Dive Site Ideas

[NSDiver]

Here's the situation: I just recently got certified, and my dad just took his Scuba refresher course so he could dive with me - hasn't been diving since the late 70s when he had some problems with his ears. I'm going home this weekend for Thanksgiving, and I should have a day (probably a Wednesday, maybe a Friday) to go diving with him.

Does anyone know of any good sites within a few hours of Kansas City where we could go? Hopefully not too tough or too deep - he still has ear problems occasionally. I have been to Beaver Lake before (not diving though), heard of Oronogo and Bonne Terre - is there anything else?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[bgray]

Oronogo would be the closest place with decent vis. but unfortunately they are only open on weekends. After that I would probably choose the Dewey Short center at Table Rock Lake Dam. That however is about a 4hr. drive. Maybe you could make a nice weekend with the family in Branson. I believe Silver Dollar City will have started their holiday festivities. Good luck.

 

[cummings66]

Something eles to consider, if Scuba Sports is still doing the boat tours I'd do that as well. You'll find at TableRock your vis can range from 5 feet to 30 or 40 feet depending on where you go. The enchanted forest seemed to me to have the best vis of all the places I've been.

The cheapest place would be Dewey Short and so far it's free, I think next year they'll be charging for diving, at least that's what the ranger told me when he stopped me to ask if the diving gear was mine. He also asked me to tell others I meet of the upcoming change. I hope he had things wrong. I also didn't ask how much it would cost.

 

[NSDiver]

Thanks for the tips - we ended up heading down to Beaver Lake today and doing two dives on the North Dam Site. The lake was down several feet, but the visibility was pretty good (25-30 feet). Got pretty cold around 80 feet - about 50 degrees or so.

The guys at C&J sports south of the dam told us that there was a sailboat at 60 feet with a piece of twine leading the way. On the second dive we followed the line down to 60 feet and could see down to at least 70, and didn't see a boat. Oh well. Saw lots of statues on the second dive (headless elephant, headless eagle, and a cactus), and the perch were extremely curious.

First dive was pretty good too - the submerged forest was neat, though there was alot of fishing line on it. Quite a few big fish down there too. Dad found a nice pair of sunglasses, all I found was an antique beer can that looked like it had been there since before the river was dammed.

Had a nice couple of dives - would have been a little better if I had been using my own wetsuit (Bare Velocity 7/6 with 5mm Hooded vest), the Harvey's suit they gave me a was a piece of crap - water was flowing all over in there, though it fit snug in the shop.

Again, thanks for the tips - hope you enjoyed the trip report.

-Nick

 

[cummings66]

I'd say it sounds like you had a good trip then. The temps actually were kind of warm then because it's normally in the 40's down deeper. Are you planning on more dives?

 

[NSDiver]

I'd say it sounds like you had a good trip then. The temps actually were kind of warm then because it's normally in the 40's down deeper. Are you planning on more dives?

Yeah - the trip was overall pretty good. The water was still getting colder past our maximum depth (77 feet), so I'm not sure I would have ventured much farther. Beaver didn't have the dramatic thermocline that I was used to though.

I'm headed back to Maryland on Sunday, so probably the only diving the rest of the winter I'll do is the "chilly willy" dives that the dive shop in Fairfax does at Millbrook Quarry.

Take care.

-Nick

 

[cummings66]

I have a belief that anytime I can get wet I had a good time. Sounds like you're about the same.