looking at a job in Houston

[vetdiver]

Would be more like the Woodlands, actually, taking us further from the coast. Give it to me straight - can I dive there within a 50-mile radius? Any shore diving if we make the trek to the Gulf? Charters look fantastic, but kind of expensive for a common occurrence, unless I looked at the wrong one...then again, given gas prices, I guess I don't blame them!! Do charters down there include air?

We both dive up in New England at least once a month, mainly dry suits. As a North Florida gal, I would love to get out of the Boston area.

Thanks for any info, guys!

 

[WaterWayne]

Good news: The Woodlands is only 80 miles from the coast.
Bad news: "The coast" is Galveston. No diving, although if you search this forum diligently, you'll find one or two threads from stout-hearted divers who claim to have dived one or two spots there, maybe long ago.
Worse news: You have to drive through Houston to get to the coast, even down to catch the Flower Gardens trips out of Freeport. Which brings us back to:
Good news: The Woodlands is (are?) only 90 miles from Freeport, which gives access to the healthiest coral reef in the Western Atlantic, if I paraphrase Archman correctly.

Best news: You'll be in Texas, the only state in the Union with as many as five of the world's six types of terrains (no tundra, thank goodness); no state income tax; and especially for the Woodlands, very near the world-class airport that gets you to places like Cozumel in a couple of hours (less time than it takes to drive through Houston.)

 

[Skyjunky]

You've got your choice of a couple lakes and of course there's the trips to the Flower Gardens out of Freeport.

Other then that you can get a charter out of Galveston or Freeport to some oil rigs. They usually charge around $200 for a day trip. Bring your own air.

No chance of shore dives, unless you like no vis and propellers.

 

[ReefHound]

There are worse places but the fact is that the diving in the area is not spectacular, unless you are willing to travel quite a bit or spend the bucks for offshore charters. There are several lakes within 50 miles but they are basically training ponds, 30-50' depth, 5-20' viz.

The best fresh water diving is Aquarena Springs in San Marcos, a 2-1/2 drive, can be done as a day trip. Constant 70 degrees and windex viz with lots of fish life. And it's FREE once you take the Scientific Diver course. Also in that area are Comal River, used mainly by tubers, a 10' swift river with good viz and fishlife that makes for an interesting drift dive.

About 8 to 10 hours away is Pensacola and the Florida panhandle, where you have lots of economical offshore charters (~$75 for 2-tank dives), decent shore dives, and crystal clear fresh spring dives. It's a long drive but can be done over a long weekend a few times per year. About 7 hours away is South Padre Island with some good offshore dives, but a little more expensive (~$140/2-tank).

At least the water is warm. You won't need a drysuit from May to October, and sometimes the water is too warm, hitting upper 80's. Even in winter, temps seldom get below low 50's.

 

[vetdiver]

Thanks a bunch for your replies. I was worried that it might be a bit further from the coast - the charters are spendy, but we could manage to do them every so often as prolonged day trips (just like up here, I see that diving there may preclude dinners out and a swanky car!). As long as I can get into a lake just to get wet every other weekend, at the very least, I'm good to go...

Will give the job a chance and see what comes of it. Thanks again for your replies!

 

[chairmanTARAC]

Distance in texas is not the same as it is in mass. Most Gulf diving around Galv. Houston is done off Oil Platforms in the gulf of mexico. It is called Rig diving. Every Rig has a different eco system and varies as to fish. The Gulf is a bit different than the Atlantic. C'mon on Down

 

[redacted]

Distance in texas is not the same as it is in mass.

You do have to recalibrate your concept of distance. 50 miles is a trip to the store. 100 mile is dinner out. 200 mile is a day trip to dive. (one way)

I'm not sure how close the blue water comes to Galveston; but in Corpus Christi blue water comes within a couple miles of the shore in Aug/Sept. On most days you can launch a small motor boat or sailboat in the surf and find great diving on inshore rigs.

 

[vetdiver]

You do have to recalibrate your concept of distance. 50 miles is a trip to the store. 100 mile is dinner out. 200 mile is a day trip to dive. (one way)

Yeah, I guess I have to get back into that southern way of thinking about distance. Frankly, driving to Gloucester from our house (about 50 mi each way) can be terrifying simply because of the scary Boston-area highways. Deep, cold wrecks are the safest part of the dive day!!!

Got a call about the job yesterday, so looks like I'll be going forward with this...we'll see how it all pans out.

Again, thanks so much for all the replies. Hope to be hooking up with you guys for some diving in 2007!

 

[Lukiedukie]

Hey Vetdiver? how did you get the handle? Are you a Veteran or are you a animal doc?

 

[vetdiver]

Animal doc, but I am specialized...research geek!

There are a BUNCH of veterinarians here!!