ScubaSteve2000
Contributor
You could always rapel down the hill at VP.
YouTube - How NOT to rapel
Can you imagine doing this in scuba gear??
I think there is a group diving at VP this Saturday too.
Recent Lake Pleasant conditions/reports
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You could always rapel down the hill at VP.
YouTube - How NOT to rapel
Can you imagine doing this in scuba gear??
I think there is a group diving at VP this Saturday too.
hbhobby
Contributor
will be doing some open water dives monday just curious of the conditions?
ScubaSteve2000
Contributor
Dove with RAWalker and Sea Princess and some of her friends on Saturday at Vista Point. Vis was surprisingly good for this time of the year and for the level of the lake. In patches it was 15-20 feet. Other areas where the carp were tearing up the bottom in search of tasty morsels it was zero.
The thermocline is still about 45 feet. Between 15 and 45 feet seems to be the best depth range to see fish activity. The temperature above the thermocline ranges from 84 degrees at the surface to 79 degrees at the thermocline. We didn't stay long enough below 45 feet to get a good temperature reading but it felt like the low to mid 60s. After that I'm sure the deeper the colder.
Be aware that the boat ramp that was "way over the other side of the hill" isn't so far away anymore with the low lake level. Sea Princess said she heard they were going to continue to drain the lake through October. Trying to kill as many of the zebra mussles as they can. The ramp, as anyone who has turned left at the far wall can tell you, goes quite a ways out. Before long we'll be able to laugh at the boater's antics, I mean, watch the boaters as they put in.
The good news here is that the close wall is really close. From below the picnic table, swim out to about 25 feet of depth and turn north and maintain your depth. The more north you are on the shore line the closer the wall. If you cross the wall at about 25 feet it drops to 45 feet. The wall has a lot of interesting cracks and crevices to explore. In one such space my light found a crawfish with claws as long as my hand. Positively lobster-ish...sort of. It's a great area to linger and work your way back and forth. Just remember that the wall is connected to the boat ramp.
Take a heading straight out from the wall to the rail. Be mindfull that you are swimming across the boat ramp. The debris field around you is testiment to the butterfingerdness of boaters in a mad rush to lanch their vessles. I prefer to cross quickly as some of the debris is of fair size and with my luck has "Steve's noggin" written on it when they drop it.
After you cross the rail follow it up to about 25 feet and turn left. Maintain that depth (plus or minus) and you will find the base of a dandy boulder reef. Not verticle enough to call a wall but it goes from there up to the surface so it's more than just a pile of rocks. Plenty of places for fish to hide and hang out. You may even find a big ol' catfish or two skulking around.
All this can be accomplished at a liesurely pace (except for the dash across the ramp) and offers a lot of lake life to see. The most strenous part of the day is the climb up and down the hill. Whew! If you're pretty steady on your feet you may want to have your base camp up at the parking area. To me it's easier to carry my gear by wearing it. But if you don't have rock boots and have a tendancy to toddle on uneven surfaces you may opt to carry everything down to the shore and set up your base camp there. Or you can use the Sea Princess Solution and have some friends bring your gear over on a raft. No muss, no fuss. Dive Safe.
Steve.
The thermocline is still about 45 feet. Between 15 and 45 feet seems to be the best depth range to see fish activity. The temperature above the thermocline ranges from 84 degrees at the surface to 79 degrees at the thermocline. We didn't stay long enough below 45 feet to get a good temperature reading but it felt like the low to mid 60s. After that I'm sure the deeper the colder.
Be aware that the boat ramp that was "way over the other side of the hill" isn't so far away anymore with the low lake level. Sea Princess said she heard they were going to continue to drain the lake through October. Trying to kill as many of the zebra mussles as they can. The ramp, as anyone who has turned left at the far wall can tell you, goes quite a ways out. Before long we'll be able to laugh at the boater's antics, I mean, watch the boaters as they put in.
The good news here is that the close wall is really close. From below the picnic table, swim out to about 25 feet of depth and turn north and maintain your depth. The more north you are on the shore line the closer the wall. If you cross the wall at about 25 feet it drops to 45 feet. The wall has a lot of interesting cracks and crevices to explore. In one such space my light found a crawfish with claws as long as my hand. Positively lobster-ish...sort of. It's a great area to linger and work your way back and forth. Just remember that the wall is connected to the boat ramp.
Take a heading straight out from the wall to the rail. Be mindfull that you are swimming across the boat ramp. The debris field around you is testiment to the butterfingerdness of boaters in a mad rush to lanch their vessles. I prefer to cross quickly as some of the debris is of fair size and with my luck has "Steve's noggin" written on it when they drop it.
After you cross the rail follow it up to about 25 feet and turn left. Maintain that depth (plus or minus) and you will find the base of a dandy boulder reef. Not verticle enough to call a wall but it goes from there up to the surface so it's more than just a pile of rocks. Plenty of places for fish to hide and hang out. You may even find a big ol' catfish or two skulking around.
All this can be accomplished at a liesurely pace (except for the dash across the ramp) and offers a lot of lake life to see. The most strenous part of the day is the climb up and down the hill. Whew! If you're pretty steady on your feet you may want to have your base camp up at the parking area. To me it's easier to carry my gear by wearing it. But if you don't have rock boots and have a tendancy to toddle on uneven surfaces you may opt to carry everything down to the shore and set up your base camp there. Or you can use the Sea Princess Solution and have some friends bring your gear over on a raft. No muss, no fuss. Dive Safe.
Steve.
Nice review Steve... we dove at the end of DT Road, south of Burro Island (i think) There were two classes going on in the same little cove, which offered some extra bouy protection. The water was warm, the vis was right about 20 feet and all in all it was a good time. We'll be up at the same area this Saturday if anyone is looking for a buddy. Mindy is finishing up some OW dives with two students, which leaves me free to wander off and explore. Pm here, or get a hold of us on FB!
ScubaSteve2000
Contributor
Sounds like you found a great spot. I think it's the two cow cove area. South of the ranger station is a big rock pile. When the lake is full it's at 80 feet. Now it is probably at 30 feet. maybe shallower. It'll be a couple of weeks before I can get out there again.
Past Two Cow, close to the pumps south of the ranger station- dove there again this week- same area, temp was down two degrees to 82 above the thermocline which was around 50 feet. Certified two new divers today who enjoyed their dives and the cool temps this morning- the clouds made the difference!
Had eight divers and students out at the very end of Desert Tortoise Road. We were on the north side of the island. I have never seen a fall with visibility this good. At times we had 20 feet. Never less than 10 feet. Water temp was 80 Suunto degrees.
Max depth was 48 feet. Comfortable in bathing suit. Did not hit thermocline, but heard we were close. Saw lots of small fish and a few bigger ones too.
Great day of diving!
///
Max depth was 48 feet. Comfortable in bathing suit. Did not hit thermocline, but heard we were close. Saw lots of small fish and a few bigger ones too.
Great day of diving!
///
F150Marine
Registered
2 weeks back was my first time looking for the rail at VP. This coming weekend I plan to haul, and I mean haul, down a few DPV's at VP and explore how far out the rail goes (away from the ramp). Should be a good dive. When we dove to the rail we found an engine cowling with a roll of tape, and we left a gear bag down there next to the wall. So this weekend I plan to search for that as well.
I have only dove VP and once to the sunk houseboat from the deck of my boat. Question - Does anyone have GPS coordinates to the Tech Wall and the the old dam? Thanks!
I have only dove VP and once to the sunk houseboat from the deck of my boat. Question - Does anyone have GPS coordinates to the Tech Wall and the the old dam? Thanks!
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