Rock Lake - Santa Rosa, NM

[amascuba]

There was some talk about Rock Lake on a recent thread here, so I figured I'd post a video and a couple pictures from my dive there last weekend.

Water temperature was 55 degrees. Air temperature was 35 and the wind was just starting to pick up. After a 96 minute run time we surfaced to 40+ mph straight line winds... We really wanted to get back in the water, where it was warmer.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

Vis looks pretty good, thats colder than I would expect tho

 

[amascuba]

It's about 5 - 8 degrees cooler than the Blue Hole year round. Right now it's 55 degrees top to bottom, where as the Blue Hole is about 60 degrees top to bottom.

In the summer, Rock Lake is large enough that it forms a couple thermoclines. Last summer from the surface to 30ish feet it was about 75 degrees, 30ish feet to 70ish feet it was about 68 degrees, and below 70 and I assume to the bottom it was about 55-60 degrees.

It has a pretty good flow to it. The Blue Hole is listed to have a flow of about 3000 gallons of water a minute. I assume that the flow from Rock Lake is similar. The difference, though is that the city of Santa Rosa takes Rock Lake's overflow and uses it for it's fish hatcheries. On the northwest side of Rock Lake is a large pipe at around 50 feet, which goes the whole mile or so to the adjacent property to the hatchery.

 

[texdiveguy]

I would still love to see the bottom at close to 300ffw. Enjoyed the pictures. I think that is pretty warm considered what we are diving locally. ** Next time you guys run out and don't mind a team member (I will dive your profiles), give me a shout and lets see if it works out---thanks James.

 

[FIXXERVI6]

It's about 5 - 8 degrees cooler than the Blue Hole year round. Right now it's 55 degrees top to bottom, where as the Blue Hole is about 60 degrees top to bottom.

In the summer, Rock Lake is large enough that it forms a couple thermoclines. Last summer from the surface to 30ish feet it was about 75 degrees, 30ish feet to 70ish feet it was about 68 degrees, and below 70 and I assume to the bottom it was about 55-60 degrees.

It has a pretty good flow to it. The Blue Hole is listed to have a flow of about 3000 gallons of water a minute. I assume that the flow from Rock Lake is similar. The difference, though is that the city of Santa Rosa takes Rock Lake's overflow and uses it for it's fish hatcheries. On the northwest side of Rock Lake is a large pipe at around 50 feet, which goes the whole mile or so to the adjacent property to the hatchery.

Blue hole being the shallower one, and this one being the deep one?

 

[texdiveguy]

Blue hole being the shallower one, and this one being the deep one?

Correct

 

[FIXXERVI6]

*sigh* figures

 

[amascuba]

I would still love to see the bottom at close to 300ffw. Enjoyed the pictures. I think that is pretty warm considered what we are diving locally. ** Next time you guys run out and don't mind a team member (I will dive your profiles), give me a shout and lets see if it works out---thanks James.

I honestly have no say on who gets on the property and who doesn't. We're usually out on the third weekend of every month. If you're interested, shoot George a message.

We usually have a mix of technical and recreational teams diving when we're out.

 

[amascuba]

*sigh* figures

I've come to learn that the difference between 55 degree water and 60 degree water is thermal protection for my hands. In 60 degree water, I still have working opposable thumbs. In 55 degree water, my thumbs just don't work, therefore, I wear dry gloves in < 55 degree water.

Other than that, a 200gram thinsulate and a 5mm hood worked out pretty good for our 90 minute dive.