Windy Point - Why the Price Increase?

[Teknadv3x]

Well, I quit going to private last time he wouldn't let me in because I had the pup with me( offered to pay entry for him too) and prices were still $10 then.QUOTE]



Not allowing pets in the park is a very good Idea. I know your a Dog lover, but not everyone is. So do not hold that against Richard. He is just doing a little prevention. A bad day of diving could be when I step in a pile of Dog crap or the animal gets into my food or even worse the animal chews up a piece of my gear. Its at that moment when I am so very sorry does not cut it.

Dave

 

[LVX]

It's a bit of a hump down to the water. There are 2 picnic tables under a pavillion so if you get there early you can claim that area. Otherwise, most people gear up in the parking lot and walk it down. From your car (depending on your parking spot) it's maybe 70 feet to the stairs (you can take a ramp or a rough stone short-cut down the hill) to the top of the stairs. There are about 20 steps I guess. These numbers are guesses off the top of my head - if anyone wants to go measure it, be my guest! Anyway, it's a little bit of a trip to get to the water but not really bad. The steps are much worse on the way up, of course.

Anyway, another thing about Mansfield is that it is a more advanced dive. Most of the stuff to see is 50'+ and there's not a lot of anything in the shallows except dead twiggy brush and rocks. Oh, and a toilet, a teeny skiff, and an unnamed square object in the 20-30 range. I have found some nasty cable in Mansfield. And I must disagree with Pvillestang- I think viz at WP is much better on an average day IF you swim away from the OW classes. Less fishes at Mansfield, too.

If you're looking for something more challenging, though, Mansfield is the place you want to be. IMO If you want to be social, watch fishies, or take students, then you should stick with WP. Both great dive spots just depends on what you need.

Hopefully someone will chime in with pics.

Happy diving!

Generally I agree that Mansfield does provide better vis. I would say that is a little deeper however. Still, there is plenty to see in the shallows. Not sure what you mean when you say there is nothing there but twigs and rocks. There is less fish however. I have also taken students out to Mansfield several times. There is nothing to it.

 

[NadMat]

Not allowing pets in the park is a very good Idea. I know your a Dog lover, but not everyone is. So do not hold that against Richard. He is just doing a little prevention. A bad day of diving could be when I step in a pile of Dog crap or the animal gets into my food or even worse the animal chews up a piece of my gear. Its at that moment when I am so very sorry does not cut it.

Dave

Not so much holding it against Richard, just pointing out that it was not really worth it to me at 10 bucks a head to get into a 'family park' that won't allow all the family in, at 15 there is no way.

I understand about the dog crap deal, I clean up after my dog in high use public areas but realize that many do not. But I also know I have seen dogs in park in past, so apparently the no dogs rule is recent or else doesn't apply to everyone equally. As a consumer, I spend my money where my needs are best served, other sites serve those needs more fully for less. YMMV

 

[LnghrnDiver]

Mansfield is a good site for deep dives as well. Keep your right hand on the dam going down,left hand on it coming up.Makes it hard to get lost even in the worst viz! Also has the advantage of not having any trees to get tangled up in (although there are some rather thick cables)

Another good thing about Mansfield is that it does not close at dark.

I'm pretty new to the sport and due to that cost are high since I have to rent most of my gear. My fiance and I dive together too, so this doubles the cost. We went to WPP a few weeks ago for our first dive this summer since it's familiar. After that weekend we had to eat "Ramen noodles" for awhile since we were so broke, but it was worth it just to dive. Now that we've got our feet wet again it'll be easier to try cheaper less familiar locations.
I've been to mansfield once last summer and liked it. I wanted to take my fiance to mansfield instead of WPP for our first dive, but I feel this would be a little intimidating being unfamiliar to her and the HUMMMM you hear the deeper you go. After reading your post I'm very interested. I want to be able to dive along the dam as you describe, but have always thought there's a risk of being sucked in through the water gates. Is this not a concern?

 

[NadMat]

Normally they only have the generator intakes open, on the far side of damn from the dive park, and grates over the entrances anyway. I wouldn't usually be diving Travis if they had all flood gates open anyway, means the lakes flooded and probably all kinds of crap(literally) in the water.

 

[ianr33]

I want to be able to dive along the dam as you describe, but have always thought there's a risk of being sucked in through the water gates. Is this not a concern?

Not a concern. There is a heavy steel cage (jailhouse) that stops you getting real close to the dam. It gets dived a lot,never heard of anybody having a problem.

To see the jailhouses at recreational depths the best way to do the dive is to follow the base of the concrete dam down to whatever depth you are planning on,then swim horizontally along the dam for aways until you meet the first of the jailhouses.When you turn just gradually work your way more shallow.(Jailhouses go the full height of the dam)

Base of the dam away from the shore is pretty deep,something like 160 with a full lake so pay attention to your depth.While swimming along the dam it will look rather black and ominous below you.

 

[PvilleStang]

Well, I just have to say, this is definitely the nail in the coffin for me. Price increase on Air Fills is ridiculous (not to mention you get a hot fill and it cools to ~80% of fill pressure). Now with the increase in park entry, it's definitely broken the camel's back (and pocketbook). Hopefully he sells the park for what he wants before he ends up with his back against the wall and the County's offer seems too good to pass up. But until then, I'll be enjoying other dive parks, or doing a bit of a SS to WP from Bob Wentz.

As for Mansfield, I've seen far better viz down deep in the fall (~30'-40') than I've ever seen at Windy Point in 4 years or so of diving. Another perk is that there aren't trees to worry yourself over at Mansfield (I know of one around 145' but it's just a few main branches, no entanglements). Riverbed Access is much easier, and 75 bucks gets my gear wet all year, not just 5 days of it.

Oh, and John, don't forget the one ski-type boat hanging out around 145, for those so inclined.

 

[k-valve]

Another perk is that there aren't trees to worry yourself over at Mansfield (I know of one around 145' but it's just a few main branches, no entanglements).

That's a disadvantage, man...not a perk!!! Where's your sense of adventure???

 

[jac]

Richard told me in March that he was planning to jac the price.

quote]

don't drag me into this!

 

[Trimix2dive]

Interesting reading especially since the $75 dollars gets you into any state park.