minnewanka, and Jack Watters, who worked at Bankhead for the mines, at Cascade Mountain base.
Two Jack Lake have three different areas for diving (shore dives) and diving is also accessible on Lake Minnewanka, and is a ‘high altitude’ diving site at 1450 m above sea level. Named ‘Water of the Spirits’ by the First Nations, Lake Minnewanka is a glacial lake fed by the Cascade River, and the largest body of water in Banff National Park. Water is clear and you can always see the bottom, although in the summer months algae can form. Two Jack Lake is also a cold lake for a 7 mm set-up, so a dry suit is advisable. Depth ranges from 6.1 m / 20 ft to 15.2 m / 49.9 ft and there is no current. Visibility ranges from 5-10 metres (16-32 feet).
Dams were built to provide hydro-electric power to the area in 1912 and 1941. The latest dam (1941) raised the lake 30 m (98 ft) and submerged the resort site of Minnewanka Landing which had been there since 1888. Because of the nature of the submerged village, submerged bridge pilings, and submerged dam the lake is popular with recreational scuba divers. 1912 Dam Area (diving) is accessible from the shore with a steep descent on rocks along the shoreline. Divers are advised to watch for heavy boat traffic from the nearby wharf and boat ramp when entering the water. A SMB is highly recommended. House foundations, a well, outhouse hole, wharfs, abundance of fresh water shrimp and trout frequent the area and a bridge make for some great underwater photo opportunities. Underwater vegetation consists of grassy weed beds and a sand bottom. Do to the delicate condition of some of the underwater scenery, divers are advised not to touch or remove any of the artifacts.
A student diver went missing in 2010 on a Saturday afternoon while diving at Lake Minnewanka with a group of divers. Parks Canada was informed when the man did not surface on time.
A spokesperson for Parks Canada reported that the amount of air he had in his tank did not match the amount of time he was underwater, so the air he would have had wasn’t enough for the time he was underwater.
For those divers wishing to extend their dive holiday at Two Jack Lake, there is a nearby campground with 23 tenting sites, food lockers, RV parking on site, hot and cold running water, showers, picnic area and flush toilets.
Two Jack Lake located on Lake Minnewanka is a great place to practice your diving skills and bring yourself up to speed.
