Possum Kingdom Lake report

[Debraw]

Troy and I took out our new ( used) boat that we purchased last week. It is an 19 foot Mariah Shabah boat. We loaded up the dive gear and it fit well within the boat. We could probably get one to two more people on there with gear but it would be packed with four. We launched at public use dock #3. We took our time and made Scuba Point our first stop. We picked up a dive flag that fit on our light pole at the store. While we were there Ann told us that Scuba Point has sold and it will not remain a scuba park. They are moving the store up the road and are going to run some boat trips. Looks like another beautiful expensive lake home will be built on what is really a historic dive site at PK. I took some pictures of what is surely to be one of the last remaining weekends of Scuba Point. Divers there reported 6 foot visibility but up to 10 feet at Governor's Cove. We headed back towards Hell's Gate but on our way there we ran across the wake of a 30 foot boat ( or bigger we are not sure) and we were airborne within seconds. I think I lifted out of my seat at least 3 to 5 feet and landed hard on the left side of the boat. I bruised my ribs, lower shoulder and scraped my waist. I did get a couple of x-rays and nothing is broken, just a lot of heavy bruising. Troy got a nasty knee bruise and Clifford the dog was shaken up. After we caught our breath and I mean that literally we made a small tour of Hell's Gate and mapped and sonared the bottom but skipped the diving. I was just to scared and bruised up to dive. We went back kind of slow and made a pass by the PK state park and sonared the bottom to look for a old time truck we had seen underwater in about 20 feet around 7 or 8 years ago. We think we found it but we will have to go back at another time to dive it and get some pictures. I am almost sure no one knows it is there or cares that it is there. It reminds me of a 1950's milk truck or maybe older. Hard to say and my brain maybe fuzzy with the memory. The water was high, stained, and cloudy. It's really a shame. We loved PK back in the day. We look foward to heading back out there. I was glad we took the boat out, got some more experience with it and it looks like we can use it fairly well for diving in the future.

 

[Debraw]

Here is a picture of Hell's Gate, Clifford the dog and the boat ( no name....yet)

 

[texdiveguy]

Debra.... wow you guys had a full day....so sorry to hear of the boating incident...glad though it was not worse--scary. I knew the dive shop was up for sale but not aware it had sold and of its future plans....sorry to see it go. Hope you get to feeling much better in the week ahead....we need to hook-up and chat. Tell Troy HI and talk to you soon.

 

[ScubaTexan]

Wow, Debra, I'm really sorry to hear about your mishap. I hope you heal quickly, although it's going to be a little difficult to breathe with bruised ribs for awhile (been there, done that). I'm also sorry to hear that Scuba Point is closing, too. I'd like to dive it one time before it closes.

 

[Foo]

Wow, that's skeery. One time we were in a barge that almost capsized. It took on a lot of water, and it was plenty skeery, also. I'm sorry you and Troy were injured, and I guess you'll never forget your inaugural trip on that boat! Hope your future trips are relatively uneventful, ha.

Thanks also for the report on Scuba Point. I regret never making it out there.

 

[Debraw]

I feel like I got run over by the boat this morning. I have a lot more soreness in a lot more places that I wasn't expecting. Thank you for the kind words, I appreciate it. I think I may take it easy today. I had planned on finishing up cleaning out my attic, but i think I may sit here and surf the net a bit longer.....ugh.

 

[Guba]

Hi, Debra
Very sorry to hear about your mishap, but it's good to learn that ya'll weren't more seriously injured. Those big boats can certainly throw a huge wake, that's for sure.
I, too, was sad to hear that the Point would be closing. I was there about a month ago, so it was encouraging to hear from them that they would still have a shop...just not on the lake. Still, it's sad to see such an iconic establishment change in such a drastic way.
We dove Hell's gate and vis was fair on the north side, but pretty poor on the south. We had fun, though and raised a couple of lost anchors.
Hope ya'll get to feeling better soon. Just don't name the boat "Titanic", all right?

 

[Joe-Diver]

Those big boats sure can throw a huge wake. Glad y'all weren't seriously hurt! On a good note, if you get a Waveruner...seek out those big boats!!

I too am deeply saddened by Scuba Point closing. I don't know what to think...change is inevitable and all, but this really is a huge loss to the diving community. My personal history goes back to the 70's as a young teen swimming and playing there, watching the divers. It was always a stop for us when out on the lake. Then later in the early 80's when I first got certified, we dove so much there. I continued diving there over the years, never tiring of that big cliff or moonscape bottom...seeing vis as good as 30' at times down deep and cold. I even did my Discover Local Diving for DM there back in June.

I just don't know what I'll do if I can't hand crawl out the shallows to the edge of the cliff where the water clears, and head down into the darkness. I'm very sad.

:broken_he::crying2::broken_he::crying2:

 

[Debraw]

Yep, times they are a changing. It must be very hard for Ann. A lot of memories in 50 years. I am up around today with 3 kinds of medication for pain, inflammation and muscle spasms. I am lucky I did not get tossed out of the boat. I definitely will watch for the big boats next time. I did not realize how much of a wake they can throw.

 

[Timeliner]

Debra.... I know a young, good lookin' punk like you should be able to take a bit of bangin' around on a boat. I bet you heal up pretty fast too. I hope so . Besdies you probablly still owe me a couple of hard whacks to the head anyway right ?? That should give you some incentive to get well quick.......
In fact....I bet you feel stronger already !!

You can thank me later...


I can see PK in my future during the December season. I have to head out to Brownwood for a couple of days too so I might venture into that mud hole lake they have near there and hit PK on the return trip.

If I plan it right I could do the Missile Silo, Lake Brownwood and PK all in one trip.

I love mud .........