Free places to dive in TX

[BigJetDriver]

As we've noted, sometimes ya' get what ya pay for! While it does cost a little bit, our local dive shops offer good deals on "local diving". It does require a quick "bus ride" on the ol' high-speed aluminum tube, but great diving, where the water is clear, warm, and full of pretty fish, is only a two-hour jaunt away!

One suggestion would be a company called Budget Scuba in Baytown. They mean what they say when it comes to doing it on a budget! Just a thought.

BJD :anakinpod

 

[Dee]

Hey BigJet....do you live in Baytown? I'm just down the road from Budget. What's at the end of a "quick "bus ride" on the ol' high-speed aluminum tube"? Blue Lagoon?

 

[BigJetDriver]

Hey BigJet....do you live in Baytown? I'm just down the road from Budget. What's at the end of a "quick "bus ride" on the ol' high-speed aluminum tube"? Blue Lagoon?

Dee,

I'm over on the shores of Mud Lake (which the Yuppies call Clear Lake, but which it is clearly NOT!).

As for the "bus ride", while I value Blue Lagoon as one of the best training venues available, the landing strip up there is just a wee bit short for the size of the "tube" I fly. I was thinking more of spots like Cozumel, Acapulco, Puerto Escondido, La Paz, Belize, Costa Rica, and so on. They are all about a two hour "bus ride" for our modern "high speed aluminum tubes"!!

Cheers! BJD :anakinpod

P.S.---And no alligators...although there might be some land sharks about! :irazz:

 

[-=>Larry<=-]

Last year Mansfield Dam for $5 per VEHICHLE..did they change it?

But he's off a bit anyway. Somewhere around Thanksgivingtime - it went to 8$/VEHICLE [note spelling also!]

 

[sealskin98]

it went to 8$/VEHICLE [note spelling also!]

who cares about spellin and punuation here thats for the formil stuf when ya dont have a bunch o tieypin to do it can get tyring and arrers slip in edit edit edit

You coming to pappy doughs in Arlington?

 

[Dee]

Dee,

I'm over on the shores of Mud Lake (which the Yuppies call Clear Lake, but which it is clearly NOT!).

As for the "bus ride", while I value Blue Lagoon as one of the best training venues available, the landing strip up there is just a wee bit short for the size of the "tube" I fly. I was thinking more of spots like Cozumel, Acapulco, Puerto Escondido, La Paz, Belize, Costa Rica, and so on. They are all about a two hour "bus ride" for our modern "high speed aluminum tubes"!!

Cheers! BJD :anakinpod

P.S.---And no alligators...although there might be some land sharks about! :irazz:

Ahhh....THOSE high speed tubes!

I've spent alot of years in Blue Lagoon and have the regs with no chrome to prove it! But I can't say I've missed it since we found Twin Lakes. It also has it's limitations but I do enjoy a live lake vs the dead water and rocks at BL! Come out and join us sometime.

 

[Zippsy]

According to their website, the rates at Mansfield Dam Park are now as follows.

Day Use: $8 per vehicle
Night Dive: $5 per vehicle...

A car has some built-in lights for night diving but where can you find a BCD big enough to fit it??

 

[archman]

I kinda figured the airbags would provide enough lift... then again I had to take physics twice.

 

[Trisha]

Lake Tenkiller is in eastern Oklahoma off I-40 and near Gore, OK. Stop by Gene's Aqua Pro Shop at Strayhorn Landing and ask about Crappie Point, Old DX Landing (shore diving) or Goat Island (near the dam, boat transport needed to shore diving.) Good refills, great instruction, no personal connection other than my OW in August. Lake Tenkiller was mentioned in the "Diving USA" of Dive Training, October 2003.

http://www.laketenkiller.com
http://www.genesaquapro.com

This is a terrible map, but the one at Tenkiller State Park's visitor center is much better (you're very close to Crappie Point from there.) We've met some very kind people at Crappie Point as we walked past their tents on the way to the dive site -- of course, they are set up right next to the diving rules sign! And the bathrooms are just up the hill, which makes for convenient changes.
Fee? No fee just for diving.

http://www.tourism.state.ok.us/images/parkmaps/tenkiller.jpg

Also check out Big Daddy's in Gore for dinner. Again, no personal connection other than doing our log books/surface intervals while enjoying their barbeque. Air fill shop onsite, sometimes open.

http://www.divesitescuba.com/tenkiller.htm

 

[Trisha]

Update on Oklahoma diving: I've never tried them, but here in OKC recommendations have also been for Lake Murray near Ardmore, and Lake Elmer Thomas near Lawton. Has anyone used these sites? If so, are reliable refil stations nearby?

http://www.lasr.net/pages/lake.php?Lake_ID=OK05lk001
http://www.shopoklahoma.org/oklakes/elmerthomaslake.htm