Smith Lake, AL
- Thread starter philmottrek99and02
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philmottrek99and02
Contributor
Hijack hijack! Thanks everyone for the information. I got a note back from Phil confirming several local divers that frequent Smith Lake. I asked him for contact information.
Howard
ps I have had a recent haircut and shave. I just need to update the photo. Someone else on SB likes my shaggy look ;-)
Howard
ps I have had a recent haircut and shave. I just need to update the photo. Someone else on SB likes my shaggy look ;-)
snepdiver:
I would like to join you all, if you get something going.
mike_s
Contributor
Boomer7:
Dry caves or wet (diveable) caves?
There are some cool caves around here to spelunk in (dry caves). I've been in a lot of them when I was a kid, but not recently. There is a local spelunking group in huntsville that gives tours to many of them.
As for 'wet' caves for cavediving, around here I know of only one. It's on private property owned by a friend of mine. It's a spring about 30-40 feet around that has a very good waterflow out of it. he's not a diver and I'm not a cave diver, so I have never dove in it. The previous owner of the property said some divers went down in it and found an old Model-T Ford. Now when I say cave, it's an open spring that I'm sure goes into some sort of cave/cavern system. I have no clue beyond that assumption.
It's pretty acessible as you can park 10 feet away from it. I'm sure he'd let someone dive in it if asked (with liability releases). I'm betting he'd love to know what's in it. Especially if someone had a video housing and he could watch the tape afterwards. that alone I'm betting would be worth it to him to let someone dive in it, so he could see it. (now don't everyone reading this expect him to open up a cave diving park here....)
Other than that, I don't know of any caves/springs
Diveral
Contributor
My parents have a Lakehouse on Smith Lake and I have access to a large pontoon boat. It's been a while since I have dove the lake. I would be interested in getting with a group that is diving the lake.
As far a caves, I have been in a few around that have streams and lakes inside of them. I've never dove in them as I'm not trained and if I was I would not want to lug all that gear that deep into one of those caves. Most of the caves I've been in that had Lakes required vertical ascents and decents using ropes to get to.
AL
As far a caves, I have been in a few around that have streams and lakes inside of them. I've never dove in them as I'm not trained and if I was I would not want to lug all that gear that deep into one of those caves. Most of the caves I've been in that had Lakes required vertical ascents and decents using ropes to get to.
AL
rdharbis1
Contributor
philmottrek99and02:
Looks like the same guy I had lunch with a few weeks ago!
Don't run off to Smith Lake without us ...
Diveral
Contributor
A forest. There's still lots of trees down there. Have to be careful in some places so you don't get tangled up. My Dad can remember when it filled up.
mike_s
Contributor
Boomer7:
The Dam construction was started in 1957 and put into service in 1961. It's was constructed by Alabama Power. It dammed up the Sipsey river system. The river that flows out of the damn is also stocked with Rainbow trout as it's pretty cold output. I think the outflow goes into the Warrior River. The City of Birminham also has a water intake below the dam for drinking water.
.
The lake has about about 500 miles of shoreline but covers only 21,000 acre's. Depth at the dam is 264 feet. They keep it at "full pool" until about July or so, they they REALLY suck down the water level. I'd say it goes down a good 20 feet (or more). The dock at DiverAL's parents lakehouse is sitting on the lakebed when the water goes down.
The most annoying thing about the lake is that because it's covered with thousands of lake homes, there are thousands of jet ski's (wave runners) on the lake and the run around like mosquittos. If you dive there, becarefull of these idiots on jet-ski's. they have no clue what safe boating is about. (neither do most of the boaters there either, for that matter).
If you go, take a good map. You can buy a lake map at Walmart in the sporting good section that is pretty good. it has local roads on it also. The reason i say take a map is that many of the smaller community roads around the lake don't have official road names or any signs. It's really easy to get lost. For example, even if you had directions to DiverAL's parents lake house, you'd still never find it.
Besides checking with Dive Sports, check with Barracuda Divers in Cullman. With them being closer to the lake, they might have more people with their shop diving it and have more diving info about it.
One more thing... I hear it's COOOOOOLLLLLLDDDD once you go below 10 to 25 feet.
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