Aquarena Springs Class Openings

[daylight]

There are three openings for the Scientific Diver Authorization Class at Aquarena Springs for this weekend ( November 17-18).


If interested, contact Ann Keibler at 713-523-DIVE.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Thanks,

Keep me posted please. I really want to take the class but I won't be able to do so until next spring at the earliest.

Tom

 

[syruss32]

Originally posted by daylight
There are three openings for the Scientific Diver Authorization Class at Aquarena Springs for this weekend ( November 17-18).


If interested, contact Ann Keibler at 713-523-DIVE.

Okay I know there are others who are affraid to ask, so I will be brave for the masses. What is a "Scientific Diver Authorization Class"?

Is this when the divemaster says "Yo mario, yeah you with the pocket protector and compass, you're okay to go!" So the Scientific Diver Is Authorized and the DM has no class!

 

[TwoBitTxn]

What I know about the class.....

There is a great advanced boyancy course included with a skills test afterwards to teach and keep divers off the bottom of the springs.

The class teaches you about the springs, some of the geology, and about the endangered aquatic species (read this is the ONLY place they are found in the world) in the springs.

There is another thread that has the website link in it that tells about the class.

Tom

 

[daylight]

Tom's correct.

The class is excellent. Especially the skills development portion.

The class goes for a very interesting night dive. When I took the class there was a bright full moon. Through the gin clear water, you could see the overhanging trees clearly. The aquifer bubbling up through the lake bottom is a special sight

Aquarena Springs is a unique diving location. All this and Texas too.

DSAO

 

[scubatexastony]

Texas is a big a** state, close to Austin?

Since I've been away from home for 3 weeks, I opt to see the wife and kiddos, but I definately want to attend the classes some time.

STT

 

[Zagnut]

It's in San Marcos about 30 miles south of Austin on I-35. It is a cool place. The visibility is excellent. Makes our quarries look like coffee. My wife and I have been meaning to do it for a while, but haven't gotten around to it yet. We have snorkelled the river several times. Aquarena Springs used to be a tourist type place, but I believe the state government took it over. You go through the ecology class and they check you out on your buoyancy skills so you won't destroy the ecosystem. Then, if you successfully complete the course, you are allowed to dive there. It is not open to the public. You have to have been through their program to get to dive there. Then, when you do dive there, you have to donate something like 15 minutes of each dive to doing underwater volunteer work for them and then the rest of your tank you get to do your own thing and look around and such. The volunteer work may consist of things like picking up litter, removing hydrilla, cleaning barnicles or whatever off of glass bottom boats, things of that nature. It's pretty cool..and if you go to San Marcos, check out Fuschack's Bar-B-Q(pronounced : "Foo-shacks"). They have EXCELLENT pork ribs!..some of the best I've ever had!

 

[CavernQT]

I just recently took the course (Nov 3-4). It makes for a long weekend. On Saturday, you are pretty much there from 8 am to 10 pm with hour-long breaks for lunch and dinner. The history about the area is fascinating, although the buoyancy section is questionable. Whether being able to swim through hoops really transitions into a true respect for the environment, i.e. staying off the bottom, out of the plant life, and not antagonizing the fish is a bit of a disconnect to me. (As I witness many individuals who had an easy time navigating the obstacles and yet planted themselves on the ground during the night dive, kicked up silt, and dragged the hydrilla with their fins.) It would seem much of the day's discussion hadn't quite seeped in.

The water itself is beautiful (and a little cold). The turtles are truly wonderful to watch, and the "fountains" are simply amazing. I would encourage people that have an interest in understanding the underwater environment to take the course since it does offer a unique perspective, but also, take heart that it is the only habitat for several unique species. So we must take ample precautions not to destroy their homes and breeding grounds. Overall, it's a weekend well spent and I look forward to going back and helping out.

 

[-=>Larry<=-]

Here's the link to Aquarena Springs & the classes, etc... This has remained my favorite dive site ever since I qualified. I'e had several similar thoughts about the boyancy training - as the first "job" I was given was to fin out a couple of the springs - this consists of getting real heavy, planting yourself directly on the spring then using your fin to swoosh all the debris out of them!

Don't forget that it's also a TX Antiquities site - I distinctly remember about every 15 minutes in my class - they would say - leave with an arrowhead and it's a 500$ fine! [or whatever the actual number is]

http://www.continuing-ed.swt.edu/Aquarena/home.html

Cheers

 

[daylight]

CavernQT,

Interesting comment. When I took the class, Our control skills were being evaluated while we were on the night dive and the other two dives on Spring Lake. Everyone was critiqued during the debriefs. The obstacle course was the preliminary screen to determine if you could even go onto the lake.

Has this observation and critique been deleted? There is a class scheduled this weekend while I'm going to be diving. I'll ask the instructor what is the criteria these days.

DSAO