help me choose where to dive

[donnad]

i'm from houston (sugar land), and the only local diving i've done was for our OW in the lovely twin lakes/aka twin ditches as my husband calls it (tee hee) in a lovely february with 55 degree water. since that time everything else has been ocean. but i'm looking to dive in august or september (before water gets cold.......i'm cold natured......don't like the cold thing) before laying off for the winter. i would like decent visibility, like more than 3-4 feet!, somewhere you can go and just make a day trip of it and come back home same evening, (already spent my wad so to speak this summer, so it need to be CHEAP), and hopefully some variety of aquatic life. is the comal river not a good idea.......they are in a drought over there??? what is canyon lake like? compared to lake travis? what other places??? thanks for your help as always. donna

 

[TwoBitTxn]

I would think that the Comal, Travis, and Canyon would be real hard day trips. Lots of driving for little bottom time. Even then, the vis is going to more like 5-10 (maybe). The entire state is in this drought.

Blue lagoon is closer, but no life. You have that new spot being built, but I don't konw the projected open date.

TwoBit

 

[shaggie]

I agree with Two Bit, long drive out here. Probably not a day trip, more like an overnighter. The Comal is a nice shallow dive with good vis probably 15-20ft (usualy). The times I've dove Canyon lake, the vis wasn't as good as at lake travis and too many fallen trees-at least at North Park. Lake Travis, I dove at Bob Wentz park aka Windy Point LCRA side yesterday. The vis from 60-80 ft wasn't half bad, around 10-12 ft with a water temp of 68 deg. Hope this helps. John

 

[NDH]

We make the trip to Comal a day trip. Not bad. If your on the west side of houston its almost like driving to blue logoon, just a little farther but well worth it. We make the trip at least 2 or 3 times a yr. Drive up early do your diving go over to Gruene walk around a bit and make the drive home. Make sure your take your radar detector with you. It makes it a nice day away from houston and the gas is cheaper up there.

 

[donnad]

thanks guys. i'm in sugar land, so we'd probably take the grand parkway over to I-10. is the comal diveable now? (they're in a drought over there, right?). what would the water temp of comal be in aug/sept.?

 

[shaggie]

The Comal stays pretty much full all the times that I've seen it since it is a very short river, I think only a couple of miles long I believe. The temp is pretty much a constant 71 deg year around.

 

[donnad]

thanks shaggie. hmmmmmmmmm71 is a little chilly when ya first get in there i bet.

 

[shaggie]

Yea, this time of year. But wait until Feburary, then it feels like the tropics!

 

[loosebits]

Texas: the best worst diving in the country.

 

[donnad]

loosebits, that was funny! well, i'm not about to go out there in february. remember, i did my OW in the lovely twin lakes in february of 2004 in 55 degree water with no visibility (ok, 3-4 feet MAYBE). so i'm not sticking my toe in any body of water anywhere around here in february again! let's say it was not fun. not to mention you freeze to death when you get out of the water!! but at least the instructor was heating up water in a turkey fryer for us to pour down our suits in between dives.