Boat dreams...

[O2BBubbleFree]

Hi all,

I started diving while in Sacto, CA, then moved back to CO for few years of education. Short of a couple of dives in San Diego and the Red Sea, I've had dive withdrawl since leaving CA almost 10 years ago. It was so nice to go to Monterrey or Lake Tahoe for the day...

(No, the education did not take 10 years. I was, however, able to stretch my four-year degree into 4.75!)

When my wife found a job here in Austin, I was really excited about the dive possibilities, and I've been dreaming of having my own little dive boat. However, I've become a little disenchanted. I know that good fresh-water diving can be hard to come by, and two LDSs told me that the gulf diving is a waste, since you can go to Mexican/Carribean sites so easily from here. Dive vacations are great, but I also want diving that doesn't eat vacation days. In addition, posts on this board talk about the gulf being very unpredictable WRT weather, with a high percentage of scheduled charter boats canceling.

Anyway, to make a short story long, I have some questions that I would like to get some feedback on...

1. Is there enough decent fresh water diving in the Austin area to justify having a small boat set up for diving? It seems from the posts that there is a pretty good variety on Lake Travis alone. What are some of the other sites within 'weekend trip' distance? How many of you use boats for fresh-water diving?

2. WRT gulf diving, is there any accessible by a trailerable boat, say 25 - 30'? Most of the posts I've seen talk about the rigs or the Flower Gardens. Is there any decent diving closer in?

3. For a trip to the rigs or Flower Gardens, what's the smallest boat that can make the trip with reasonable safety and comfort? IF I decide to get a gulf boat, and can somehow afford it, I will get appropriate CG training, etc.

Perspective: I loved diving the Kelp, and Tahoe has crystal clear water, but I'm not too demanding. Would like enough visibility to keep track on my buddy w/o being tied together. I consider 10+ feet to be good vis. When diving the Red Sea I was amazed at all the others complaining about the dive when I thought 30' vis was aplenty, and really enjoyed photo-ing the 8 Lionfish I saw.

Please, restore my hope in TX diving.

 

[ScubaTexan]

Fear not....there are more than enough dive sites in Texas to satisfy your scuba needs. In Austin, you're less than 30 minutes from Lake Travis, which certifies more divers in the state than just about anyplace else. There is boat diving there as well. If you will keep an eye on the Favorite Texas Dive Sites thread at the top of this section, that should give you plenty of options for freshwater diving. Hope to see you at one of the lakes.

 

[O2BBubbleFree]

Fear not....there are more than enough dive sites in Texas to satisfy your scuba needs. In Austin, you're less than 30 minutes from Lake Travis, which certifies more divers in the state than just about anyplace else. There is boat diving there as well. If you will keep an eye on the Favorite Texas Dive Sites thread at the top of this section, that should give you plenty of options for freshwater diving. Hope to see you at one of the lakes.

Closer than that...

I currently live in an apartment near 620 and 2222. We bought a house in Cedar Park, but will still be close enough to Travis.

I've checked the 'Dive Sites' link, but most posts don't mention where in TX the site is.

 

[M G]

1) In my opinion, absolutely. A relatively inexpensive small craft can get you to everything divable on Texas lakes. Some of the better sites on Travis are boat access sites. Shaker Plant, Oasis Bluffs, Starnes Island. Lake Amistad is a decent weekend road trip and the best sites are boat access. We located a particularly interesting site there a few weeks ago while diving from a 16' jon boat with a 25 horse. Canyon Lake and Possum Kingdom are also within what I would consider "weekend distance".

2) There are numerous oil/gas platforms and some wrecks that are much closer to shore than the Flower Gardens. These are awesome seasonal (summer) dives. For a weekend trip from Austin I would do Port Aransas. A 25'-30' center console with twins works well, weather permitting. These types of trips can be a lot of work. Rough rides, cancellations, etc. Always nice to have a back up plan. For example, fishing the bay, laguna, nearshore. For those who put in the effort, the diving can be very rewarding when mother nature cooperates. Expect to go 20 to 30 miles out for clear water. Sometimes closer (rarely), sometimes farther. There's even a coal reef that is only about 2 miles from shore (significantly further from port).

3) Can't answer that one for you. I've seen some pretty small craft out there. Must take either big brass ones, few brains, or much confidence in the weather forecast.


One other thing...

Commision on small group to Cozumel=up to a few hundred dollars and a free trip for a dive shop staff member

Store profit on air fills for a local diver diving from his own boat=$0

Could that have anything to do with what you were told in the dive shops?

MG

1. Is there enough decent fresh water diving in the Austin area to justify having a small boat set up for diving? It seems from the posts that there is a pretty good variety on Lake Travis alone. What are some of the other sites within 'weekend trip' distance? How many of you use boats for fresh-water diving?

2. WRT gulf diving, is there any accessible by a trailerable boat, say 25 - 30'? Most of the posts I've seen talk about the rigs or the Flower Gardens. Is there any decent diving closer in?

3. For a trip to the rigs or Flower Gardens, what's the smallest boat that can make the trip with reasonable safety and comfort? IF I decide to get a gulf boat, and can somehow afford it, I will get appropriate CG training, etc.