New Diver from Texas

[mcohen1021]

Welcome to the forum!

I think that everyone will agree that inland Texas diving is the best in the world, 2nd maybe only to your typical Caribbean destinations.

 

[Tigerpaw]

I have done it about 8 times (16 attempts with 50% of success rate due to bad weathers) since 2005 and only one time I got blown away by the current. It was my fault for not holding on the anchor line during descending. Once you are at the bottom, the current is pretty much minimal.

I'm a bit nervous about currents but I just dove Spiegal Grove a few weeks ago. During ascent everyone was inverted, I had a death grip on the line for sure! Thanks for the reply.

 

[Dan]

I'm a bit nervous about currents but I just dove Spiegal Grove a few weeks ago. During ascent everyone was inverted, I had a death grip on the line for sure! Thanks for the reply.

The boat has trail lines to grab on if you ever slipped off your grip on the mooring line. Also practice launching off your DSMB quickly in case you miss the trail lines.

 

[mcohen1021]

The only thing I found tough about it was the surface was a bit choppy... the constant water beating you in the face I hated... If you tuck your chin down and youlet the waves hit the top of your head instead of your face, you're good. The line down to the anchor is your best friend. And dont get too far from the boat.

 

[Tigerpaw]

The only thing I found tough about it was the surface was a bit choppy... the constant water beating you in the face I hated... If you tuck your chin down and youlet the waves hit the top of your head instead of your face, you're good. The line down to the anchor is your best friend. And dont get too far from the boat.

Thanks, I'm a novice and waves to the face I just don't like it, even with the regulator in my mouth. I'll try the chin down next time in choppy water. Thanks.

 

[mcohen1021]

Thought I might add to that comment about not wandering too far from the boat...

Some of the best things I have seen diving over the last 30+ years was right under the boat. In the flower gardens, I saw both a hammerhead and a manta ray and I had the boat within sight.

On my last night dive @ TnC with Aggressor, I stayed literally under the boat while everyone else was off and away and I had 2 sharks and a cubera snapper (google that bad boy) circling me the entire dive.

A couple of other notes:

1. It is impossible to get lost when doing an oil rig dive and you often get the juvenile silkies come in close.

2. At Stetson bank, they run a guide line to the wall. My suggestion is to follow that guide line to the wall, swim upcurrent until you have 2000 psi left, the swim back same path until you find the guide line. Use the remaining 250 making your way back to the safety stop and end the dive at 500.