Recent Lake Pleasant conditions/reports

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I reached the dam today off the far point at the end of the service road that cuts by the north marina of Vista Point. From the very tip, there is 1000 feet of line starting at the bouy, bearing 180 degrees to an intersection, and then 240 degrees where it reaches the dam in 30 feet of water. Average depth was 26 feet, deepest depth was 46 feet, and vis was from 2 feet to maybe fifteen. I spent 63 minutes on my second dive and ran three reels of line. On average there is a lot of light but you should have lights for the low vis sections. The dive is long with a 2000 foot round trip so even though its shallow its a big swim. Unless your rmv is really good, the dive is beyond a single AL80. No deco was needed.:D
 
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Thanks, Pete! What is the level of the lake, now?
 
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Today I dove off the point at the end of the dirt road that takes you beyond the north marina at Vista Point. My goal was to reach the dam. I made three dives for a total of 75 minutes of bottom time. I used a map that Chad Conner had sent me last year and sited on a buoy I think someone has left to mark the east end of the dam which was 240 degrees. I aborted the first two dives because of shallow water--5-20 feet with boats gunning overhead. On the third dive I took a 180 degree heading and found deeper water on the left side of the submerged ridge. I ran two reels of line holding a contour at 25-35 feet of depth, found a brand new barbeque which I tied off, and eventually came to a huge concrete structure--thought I was home free--not so. The structure is a foundation of a huge building that I think is close to the dam. I tied off to it and came home. Maybe we'll hit the dam on the next try.

In the photo, you can see two buildings. I circumnavigated the one on the left. Success is close at hand.:D

I reached the dam today off the far point at the end of the service road that cuts by the north marina of Vista Point. From the very tip, there is 1000 feet of line starting at the bouy, bearing 180 degrees to an intersection, and then 240 degrees where it reaches the dam in 30 feet of water. Average depth was 26 feet, deepest depth was 46 feet, and vis was from 2 feet to maybe fifteen. I spent 63 minutes on my second dive and ran three reels of line. On average there is a lot of light but you should have lights for the low vis sections. The dive is long with a 2000 foot round trip so even though its shallow its a big swim. Unless your rmv is really good, the dive is beyond a single AL80. No deco was needed.:D

Great work, Pete!!! Is there anything to see around the dam?
 
I can't say right now but I think it will make for some interesting dives. With the line and stage bottles there is a lot of exploring to be done as long as the lake is low and we can drive to the point. Now at least you can get there...then who knows?

Pete
 
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Today I started running line back from the dam to Vista Point. Starting at the end of the point, and the beginning of the Dam line, I worked backwards into the cove holding the north shore at 22-39 feet until I passed the line of buoys that marks the no-wake-zone. From that point, I made two tries to cross the mud flats to the Bladerunner line off VP but less than zero vis turned me back along with monofilament in an invisible forest. So next weekend...new strategy. I did two dives with a total bottom time of 110 minutes. Temps were 74F liquivision and vis, at best was five feet. Maybe one more day to hook up the VP with the Dam.
 
Pete. Where exactly did you get into the water? Would you recommend placing stage bottles along the way if following the line you pulled? Is the island in the center foreground of the above picture the one near Pleasant Harbor Marina? The one off the southwest most point of Vista Point? Boats pass by on a channel formed by VP on one side and this island on the other side. Do I have my bearings right?
 
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Hey Steve,

If you want to dive to the dam take the road by the north marina that cuts around the penninsula north of VP to its end. There are buoys that protect the tip of the penninsula. The line to the dam starts from the buoy that is most west of the point and is about 25-30 feet off shore--not the one that is south. Pink line is tied off to the chain. That line takes you to another line where you make a right and proceed 240 degrees. The dive is shallow and the line averages around 30 feet. I think the day I linked to the dam the round trip cost me 97 cubic feet of gas, my rmv is 0.6, and there was no deco. But remember that I was working--laying line, taking bearings and so on--maybe your consumption will be less.

I didn't get out last weekend so VP is not hooked in yet.

Also, there has been a lot of boaters trolling fishing line, literally speaking, and since the line is shallow, I can't vouche that the line is stable.

PD
 
Wow, Pete, your work is superb! :clapping: Thanks for doing all this.

Now, if I can only find some undergarments for diving the lake in cold times. . . . :hm:
 
Wow, Pete, your work is superb! :clapping: Thanks for doing all this.

Now, if I can only find some undergarments for diving the lake in cold times. . . . :hm:
 
The DAM Dive

photo-1.JPGphoto 2.jpgGary Moyer and I dove to the Dam to day from the point north of Vista Point. The shallow portion of the line was gone due to fisherman, so we turned around on the first dive to get more reels and on the second dive, replaced the line to the dam. The life span of the line in the shallows is about two weeks and the water is up about 5-6 feet so if you are interested in a good tech dive to the dam from the shore, time is limited. The road will be flooded if the lake comes up another 5 or 6 feet in the next two weeks. The temps were 69F and the vis was 5 feet at best and 1-2 feet at worst. The maximum depth to the dam is 57 feet and our total run time was 70 minutes on the second dive. Our total bottom time with both dives was 91 minutes and there was no deco. The swim is 2000 feet round trip and if you want to explore the dam when you get there I recommend staging to reach it.

I have attached two photos that should help interested parties find the beginning of the line. The line starts at the buoy just left of my truck.:)

PD

I see one of my photos is upside down. Oh well. I'll do better next time.
 
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