Recent Lake Pleasant conditions/reports
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Dove Vista Point yesterday. The rains and flooding in the north have filled the lake with flotsam that has clustered in the cove at VP. When I arrived in the morning there was clear water on the north end of the cove but when I surfaced the mess had filled in and covered the entire area. There are pieces of cactus and logs along with every type of broken limb you can imagine. Needless to say I swam around it all into clear water and exited at the south point of the point. Its dark under the raft of stuff and entry is impossible at the usual point. The sawdust-like material was 2 inches thick near shore.
Besides the above, the vis is still very bad-maybe two feet in the shallows. Water temps are 52F. I ran reels as a drill-never done that before and did a long surface swim to retrieve my stuff. Probably Bes. Point on the west side (south entrance) is the best place at the moment.
PD
Besides the above, the vis is still very bad-maybe two feet in the shallows. Water temps are 52F. I ran reels as a drill-never done that before and did a long surface swim to retrieve my stuff. Probably Bes. Point on the west side (south entrance) is the best place at the moment.
PD
I was back at Vista Point today. Very nice warm weather and the flotsam from the other day was mostly gone, though the logs and limbs are washed up on the shore. The vis seems to be improving and I'd say it was ten feet in the shallows. But under forty feet its is dusk and below fifty feet it is night time so bring your lights. Vis drops to near zero around 70 feet. The water temp is 52F and a 330 degree bearing off the north entry from the table puts you on top of the wall in 38 feet of water. My old cairn is in 52 feet of water.
PD
PD
ScubaSteve2000
Contributor
Bill and I made it back to Vista Point on Sunday and was joined by Gary. It was Gary's first dive at VP but I'm sure it won't be his last. He's a solid diver and shouldn't have any trouble finding dive buddies.
Whew, what a change 50 or so feet of water can make. As mentioned by pdelannoy above there was a lot of floating debris along the shore. Not as bad as he had it on Saturday. There were eyewitness accounts from campers that on Saturday morning a certain diver was "walking on the water out to about 20 feet from shore before he could step in".
Us lesser divers had it a bit easier. Most of the canopy of wood chips had blown into the crook of the cove between Vista Point proper and by the picnic table where we usually get in. Did I mention that it was very windy on Sunday morning? There were white caps all over the lake. The few hardy boaters, mainly fishermen, looked a bit green around the gills as their boats bucked the wind and waves.
From shore the vis didn't look promising. The wind was blowing north to south. Churning the surface layer killing the viz for the first 20' of our descent. It improved a bit as we went deeper but only to a point. Lights came on at around 30' to aid in keeping track of one another. At 40' we needed them to see ahead. By then the vis opened up to about 20'.
We missed the wall on our first dive. Hey, it's been a while. The last time we dove here you could wade to the near wall. We swam due west to about 40' deep then turned north. That took us past the wall. At 60' we found a smooth bottom. Two knuckles deep in the silt confirmed the ridges that formed the chevron pattern on the boat ramp.
We kept the northerly heading until we came to the rail. Followed it down past 80'. Bill and I are still dialing in our dry suit skills. On earlier dives we both experienced bouyancy control issues when we were at 50 - 60 feet. We seem to have our weight dialed in now. We both were perfectly comfortable with our control down to 90 feet. No reason to think it would be different if we went deeper. Of course ascending brought with it a whole other set of issues but that's another post on another thread.
Bill and I both hit our turn pressure at the same time. We took a heading away from the rail until we came to the wall. Followed it back up the ramp until we came to the depth we entered the ramp earlier. It was then that I saw why we missed the wall. The top of the near wall runs into the lake bed and the "far" wall emerges a few feet further. We entered right in the middle of it. Um, just like I um, planned. I can hear thousands of SBer's eyes rolling.
On later dives we explored into Spring Canyon Landing for a ways. The day warmed up and we remained comfortable even in our dry suits. After we finished our dives, packed our gear and said our goodbys I stopped off at the restroom by the boat ramp. Yet another new discipline from diving dry. Anyway, I stopped to check out the shore line at Spring Canyon. There about 20' from shore partially above water was some kind of structure, a large culvert maybe. This must be explored. I gotta start bringing that fourth tank just for such an occasion.
BTW, the lake is now at it's "normal full" level of 1692' elevation. I've heard a few folks say that this year they may fill it to a brimming 1702' which is the max full. Don't tease me.
See you at the lake.
Whew, what a change 50 or so feet of water can make. As mentioned by pdelannoy above there was a lot of floating debris along the shore. Not as bad as he had it on Saturday. There were eyewitness accounts from campers that on Saturday morning a certain diver was "walking on the water out to about 20 feet from shore before he could step in".
