Table Rock Lake, 7/15 or 7/18?

[kmarks]

I'm sure this is a long shot, but is anybody in the area up for dive or two at Table Rock lake either Sunday or Wednesday of next week?

I'm going to be staying with my family at Still Waters Resort, very close to Indian Point Dive Center, and on the other side of the lake from the State Park Marina, operated by DiVentures. I'm the only diver in my family, so I am looking for a buddy.

I just got a new BP/W from VDH and am excited to get it wet, so I would have to ask you to be patient with me as I figure a few things out with my new gear.

Also, anybody have any info on the lake, whether you can meet me there or not? I've read that the water is typically in the 70s this time of year, so a 3/2 wet suit is doable. What's the usual visibility? What are the can't miss things to do/see underwater?

 

[Dark Wolf]

Sure wish that I could make it, but have to work both days.

Are you in the area often? If so, maybe a rain check?

70's sounds about right. Not sure what summer visibility is like, as I have only been there in the winter.

I will see if I can find some info on some appropriate sites.

Lobo

 

[kmarks]

Are you in the area often? If so, maybe a rain check?

This is the first time I'll be there. I live near Iowa City and my sister lives just south of Austin, so this is a meet in the middle(ish) vacation for our two families. If we have a good week, we might make it more of a regular thing.

My LDS is a DiVentures, and the club does some trips with the Table Rock Lake location once a month. The July trip is actually the weekend I arrive, but I don't get there until too late on Saturday to join them.

 

[Dark Wolf]

Understood! I will see what I can find after work.

Plus, I am sure some of the people with a lot more experience at Table Rock will chime in shortly.

Lobo

 

[kmarks]

I got a spot on the boat with the club trip. Two people had to rearrange the schedules and moved their Sunday dives to Friday, so I got one of their spots. It sounds like the shop leads their dives in a gaggle, like most places in Cozumel do, so I'll do a "buddy team" with everyone or the one on one with the DM.

 

[Dark Wolf]

Glad you got a spot on the boat!

Hit me up if you get back down this way, maybe work won't be as hectic.

Lobo

 

[Don Rogers]

Wish I was in town those days. We were just in the lake last week for a couple of dives around IP Marina. Water is pretty warm on top, 84 deg, drops down into low seventies at about 20 ft. Vis is not bad, just pretty green. maybe 10 ft or so.
I see your going out with diventures, they are running a daily boat. Try the Enchanted forest, lots of standing timber to dive through. Several small boat wreck scattered around the lake.
Have a great time and let us know when you get down next and maybe I will be around.

 

[Don Rogers]

KMZ file of TRL dive sites
Table Rock Dive Sites.kmz

 

[kmarks]

I did go out with DiVentures on Sunday morning. There were two other divers on the boat, Captain Scott, and DM/Guide Wade. One of the other divers called it before we started, though, because of nosebleeds, so it ended up being just me, Wade, and Josh.

We went to Jake's Point first, where we found a downed cabin cruiser that had been there since about 1995. I'd have to look at my computer again, but I think it was at about 55 feet. It was about 88 degrees on the surface, but dropped to 57 degrees at depth. Back up at around 17 feet, we fed some hot dogs to the fish and Wade tried to point out a large crawfish to me, but it ducked back into a hole in the rocks.

We took about a 30 minute surface interval on the boat and then went to Enchanted Forest. I really liked the first half of this dive, looking up through the trees was cool. We again went to about 60 feet, and it got pretty cold below the thermocline. I was happy that I made the decision to request a 5 mm wet suit, hood, and gloves, instead of trying to go with my 2/3 mm. We spent the last 20 minutes or so poking around right about at 20 feet, looking for some interesting fish. I saw one that was a very Caribbean blue color that looked very out of place for the lake. I'm terrible at fish id, so I have no idea what it was.

Once we were below the thermocline, at about 19-20 feet, it got very clear, though a little dark. I would say we had 15-20 feet of visibility.

I was a little nervous at the start of the day because I was trying out my new BP/W. It turned out to be great and I couldn't have been happier with it. I still need to work on my weighting; I was too heavy with 12 pounds on my belt on the first dive, so I dropped to 10, which was still a bit heavy, and I need to move 2-3 lbs up to one of the cam bands. I got the stainless steel quick release cam straps and I had heard they can be tough to get set up the first time, but they were way easier to set up than I expected.

 

[Don Rogers]

Awesome, glad you had a good time.