So, what are the conditions to 30 ft at Lake Meridith?

[DandyDon]

Got a search & recovery request from my dive bud's friend Joe who dropped a trolling moter in 30 ft water, and he claims he knows where it is within 100 ft. I warned my bud that too many divers die solo diving for dropped items in murky water and he did assure me that he won't go without me - and we're probly not going, but I told him I'd ask about conditions while he asked how much the motor would be worth after a week or two in the water?

We'd need to rent a few tanks early next Saturday, return them maybe the same day - or I suppose Joe could return them on a weekday. Who rents tanks in Amarillo now? And how much, you know?

I'm very pessimistic about this...

Two divers with rescue gear driving 200 miles round trip for a dive we don't want to do.

I wonder how close Joe's estimates would really be about the location.

Securing a stake in the mud, using a reel to spiral our search and a buddy line to keep us together in the murk as we feel the bottom, him dragging a reel with a sausage. What fun.

Tying a rope to the motor then retrieving the search line all without getting tangled in the three lines in the murk. I'm expecting zero vis like Lake McKenzie.

Getting our suits & gear filthy.

All for a motor that sells new for $100-200 new, unless he got a nicer one - which I question, and how much salvage value could it have after a week or two submerged...?​

We'll probly tell Joe to get a new one at Wallworld and tie it to the boat, but - we might do the dive.

Oh, another thing...

Spoiler

Anyone else want to do this dive? :silly:

 

[Waterskier1]

I'm very pessimistic about this...

Two divers with rescue gear driving 200 miles round trip for a dive we don't want to do.

This should be the end of the discussion. Don't do the dive!!

You need recovery gear, not rescue gear - I'm quite sure you'll not find the motor alive.
​

You have provided many reasons not to perfrom this dive. I could probably supply more (i.e., do you have experience with lift bags and other recovery equipment?) but there should be no reason to.

Why are you posting?

Are you hoping to find someone who will convince you to do a dive you are not prepared or comfortable doing? :shocked2:

Let's hope not.

 

[DandyDon]

You have provided many reasons not to perfrom this dive. I could probably supply more (i.e., do you have experience with lift bags and other recovery equipment?) but there should be no reason to.

Why are you posting?

Are you hoping to find someone who will convince you to do a dive you are not prepared or comfortable doing? :shocked2:

Let's hope not.

I think you misread me. We're both certified Rescue and with appropriate planning can do the dive safely enough - just don't particularly want to.

Nah, not going to use a life bad if we do. Could probly bring up the little motor in my hands, but I think I'd rather tie a rope to it and hoist from the boat. I just don't think the motor is worth the trouble for the dive really.

 

[Waterskier1]

I think you misread me. We're both certified Rescue and with appropriate planning can do the dive safely enough - just don't particularly want to.

Nah, not going to use a life bad if we do. Could probly bring up the little motor in my hands, but I think I'd rather tie a rope to it and hoist from the boat. I just don't think the motor is worth the trouble for the dive really.

Don,

Rescue Diver is completely different from Search and Recovery diving. Since you don't seem to know this, that is all the more reason to NOT do this dive.

Also, I'm not sure how much the motor weighs, but I would guess at least 10 pounds, if it were a small electric. Much more if it was a small gasoline. Yes, you could probably fit the small motor in your hands, but then what? Inflate you BC to overcome the additional weight? And what would happen if you lost control of it? Missile to the surface? Also, there will probably be additional suction (vacuum) force that will need to be overcome to get it out of the mud. That can take a lot of extra lift - something you don't want to do with your BC.

So, it doesn't sound like you are really prepared, and you still don't want to do the dive. That alone should be enough to keep you from doing it.

 

[BigBubbaJ]

Making popcorn.

 

[DandyDon]

Making popcorn.

Oh, WS often faults my ideas, even for what I might take to a pot luck lunch. I'm open to constructive comments tho - yet I doubt that his drowned motor is worth the trouble. Oh, our Rescue training did cover Search & Recover, no viz diving, buddy lines, shooting and dragging sausages. Pretty good Inst. We're not very experienced but from where does such come.

 

[ibj40]

Here's my Lake Meredith experience:

Buddy had a sailboat in a slip at the marina. Wife had given him "special" watch for 40th anniversary. While cleaning sailboat, hasp on watch is triggered, and watch settles gently to bottom (at that time, 60'). Buddy "sights" the location with an anchor line, and seeks me out for "recovery" mission (at this time, I am PADI Rescue Certified). I contact LDS which indicates that vis is minimal, at best, and at least two thermoclines in lake to 60', and water temps will be in the 60's, at the surface. I have a 3mm tropical two piece wetsuit, no hood, and all-purpose gloves.