Us lesser divers had it a bit easier. Most of the canopy of wood chips had blown into the crook of the cove between Vista Point proper and by the picnic table where we usually get in. Did I mention that it was very windy on Sunday morning? There were white caps all over the lake. The few hardy boaters, mainly fishermen, looked a bit green around the gills as their boats bucked the wind and waves.
From shore the vis didn't look promising. The wind was blowing north to south. Churning the surface layer killing the viz for the first 20' of our descent. It improved a bit as we went deeper but only to a point. Lights came on at around 30' to aid in keeping track of one another. At 40' we needed them to see ahead. By then the vis opened up to about 20'.
We missed the wall on our first dive. Hey, it's been a while. The last time we dove here you could wade to the near wall. We swam due west to about 40' deep then turned north. That took us past the wall. At 60' we found a smooth bottom. Two knuckles deep in the silt confirmed the ridges that formed the chevron pattern on the boat ramp.
We kept the northerly heading until we came to the rail. Followed it down past 80'. Bill and I are still dialing in our dry suit skills. On earlier dives we both experienced bouyancy control issues when we were at 50 - 60 feet. We seem to have our weight dialed in now. We both were perfectly comfortable with our control down to 90 feet. No reason to think it would be different if we went deeper. Of course ascending brought with it a whole other set of issues but that's another post on another thread.
Bill and I both hit our turn pressure at the same time. We took a heading away from the rail until we came to the wall. Followed it back up the ramp until we came to the depth we entered the ramp earlier. It was then that I saw why we missed the wall. The top of the near wall runs into the lake bed and the "far" wall emerges a few feet further. We entered right in the middle of it. Um, just like I um, planned. I can hear thousands of SBer's eyes rolling.
On later dives we explored into Spring Canyon Landing for a ways. The day warmed up and we remained comfortable even in our dry suits. After we finished our dives, packed our gear and said our goodbys I stopped off at the restroom by the boat ramp. Yet another new discipline from diving dry. Anyway, I stopped to check out the shore line at Spring Canyon. There about 20' from shore partially above water was some kind of structure, a large culvert maybe. This must be explored. I gotta start bringing that fourth tank just for such an occasion.
BTW, the lake is now at it's "normal full" level of 1692' elevation. I've heard a few folks say that this year they may fill it to a brimming 1702' which is the max full. Don't tease me.
See you at the lake.
Last edited:
fkostyun
Contributor
Great report Steve -
I am starting to get the urge to make a splash in the next few weeks!
I am starting to get the urge to make a splash in the next few weeks!
Made three dives on Friday February 19th and found the conditions to be much better than generally reported. First dive was at Tec Island or Tec Reef since the top of the former island is now about 25' under water. I found very good visibility down to 85', although available light was low causing me to use my back-up light to aid in my exploration. We had another team down to 105' reporting the same conditions. Second dive was on the north side of Burro Island and the last dive was on the Christmas Tree reef. Second and third dives had less visibility but still not bad. Water temps were about 52 on most everyone's computers. Friday was a good day of diving!
PS..The lake did claim both a yellow 50lb lift bag on the Christmas Tree reef and a black colored Oceanic dry top snorkel at Tec Reef. If anyone happens upon them please give us a call.
PS..The lake did claim both a yellow 50lb lift bag on the Christmas Tree reef and a black colored Oceanic dry top snorkel at Tec Reef. If anyone happens upon them please give us a call.
fkostyun
Contributor
Thats sounding good Pete!
I think I'll be ready to re-enter the water around early April or so!
I think I'll be ready to re-enter the water around early April or so!
Hi there,
John and myself are going to go for the Lake tomorrow (Feb28).
We meet at the entrance (Scorpion side, not Vista Point) at 07:00.
Not so sure where we're going to dive at, but if somebody wants to join us he's always welcome.
My phone at home is: 480-214-3159, and my cell is: 602-410-0994.
Gilad.
John and myself are going to go for the Lake tomorrow (Feb28).
We meet at the entrance (Scorpion side, not Vista Point) at 07:00.
Not so sure where we're going to dive at, but if somebody wants to join us he's always welcome.
My phone at home is: 480-214-3159, and my cell is: 602-410-0994.
Gilad.
Well, we just did it. It was soooo cold, but we did it.
Site: Beismyare point I know I spelled it incorrect).
Time: 30 min.
Temp: 54 (underwater), 51 (outside).
Vis: 20' max.
Special things we saw: 0 (Zero). Looks like even the fish went home, since it was so cold.
Site: Beismyare point I know I spelled it incorrect).
Time: 30 min.
Temp: 54 (underwater), 51 (outside).
Vis: 20' max.
Special things we saw: 0 (Zero). Looks like even the fish went home, since it was so cold
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