Comal River

[archman]

By "hydrilla" are you guys referring to actual Hydrilla (the exotic) or are you using it in a generic way for plants with the same growth habit? The underwater photos posted on Clear Spring's site show coontail (Ceratophyllum), but it's labeled as hydrilla. Hydrilla is a nasty exotic, while coontail is a native. Hydrilla has sharp edges on its leaves which can cut your hands... I hate diving in that stuff. Coontail's much nicer, though easier to entangle in.

 

[sealskin98]

The river has almost been taken over by elephant ears and hydrilla because of this. There are a few spots left you can dive, but where you use to be able to go from the falls by Joes Crab Shack to the dam at Rio vista park is almost impassable. The recent floods 98 and 02 have filled the river with gravel & caliche runoff from the construction at the University.

Sounds like a jungel out there.

The Texas A&M Scuba Club has trips to the Comal Feb. 27-28, and April 30-May 1. It would be nice to meet some swampers... even if they're Longhorns.

archman, maybe you can keep us posted on conditions.

Ken, the Smokehouse is a definate must! Been a couple of years since I've eaten there.

 

[parrotheaddiver]

Archman I really do not know the name of the pesky weed. I have heard it called Hydrilla and it looks like the plastic plant you put in your aquarium at home. All I know is that it bogs up the river and gets tangled in your fin straps and anything hanging off of you when you are diving. It has never cut me and I have pulled a lot of it off of me.

Sealskin98 yes it is a jungle out there :monkeydan and in the river too. :lol2: Sorry I missed you guys in Arlington a couple of weeks ago. I had plans to go but a death in the family took me out to west Texas instead. Maybe next time.

 

[Cudabait]

If the timing were right, I'd be in on a TSD trip.

Regards,

 

[sealskin98]

I have an idea. Ken and I can do a night dive with machetes and cut a path for the rest of us.

Would we need a lookout for the Game Wardens, Park Rangers, etc. That ain't illegal is it?

Just kidding, we could always do the Red and take a look at the boat they found a couple of years ago. Haven't heard much about the dig lately. I was interested in volunteering, but, ya know.

A river dive with a good current sounds good.

My condolences for your loss Parrot. A get-together can be later.

 

[mardigrastexan]

The Texas A&M Scuba Club has trips to the Comal Feb. 27-28, and April 30-May 1. It would be nice to meet some swampers... even if they're Longhorns.

And some of us are lucky enough to be LSU Tigers. Geaux Tigers!!!....sorry couldn't pass it up. Count me in on a Comal dive,if and when it happens.

 

[ScubaTexan]

I have an idea. Ken and I can do a night dive with machetes and cut a path for the rest of us.

Sounds good to me. I haven't done a night dive in awhile...

 

[Dee]

Archman....here's a couple pics of the 'hydrilla' that's in Clear Springs. It was soft and 'feathery', definately not the hydrilla you described. But it grows fast. we have something similar in Twin Lakes and I've measured areas that grew 2ft in 4 days time. It's easy to break so entanglements aren't a danger, just freaky.

 

[archman]

Yeah! That junk's coontail! It's the good stuff.

Here's a good link to Hydrilla, the EVIL PLANT.
http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/hyvepic.html

Anybody see this stuff anywhere?

 

[SquintyPete]

Yeah! That junk's coontail! It's the good stuff.

Here's a good link to Hydrilla, the EVIL PLANT.
http://aquat1.ifas.ufl.edu/hyvepic.html

Anybody see this stuff anywhere?

Sure looks close to the crude we have in the San Marcos.. I Will drop by tmw and grab a bit to examine closely... I don't think its the soft fluffy stuff..