After 20 years, need one last dive (Lake Travis)

[bcwatson]

Oh, please, oh, please, oh, please! Any chance you're planning to do the hunt this Saturday? I haven't done a scubacache in far too long, and I could certainly fit it in to *this* Saturday. I don't even care about logging FTF (that's all yours). I've even got qualifications: I've done scubacaches in several states, and I'm even a NAUI divemaster (so it shouldn't hurt to have me along).

As for techniques, one of my favorite for this type of scubacache hunt is to go to the coordinates on the surface. You bring a spool with a weight tied to the end, and when you get to ground (water?) zero, you spool it down to the bottom. Once you're on the bottom, you can start your search pattern from a known point, which makes it much easier to locate than using the "well, I think this should be about it" method.

Anyway, I'll be watching this thread, of course, and if the plan ends up being for this Saturday, I'd gladly drive the eight hours or so to join in on the hunt for GC1HEGZ. (If the plan's not for this Saturday, I'll try to restrain myself... although I don't have plans yet for this weekend. :biggrin

Yes, THIS Saturday! And your plan is what I/we are planning. I'm getting there early with my kayak. Paddle out with GPS and anchor + 100' rope. At GZ, drop anchor, attempt to keep the line as tight/position set as much as possible. Swim back to shore (about 300'), get suited up, surface swim to the boat and head down. If luck is with us, we'll sink the anchor right on top of it, but that is all if the check-out dive works out ok.

 

[bcwatson]

Oh, and I'm sure it would be just fine with K-Valve to join in... We'll be that much quicker in finding it... :-D if you really want to drive that far to do this....

 

[bcwatson]

How long has this cache been there? It might be underneath 3 feet of silt in which case finding it would be pretty much impossible.

Very recently placed and has a float attached....

 

[scubashawn123]

Very recently placed and has a float attached....

What makes this so much of a treasure to find?



SO

 

[bcwatson]

Because it's new and hasn't been logged by any other geocacher yet and it is a 5/5!
A 5 terrain rating (due to special equipment being necessary to access the area) and a 5 difficulty rating in finding it (I assume due to visibility and being able to get to the spot from above once arriving at the right coordinates).

 

[redacted]

Yes, THIS Saturday! And your plan is what I/we are planning. I'm getting there early with my kayak. Paddle out with GPS and anchor + 100' rope. At GZ, drop anchor, attempt to keep the line as tight/position set as much as possible. Swim back to shore (about 300'), get suited up, surface swim to the boat and head down. If luck is with us, we'll sink the anchor right on top of it, but that is all if the check-out dive works out ok.

100 ft of line does not give you much purchase in 80 ft of water. I suggest you use a good anchor and leave a small marker (quart bottle) rather than the kayak. There is a reason they call it Windy Point.

Good Luck.

 

[ClayJar]

100 ft of line does not give you much purchase in 80 ft of water. I suggest you use a good anchor and leave a small marker (quart bottle) rather than the kayak. There is a reason they call it Windy Point.

I've got a 3-pound weight and a long spool handy, if needed. It's worked well before for finding sometime inadvertently dropped overboard in Toledo Bend. :biggrin:

What makes this so much of a treasure to find?

It's a geocacher thing, I suppose, but the answer really *is* "Because it's there."

Oh, and I'm sure it would be just fine with K-Valve to join in... We'll be that much quicker in finding it... :-D if you really want to drive that far to do this....

I hope you don't mind if I chuckle a little. :biggrin: Although I don't get out caching as much as I used to, driving to Atlanta for a CITO, Ohio for a scubacache, or the Arctic Ocean *as* a cache (GCHRFA, i.e. "AlaskaQuest", where I *was* an 11,333-mile event cache) is not at all abnormal. A mere 8-hour drive for a scubacache? Absolutely! (Yeah, so I'm a bit odd.)


Are Windy Point Park and Bob Wentz Park (at Windy Point) the same thing? (If not, am I looking for Bob or Windy? ) Sounds like I've got considerable driving to do after work. (Overnighter!) Hmm... should I bring one of my salvaged anchors as a trade? Hmm... guess the "no metal parts" request says no. :biggrin: McToys, ahoy!

Well, I guess I'm officially declaring for the scubacache. I should probably post a note (as is usually customary when hunting a scubacache). In case it may be of use, my phone number, email, and description are as follows:

Phone: CALM-0-EM-0-JR (Those are zeros, not letters, as the two spaces.)
Or email my GMail address, hazelnutscuba
If you look in the gallery for GCHRFA, that's still what I and my car look like (although I generally don't look *quite* that scruffy).

 

[cruiser]

By "last" dive, I only meant, that with my busy life, the expense of getting back into the sport and lack of quality water nearby, I don't believe I'll be making any more dives. Of course, I might just get bit by the bug during this dive. I always keep an open mind...

You live in Austin and say there's a lack of quality water nearby? Do you only do ocean diving?

 

[Voodoo Reef]

Are Windy Point Park and Bob Wentz Park (at Windy Point) the same thing? (If not, am I looking for Bob or Windy?

Windy Point Park is the private side of the point, Bob Wentz is the public side.
From the description, it sounds like they are going to be on the public side (Bob Wentz).

 

[Voodoo Reef]

Good luck on the Hunt.

I'd love to read a report on how the days activities went.