Lake Travis Scuba
Contributor
Did you bring your shovel and dig deep to get 36' vertical vis or do you know of a deeper Deep Hole?
Aquarena low flow conditions
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Did you bring your shovel and dig deep to get 36' vertical vis or do you know of a deeper Deep Hole?
OP
scubashawn123
Contributor
underwasser bolt
Contributor
I hit this springs this morning. We were restricted to the arch site and deep hole. We had the springs to ourselves. Vis was not as good a usual and the bottom still has the brown algae growth. I have recently moved to San Antonio, so maybe I will be able to hook up with Shawn and you others more often. Today we were basically advised to clean nothing and to enjoy the springs. Waved at the boats from deep hole.
I wonder what dive #3 for the science diver class entails, now that the spring flow is too low to try any meaningful cleanup.
Anybody taken the class lately? How or where do you learn how to do "springs cleaning"?
Anybody taken the class lately? How or where do you learn how to do "springs cleaning"?
driftwood
Contributor
Spring cleaning is easy. Reach in and sift out the plants that settle in the sand.
What the third dive consists of these days, I have no idea. From the times that I have lead dives in the Diving For Science program, no real cleaning gets done. What can be taught is where to look for the lake's critters and navigation. Neither of those will screw up the vis if you know what you are doing and with the coontail in decline both are a lot easier.
What the third dive consists of these days, I have no idea. From the times that I have lead dives in the Diving For Science program, no real cleaning gets done. What can be taught is where to look for the lake's critters and navigation. Neither of those will screw up the vis if you know what you are doing and with the coontail in decline both are a lot easier.
But how does a science diver know what they are doing if there isn't any training component showing them how to do it? I am befuddled.
When I took the class, we were shown (during dive #3) how to:
-measure horizontal viz with a secci disk
-not become the "weed monster"
-determine what activities occlude the water, and what activities do not
-sweep epipsammic (sand) algae out of sandy low pressure springs areas
-ID of exotic plants and how to remove the whole plant from sediment
-transplant native plants
-clear detritus clumps
*ID turf macroalgae, sift it of animals, and bag it (this is no longer done)
Hmmm... if the practical training components of the class are being reduced, this may explain why the PIC's rarely understand anything I am talking about regarding lake cleanup tasks. I am becoming used to the gift shop glassy-eyed stare.
I'm now curious. When any of you other Aquarena divers request dives, do you request particular assignments or tasks? And if you do (or don't), does your authorization form ever have anything under the "Your Task" section?
I'm wondering this because I almost always inquire about specific assignments, but over the last few years I simply get my dive day and time confirmed. And when I actually come in for my assigned dive, most PIC's just tell me to "go clean" without any specifics. If I ask about specifics, I typically get the aforementioned glassy-eyed stare.
Nowadays if I want diving info, I need to physically track down Ethan on the property. Which usually isn't hard (I don't think Ethan ever goes home), but the fact that I have to take this extra, roundabout step indicates a disconnect with the science divers.
Oh well, this is me rambling. I am prone to over-thinking. I almost always dive with the same partner and nobody else, so I don't get to observe other science divers anymore. I'm very much interested in hearing about other divers and their experiences, however. Diving in Spring Lake is rad.
When I took the class, we were shown (during dive #3) how to:
-measure horizontal viz with a secci disk
-not become the "weed monster"
-determine what activities occlude the water, and what activities do not
-sweep epipsammic (sand) algae out of sandy low pressure springs areas
-ID of exotic plants and how to remove the whole plant from sediment
-transplant native plants
-clear detritus clumps
*ID turf macroalgae, sift it of animals, and bag it (this is no longer done)
Hmmm... if the practical training components of the class are being reduced, this may explain why the PIC's rarely understand anything I am talking about regarding lake cleanup tasks. I am becoming used to the gift shop glassy-eyed stare.
I'm now curious. When any of you other Aquarena divers request dives, do you request particular assignments or tasks? And if you do (or don't), does your authorization form ever have anything under the "Your Task" section?
I'm wondering this because I almost always inquire about specific assignments, but over the last few years I simply get my dive day and time confirmed. And when I actually come in for my assigned dive, most PIC's just tell me to "go clean" without any specifics. If I ask about specifics, I typically get the aforementioned glassy-eyed stare.
