Where to dive in the Comal?

[z28pwr]

Hello Fellow SwampDivers, my girlfriend and I havent had the chance to dive in almost two years, therefore as a refresher we wanted to do an easy dive such as the Comal before we go back to Cozumel, but wanted to see where is a good place to enter the river that is not too far from being able to park a car and where one can exit and not have a long walk back to the car. It doesn't matter if we have to pay a parking fee.


Any help would be appreciated.


Thanks.

 

[Jay_SMART_Diver]

See my earlier post: http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=82785

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=89234

 

[Jarrett]

We did this dive in March and its been one of the most enjoyable dives I've done in Texas yet. Here's what we did:

Parked one truck at the farthest back section of Landa *RV* Park. (I emphasize RV because there is a Landa Park as well) I think it was $2 to park in there. We dropped all the gear and all but two divers there. Then we drove two trucks around to the park just before the tube chute(Hinman?) and parked one there. The other driver got back in my truck and we returned to Landa RV Park. That way we could start at the absolute earliest point in the river to get most bottom time. When we finished all divers jumped in the back of the truck and we started over.

We took the dives really slowly. Going from bank to bank in the same section of river looking everything over. We saw a lot of perch, bass, crawfish and a pleco along with railroad spikes and other interesting debris on the bottom. The fiesty crawfish made for a fun time.

The first dive we did was around dusk and the better of the ones we did there due to more crawfish being out and moving. A night dive here would probably be even more enjoyable. The viz in March was pretty high. Not sure exactly how much but maybe 15-20 feet? Plenty for the depth and width of the river.

Hope that info helps. I would love to hit this dive again within the next month or so if there is a group going.

 

[z28pwr]

Thanks guys for the info, unfortunately I pinched a nerve in my back (again) and I'm out of commision for a week or so. I definately want to do this dive, maybe next week depending how fast the swelling goes down.

 

[ReefHound]

OK, I guess it needs to be said that if you've been out of water two years then the proper thing to do is take a refresher course. Besides, the Comal is not really a good practice dive. It's fun to dive but such a different animal than most diving. The current makes it hard to get your weighting down right or practice buoyancy control.

 

[hsnowden]

The Comal River is good for respenting the conditions simular to a Cozumel drift dive. Plus it's a great night dive.

 

[ReefHound]

The Comal River is good for respenting the conditions simular to a Cozumel drift dive. Plus it's a great night dive.

You got to be kidding. They both have current and that's about it. All other aspects of a dive - entry, descent, depth, weighting, trim, buoyancy, ascent, safety stop, surfacing, and exit - are as different as it gets.

 

[hsnowden]

You got to be kidding. They both have current and that's about it. All other aspects of a dive - entry, descent, depth, weighting, trim, buoyancy, ascent, safety stop, surfacing, and exit - are as different as it gets.

I'll agree that Cozumelis a more complex dive. I would aslo agree the Comal River should not be used for certification dives.

Current is what gets most people. Entry, descent, depth, and a safety stop may not be involed, but with buoyancy and trim in a working current things are going to be a lot different than bouyancy in a lake. Weighting going to be different anyway going from fresh to salt water. Comal is good for Learning how to manuver in a current with out running in to things. Really all I'm saying getting in the water anywhere after two years would ge a good idea. Besides, where in the San Antonio area are you going to get a condition like and dive at Cozumel? Medina vis has gone to hell, Canyon Lake and Lake Travis are packed with students tearing vis up.

 

[ReefHound]

Really all I'm saying getting in the water anywhere after two years would ge a good idea.

And all I'm saying is that someone out of water for two years and feeling in need of a "easy" dive as a refresher ought to be getting an actual refresher in a pool with an instructor/DM. Maybe not for an experienced diver who used to dive frequently and just had to take a few years off for some reason but I didn't get that impression.

 

[Hemlon]

I agree with ReefHound on this one:

Take a refresher course. It's a small price to pay and it's almost guaranteed to improve your Cozumel experience.