Santa Fe or NM Divers?

[Robin @ Kaizen]

Moving back to the Santa Fe area and wondering if there are any Santa Feans active here or other NM divers. Looking for places other than Blue hole to dive in the SF area (maybe a 4-6 hour radius). Variety is the spice of life and after diving Midwest mud puddles, the viz can't get worse!

 

[WarrenZ]

Hi from Las Cruces NM. Right now the local lakes are low due to a long drought. However in Santa Rosa there is blue hole, Rock lake, and Perch lake. South East of Santa Fe is bottomless lakes. That is the list of normal suspects however as lake levels improve so will the diving. But if nothing else the airport in Albuquerque is only an hour away.

 

[boulderjohn]

If you are an experienced diver, the place to go is Rock Lake. The only problem is that access is limited, and you need to dive under the supervision (not a class) of an approved instructor.

 

[Robin @ Kaizen]

Hi from Las Cruces NM. Right now the local lakes are low due to a long drought. However in Santa Rosa there is blue hole, Rock lake, and Perch lake. South East of Santa Fe is bottomless lakes. That is the list of normal suspects however as lake levels improve so will the diving. But if nothing else the airport in Albuquerque is only an hour away.

Thanks, have those in my list. I have heard that Conchas and Ute are both decent too?

 

[Robin @ Kaizen]

If you are an experienced diver, the place to go is Rock Lake. The only problem is that access is limited, and you need to dive under the supervision (not a class) of an approved instructor.

Thanks John. Does being an instructor count? I have read that there are some interesting formations there as well as being quite deep. I know Blue hole is the place everyone likes to go and the viz there is great, but I am kind of looking for other places to do checkout dives and take beginning OW students.

 

[WarrenZ]

Thanks, have those in my list. I have heard that Conchas and Ute are both decent too?

When we did a lake dive trip is was so silted we didn't even get in Conchas was better but not what I would consider good but I haven't been back to see what it was like recently. Usually if the lakes are full they are better vis as the water has more time to drop the silt out.

 

[boulderjohn]

Thanks John. Does being an instructor count? I have read that there are some interesting formations there as well as being quite deep. I know Blue hole is the place everyone likes to go and the viz there is great, but I am kind of looking for other places to do checkout dives and take beginning OW students.

If that is what you are looking or, then the Blue Hole is the place for you. Rock Lake is for experienced divers, and lot of tech training goes on there. If you want to give it a shot, just let me know.

 

[WarrenZ]

Robin I haven't been able to get to rock lake with John but from what I have seen meeting him at Blue Hole he is good people.

 

[boulderjohn]

I was just diving Rock Lake this weekend. I was working with new tech students in shallow depths, but other divers in my group went to the bottom. At my level, visibility was perhaps 50 feet. The ones who went deep (maxed at 250 feet) said they have seen better visibility there, but it was still pretty good. The upper level can get worse in late summer during the algae bloom.

The lake structure is definitely undergoing some changes. We have found places where there have been recent collapses from the cliff walls, some with very large boulders breaking free. We discovered a vent letting in water at about 250 feet last year--about a foot across. That vent is now big enough for someone to go into it. Who knows? It could possibly open up to a deep cave.

 

[Robin @ Kaizen]

Thanks for the info!