After 20 years, need one last dive (Lake Travis)

[ItsBruce]

Please keep us posted on this adventure. Finding anything underwater can be a real challenge. There are entire classes dedicated to underwater search techniques.

 

[diver 85]

Interesting reading....the plot thickens.............

I think he's looking for some boullion---gold that is.....some one needs to pack some lift bags.......

 

[Debraw]

A GeoCache??? That's it???? I imagined something much more mysterious and or romantic, noble, humanatarian...etc. Oh Well. I think there is one out at CSSP also.

 

[ClayJar]

Oh, please, oh, please, oh, please! Any chance you're planning to do the hunt this Saturday? I haven't done a scubacache in far too long, and I could certainly fit it in to *this* Saturday. I don't even care about logging FTF (that's all yours). I've even got qualifications: I've done scubacaches in several states, and I'm even a NAUI divemaster (so it shouldn't hurt to have me along).

As for techniques, one of my favorite for this type of scubacache hunt is to go to the coordinates on the surface. You bring a spool with a weight tied to the end, and when you get to ground (water?) zero, you spool it down to the bottom. Once you're on the bottom, you can start your search pattern from a known point, which makes it much easier to locate than using the "well, I think this should be about it" method.

Anyway, I'll be watching this thread, of course, and if the plan ends up being for this Saturday, I'd gladly drive the eight hours or so to join in on the hunt for GC1HEGZ. (If the plan's not for this Saturday, I'll try to restrain myself... although I don't have plans yet for this weekend. :biggrin

 

[LVX]

OK, this is just my 2 cents. John, obviously you can do what you want. I think this is a bad idea. Not because I think 80 ft is too deep but just because I think a geocache is not worth that kind of effort. If you were already a diver who had kept up diving then I would say go for it. But, since you have not been diving in 20 years, what does it matter any way. My wife and I geocache all the time and there are thousands all over Texas that are above water. Why this one?

Again, do what you want but it seems risky considering your skill level, the depth, visibility, etc., etc, etc...

Have fun...

 

[ianr33]

How long has this cache been there? It might be underneath 3 feet of silt in which case finding it would be pretty much impossible.

 

[LVX]

Is this it. I hope not, seems a little further out than just off Windy Point.

 

[cruiser]

I think there is one out at CSSP also.

Debraw--

I've noticed a metal box in about 30 foot of water down by the plane at CSSP. Looks like a small truck toolbox. Is that what a geocache is? Have never looked in it, though.

 

[ClayJar]

There is no active geocache at Clear Springs Scuba Park. (There is one nearby, but it is not a scubacache, nor is it in the park.)

 

[redacted]

Is this it. I hope not, seems a little further out than just off Windy Point.

If .688 minutes and .134 minutes work out to 42 and 8 seconds respectively, that looks to be about 300 feet WSW of the SW point of the public area at Windy Point. And if 80ft (now 55 ft) is correct, that should put it on the drop-off leading to the pecan orchard. You could probably work it out quite precisely on Google Earth so you could calculate azimuths from a couple known points on shore, swim out on the surface and shoot a couple back azimuths, and then drop the marker. Then drop down and find the 55 ft contour and search no more than 100 ft in each direction. Then, the only question is what to do if you don't find it the first time? I would suggest down 10 ft and then up 10 feet.

If that does not work, I guess its time to look into the brown bottles (or do you have to use cans in the park) and plan another W/E.

Enjoy.