Table Rock Conditions (@ Dam)

[wb5plj]

Well,
Chris and I went down to Table Rock Lake yesterday and dove the Dam. The Lake was definatly higher than I have ever dove it, I'm guessing about 15' higher. The stairs you walk down to get to the rocks and then usually have to walk down some of the large block rocks to get to the water... Well the Stairs where under the water at the point where they turned. consequently it is a very easy entry Surprisingly the Visibility was not bad at all. at 15' it was only five to eight feet. but at 30' (which would normally be 15 I guess) it was 25'. We did not go beyond 45 feet where the visibility was about 30'. The first thermocline was right at 30' and other divers told me the second one was at 60'. It was 66 degrees at 32' and it didn't seam to get any colder at 45' (hahahahaha, dry suit, yea I know any rate just FYI

 

[mm2002]

The entry is nice huh!
So how did you gauge the vis? We dove it Saturday, and I was guessing vis in the 15 to 20 ft range between 30-50 ft. Upwards of 15, it was near zero most of the time. Still some good diving down there considering what that lake has been through.

 

[SteveC]

That’s a good question regarding gauging the visibility. The generally excepted definition is the horizontal distance that you can recognize another diver. And to make it a little more accurate than just guessing, it helps to have a spool with knots tied every 5’. Hand the end to your buddy and take off. Watch the knots as they reel out and when your buddy starts looking pretty fuzzy, that’s it. About 30’ of line is all you really need.

 

[wb5plj]

horizontally to be sure. I let her get about four lengths away from me while she was still in diving position when she looked back I could see her "what are you doing" expression so I figure 25' that was at 31. I don't often actually take a measure with me but just use a reference. The distance away that you can pick out individual divers in a group is what I often use. Of course that assumes that you are accurately dismissing things like bright yellow tanks etc.. I try to look at faces or identify expressions etc, it is qualitative... hampered by the mask and hood but there you have it.

Yea nice entry, no climbing over rocks, by the time you are at the bottom of the stairs you are floating

I was very impressed with how clear it was. I figured that it would be junk for most if not all of the season. Shallower though and it is all top soil floating around in the water. but by far not the worse I have dove

I felt sorry for one couple down there. They where not very experienced with muck diving you could tell, but they seamed to have fun all the same.

 

[mm2002]

That’s a good question regarding gauging the visibility. The generally excepted definition is the horizontal distance that you can recognize another diver. And to make it a little more accurate than just guessing, it helps to have a spool with knots tied every 5’. Hand the end to your buddy and take off. Watch the knots as they reel out and when your buddy starts looking pretty fuzzy, that’s it. About 30’ of line is all you really need.

Ya know, now that you mention it, I remember seeing you guys stretching that string out. I was wondering what the heck you were doing. Very cool idea!