Lake Murray- Dive report 05.20.06

[Crazyduck]

Well went out on the road this weekend and did a little diving.
Lake Murray Oklahoma.

General dive info-
Dive Flag- required and they mean it!
Next project- thank you Frank for bringing your float/flag.
Boat traffic-HEAVY- bass boats, cigar boats, seadoos, wave runners, you named it- it was out.
Temps- Surface 72 degrees at 70ft it was 62 degrees.
Visibility – Surface not bad 5 to 7ft lots of light.
40ft decent for buddies
60ft urgh –what happened to the light?
70ft- dagnabbit can’t read my gauges that easily.
Below sixty was just no fun- too much particulate- mud puppy.


Site Old Pump tower near Marietta landing.-
Entry required- mountain goat skills.
However, a Climbing line was put in and it made the trek down a lot easier.
Logged as one dive- with two surface intervals.
Did the platform (crab trap) at 60-70ft.

Dropped my computer and watch during the entry- opps… found it.. :11:
Found a car nearby with attached line that dropped till 75ft.
Hanging off the line at 72ft sweeping my hand under a rock ledge- with nothing below seemed like an old river channel. Without a reel we called it at returned up the line.
Total dive time was 45minutes- two drops to over 70ft and tons of fun.
Climbing out was challenge, but we made it.
Two buddy teams- Alan and Frank plus Chip and Me and we dove as a general group.

Cove off of Marietta Landing-
Uhhh… best described as an open water site.
Little dive park with boats, and cars. After circling the wagons twice we ventured out into the channel. Dive Park was a depth of 15 to 25ft. Channel was open flats with max depth of 45ft after a lot of swimming (gradual grade.)
We exited and they had pulled the markers and lines so the swim in was interesting.
Dive time of 30 minutes.

Drysuits were good but time to break out the 5mil’s. Alan had his out and it was probably a good choice.

Nice meeting everyone… and I look forward to diving with the group in the future.

Stay wet-be happy, Andrew

 

[Timeliner]

Good to meet up with you Andrew and Chip. I had a great time !

Alan said we'd meet 9 Amish.
Thats alot of folks.....
They never did show up though. :huh:
Too bad because I was really interested in seeing what sort of gear those guys were going to use. ( hand carved probably)

Chris ... 'good to meet you and tour the pond. We'll do it again someday.


Andrew...I was telling Alan that You seem like the kind of guy that is just begging to have people play with your mind. I really enjoy that kind of person
It's fun to mess with people but I have to expect the pay back that is involved.

BTW...I still think you guys should fill your tanks all the way instead of 32%
Boy you sure made it last a long time though. Good Gas management

Alan as usual is an unusually great buddy. It was a good day and nodody got caught in the crab trap It was even more freaky then the last time I saw it.
We have to go back and see where that rope leading off the back of that old car finally goes to.

 

[Crazyduck]

Mess with my mind- now that’s easily done!
Had too much Nitrogen in the past on dives.
I used to dive with a friend that got the giggles at depth- talk about a fun time! I am not saying how deep; just deep.
It was like being at a comedy event. My jaw used to hurt from sympathetic giggling at depth and trying to hold on to the regulator in my mouth; dang that nitrogen was good! We functioned just fine- but looked like a pair of Muppets.

Ok, you have to start mountain goat climbing classes on how to climb while in dive gear.
“Franks diving and climbing school!”
Diving outside a dive park was a blast thank you for being our guide!
I owe you and Alan a beer.
Amish… bathhouse…all the same among friends.

I would like to checkout the cliff at 70ft. Tie in a float at the rock for emergency up line. Tie in a strobe or tank marker- to mark the connection.
Then we can tie in a primary reel and see where it goes. I would be tempted to take independent gas supply. Biggest problem is going to be the particulate in the water and the lack of light. Running into things with severe limited vis is bad…
Does the lake clear at any time or is it down hill from here?

Sounds like we need to get a group together for Broken Bow and adventures into into the unknown- Arkansas.

Later, Andrew

 

[scubanick]

sounds like the Lake Murray we have in SC

 

[Lukiedukie]

You might be able to talk me into a trip to Broken Bow, I kind of wish I would have be able to make the trip to Murray on Saturday with you guys. Sounds like I missed a fun trip

 

[Timeliner]

Running into things with severe limited vis is bad…
Does the lake clear at any time or is it down hill from here?

Sounds like we need to get a group together for Broken Bow and adventures into into the unknown- Arkansas.

Later, Andrew

That was the worst Vis. I've ever seen there so things may improve a bit though not by a whole lot in the deep end. You should be able to get at least 3 feet most of the time down there though. You can usually expext at least 6 and up to 15+ in the shallower areas. It changes all the time. Some days you just get lucky.

I think you'd enjoy Broken Bow. I'll be going Up there over Memorial Day Weekend. Alan should be up there as well. The Dive Rebels will be up there too.

 

[texdiveguy]

Hey guys THANKS for the fun dives!! Man that 'Crab Trap' was really bad vis...but does make for a cool dive....Frank and I were down to Helen Keller communications which over this past winter we have to a science! Andrew it was a pleasure getting back in the water with you after the long absence from diving together,,,we def. need to hook-up again for some bottom prowling,,it was nice meeting Chip...glad you guys got in another dive later in the day. Frank we need to get the group together like you said for a trek down the 'car' line....I am game. It was nice meeting Chris,,,we 3 had a super relaxing wall dive. Great day at the lake!!

 

[Willie]

Thanks for the report folks. I had a nice weekend at Travis or I would be quite envious. Makes me look forward to next time though.

Willie

 

[Jethroish]

Andrew,
Where did you enter the cove? One of the little inlets just past the tent camping area? If I remember right, you can drive past the tent area 50 to 100 feet and there are 2 good entry points.
Wife and I have dove Murray but just near the steel tower. I would love to find the little dive park.
We make at least on trip a year down there, for about 5 days. It's a 3 hour drive from Tulsa. We just park the fifth wheel rv at marrietta landing campground. Never made the mountain goat hike. Just tie off the boat to the tower and put the flag up. Daughter usually sits in the boat with the radio on.
Can't wait to get down there.
Thanks for the report.
Bronson

 

[Crazyduck]

When you enter the landing- head to the left side.
The dirt road follows the lake for 100ft and then forks. Continue straight along the front following the shore and you head back another 100 plus feet. Please be careful lots of rocks and trees- truck suggested. From there we followed the path to the end of the point and they have a little cove. Suggest booties with sneaker soles- lots of rocks.

When you enter the water, center yourself in the cove and turn about 30 degrees right and that should run you right into the platform. Shallow depths 15-25ft, 32 ft for one item.
Please bring a Dive Flag- there were boats everywhere in the cove. Often they roll through the no wake zone and threw out an anchor to hangout. If heading out into the cove please have a compass and take a bearing so you know how to get home. There is no good land marks and the slope is very gradual.

Stay wet, be happy,
Andrew