Dive Condition Reports

[cruiser]

Water Temp: 88 at the surface, 84 just above thermocline (which moved down about a foot)
Visibility: 8 feet or so

Dive #1 - maximum depth 27 feet - 3 hours +
Dive #2 - maximum depth 29 feet - 3 hours +

Perch are still nesting, albino catfish were out. Vegetation this year is thicker and taller. Saw lots of friends during surface interval.

Aerosynth--Glad you liked the pond. Lots of places to play and people are awesome. Hope you get back soon.

 

[rakpix]

August 21, 2010
288 Lake
Pearland, TX
Thermocline at 22FT, 89 F above, 76 below
Visibility 5 FT.
Quick dive in 288 Lake. Steaming under the Sun, simmering on the surface, till a nice chill down below 22 FT. Horrible viz, 3-5 FT. Bumping into things down there. There's a slick of 1-2 FT vis about 3 FT off the bottom. Hit the 35 FT boat sunk back in May. Everything is pretty overgrown. Found one boat tied up in a knot of hydrilla. Found one bus. Maybe four fish, one catfish.

 

[Zinc]

August 21 & 22, 2010
Lake Travis - Mansfield Dam Park - Jungle Gym
Air Temp: 100f
Surface Temp: 90f
Depth Temp: 61-63f at Max 115'
Vis: 3-5 to 55' 15'+ to 115'
Lake Level: 668'msl = 13 feet low

Two great dives on hot August days w/ good buddies and drysuits! Where we are going it is worth it
Vis: 3-5 feet down through clouds of bloom to the ledge which breaks around 55' with the deep inviting black below. We head north and catch the orange down-line into increasingly better visibility in the 15-20 foot range, the best I've seen at Jungle Gym, ever.:cool2: We took the line to the hanging tree and back across to the large pine and up to the grottoes. Makes for a really nice circuit

Vis below the JG was best I've ever seen and it was tempting to go back w/ reel and explore deeper, which I intend to do. Two dives over two days, excellent dives each. I'm currently craving a NE Grotto trip now that I've seen good vis deeper to explore out towards shaker plant to the river bed, then off gas along the grottoes back.

During our return trip we swept patterns for lost masks and other dropped goods on the bottom of the swim cove; we had to swim the length and breadth of the cove to get to our dive point. I would encourage a submerged shallow swim by compass across the cove vs. surface swim for efficiency and avoid heat exhaustion. Better yet, dive it by boat. :cool2:

 

[texdiveguy]

Thanks Zinc for the above report.

 

[netdiver]

August 21 & 22, 2010
Lake Amistad
Air Temp: 100f
Surface Temp: 85f
Depth Temp: 80f @ 30ffw, 75 @ 90ffw
Vis: 5' @ 45ffw, 15' @ 50+ffw
Thermocline: ~45ffw
Lake Level: 1117'msl = 1.5' high


I went diving with some folks from the San Antonio Scuba Divers club out to Lake Amistad this past weekend. The viz is fairly poor right now until you get past the thermocline around 45 ft. The problem is that there is so much particulate matter resting on the thermocline it creates a blanket that filters out the sun. At 70ffw we were in near pitch black, luckily we had our lights with us. You must have a light to dive below 60ffw at this time.

I highly recommend diving the wall. It has the same viz issues but you can go below the thermocline and the wall breaks the thermocline along it's edge to let the light through. If you dive at 50 ft along the wall you'll have good viz of approx 15' with enough of light to see.

 

[Lake Travis Scuba]

August 27, 2010
Lake Travis - New Houseboat
Air Temp: 90f
Surface Temp: 88f
Depth Temp: 61-63f at Max 100'
Vis: 3-5 to 55' 15'+ to 100'
Lake Level: 668'msl = 13 feet low

A new 60' houseboat is sitting at the bottom of Lake Travis in pristine condition nearly ready for use as a active dive site. Before it can be used some hazards in the boat need to be cleared for the safety of the divers.

Two divers and I explored the site yesterday, took some photos and video, to assess the condition of the wreck. I returned to the site today for a solo dive to continue documenting the boat before divers begin using it. Attached are a few photos, you can see video on Facebook at Lake Travis Scuba.

The new houseboat is creating a lot of buzz, as any new site will do. Along with the interest, there has also been comments about removing items from the boat. One diver believes that other divers are going to remove items so why not get to them first. I am putting out a personal request on behalf of all divers.

PLEASE do not remove items from the boat because you want something for your garage. Leave the boat for all divers to enjoy, it can be a great dive site OR a stripped down boat.

There are hazards to be removed but the cool items like the TWO steering wheels, radios, kitchen items, etc. will be left for your enjoyment and photos/videos.

All wreck classes teach that it is inappropriate to remove items from wrecks and this houseboat should be no different. Be a responsible diver - take pictures and leave bubbles.

It is up to you to help control scavenging the site. Please do not encourage or support this practice.

Thank you.
Robert Weiss
Lake Travis Scuba
Welcome to Lake Travis Scuba

 

[ianr33]

August 28, 2010
Lake Travis - Barstows,Windy Point
Air Temp: Very Nice
Surface Temp: 86
Depth Temp: 53f at Max 154'
Vis: 3-5 to 55' 25'+ to 115', 5-10 on the bottom.
Lake Level: 668'msl = 13 feet low

Had a great Friday evening dive at Barstows . The viz around 70-80 feet depth is stunning (Travis scale!) As good as I have ever seen it.

Conditions in the River Channel are pretty good for those suitably trained and equipped, although 53 degrees in late August is kind of ridiculous.

 

[cindycycle]

August 28, 2010
Spring Lake
Air Temp: low 90's F
Surface Temp: 71 F
Bottom Temp: 69 F
Vis: >10 meters
Total Dive Time: 75 mins. - kind of a long dive, got a little cold.

Beautiful day underwater - dive partners James and Cindy.

Worked around Cream o' Wheat springs under the Diving for Science program.

 

[cruiser]

Water Temp: 85 on the surface, thermocline about 27 feet
Visibility: decreasing, about 5-8 foot

Did 3 dives. At the thermocline there's a milky layer like a cloud. Discovered another area of perch nests, some had masses of newly hatched fry at the bottom. Hydrilla loaded with schools of baby fish. Saw zzzking and daughter during surface interval

 

[driftwood]

Vis: Terrible for Spring Lake 30-40'
Temp: Same

Aaron was in the headwaters on the cutter boat this morning and had really stirred up the lake. He assigned us to make the run from Cream of Wheat down through Riverbed floating coontail while he picked in up in the boat. By the end of the dive, we had floated enough to fill the cutter boat and half fill the stake bed truck with heavily packed plants. A very productive dive.

The up shot is that Riverbed is a lot wider. The hump between Ossified Forrest and Riverbed now has two good channels for divers to use.

If you have never been diving while the cutter boat is working close to you, it is interesting. I have a much greater appreciation of the way submarine crews feel while being hunted.