Here's the plan: tether me to anchor line with clasped rope clipped to D ring on BCD, equipped with multiple dive lights, including one, big Ikelite, strapped to ankle, pointing up (provide frame of reference for depth), one smaller Ikelite strapped to each forearm, and spare small Ikelite clipped to same D ring as tether.

Cloudless day, diving starts at noon, full tank, no back-up diver.

Dive 1 - into the water, tether attached, deflate BC, begin descent, get to 20', viz goes to 0, abort, and return to surface. After 10-15 minutes to collect thoughts and process data;
Dive 2 - into the water, tether attached, deflate BC, begin descent, watch computer (almost pressed to mask), get to 40', viz is still 0 (where's the thermocline/did I turn on that light on my ankle?), abort, and return to surface. Total bottom time, less than five minutes; air used is less than 200 psi (from 3500 fill);
Dive 3 - goal is to touch bottom, regardless, and then purposefully abort. All lights are on at beginning of descent, mission accomplished, fins touch bottom, computer reads 56' at mask (I'm just less than 6' tall), I've seen better viz in bad coffee cups, ankle light doesn't exist, ascend back to dock, knock back two bottles of water, sit on the dock, chat with other boat owners' who have become interested, and assess situation. Total bottom time, now, is less than ten minutes, air used is less than 500 psi (start thinking to myself that I need to start breathing down there, but it is so dark, I think I keep forgetting). Multiple suggestions as to "search" protocol, including consensus (of non-divers) that I descend, and go flat, stomach to the bottom, and grope around with my hands (remember, I do have gloves, but they are "tropical", and not heavy duty), and see if I can feel the watch;
Dive 4 - goal is to go flat, just to see what it feels like, no groping, no feeling around, maybe an attempt at training a wrist-mounted light out into the darkness, and ascent begins; zero viz is now an accepted condition, as is lack of contact with ankle-mounted light, watching computer and as I close on 50', lay out flat, in lieu of standing, and gently touch, face down. Bringing right-wrist-mounted light to faceplate of mask accomplishes nothing (I've done numerous night dives, but nothing compares to the sensation of not even being able to see a light right in front of your mask), and dive abort sequence is initiated. Ascend to 15', wow, two feet of natural viz, and I can read my computer if I place it right in front of my mask! Hang for three minutes, even though computer hasn't really even started to count any of the dives, but knowing that the "bouncing" has to have done something with respect to nitrogen uptake, plus it is an "altitude" dive (and I forget what the actual elevation is up there), so to be safe, I self-impose some hang time.

Back on the surface, crowd wants to know "what's it like down there?" As I begin removing my gear, much to the chagrin of my buddy, who knows that's the signal that I am done for the day, I suggest to them that anything that has ever fallen overboard at that marina is safe, as no sane person would ever want to attempt to re-acquire it.

I know there are folks that dive Lake Meredith, and maybe I hit the wrong spot at the wrong time, but if you are going on a "search and recover" mission, best of luck!

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Tell you buddy to get a grapple and drag for it. He has about the same chance of finding it and no risk. Lake Meredith is basically a mud pit with no vis. Not worth the effort nor the risk.

 

[RonFrank]

Don,

If this is an electric trolling motor IMO don't bother doing the dive. You can purchase one new for under $100. By the time you factor in gas, tanks, and time, you have spent more than the cost of the motor, and it's likely rather ruined in any event.

If this is a gas powered motor, than a recovery maybe worth the effort. You say the motor can be purchased new at Wall Mart for under $200, so I'll make the assumption this is not a Mercury 200hp engine!

If you do go, are you prepared to get this thing off the bottom? I just got a 250lbs lift bag, and for the life of me I have no clue how I would inflate something that large while UW without shooting to the surface like a rocket!

 

[DandyDon]

Don,

If this is an electric trolling motor IMO don't bother doing the dive. You can purchase one new for under $100. By the time you factor in gas, tanks, and time, you have spent more than the cost of the motor, and it's likely rather ruined in any event.

If this is a gas powered motor, than a recovery maybe worth the effort. You say the motor can be purchased new at Wall Mart for under $200, so I'll make the assumption this is not a Mercury 200hp engine!

If you do go, are you prepared to get this thing off the bottom? I just got a 250lbs lift bag, and for the life of me I have no clue how I would inflate something that large while UW without shooting to the surface like a rocket!

Oh, I don't know what motor it is; I was guessing a cheap electric motor, probly ruined, not worth the trip for your reasons and more. Still waiting to find out tho. I'm not looking forward to the muck dive, but we might try it within safe limits, depending on more details.

I don't want to mess with a lift bag; if it can't be brought up from 30 ft with a rope, get someone else...!