Athens Tx Scuba Park

[GotAir]

I dont know about you but I cant just get in a plane and fly to Coz or Can everytime I want to go diving. I found a place in the heart of Texas that offers good vis and wreck diving. Calvin and Shannon run the place. Sherry and Jerry are the instructor's and Matt runs the full service Scuba Shop right on the grounds. This is like one big family that you can talk shop with and even do some trad'n and swap'n with on equipment. the day I dived there was 65 ft vis and the water was 76 degress. this is a great place to dive at and keep up your skills at also. even test out some new equipment. their's talk around the camp that one day to even make the park as deep as 70+ so you can get your AOW there. I'm coming back to this place alot more time's over the winter to keep my skills up and just enjoy myself. See for your self at
www.athensscubapark.com
Nov 1st there sinking a DART bus in the park and there even going to let you ride in it as it goes down to her final resting place. Mike

 

[Pam_In_Paradise]

In my Texas days. It's great fun and they have lots of things in the water for you to see. Camping on the premises (if you don't mind the trains that pass by). Great facilities. Truly a local treasure!

 

[Kawika]

Wow...looks like a great site! I'll definitely have to add this to the list of places I hope to visit here in Texas.

Thanks...

Kawika

 

[loosebits]

I went to Athens once not long after they opened, it was a mud hole at the time (and an expensive one at that). My mom, who recently got certified (at 60 years old!!), talked me into trying it again. It had improved quite a bit. The water has a strange blue tint to it (doesn't seem quite natural), the vis was pretty good if you keep away from the OW students but there are absolutely no fish. After my second dive, I got a little bored (how many times can you swim through a plane?).

If you are going to be in the North Texas area, I would recommend Clear Springs Scuba Park. It has comperable viz to Athens but has some definite advantages:

- Interesting bottom (walls, boulders, etc)
- Life (Perch, catfish, turtles)
- Junk in the water like Athens (plane, cabin cruiser, etc)

The facilities aren't as nice as Athens (no plumbing, just out houses) but since I am more interested in seeing fish than a flooded junk yard, Clear Springs is my local site of choice.

http://www.geocities.com/clearspringsscubapark/

 

[Kawika]

Thanks...I'll have to add that to my places to check out here in Texas as well...

K