DFW lake diving???

[svnipp]

I'm just curious as to if anyone has ever been in any of the immediate DFW area lakes? We have a lot in the metroplex and it just makes me wonder if anyone has gone treasure hunting in them. Personally, I know that there is a pair of prescription RayBans down in Lake Grapevine. I can imagine there being literally tens of thousands of dollars in lost sunglasses, jewlery, cash, and more at the bottom of some of these lakes.

My guess is that vis is really, REALLY horrible in most if not all of these lakes. However, I think I've heard of an old cement plant down in either Grapevine and/or Eagle Mountain. Just curious as to you guy's thoughts on this. I suppose if you can't see past your mask, diving is really pretty pointless. Or is there some other reason that nobody dives in the local lakes?

 

[Chris Hipp]

If you like zero viz diving then go for it. People usually get flamed around here for even daring to suggest that you dive anywhere other than CSSP, Athens or Lake Travis. But I say where is the sense of adventure?

I do know from falling off jet skis and kayaks that most local lakes have a few feet of muddy bottom that my feet get stuck in...I'd hate to get stuck in that stuff at 40ft.

 

[Aquatrax]

Not to mention the miles of monofilament to add the entanglement issue

 

[Crazyduck]

For newer divers we tend to recommend that you dive the typical dive sites. This provides a known environment that is relatively safe for the new diver. There are a series of potential problems with lakes and divers. First is boats and jet skis. Next is pollution, fishing line, bacteria in really warm water and a host of other issues.

Its not that people do not explore; instead they grow over time and that experience helps you in decisions on what you should or should not be exploring. Over time your horizons will expand and then other options will appear.

One of the lesser known problems with things that have been in lakes for extended periods of time is the smell once they dry out. That nasty funky smell gets into just about everything- plastics, wood, metal- yukola... I have pulled out everything from 55 gallon drums, plastic pearls, beer bottles and cans (times 1000) and batteries. After a while anchors, chains, and certain objects retain value everything is trash and dumped into the trash can upon surfacing.

Happy dives- Andrew