New dive sites.........

[Iguana Don]

Found out about these last weekend. 3 rock quarries around Arbuckle Lake. These were operating quarries when they hit an underground stream, abandoned when they were flooded.
Cranes, dozers, trucks etc.

Haven't had a chance to check them out yet. They are on private property but guess what, my buddy owns it. Will check them out and maybe we can set up a dive.

Water temp is cold due to underground stream fed.
But viz should be great.

ID

 

[Kane(adian)]

I have wondered (probably blindly) how these quarries came to be abandoned, and all of the equipment left underwater. This thread explains it. Can anyone spell a blonde moment? Maybe I am just to used to seeing lakes, swamps, sloughs and dugouts. Quarries are rare here. Thanks TexasMike, for alleviating my stupidity.

 

[Iguana Don]

Although I am not TexasMike, glad I could help

ID

 

[Texass]

Last year I mainly dove in just my swim trunks. This year I'm looking at drysuits. LOL!

BTW thanks for the info on the Mobby. I was supposed to check it out tonight, but had to postpone it until next week.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Kane,

There are several quarries that we dive around here that filled up very slowly. They were simply abandoned when the operators couldn't keep up or it was no longer feasible to keep up with the water in flow.

There is a spring fed lake in Houston very close to where I grew up that was another story. There was a considerable amount of equipment in a hole that was being dug for some reason or another when something happened and the hole filled up VERY rapidly. Bulldozers, tractors and several dumptrucks were left. It is now owned by an apartment complex that uses it for sailing, swimming, etc. No diving that I know of. The lake is really big.

I have often wondered what dictates the temp of these things. I am thinking rate of inflow has something to do with it as well as the temp of the inflow water.

Tom

 

[TwoBitTxn]

ID,

I have heard of Arbuckel wilderness area. Where is the lake?

Tom

 

[Mitch]

Tom, where is this lake in Houston you were talking about? I am in Houston and can check it out.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Starting from I-10 and Gessner. Go North on Gessner to Hammerly. Turn East (right) on Hammerly. You will go thru a few lights. The next marker light for me is Blalock. Its not far past Blalock. It will be on your left. The name of the Apts is Spring Lake and the lake is behind the complex. It will probably be easier to get to from Hollister. I know there is a little c-store at hollister and Hammerly. Turn left onto Hollister and it will be on the left. I can't remember if there is a light at Hollister and Hammerly.

Tom

 

[Mitch]

Thanks, Tom, I know exactly where you're talking about. I, myself, grew up not too far from there in the area of W. Little York & N. Houston-Rosslyn. In my (much) younger days, I spent a lot of time in that area you are talking about. Right now, I live on the east side of Houston in Deer Park, but if a job possibility I interviewed today with comes through, I will be moving back over to the NW side.

If it is anything like some of the lakes like that that I have heard about, I am sure a resident or two that of that complex has probably tried out their dive gear in that lake. Another member of the dive club I am with lives on a lake similar to that one, once a year, he hosts a "dive picnic" at his house.

 

[TexasMike]

Iggie Don....

Ooh ooh ooh ooh....I wanna go!!!! Swamp diving is all about exploring new places! And getting to the Arbuckle area is not that far for me (1.5hrs or so). When are you going to try these places out? I got my cold water gear set, and it would be nice to try out some "Virgin" territory.

And we need convince your buddy that it can be profitable to turn these into dive sites. Even with the cold, they havre one thing going Terrel doesn't. In place dive attractions.

Can be there Sunday if you can. And hey, perhaps I can now have the infamous gecko stamp in my log book!