Dive Oklahoma?

[Hooked-Again]

:06: Just read an article about a scuba dive park in Oklahoma called Tenkiller state Park. The article was pretty informative regarding accomodations; location; etc; etc;
but there was no mention of water temperature; visibility; etc;
Has anyone out there been diving here if so I would be real interested in more information. We're getting a little tired of diving Blue Hole, in Santa Rosa. Would be nice to have another option for a long weekend.

 

[galscuba]

:06: Just read an article about a scuba dive park in Oklahoma called Tenkiller state Park. The article was pretty informative regarding accomodations; location; etc; etc;
but there was no mention of water temperature; visibility; etc;
Has anyone out there been diving here if so I would be real interested in more information. We're getting a little tired of diving Blue Hole, in Santa Rosa. Would be nice to have another option for a long weekend.

There is a scuba park at Tenkiller and I have dove it many times - so much, it has gotten boring. Anyways as for water temperature, it varies greatly from surfact to thermocline. Right now, the temp would be about 81 degrees at the surface with the first thermocline being around 20 feet. The temp can drop as much as 10 degrees at the second thermocline of about 35 feet. As far as visibility, it can vary greatly depending on a number of things, but generally it is pretty decent. The surface viz is usually bad, but it clears off as you get deeper.

Down the road from the scuba park is perhaps a better place to dive called Crappie Point. The viz here is usually one of the best for shore diving Tenkiller. Either way, there are a number of options open to you. I highly recommend Gene's Aqua Pro for getting air fills/rentals.

If you are ever down this way, give me a shout if you need a buddy. Tenkiller is only 2 hours from me and I can make it a day trip easily on a moment's notice (weekends only. Some of us have to work! HA!)

Hope this information helps you! PM me if you have any more questions!

 

[richerso]

Message to GalScuba!
Were you supposed to attend the Surface Interval DDO outing at Marietta Point, Lake Murray a few weeks ago? We missed you! You missed a good time.

We gotta chat some time. Currently I live in Arlington TX. I have lots of family in Muskogee. Graduated OSU in 1995. Go 'Pokes! I have always wanted to dive Tenkiller but the time was never right. I now have my AOW cert! I am ready! I'll probably be in the area some time during the month of December. I'd also like to hear about Stillwater. It's been a while since I've been up there.

John

 

[texdiveguy]

Hey John....just passing thru....HI!!! Alan

 

[galscuba]

Yes, that was me that was supposed to go to the DDO at Murray. That was one of the very few weekends from September through now that I have not dived! We are going to Tenkiller this weekend. I have a buddy coming into town as well, so it should be a blast!

Arlington is not far from here. I have been to CSSP several times and was just there two weeks ago. I would be happy to meet you there sometime in the future! I am up for diving any time! Congrats on your AOW! I just got mine in September. I have since signed up for Nitrox and am contemplating the Rescue class in April. We have booked a liveaboard in February, so I am counting the days!!

I hope to get to dive with you sometime. PM me your email address and we will stay in contact!

 

[richerso]

Galscuba -- we'll have to chat some time.

Hi Alan!

Hooked-Again --
I wish I could offer some diver advice to you about Lake Tenkiller; but I was always a land-lubber while in Oklahoma. I hope to get up there some time soon to dive it. From what I can see from the surface of Tenkiller (and I've spent a lot of time on the surface of Tenkiller), GalScuba has the best information and the correct information on the lake.

Personally, I know that the visibility was way better there about 20 years ago --- before the great state of Arkansas started with their antics but the state of Oklahoma lost that battle at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Also, GalScuba may be referring to the private park that has always been part of Gene's place ??? I think ?? But just recently, April 2005??, an official state sanctioned dive park was opened in the same area within the confines of Tenkiller State Park (state controlled). I don't really think any of this information answers your question but maybe it helps give a better "big" picture view.

 

[mudhole]

Tenkiller is cooling off, now in the mid to upper 60's. The thermocline is deep and going deeper. Visibility is about 12 to 15 feet if the gusting winds aren't stirring up the bottom. The state park dive site is becoming shallow with the lake 11 feet below normal. Crappie point is a good choice now because there is more choice in dive depth. Another good choice is along the North corner of Pine Cove. From the park you can see a bluff, drive around the cove and park and swim to the corner of the bluff. The original river chanel comes in close, and the visibility will usually be excellent. There are some huge boulders that attract fish. The bottom is rocky and deep water is close to shore.

Any lake will change with age. Tenkiller 20 years ago was clearer water, less silt on the bottom. But was worse than Tenkiller 30 years ago. No silt on the bottom. A farm house location off the 2nd island had no silt around the brick foundation. From the top of submerged trees you could see the bottom of the tree. Lake Ouachita in Arkansas was built about the same time as Tenkiller. The watershed for that lake is completely inside the Ouachita National Forest ( No chicken farms). The lake conditions on Ouachita now, looks like Tenkiller 20 years ago.

Tenkiller isn't what it once was, but you can have as good a dive as you ever could.

 

[fire_diver]

Tenkiller is the best dving you can find in Oklahoma. I just read however that there is a large fish-kill going on and that they have discouraged diving for the time being.

The dive park is nice, but usually very crowded on weekends (at least in the summer). The dive park was created by the hard work of Tim Knight who owns Nautical Adventures in cookson (a few miles north of the dive park). He just sunk a plane there a few weeks ago. He is talking with some army contacts to get a tank to drop too. Should be nice when it happens. A boat really helps open up your dive options here! Some great walls and other stes only open to boaters.

 

[richerso]

Is anyone interested in diving Tenkiller, Oklahoma some time during the week of Dec. 24? I know that's right in the middle of Christmas festivities and all. Still, I've wanted to dive Tenkiller since I was six years old and this is probably a good time for me now. I live in Texas now so I don't get back to Oklahoma often.