Any decent diving locations in Louisiana?

[ArchDiver]

New to New Orleans area and looking for any good/decent diving locations in southern and coastal LA. Most of my experience is in Florida - ponds, lakes, springs, sinkholes, caverns, rivers, coastal near shore and offshore - from 0 vis to 40+ so visibility and dive environment is not an issue. Anything available around here besides oil rigs, Lake Pontchartrain, and the local community pool?

 

[jstuart1]

Lake Pontchartrain is Divable? I am curious about the responses you get since I end up in New Orleans about every other year for about a week. I'm not ready to dive the rigs yet.

 

[DiveExtreme22]

New to New Orleans area and looking for any good/decent diving locations in southern and coastal LA. Most of my experience is in Florida - ponds, lakes, springs, sinkholes, caverns, rivers, coastal near shore and offshore - from 0 vis to 40+ so visibility and dive environment is not an issue. Anything available around here besides oil rigs, Lake Pontchartrain, and the local community pool?

whats wrong with the oil rigs? ive never dove them but ive read about them and it said that those oil rigs created the most prolific reef there is...and youll see bigger stuff down there then you will anywhere in the carribean...also spearfishing down there is good, (Helldivers Rodeo)...is there a reason why you wouldnt want to dive them?

 

[archman]

I'd be highly dubious about the water quality of Lake Ponchartrain, it's quite close to that toxic Mississippi River.

 

[ArchDiver]

whats wrong with the oil rigs? ive never dove them but ive read about them and it said that those oil rigs created the most prolific reef there is...and youll see bigger stuff down there then you will anywhere in the carribean...also spearfishing down there is good, (Helldivers Rodeo)...is there a reason why you wouldnt want to dive them?

Well, nothing's wrong with the oil rigs if you have a boat to get to them. What I'm actually looking for is something a little closer to land, say, with shore access or small boat access along the coast or in lakes or rivers in southern Louisiana. I've done plenty of ocean dives so I'm looking for something closer to land that won't require exhorbitant boat rental and gas fees.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

The Lake is supposedly divable and the visibility can get to 5-10' on its best days from what I understand from the LDS in Metairie. While I hear people dive it, I won't, the water can't be clean due to the MS River like archman stated. I believe there may be a lake or two in North LA that may be divable... not sure. Offshore is your only South LA option, or drive towards AL for a few dives, FL for an almost endless amount of dives.

I work in New Orleans every week and stay atleast one night(two nights alot of times) a week and I've been interested in a closer/shore dive/spring/lake(other than the Ponce) dive myself.

 

[CajunNms]

I've always wished this, but basically no place, just mud, mud and more mud, unless far offshore, & this is from a LA native and a long term diver.

On occasion a couple of the N. LA lakes such a D'Arbonne and Toledo Bend, can be 5' feet in vis. if you like stumps, this is your place. Years ago some guys would dive in Black Bayou near Monroe, plenty o' gators now and another stump heaven.

I've never seen Ponchartrain very clear, but it has no significant relation to the River, other than the industrial canal with its locks, lake and river are not the same level, the water quality is much improved over the years, but for diving, nope. The offshore MS islands can be pretty clear sometimes, but the bottom is goop out there until you get way off-shore. Time is easier and better spent in the car back to Florida. Unless you want to do rig stuff.

 

[ArchDiver]

I've always wished this, but basically no place, just mud, mud and more mud, unless far offshore, & this is from a LA native and a long term diver.

On occasion a couple of the N. LA lakes such a D'Arbonne and Toledo Bend, can be 5' feet in vis. if you like stumps, this is your place. Years ago some guys would dive in Black Bayou near Monroe, plenty o' gators now and another stump heaven.

I've never seen Ponchartrain very clear, but it has no significant relation to the River, other than the industrial canal with its locks, lake and river are not the same level, the water quality is much improved over the years, but for diving, nope. The offshore MS islands can be pretty clear sometimes, but the bottom is goop out there until you get way off-shore. Time is easier and better spent in the car back to Florida. Unless you want to do rig stuff.

Thanks guys, guess we're SOL in the Big Easy. I've been in plenty of the rivers in FL with the gators, moccasins, and occasional psychotic redneck with terrible visibility (not a problem) and was hoping for some of the same over here. Anybody admit to checking out the other rivers such as Atchafalaya or some of the bayous closer to the coast? Again, I don't have my own boat so that limits me quite a bit. Thanks again for the advice.

 

[captain]

Lake Ponchatrain is diveable provided you don't expect too much. Visibility can reach 8 to 10 feet after several days of calm wind and no heavy rains. Usually late summer is the best time. Somtimes you have to try several locations. I have seen visibility go from 1 foot to 8 feet in a distance of a few miles. There has been reef building projects in the lake that are starting to produce. Water quality is good and does not present any health hazards except in some locations after heavy rains and generally clears up after a few days. One good thing is the deepest it gets is 30 feet with an average depth of 12 feet so bottom time is no problem.
Below is the link to the Lake Ponchatrain Basin Foundation.

www.saveourlake.org

Captain

 

[ArchDiver]

Thanks for the info., captain. I'd like to check out the lake sometime. Visibility, or the lack thereof, is of no concern to me. I'm surprised the lake actually gets as deep as 30 feet. I had only heard of a max depth of 15 feet.