Beaver lake conditions anyone?

[sasscuba]

Never dived Beaver lake. What kind of surface temps this time of year? What about thermoclines and approximate depths? Anyone know max depth of lake?

Thanks.

 

[cummings66]

Well, in general terms the surface temps are around 80 with thermoclines that are around 25 feet or so. Temps down deep, i.e. below 100 feet seem to run upper 40's to low 50's.

I can't say max depth, it's well beyond that of a recreational diver is all I know for sure. I know at a hundred feet near the bluffs there's a dropoff that seems like it goes forever, turns pitch black even with a couple HID's you don't see much at the dropoff. Vis ranges from 5 to 30 feet from what I've seen of it.

Is it worth diving? Sure is, visit C&J when you're there for airfills and misc items they're only a few miles away and have a campground for divers. Of course I tend to use the KOA up the road a bit more.

 

[texdiveguy]

Sure is, visit C&J when you're there for airfills and misc items they're only a few miles away and have a campground for divers. Of course I tend to use the KOA up the road a bit more.

Does C&J do mixed gas????

 

[Lineman Larry]

Does C&J do mixed gas????

Generically speaking, no.

If the right instructor happens to be in the store and he is not teaching or busy doing other things, you can get nitrox. If not, forget it.

 

[texdiveguy]

Generically speaking, no.

If the right instructor happens to be in the store and he is not teaching or busy doing other things, you can get nitrox. If not, forget it.

Well thanks for the info.. Pack the gases!!

 

[diverdown247]

Sass,

Cummings hit that one on the head, as usual. If you're coming down on a weekend, visit www.aqua-fx.com and go to the calendar section. See if Mike is going to Beaver when you'll be down. If so, call him and you can hitch out on his boat. If you need Nitrox, I believe he does Nitrox fills, but don't quote me on that.

As for the vis, I was there last weekend. Vis at the "platform" where the pontiac grand am and the boat are located was about 15ft w/ a thermocline of about 30ft.

Vis at the foundations was as expected in the shallows, clear. As you got deeper in either direction, the vis dropped to about 10-15 ft. Thermocline behind the bus was at about 33 ft, but as the day progressed, it ended up at about 28 ft.

 

[CAPNVINNY]

Hey C&J has place to take a shower also,can get a quick rinse while your getting your tanks refilled.

 

[sasscuba]

Well, in general terms the surface temps are around 80 with thermoclines that are around 25 feet or so. Temps down deep, i.e. below 100 feet seem to run upper 40's to low 50's.

I can't say max depth, it's well beyond that of a recreational diver is all I know for sure. I know at a hundred feet near the bluffs there's a dropoff that seems like it goes forever, turns pitch black even with a couple HID's you don't see much at the dropoff. Vis ranges from 5 to 30 feet from what I've seen of it.

Is it worth diving? Sure is, visit C&J when you're there for airfills and misc items they're only a few miles away and have a campground for divers. Of course I tend to use the KOA up the road a bit more.

What was the temp. at 25 feet? That the first thermocline?

 

[diverdown247]

Temp at 25-30 ft is usually about 3-10 degrees cooler, depending on what part of the lake you're on. In the coves, it seems to drop a little closer to 8-10 degrees. Out in the open lake it only drops between 3-7 degrees.

And yes, that's the first thermocline. Depending on how prone to cold you are, you can get away with no wetsuit up to the 1st thermocline. If I'm not diving past 50ft, I'm usually ok in a 2/3mm tropical full wetsuit. At the 2nd thermocline, I usually prefer a 3/5 farmer or a 5mm farmer.

 

[sasscuba]

Temp at 25-30 ft is usually about 3-10 degrees cooler, depending on what part of the lake you're on. In the coves, it seems to drop a little closer to 8-10 degrees. Out in the open lake it only drops between 3-7 degrees.

And yes, that's the first thermocline. Depending on how prone to cold you are, you can get away with no wetsuit up to the 1st thermocline. If I'm not diving past 50ft, I'm usually ok in a 2/3mm tropical full wetsuit. At the 2nd thermocline, I usually prefer a 3/5 farmer or a 5mm farmer.

Thanks.