288 Lake - Houston

[Teknadv3x]

I'm sure. I've been there 5 weekends in the last 2 months, will be there again this weekend. The last couple of years they catered to swimmers but it was causing them too many problems. They cater strictly to divers now, regardless of what their website says. They don't mind if non divers accompany divers or if you want to peacefully kayak or float around but they don't want a bunch of wild kids and drunk adults screaming and jumping off the docks and swinging from trees.

Hit the head of the nail dead center with that explanation.


Good job

 

[scubaaron2003]

Hey guys I may be moving to Houston in August. Other than this site is ther other diving available?

 

[jeffro360]

what all does 288 have in the water in terms of site seeing (fish, toilets, etc), way finding, getting lost, etc etc??

 

[BryanCurry]

I went diving at 288 Lake (formerly The Reef) in Houston today. Outstanding!!! The visibility was 20'+.
<snip>
I had a full wetsuit, hood and gloves and couldn't stay on the bottom for long [but I do get cold easily].
<snip>

How cold was it? Anyone know if it's cold year around?

 

[ReefHound]

It's about 70 degrees in the deepest part but you don't have to go there. Plenty to see in the 15 to 25 foot range. As of last week the thermo had retreated to about 22 feet. I was in swim shorts and t-shirt.

 

[nkliewer]

I like the aggressive fish. It makes the dive so much more interesting when you are startled by something nibbling on your ear

 

[Teknadv3x]

I like the aggressive fish. It makes the dive so much more interesting when you are startled by something nibbling on your ear

Not sure I understand your logic. You sound like you are Pro-fish attacks. Are you?
Do you enjoy the fish biting you? Here is a scenario, you have one of your students do a mask R&R exercise and when the student removes the mask the fish start chomping on the students ears,nose & lips the student panics, well that should make the dive real interesting as you put it. The student bolts and suffers a embolism.
Remember Diving is all about risk management. You being in a proffesional light should not be promoting bad habits Period.

 

[k-valve]

I like the aggressive fish. It makes the dive so much more interesting when you are startled by something nibbling on your ear

Man, I hope you're just kidding. Especially if you bring students to this lake.

 

[nkliewer]

Man, I hope you're just kidding. Especially if you bring students to this lake.

Not sure I understand your logic. You sound like you are Pro-fish attacks. Are you?
Do you enjoy the fish biting you? Here is a scenario, you have one of your students do a mask R&R exercise and when the student removes the mask the fish start chomping on the students ears,nose & lips the student panics, well that should make the dive real interesting as you put it. The student bolts and suffers a embolism.
Remember Diving is all about risk management. You being in a proffesional light should not be promoting bad habits Period.

Sorry. I didn’t realize this thread was talking about aggressive fish with respect to open water training. I was just remembering many lake dives that the fish have made more fun, especially when I am intently staring at a beer can, a long-lost shoe, or some other object on the bottom, and ZAP! Something just bit my ear! I turn to look, and it’s little Nemo who thinks he is a shark. :sharks: Or better yet, when the little guy sees his reflection in your mask and attacks it – I feel like I’ve made an underwater playmate. Please don’t understand me as advocating doing anything that will make the fish more aggressive. I am just saying that I personally don’t mind it and even find it entertaining.

But since we’re talking training, I agree with you about it being a training distraction. I try to spend extra time when explaining the dive plan about the type and temperament of the lake fish and how it can be startling. I also find that during the mask removal exercises I can usually shoo the fish away if they start getting a little close.

All that being said, I believe students should be able to handle such distractions. If you are in doubt about your student’s ability to remain relatively calm and not panic when a problem arises, they are not ready for their open water checkout, and you should not be bringing them to the lake. I’m not saying that *Stuff* doesn’t happen and that you will always know if a student is prone to panic. On the contrary, I have seen students who were stellar in confined water suddenly become uncomfortable in the murky lake. Which makes it all the more important that we prepare our students to handle things like their mask being kicked off; a snag on a fishing line; loosing a fin, and yes, even the worst… a fish attack.

 

[Teknadv3x]

Sorry. I didn’t realize this thread was talking about aggressive fish with respect to open water training. I was just remembering many lake dives that the fish have made more fun, especially when I am intently staring at a beer can, a long-lost shoe, or some other object on the bottom, and ZAP! Something just bit my ear! I turn to look, and it’s little Nemo who thinks he is a shark. :sharks: Or better yet, when the little guy sees his reflection in your mask and attacks it – I feel like I’ve made an underwater playmate. Please don’t understand me as advocating doing anything that will make the fish more aggressive. I am just saying that I personally don’t mind it and even find it entertaining.

But since we’re talking training, I agree with you about it being a training distraction. I try to spend extra time when explaining the dive plan about the type and temperament of the lake fish and how it can be startling. I also find that during the mask removal exercises I can usually shoo the fish away if they start getting a little close.

All that being said, I believe students should be able to handle such distractions. If you are in doubt about your student’s ability to remain relatively calm and not panic when a problem arises, they are not ready for their open water checkout, and you should not be bringing them to the lake. I’m not saying that *Stuff* doesn’t happen and that you will always know if a student is prone to panic. On the contrary, I have seen students who were stellar in confined water suddenly become uncomfortable in the murky lake. Which makes it all the more important that we prepare our students to handle things like their mask being kicked off; a snag on a fishing line; loosing a fin, and yes, even the worst… a fish attack.

Thanks for taking the time to clarify your post. If a apology is due please accept mine. I thought you were one of the knuckleheads that brings food to feed the fish and show your students look this is neat, People have to remember these fish are wild and have a natural fear toward things bigger than them (which is a good thing) however once they relate easy food with the big knucklehead they think everyone is a knucklehead with easy food and will start biting a diver all over in search of the hidden treat. Believe me this is about as much fun encountering a swarm of mosquitoes. This can be prevented simply by not feeding the fish to begin with just look at them.