Another Newbie with lots of questions!!

[Diver Kat]

Got certified in Sept, and just started checking out this Board ..... so I have lots of dumb questions ..........

Is the Swamp thing a membership thing? Or a "I dive & live in Tx" thing??

Where is Twin Lakes? How far is it from Austin? And what kind of diving info do I need to know about it? (Everyone seems to mention it, so I'm curious!)

What other places are within a reasonable distance of Austin where we can dive?? (Without it costing a fortune to get there & stay there!!)

We are heading out to Balmorea SP on 3/28 - what can I expect???

So - if you don't boot me out for all the dumb questions, I would appreciate any insight into Tx diving, as my limited experience is 10 dives in murky Lake Travis, 2 in Belize, 2 in Cozumel and 1 in Grand Cayman - a big 15 dives ......

 

[Dee]

Is the Swamp thing a membership thing? Or a "I dive & live in Tx" thing??

It's sort of a membership thing. We are a local chapter for the Board's NDI club. There are several around the States although we were the first! Since the state is so large, we've sort of migrated into Southern and Northern Swampers. There was talk of Central Swampers in Austin but no one ever really came forth to organize local stuff. To become a Swamper, all you have to do is come hang out and dive with us. Oh yeah...there's an initiation that changes periodically involving snakes and swamp goo but don't believe everything you hear!

Where is Twin Lakes? How far is it from Austin? And what kind of diving info do I need to know about it? (Everyone seems to mention it, so I'm curious!)

Twin Lakes is about 20 mi. south of Houston in Manvel. It's an old sand pit, about 25 acres in size with a max depth of 50ft. Summer vis can be close to 20ft. during the week when it's not so crowded as the weekends. This year will be the second year in operation and I expect it to be really busy. It's your typical low vis lake with 3-4 types fish and turtles.

What other places are within a reasonable distance of Austin where we can dive?? (Without it costing a fortune to get there & stay there!!)

You have the excellent Lake Travis right there in your back yard. San Marcos and the rivers, Canyon Lake are all close. Then there's Possum Kingdom to the north as well as Clear Springs and Athen's Park.

We are heading out to Balmorea SP on 3/28 - what can I expect???

We were at Balmorhea about 3 weeks ago. We had a blast. Everyone kept telling us, and they were right....It's smaller than you think! But we did 5 dives there and never got bored. The max depth was 21ft and that was sticking my watch arm into a crevice to get pictures of the catfish! Water is a constant 76º and clear. I could say cleat as air but there were several classes there that weekend stirring up the bottom Part of it is manmade concrete bottom and sides like a swimming pool about 3.5ft deep. But at the edges of the pool bottom, it gently drops over a slope of natural river rocks and grass...very nice!

I'd strongly suggest you get a bad or tub with wheels. This place was designed for swimmers, not divers so there is quite a walk from the parking lot, through the locker area, then down to the pool.

Stay tuned and find out where the next group of Swampers are diving and show up! I promise you'll be welcome....

 

[Diver Kat]

Dee ... thanks for all the info!! Lake Travis is literally in my backyard - it's about a 15 minute drive to the diving area at Mansfield Dam. But we're looking to expand our horizons a bit. Twin Lakes sounds like it might be a good "get out of town for a day or two" type trip ...... maybe we can get down there when the water gets warmer and join the "Swampers!!"

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I've never had a chance to dive with the swampers but rumour has it that bringing Oreo's to share gets you out of the initiation!
Ber

 

[Catch22]

First, there are no dumb questions here as we all had to start somewhere. The answers may be questionable.

Second, the selection process for membership to TSDT is quit stringent.

1 Do you have an un-natural fear of snakes you can’t identify?
2. Does diving in goo that glows in the dark cause you concern?
3. Does diving in visibility equal to a closet with the lights out cause your pulse to rise?
4. Do you find diving in 60-degree water with shorts and a t-shirt refreshing?
5. Do you volunteer to bring the beer at a dive outings?
6. Do you drink the last beer after a dive and complain because it’s not your brand?

Think closely about numbers 5 & 6 before you answer. They are critical to the process.

If you get up to the Dallas area, let us know. We can always use another dive buddy.

 

[Scubatooth]

welcome to the swamp kat

as for other diving locations within a couple of hours from austin are athens scuba park in athens which is southeast of dallas by a couple of hours , i think its max depth is mid 20's, it was a old quarry that has been transformed into a scuba park with items sunk in it, also athens is devoid of any life because the lake treated with chemicals every so often. i know that there is camping , RVs, heated pool ?, and in town are several motels but i dont know of there location

clear springs in terrell is east of dallas and is a old road bed quarry and is 5 - 10x larger then athens and depth ranges from 15 - 62 feet in the area that they have dredged out, there is a variety to see besides the training platoforms, there are 2 inlets for the springs that feed the lake, and a wall that runs 3/4 the legth of the lake that is really neat, and even better at night. even though i had 40 plus dives there last year i still havent seen everything and its going to take atleast another 100 dives before i see everything. there is onsite airfills, camping, and a snack bar is being built, and then there are a couple of motels intown for a reasonable rate


Hey Catch22 beer, man thats kind of bad because if im there and the supplies are there you have a bartender and i can make one heck of a rita (from mild to wild also what does DSAO stand for ?


also this spring either in late april or early may need to have a swampers get together at either athens or CSSP, that or we could wait till the one out on PK

 

[Dee]

Kat....come join us anytime! But don't even bother with that old trick with the Oreo's...it doesn't work anymore! A few more things to add to Catch22's list that might help you prepare...

7. Do you enjoy carrying tanks?
8. Do you freak out when BlueGills bite your ears? (or other exposed parts?)
9. How's your navigational skills? :tease:
10. Do you like Mexican Food?

 

[Catch22]

Hi Tooth,

Hey Catch22 beer, man thats kind of bad because if im there and the supplies are there you have a bartender and i can make one heck of a rita (from mild to wild also what does DSAO stand for ?

Daddy taught me to never complain about a free drink. Your on.

DSAO stands for Dive Safe And Often.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

are athens scuba park in austin which is south of dalls by a couple of hours

I know this is a typo but I still gotta give you a hard time about it.

Athens scuba park is in Athens. Athens is South East of Dallas by about an hour and a half.

There is an Austin group of TSDT. They ring in periodically. Larry normally pops in every now and then. We will do at least one Travis get together this summer.

Join us sometime.

TwoBit

 

[Scubatooth]

opps sorry about that let me go edit that

also Dee you forgot the jimmy buffet music the three main things that divers especially from texas like