Some divers don't like river and lake dives

[E-diver]

There is definitely some decent diving to be had around central Texas. The San Marcos river, Aquarena Springs, Canyon lake and of course Travis all have their positives. I let myself get a little snobby and stayed away from the brown water in favor of the nice clear blue variety. But agreed with all the other comments, when you live in Austin, you either find something to like about the local diving...or you're just not diving enough.

 

[RonFrank]

I have dove in some very bad vis, like zero. I generally no longer dive the worst of the worst. If I end up in 3-5 feet vis I don't mind that so much. Low vis makes you a better diver. I was in S. CA and had 80' one day and 10' the next. There I enjoyed the 10' as much as the 80'. Different types of diving for sure. It's all good.

 

[k ellis]

I feel I am a much better diver having dove fresh water so much. It provides unique challenges that are not always common in salt water with such things as little to no visibility making navigation in itself a challenge. Having divemastered classes in the lake it also poses a unique challenge to keep up with your students and maintain a constant eye contact with divers who themselves are not familiar with diving.

As Avon had mentioned himself the lakes in my area as well as his are historical in value as they were once all dry land and with many old towns submerged in the water. I have personally visited an old cemetary under water, a few cars that were both intenionally put there and a few more that were not. I have recovered hundreds of dollars in aluminum cans (Nice to get to do something that both cleans the environment and pays for my air )

Ive seen trees that were submerged reminding me of times when they were once a thriving woods and imagined settlers coming through them with their wagons hundreds of years ago. There is even an old bridge still submerged near Kimberling City Missouri. Diving it is neat in that you see it still sitting where it once did and provided people a chance to cross a creek that now rest 100 feet below the surface as if its still waiting for its next car to go across it.

People view the ocean as lifes swimming pool full of shipwrecks with cargos of Gold still waiting to be found. I view local lakes as windows to the past. Things left in place from decades and even centuries ago. Protected from would be scavengers on land and protected by both history loving divers and laws that protect the archielogical sites.

 

[Guba]

I feel I am a much better diver having dove fresh water so much. It provides unique challenges that are not always common in salt water with such things as little to no visibility making navigation in itself a challenge.QUOTE]

Gotta agree with that. I've told this before, but I think it applies: Aboard the MV Fling, I was chatting with the dive leader and head of a program that takes science teachers to the Flower Gardens each summer. I was a fairly new diver, and the people in charge suggested I get a few more salt dives before we headed out. I did so, but I was curious about why, so I asked. They answered, "Oh, that's just so we would know that you were up to the rigors of diving in the ocean."
I looked at them and replied, "Where I usually dive, vis is about to my fin tips, I wear every stitch of neoprene I own (cold water), I carry 14 pounds of weight, and it's always a challenge to navigate back to our put-in point. Here in the Gulf, vis is 100+ feet, I could wear a bathing suit and t-shirt if I wanted, my weight belt is lighter than it's ever been, and I can see the boat from the bottom. What "rigors" are you talking about???"
Still, it's all good...just different facets of the same fascinating experience.