For Las Vegas LDS/Instructors
Here is my Saddle Cove report to the NPS:
Thank you for allowing me access to assess the site.
I made two dives yesterday at Saddle Cove.
With the high winds, I expected some shore "muck" effect and its results on immediate visibility.
At the shore, YES, the visibility was <5' to zero.
We made a surface swim out to one of the "No Boat" buoys and it felt like I was making a shore
dive in California -- two foot waves were swamping my snorkel somewhat -- but NO problems
making headway against them.
I was quite surprised with the visibility once we descended to depth -- about 20-25' horizontally.
Both dives were good in my book.
The site is ACCEPTABLE* for training dives, because depth is a controllable issue. Maximum depth
from the first buoy to the second buoy northwest (300°) was maxima 68'. Note: I call the first buoy
the buoy that you look at when you park at the end of the road that is approximately 50° out from
the center point of the cove.
The only issues are closeness to water entry and entry/exit conditions.
Closeness: I parked my truck about 200' from the point of closest entry. Four wheel drive
vehicles could get closer, however, even a 4WD would have some issues with the loose earth.
The walk down was over some loose small gravel and sand. The second dive - we chose the cove
to the north which was about 300-350' over a bit rockier terrain and carefully picked step down over some
tiered steppes, consisting of some clay-like material that one must be careful of -- as it can break
as one walks over its edge.
Entry/Exit Conditions: We had to be very careful on this. The entry required some immediate
sinking while in gear through loosed muck/sand. We found some stable stable area on the exit and
were able to stand, however, there is also some caliche if we are lucky. Mostly, though, it is tough
to be able to walk out of the water on the main cove at the end of the road. For the second dive
the entry/exit, is almost an immediate drop off. We could see this and donned our fins while sitting on
the tiers/steppes and then just turned and dropped. The exit was àla shore diving -- we decided
to do a hands/knee crawl out because of the loose materielé and sharp slope -- but no worries --
if patient and careful removing the fins whilst butt seated on the clay/caliche steppes.
Here is my Saddle Cove report to the NPS:
Thank you for allowing me access to assess the site.
I made two dives yesterday at Saddle Cove.
With the high winds, I expected some shore "muck" effect and its results on immediate visibility.
At the shore, YES, the visibility was <5' to zero.
We made a surface swim out to one of the "No Boat" buoys and it felt like I was making a shore
dive in California -- two foot waves were swamping my snorkel somewhat -- but NO problems
making headway against them.
I was quite surprised with the visibility once we descended to depth -- about 20-25' horizontally.
Both dives were good in my book.
The site is ACCEPTABLE* for training dives, because depth is a controllable issue. Maximum depth
from the first buoy to the second buoy northwest (300°) was maxima 68'. Note: I call the first buoy
the buoy that you look at when you park at the end of the road that is approximately 50° out from
the center point of the cove.
The only issues are closeness to water entry and entry/exit conditions.
Closeness: I parked my truck about 200' from the point of closest entry. Four wheel drive
vehicles could get closer, however, even a 4WD would have some issues with the loose earth.
The walk down was over some loose small gravel and sand. The second dive - we chose the cove
to the north which was about 300-350' over a bit rockier terrain and carefully picked step down over some
tiered steppes, consisting of some clay-like material that one must be careful of -- as it can break
as one walks over its edge.
Entry/Exit Conditions: We had to be very careful on this. The entry required some immediate
sinking while in gear through loosed muck/sand. We found some stable stable area on the exit and
were able to stand, however, there is also some caliche if we are lucky. Mostly, though, it is tough
to be able to walk out of the water on the main cove at the end of the road. For the second dive
the entry/exit, is almost an immediate drop off. We could see this and donned our fins while sitting on
the tiers/steppes and then just turned and dropped. The exit was àla shore diving -- we decided
to do a hands/knee crawl out because of the loose materielé and sharp slope -- but no worries --
if patient and careful removing the fins whilst butt seated on the clay/caliche steppes.
