I've completed in excess of 1500 dives in Lake Travis since learning to dive there in 1990 and have seen some really neat things by lake standards, but by far the most interesting lake dives I have ever done have been in Lake Amistad. The only dives in Travis that come close are the Windy Point pecan grove on a good day (like about 2 weeks ago) and the Shaker Plant.
Keep in mind, the visibility Cyklon referred to where our exploration project is in progress is in the far upper end of the lake and is in a cove. To draw a parralel to that location you should compare to Lake Travis around the Spicewood area...not good. This would certainly be a wasted trip for wise recreational divers since the cave (including the entrance area) is quite hazardous and is really the only reason to dive up there. The most exciting and gratifying dive of my life was conducted in this cave just a few weeks ago. See www.goodenoughsprings.org
A side project to our cave exploration has included the research and location of 2 significant underwater structures closer to the main basin of the lake. Our dives on these former hydroelectric power houses and dams has given us visibility in the 10'-15' range. Not the "I can see my buddie's light and/or tank" kind of 15', but the "I can see the entire outline of my dive duddie's profile" kind of 15'. Of course now you get my obligatory safety note... WARNING: Do not enter the hydroelectric plant(s) unless you have received the proper training and are adequately experienced. Your's would not be the first dead body removed from inside if you were to drown there.
We have additional leads for submerged structures. There is also at least one ranch house that was above the water when the lake was at it's low, but is now submerged/partially submereged (probably poor vis though). Locals report that the hydrilla beds are a good dive, not the ones you swim from shore, but the ones that are along the top of the wall demarking the old Rio Grange river channel. I know of rock shelters that were above the water line when the lake was down (what some people probably call caves) that are now submerged (Again: overhead training necessary).
It has taken years of diving, many miles on the highway between Austin and Del Rio, and countless hours of research before stumbling across some of these opportunities, but the effort has been rewarding. Ya gotta work a little harder to find interesting inland dives around Texas.
The number 2 reason to dive Amistad is the post-dive chicken fried steak at Cripple Creek Steak House.
-Mike
Keep in mind, the visibility Cyklon referred to where our exploration project is in progress is in the far upper end of the lake and is in a cove. To draw a parralel to that location you should compare to Lake Travis around the Spicewood area...not good. This would certainly be a wasted trip for wise recreational divers since the cave (including the entrance area) is quite hazardous and is really the only reason to dive up there. The most exciting and gratifying dive of my life was conducted in this cave just a few weeks ago. See www.goodenoughsprings.org
A side project to our cave exploration has included the research and location of 2 significant underwater structures closer to the main basin of the lake. Our dives on these former hydroelectric power houses and dams has given us visibility in the 10'-15' range. Not the "I can see my buddie's light and/or tank" kind of 15', but the "I can see the entire outline of my dive duddie's profile" kind of 15'. Of course now you get my obligatory safety note... WARNING: Do not enter the hydroelectric plant(s) unless you have received the proper training and are adequately experienced. Your's would not be the first dead body removed from inside if you were to drown there.
We have additional leads for submerged structures. There is also at least one ranch house that was above the water when the lake was at it's low, but is now submerged/partially submereged (probably poor vis though). Locals report that the hydrilla beds are a good dive, not the ones you swim from shore, but the ones that are along the top of the wall demarking the old Rio Grange river channel. I know of rock shelters that were above the water line when the lake was down (what some people probably call caves) that are now submerged (Again: overhead training necessary).
It has taken years of diving, many miles on the highway between Austin and Del Rio, and countless hours of research before stumbling across some of these opportunities, but the effort has been rewarding. Ya gotta work a little harder to find interesting inland dives around Texas.
The number 2 reason to dive Amistad is the post-dive chicken fried steak at Cripple Creek Steak House.
-Mike