Nowadays if I want diving info, I need to physically track down Ethan on the property. Which usually isn't hard (I don't think Ethan ever goes home), but the fact that I have to take this extra, roundabout step indicates a disconnect with the science divers.
Oh well, this is me rambling. I am prone to over-thinking. I almost always dive with the same partner and nobody else, so I don't get to observe other science divers anymore. I'm very much interested in hearing about other divers and their experiences, however. Diving in Spring Lake is rad.
PeppermintPaddi
Contributor
Archman - looks like you have a substantially more scientific background than most of us 'science divers'. 
I took the S.D. class in Feb, but didn't have Eric for the diving, so I can't say what he teaches. Ron did a fascinating job with the importance of the aquifer, and history, geology, and archaeology of the Springs. In the diving part we covered ID of 4 plants, transplanting kobamba, why not to crash and how to recover from one, some basic navigation of the springs down river from Diversion, and sweeping algae from the low pressure spring areas, and always always watching for the boats. I've learned a lot more from Jeff and John since then, eg what a secci dish is.
I took the S.D. class in Feb, but didn't have Eric for the diving, so I can't say what he teaches. Ron did a fascinating job with the importance of the aquifer, and history, geology, and archaeology of the Springs. In the diving part we covered ID of 4 plants, transplanting kobamba, why not to crash and how to recover from one, some basic navigation of the springs down river from Diversion, and sweeping algae from the low pressure spring areas, and always always watching for the boats. I've learned a lot more from Jeff and John since then, eg what a secci dish is.
OP
scubashawn123
Contributor
Archman - looks like you have a substantially more scientific background than most of us 'science divers'.
I took the S.D. class in Feb, but didn't have Eric for the diving, so I can't say what he teaches. Ron did a fascinating job with the importance of the aquifer, and history, geology, and archaeology of the Springs. In the diving part we covered ID of 4 plants, transplanting kobamba, why not to crash and how to recover from one, some basic navigation of the springs down river from Diversion, and sweeping algae from the low pressure spring areas, and always always watching for the boats. I've learned a lot more from Jeff and John since then, eg what a secci dish is.
Well I can say that I echo the experiences of everyone on the blog at one time or another, and since the low flow impact level 1 procedures went into affect restrictions in Science Diving are obvious.
I am praying for rain.
The changes in procedures this year are out of the norm for sure. Level 2 which may mean little or no impact procedures go into affect, are being talked about in July.
Also I am expecting changes in Janauary when the bulldozers show up from the Army Corp of engineer.........reference short video on changes at Aquarena from Ron Coley at this link:
Future of Aquarena Center Getting Eco-Friendly
So I am going to be flexible to the environment work to adapt to the positive changes with the Diving for Science Program, and be grateful for the opportunity to dive the springs when approved by the diving coordinator.
Contact Erica if you are not getting the Diving for Science newsletter. To find it online go to this link to read the latest:
: Aquarena Center : Texas State University
Both excellent things to watch or read.
Have a safe dive and enjoy Central Texas water resources, hopefully we will have a couple weeks of rain this year to flood out the lakes, rivers, streams and ponds in your area.
I think what you've described sums up what I've always understood to be among the "core training" for science diver duties. Nothing wrong with that at all. I thought every
diver got this as part of the course. But now I think that occasionally some of the classes (like the wildly overloaded one my buddy took) might not cover some of this, except on paper or discussing on land.
I retract my earlier statements about non-helpful PIC's. I had two great ones this weekend. One of them (Erica I think... I NEVER get Erica as PIC) answered everything I asked, and even offered to refill my tanks (yeah the compressor is working again!). The other PIC was pretty cordial, and if he didn't know the answer to my question, he asked somebody else on the staff and got it clarified. So that was pretty cool. Maybe I've just had a lousy run of PIC's the last several years, or maybe the Aquarena folks subscribe to ScubaBoard. Whatever the reason, communication totally clicked this weekend. Everyone was so nice and helpful, I thought I was on the Disney Channel.
driftwood
Contributor
Erica is a real sweetheart and takes very good care of the divers. Without a doubt the best dive coordinator AC has had since I have been diving there.
I hear you regarding over loaded classes. It was either this past weekend or the weekend before, they had 26 people signed up for the class.
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