Anyone seen snakes while diving ?

[eieio_24]

I searched TSD for 'snake', and found very few mentions of divers seeing snakes while diving. I personally have not (yet), however on my very fist dive on scuba, my buddy speared one. We had become seperated for a bit, and I had headed to the shore when I became low on air and we were losing daylight. When he exited the water a few minutes after I did, he had this snake on his spear. It was in about 25' of water and coming toward him. Amazing he hit it, and without a speartip (it had broken on a previous dive). Also, this dive we were in Lake Travis, at Tom Hughs Park in October 2008.
Tom Hughs is basically across from Mansfield Dam Park, also off of 620.

Anyone also dive this area ? The water here is also extremely clear, and on later dives here and down to about 71' we found many caverns at various depths, some small, and others so large you could park a couple of cars in. One had an airspace you could poke your head up into. One other question, anyone found the plane at Mansfield Dam park ? Is it safe around the plane, since it is so close to the dam ? Last time I dove there, I could hear the generators kick on in the dam, and it made me a bit nervous - I just don't want to get too close and don't know how close is too close. I would like to find the plane, without finding the dam and the generators...
Thanks !

 

[Zinc]

The only time I ever come across a snake while diving was at Mansfield Dam Park, on shore among the rocks. :shocked2:

R/g the Dam and the generators, fear not. All the intakes and flood gates are behind protective grates, so there's NO WAY you're gonna get sucked in. Yes the generators are really loud, but it's only noise.

The grate structures, we call the "Jailhouse" make for a great dive, especially to gain experience and comfort in diving deep. I often kick out to them on the surface, then drop vertically on the Jailhouse, maintaining a visual on the grates as I go down. If I ever feel uncomfortable, I simply reach out and grab the grate to stop my ascent/descent.

This is also a great place to get comfortable with the "dark narc" meaning fast descent into cold, dark, and deep water where nitrogen narcosis comes on quick. I use the grates to stabilize if ever uncomfortable. Great practice site!

 

[Guba]

I've only seen a snake once, from below (it was cruising the surface at Lake Elmer Thomas).

 

[FIXXERVI6]

I"ve seen a couple snakes under water, the biggest was in florida in the ballroom at ginnie, rather at the entrance of the ball room, I turned and saw it laying in the rocks not more than a few inches above the entrance, had to have been at least 4 feet long, while the rest of my class was about a foot under it, it just layed there, everyone just did there thing until I pointed it out, that day I found out who was afraid of snakes and who was not

 

[kmcneer]

i have seen a few at one time around the trees and ladders at windy point. This snake was under water when he speared it? That is crazy. I have all ways been told that they can not strike underwater though. I dont know if that is true or not though.

 

[ScubaRich]

While diving in Fiji, I had a banded sea snake swim thru my reg hose and across my chest. (while on surface). A momentary shock but in the end very cool!

 

[battles2a5]

I had a big water moccasin jump on me on the steps at Madison Blue. I think we both scared eachother and he was just trying to get out of there. You can jump really high w/ double 130's on your back with a poisonous snake on your foot!!

 

[texdiveguy]

Only in the ocean as in terms of snakes in water,,,,seen several dry ground snakes here around Texas during SI.

 

[eieio_24]

Zinc - is there no suction effect at all when you are near or up against the grates and the generators are running ? I would have thought that the outflow of water would at least hold or draw a diver toward it, and hold you there, not allowing escape ? Thanks.

 

[djtimmy77]

so did he eat the snake or just shoot it for the heck of it?