Diving for Science Classes At Aquarena Center, Spring Lake San Marcos

[driftwood]

We cleaned up the platforms in the TA in advance of the Wounded Warriors who will be doing certification dives over the next two weeks. The TA is looking much better now that over three cutter boat loads of material has been removed. Two (2) of the platforms now have a 4-6' cleared and cleaned area around them. Since the lake was reopened in January, the TA has been used once by the Wounded Warriors and once for a discover scuba course.

There was a lot of interesting news today. First, Ron Coley retired on Sept 30 and is expected to take a 30 break before returning on a part time basis. Second, the plan is to reopen the Training Area for certification classes. The current thinking is to begin with university classes operating with the San Marcos Dive Shop.

I specifically asked Taylor about the DFS program. It seems that the "new" staff has had a lot of interest in the program and made the astonishing discovery that DFS divers are good for the lake. BTW, they also figured out that both the DFS and student divers in the TA generate a lot of cash flow.

No hard dates were mentioned, but they have formed a committee to address diving in the lake. Experience has shown how an academic committee accelerates decision making.

Edit: I also asked Taylor about volunteering on the weekends. That will probably be the first change to happen.

 

[James R]

I would love to be able to teach classes out there, especially in the winter months! Awesome news...lets hope it comes together

 

[halocline]

Awap and I worked on the training area a bit today too, after our monthly deep hole mudfest. It's still pretty overgrown but getting there. I heard a rumor that there was a story going around that someone had overheard there might be a compressor working sometime in the future!

 

[driftwood]

I would love to be able to teach classes out there, especially in the winter months! Awesome news...lets hope it comes together

A lot of details have to be worked out.

The biggest one being the complete lack of infrastructure at the site. It isn't going to go down well if you have 10 students all trying to use the restroom for changing. In addition, your average open water student can't get anything done in an area less than 32 ft2. We all remember how the concrete pad looked with the explosion of tarps on the weekends. Try that in the current parking lot and there will be a conflict between the divers and park staff. (We aren't supposed to call it a park or Aquarena anymore, now its the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment)

In addition, using the TA for classes will have a larger impact on the entry and exit paths than DFS divers are making. If someone thinks that will go unnoticed and tolerated, they are smoking some very good weed.

---------- Post added October 4th, 2013 at 09:40 PM ----------

Awap and I worked on the training area a bit today too, after our monthly deep hole mudfest. It's still pretty overgrown but getting there. I heard a rumor that there was a story going around that someone had overheard there might be a compressor working sometime in the future!

DH is where Pete and I are heading next Thursday.

The TA still has a lot of algae in the center that is going to be a bear to get out. The damn stuff is just too light to do much with. Two of the platforms are in decent shape and the third is very screwed with inches of silt under and around it. Also, the mats at the exit ramp need to be removed so the algae can desiccate.

Neither Aaron or Taylor mentioned anything about a compressor, but I know that it is high on their wish list. I imagine that they are getting tired of paying $7 a fill.