By Tommy Smedley September 30, 2008
I went to the farm yesterday afternoon and stopped at Kowaliga on the way up. I heard from a couple of weeks ago that the conditions were great and wanted to see for myself.
The water level is down almost three-feet from full pool and is slightly murky. Water temperature is a constant 75 degrees and I did not feel a thermocline. My maximum depth was 42 feet and I was comfortable throughout two-hours of bottom time with a three-millimeter suit.
I started with the old boats and angled into the span on the western side. I stayed out away from the rubble hoping for that elusive treasure that just might turn up. Visibility ranged from zero to about 12 feet. At the shallow area I came in close to the span hoping to spot the elusive freshwater jellyfish.
Large concrete pilings marked the structures end and I spent some time looking around at the twisted rubble. Then I felt the presence of something big. A stripe bass more than two-feet long passed right in front of me. I thought at first it was a Tarpon. Aside from catfish this is the biggest creature that I have seen in the lake. He went by pretty quickly but then his fishy curiosity took over and he came back for a second look.
I came back along the eastern side and again stayed away from the rubble looking for a nice bottle or treasure of some sort. I am amazed at how many lawn chairs lay strewn about the bottom.
I crossed the rubble and intersected with the large fiber-optic cable thinking that I would go directly to the exit but instead checked out the old boats once again. Throughout the dive I didnt hear a single boat motor nice!
Only two-weeks ago divers reported temperature at 80 degrees and over a short period it has dropped to 75. It looks like the days of just jumping in with a swimsuit are nearing an end for this year.
I went to the farm yesterday afternoon and stopped at Kowaliga on the way up. I heard from a couple of weeks ago that the conditions were great and wanted to see for myself.
The water level is down almost three-feet from full pool and is slightly murky. Water temperature is a constant 75 degrees and I did not feel a thermocline. My maximum depth was 42 feet and I was comfortable throughout two-hours of bottom time with a three-millimeter suit.
I started with the old boats and angled into the span on the western side. I stayed out away from the rubble hoping for that elusive treasure that just might turn up. Visibility ranged from zero to about 12 feet. At the shallow area I came in close to the span hoping to spot the elusive freshwater jellyfish.
Large concrete pilings marked the structures end and I spent some time looking around at the twisted rubble. Then I felt the presence of something big. A stripe bass more than two-feet long passed right in front of me. I thought at first it was a Tarpon. Aside from catfish this is the biggest creature that I have seen in the lake. He went by pretty quickly but then his fishy curiosity took over and he came back for a second look.
I came back along the eastern side and again stayed away from the rubble looking for a nice bottle or treasure of some sort. I am amazed at how many lawn chairs lay strewn about the bottom.
I crossed the rubble and intersected with the large fiber-optic cable thinking that I would go directly to the exit but instead checked out the old boats once again. Throughout the dive I didnt hear a single boat motor nice!
Only two-weeks ago divers reported temperature at 80 degrees and over a short period it has dropped to 75. It looks like the days of just jumping in with a swimsuit are nearing an end for this year.
