New Diver from Aggieland

[jodsterag99]

Howdy from Aggieland! Just finished my OW certification this weekend, and am some excited to be a certified scuba diver! I've wanted to learn to dive for 11 years since I first snorkeled in the carribbean on our honeymoon. The final push came when we were in Greece for our trip last summer and while my wife and I snorkeled, the tourguide/divemaster took off with another scuba diver and left us at the surface to fend for ourselves. I said, "no more being left on the surface", and my wife gave me SCUBA lessons for last father's day.

I can't wait to meet other Swamp Divers soon around the state, especially at Lake Travis or other areas around Central Texas. We did our checkout dives at Blue lagoon outside huntsville. Who knew this beautiful oasis existed in the middle of the piney woods of East Texas!

Safe Diving,
Jody

 

[LivBlue]

hi, I'm in Dallas. I'm two weeks out from starting my class. I'm not really looking forward to the lake portion of my OW but it's for the greater good. I'm guessing from your post you're not opposed to lake diving. Which lake did you do your test at and what kind of things did you see? I'm more familiar with Ocean stuff so it's a larger interest right now but maybe there's something worth seeing in a lake too.

 

[jodsterag99]

CO dives at Blue Lagoon in Huntsville. Vis was 20-30 ft and it get out to about 50, esp in winter and when there are fewer divers (at least our instructor indicated this). depth is 27 ft max. They've sunk some boats and other structures, plus there are UW dive platforms for skills testing. You don't see much marine life because of alkalinity. It's a flooded limestone quarry and they struck springs in the 80's when it flooded.

Looking forward to hopefully doing some spearfishing off the rigs of S Texas this summer with some diving friends in Harlingen.

OW is no big deal, at least it wasn't there. I really enjoyed it, but I've also been a fish since I was 3!

 

[rakpix]

good to hear about blue lagoon. you might want to upload a dive condition report here http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/texas-swamp-divers/262057-dive-condition-reports.html

 

[Texas Torpedo]

Welcome to the addiction Jody.. I'm from Houston & College Station, though I now live in Austin, and did my original OW at the Blue Lagoon with Phil @ Texan Scuba / Air Phils, who now runs things at the blue lagoon. Great place for training and working with new equipment.

You should come out to Travis for the Camp - Dive Weekend (Swampers!) get together later this month:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/te...amp-dive-weekend-fun-april-29-30-may-1-a.html

 

[pinti]

HOwdy!
Always great to meet another Aggie! I'll be holding my card very soon as well. I'm also very excited. We went to 288 Lake to get certified. SCUBA II will be in Lake Travis. I heard visibility was low. I'd like to hear anything other divers have to say about it.
Gig 'em and GOD Bless!

 

[Aggiebq86]

The only thing blue at Blue Lagoon is the sign.

 

[jodsterag99]

Aggiebq--not true, well almost not true. The water was nice shades of green/blue green. I thought it was nice for the purpose we had to use it for and to continue to get more comfortable with diving in the future.

 

[jodsterag99]

pinti-

Thanks, it is always good when there are more Aggies!

TexasTorpedo--I wish i could make it for Camp Dive Weekend, but my family is heading to another lake for the weekend and fishing (Cedar Creek), provided I can get the boat in the water with the level of the lake right now...

I am looking forward to diving with some folks in the future at Lake Travis and hopefully getting my gear from Tom's soon!

 

[TxAggieDiver2011]

Howdy Jody!

If you ever come down to Houston area I'm a DM at TAMU at Galveston and would always be more than happy to dive with new people. I think pinti is one of the students I just finished watching over haha.

good luck and safe diving