Turquiose Lake August 16 or 17

[Waterskier1]

I'm still planning on going too. Will leave around 7:00 tonight. I heard there is a 100 mile marathon taking place in Leadville this weekend. I don't expect it to make much difference in diving, but maybe in the number of people coming to Leadville and leaving. I don't know what day it starts or ends.

I'll have my Blackberry with me, along with my cell phone if anyone wants to get in touch with the Colorado Springs group.

Ninmick, are you still planning on joining our camping group? I just heard Jeromy isn't able to make this trip

 

[Nimnick]

Friends..... looking at the sky. I'll pass. I already know it's gonna suck. "Just because we can doesn't mean we hafta." You folks dress warm and build a BIG fire. Take care.... Paul H.

 

[Laustimus]

I'll still be there also

Austin

 

[RonFrank]

Gotta give it to the CO divers! They are a hearty group.

Vis is good to be poor with all the run off from the rain. I really hope it is not, but I've been there and done that. Maybe Leadville is not getting the rain we are, but basically it's been raining here now for close to 36 hours (on, and off, mostly on!).

Have fun guys, and stay dry and warm!

 

[Laustimus]

It was a good turnout of people was cool to see everyone and meet Waterskier1 and some of the guys from that Colo Springs dive shop.

Vis wasn't too bad, prolly 8-15 feet depending on depth, some areas you could tell the runoff was in effect it was bad. En Bloc and I got down to about 55 feet (not corrected) was about 43 degrees down there, formed ice on my goatee that was neat

We saw drizzle, rain, hail, snow and sun, very Colorado weather. All together fun time

 

[En Bloc]

yeah, I got 69 ft (corrected) on the computer, 45 F at depth was my reading. Great vis, better then I expected and above the thermocline it was actually quite nice. not much to see on the bottom but great to go diving in the mountians. one last thing, two minutes after the hail, then sun came out again, but we already where packed up and it was getting late. although, I found it humorous watching the hail bounce off the hoods. I didn't even really feel it

as Laustimus said, we saw sun, complete overcast, rain, sleet, snow, hail, thunder and lightning all in one day, and we still went diving....
It was a large drive from Fort Collins, but I had a great time. when's the next dive!?!?!?!

 

[Waterskier1]

It was a good trip overall. When we left Colo Spgs on Friday @ 7:30PM, it was 43* out and raining/drizzeling. By the time we crossed Wilkerson Pass and started down the clouds/fog cleared and it was 57* out! We saw hail piled up along the side of the road (Hwy 24) but the roads were just damp. It wasn't raining (but had been) when we got to Turquoise Lake. Had camp set up by 10:15. Rained off and on all night but didn't get much below 40*. Lots of lightening and thunder early Sat morning but cleard off and Frank & Lyn (charlieo) fell right in line with the rest of us campers on the way from the campsite to the dive site. Ryan (bikefox) joined soon after. Last time I saw him I was diving wet at Jefferson Lake.:11:

There were about 10-12 of us from Colo Spgs, including some OW and Rescue Students. I showed 57* at 25 ffw diving with some Altitude Speciality divers. The vis was much better and the temp quite a bit warmer than in June. In fact both days the vis was as good or better than any diving I've done in Colorado, but not by much. It was nice meeting Austin (Laustimus) and En Bloc.

Sunday we packed up and went to Twin Lakes for a couple more dives. The vis was about the same at 25 ffw with a temp of 57*. It was better than expected at 50 ffw (10-15 ft) and still 57*. I don't know if there is a thermocline at Twin Lakes (there is a definate one at about 26 ffw at Turqouise) or not, but if there is, it's below 50ffw. I could see my buddy clearly 10 ft away at 50ffw. Last June, we needed lights to see eachother at 25ffw, so a definate improvement.

It was a fun trip, not too cold even though we hit all but the snow that Laustimus spoke of. The coldest part of the trip was getting out of the wet suits for those diving wet. I didn't hear any complaints from anyone, including the little kids, about being cold at the campground.

I think there were about 15 - 20 divers show between Colo Spgs and Denver/Ft. Collins. A nice group considering the weather.

All in all, a good dive trip, to different waters, which I really enjoyed. Blue Hole is warmer, and a great place to train and practice skills, but I like going different places to use those skills.

 

[ddavies]

So instead of having fun with you guys, I painted and installed a toilet. I am beginning to get desperate. I was even thinking of putting my regulator on in the Hot Tub.