CSSP conditions today Oct. 2nd

[Texass]

I went to check out my new 5mm. (My old ScubaPro somehow shrunk over the winter and I busted the zipper last spring.) The original dive plan was to hang out in the ravine and silo to squeeze some of the bubbles out of the new neoprene. Unfortunately I didn't realize that I'd need Klieg lamps to see my gauges below 40'. At 40' there was enough of a trace of ambient light to see a green haze, but at 41' it was pitch black. The black particulate was so dense I kept mistaking it for the bottom. So I drifted along at 39' for about 45 minutes then finished up the dive cruising the West bank.

I was totally lost for the majority of the dive. The vis did open up to almost 5' every now and then, but that didn't really help. I found the dock by heading for the shallows after I heard some people jumping in. After braving my way through an incredible silt storm, I finally saw a dark shadow which thankfully had my familiar stairway attached to it.

What's the deal? I've been going to CSSP since they opened and I'm having trouble figuring out why it's gotten this bad.

The scary thing is that I still had fun - it was like diving a place for the first time. It just wasn't enough fun to convince myself to do a second dive.

 

[texdiveguy]

Yea the water conditions have been poor this season,,,,maybe a few of those pool skimmers might help....lol

 

[Texass]

Yeah, but why? Is it just algae, or something more sinister?

 

[ReefHound]

What's the deal? I've been going to CSSP since they opened and I'm having trouble figuring out why it's gotten this bad.

Long time no see, bud. The viz at Twin Lakes in Houston has also been getting worse and worse as the year goes on. Now it's totally wiped out as they have dumped fill dirt all along the sides for some reason.

I was at Travis a few times in the last month and it was pretty bad as well, at least above 100'. It seems to be a phenomenom in all Texas lakes this summer. I guess it might have something to do with our dry summer and high temps.

 

[Foo]

Pumpkin carving in a silt-out also has its disadvantages... me fingers were skeert most of the time. hehe. We had to lay a tarp down and sit/kneel on it while working on our pumpkins, so we caused black/brownouts immediately. I was glad it wasn't my first time in low/no visibility, I probably woulda bailed if it were. Here's hoping the water will clear up very soon, I'm looking forward to some nice long wall diving at CSSP soon.

Foo

 

[Foo]

By the way... I saw all the amazing pics of the Windy Point pumpkins. Now, I gotta ask at least one person to respond who knows, who's been there... did they REALLY do those intricate patterns underwater? Because our pumpkins looked kinda like 3 year olds had carved them, and we were DANG proud of 'em! It's HARD to carve underwater... did those folks use scalpels, or what?

Foo