Howdy from Colo Springs

[Waterskier1]

Hi from Colorado Springs :happywave. I’m kind of new to Scuba, just got my OW and AOW certs at Blue Hole last Nov. The water may be 64, but the air was below freezing :icosm13:. Since then, I’ve been to Aruba for one dive, and then last month I spent a week on Bonaire racking up 28 dives. :sprite10: I’m hooked! I love the water, and have been boating and waterskiing for over 40 years. I’m a native of Denver, but moved down here after I graduated from college. I have a ski boat (not rigged for diving – yet) and am part owner in a houseboat on Lake Powell. That’s where I tend to do much of my boating. I would like to get some diving in locally, but I’m really spoiled after Bonaire. 100+ ft visibility, 82 degrees, and all the shore diving you want (including NITROX) for a week! Somehow the local lakes just aren’t too appealing. I’m still putting together my kit, I just bought a back inflate BC, and I’m looking for a regulator set. Originally, I didn’t think I wanted to buy, since I thought I’d be doing most of my diving from cruise ships, and couldn’t see hauling all that stuff. But after Bonaire, I may have changed my mind. I may also look into some tanks, eventually to dive from my boat. Anyone done Pueblo? I know the visibility has to be terrible, especially now with the spring run off. But it’s close (for me). Anyone know if there is a place to get air fills in Pueblo?

I’ll keep watch on here for any trips or get-togethers so I might meet some of you. I’m single, so need a dive buddy too.

-Rick

 

[robint]

my husband did his AI training at Pueblo reservoir 6 years ago - it was May and water temp was 50 degrees, vis was so bad he had to put his mask flat to the student's mask to see if he had cleared it. BAD, bad, baaaaad dive. He said he had an ice cream headache for hours afterwards.
the only other diver I know of who did Pueblo was an AI with our dive shop and he got caught up in fishing line and blew half his tank in 5 minutes trying to get untangled. He said he would never do it again.
so my 2 cents - skip Pueblo.

robint

 

[ABQdiver]

Welcome Waterskier!!

Party boat at Lake Powell??? Sounds like a deal to me!!

 

[Waterskier1]

Well, I guess Pueblo isn't going to work. When I patrolled down there, the then owner of South Shore Marina, Pat, dove a few time to salvage boats that sunk. We stood by the dive site, and I actually "towed" one that sunk earlier off the bottom after he put a tow line on it. He "rode" the boat up, and once on the surface we got it going fast enough to syphon most of the water out. Pretty impressive. He complained how poor the vis was, but without something to reference too, I didn't know. Poor vis in Bonaire standards would be anything below 25 feet!

 

[knotical]

Hi Waterskier1,

Welcome to the Board and to the Oysters. There are a few others on here who call Colorado Springs home. Me, roakey, MtnDiver, you, and . . . well that’s four.

“Lake Pueblo” (AKA Pueblo Reservoir) isn’t the greatest spot for diving, but it’s wet. I’d rate it an advanced dive. One of the local instructors teaches Rescue classes there, but she waits until it’s warmer. I’m not sure if she uses the Rock Canyon swim area (below the dam), or near the Northshore Marina, maybe both.

According to this website, there is a new dive shop in Pueblo that offers air fills:
http://www.aascubaswim.com/
They also mention that they’re trying to get a designated scuba area in the reservoir.

Other “local” dive spots are Aurora and Chatfield Reservoirs (back to your previous home in Denver). Both have established scuba areas, used by nearby dive shops. Both can have reasonable, but not great visibility. All the local dive sites suffer from our limited warm-water season.

best wishes,

 

[Ocean One]

Welcome to the RMO site! Unfiortunately what you say about Pueblo Res is pretty true to most of CO Res. system and lakes. Even up north here it's barely divable most of the year.