ISO riverbed conditions

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Thanks for the report.
You see this is the time of the year that the windex layer may start forming.
So I post, looking for someone who pulls off dives down to riverbed.

Your profile says certification: Technical Diver
If my crew & I are going to base our decision to drive up from Houston to pull off some riverbed dives on your report. With all the time , effort and money involved we
need to have confidence in your evaluation.

Exactly how many dives have you pulled off down to the riverbed?
Can you tell me some detail about your dives you did. How you pulled them off
Run times, deco schedules, gases need and volumes required and so on.


Thanks in advance
Dave

Are you needing the lad to 'plan' your dives for you and your team....that's what I read? Dang, suck it up and pile in your cars and spend a little time/$ and go find out the conditions---it's a road trip---an adventure.....reads to me like you have to have 'windex' conditions to dive a lakes riverbed, this is Texas Swamper diving.....nothing down there to see much anyways, been several times myself. :shakehead:
 
If anyone has been to the riverbed recently, please post a report.




Thanks in advance
Dave
Which part of the riverbed, Dave? Where are you thinking about entering?

I've been doing the majority of my diving on the north side of Mansfield Point (see red area on attachment) recently. It's not that deep over there. Vis has been coming and going recently at various depths. About a month a go it was crystal at the bottom, but that all changed a week later. Last Friday, however, it was improving again with pretty decent vis down deep. The Wed before that I was over at Volente and it was like swimming in milk at the bottom...couldn't see your buddy.

So...I think the vis in the riverbed is on the rebound in the area of the dam, but I wouldn't promise anything.
 

Attachments

  • MansfieldDamPark.jpg
    MansfieldDamPark.jpg
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I've usually done the riverbed at the dam, and usually do a 3-4 minute bottom time and run my deco's on backgas (usually I try to run b/t a 25 and 28 mix, depending on the depth). Most of the deco stuff I've done is out on the flats near the dam around 140 for 20 or so, then turn to 70, on to 50 mix, then stage it the rest of the way. I've not done too much of the deep stuff at WP because of the trees, and haven't had a buddy I'd really trust penetrating through them. My problem lately (if you'd call it a problem) is that my wife has gotten certified and is really getting into diving, but I've moved away from Austin, so it's fewer trips and further between (and she can't do the stuff I want to do).
 
Hey, man, you need to change your location to Cow Town, or wherever it is you hang your hat these days. Between you saying you live in Austin and your girl indicating she's in Ft. Worth it makes it look as if things are going well for you two newlyweds. :wink:
I've usually done the riverbed at the dam, and usually do a 3-4 minute bottom time and run my deco's on backgas (usually I try to run b/t a 25 and 28 mix, depending on the depth). Most of the deco stuff I've done is out on the flats near the dam around 140 for 20 or so, then turn to 70, on to 50 mix, then stage it the rest of the way. I've not done too much of the deep stuff at WP because of the trees, and haven't had a buddy I'd really trust penetrating through them. My problem lately (if you'd call it a problem) is that my wife has gotten certified and is really getting into diving, but I've moved away from Austin, so it's fewer trips and further between (and she can't do the stuff I want to do).
 
Dave,

Zinc and I will be hitting the water north of Mansfield Point in a couple of hours. I'll post a trip report tomorrow.
 
Zinc and I spent a little time at the riverbed tonight. Here's the essentials:

Temps: Surface - 82 degrees, Max Depth - 63 degrees
Max Depth: 147'
Visibility - 10'+ from surface to 40', 5' from 40'-100', 10'+ from 100'-147'

We swam in an southeasterly direction straight out from the shore, parallel to the dam. We entered the water just east northeast of the boat ramp.

We followed the bottom for approximately 700' before turning the dive. We were down on the riverbed for a little over 5 minutes. Viz never varied.

We found plenty of junk on the way to the riverbed...a wad of bungees, a roll of duct tape, some odd metal part we couldn't ID, misc. beer cans and plenty of the usual junk.

Anything else you need to know, just ask. :D
 
Zinc and I spent a little time at the riverbed tonight. Here's the essentials:

Temps: Surface - 82 degrees, Max Depth - 63 degrees
Max Depth: 147'
Visibility - 10'+ from surface to 40', 5' from 40'-100', 10'+ from 100'-147'

We swam in an southeasterly direction straight out from the shore, parallel to the dam. We entered the water just east northeast of the boat ramp.

We followed the bottom for approximately 700' before turning the dive. We were down on the riverbed for a little over 5 minutes. Viz never varied.

We found plenty of junk on the way to the riverbed...a wad of bungees, a roll of duct tape, some odd metal part we couldn't ID, misc. beer cans and plenty of the usual junk.

Anything else you need to know, just ask. :D

We need your complete dive plan.....gases used-volumes//deco schd.//dive run times//thermal wear specs.,,,, :D

John thanks for the report...sounds like a nice evening dive you guys got in. :)
 
Anytime anyone wants a riverbed report just let me know. I'm always happy to see what I can find down there. Last week I found a 3.5hp outboard and a small satellite dish. :D It's amazing what's at the bottom of that lake.

Oh...air and 100%. 8 minutes of deco including deep stops. I must admit I had a pretty good narc at the bottom. I might have to dive air more often. :D
 
On Friday morning I dove at the Mansfield Park dive area to 122 feet. From 75-95 the vis is zero to 1 foot. Below that it opens up, but not like it did last week. Vis is a dark 12-15 feet, but there is a lot of particulate floating around. Water temp at 120 is 63 degrees, down from 65 degrees last week. I was getting 79 degrees at my deco stops, 30 feet and up.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

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