Interactive Dive Site Map

I just found a really neat website that shows a map of Texas with pushpins to show the location of many dive sites in Texas!

Here is a screenshot of the website called Texas Dive Sites:

Red pushpins show dive site locations (www.texasdivesites.com)

I hope you find the map helpful; leave a comment if it helps you out or not. I'm still searching through all the pushpins myself. :)

Mammoth Lake

This is a guest post from one of my friends, Grant.

Hey, I'm Grant T. Amanda has been awesome enough to welcome me for a guest post on her blog. I've spent some time researching a new Texas dive site named Mammoth Lake. The lake has an interesting history and is a premiere attraction for divers.

Clute is a town of 10 thousand people hugging the gulf coast of Texas. In 2003, a backhoe uncovered a mammoth in a sand pit. The town and the sand pit gained some notoriety. Shortly after, the owners decided to make a dive site out of it¹.

Red dot shows location of Clute, TX. (Source: Wikipedia²)

Starting with an empty hole as opposed to a lake gave them freedom to build an interesting site. The owners also manage a junk yard, so they're able to look over lots of interesting items to put use. The lake has an old church steeple, a military vehicle renovated to look like a submarine, several boats, and 8-foot metal turtles, to name a few³.

It measures 50 acres in surface area and is around 70 feet deep.

The dive site has been opened to the public. If you're interested in diving in Mammoth lake, there are a few things you need to know⁴:

• Divers pay a $20 fee. 
• Snorkelers pay a $10 fee.
• Primitive camping is available. 
• There is a restaurant on site. 
• BBQ pits are allowed.

Thanks, Grant.
And here's one more picture that I found of Mammoth Lake.

Sunken skeleton & boat at Lake Mammoth (Source: Scuba Board⁵)

Footnotes

[1] Gene Gentrup. (n.d.). 'Mammoth Lake' Filling Up in Southeast Texas. Dive Training. Retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://www.dtmag.com/dive-usa/locations/MammothLake_TX.html

[2] File:TXMap-doton-Clute.PNG. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:TXMap-doton-Clute.PNG

[3] Sandpit owner in Texas wants to create an underwater attraction for scuba divers. (2006, June 14). The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003059902_lake14.html?syndication=rss

[4] Mammoth Lake Scuba Park. (n.d.). Bay Area Divers. Retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://www.bayareadivers.org/map-directions-mammothlake-scubapark-lakejacksontexas.htm

[5] Mammoth Lake. (2011, March). Scuba Board. Retrieved April 26, 2011, from http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/texas-swamp-divers/372943-mammoth-lake.html

Interview: South Padre Diving and Snorkeling

I interviewed my classmate and friend, Janice, who visited South Padre Island. This island is at the southern tip of Texas in the Gulf of Mexico. Janice went with her father on a boat, and he scuba dived in the ocean. Here she shares her experience.
 

Hi, Janice. So when was your trip, and how did it all begin?

I went to South Padre in June last summer, with my dad. We started at a dive shop on the day before his dive, where he made the final reservations and things. It was American Diving, a big blue building.

How was the day your father dove?

He loved it. We both went out on a boat, and I was able to snorkel as he dove. I saw coral, fish, and a barracuda! My dad took lots of photos, and so did the other divers that we were with. 

Here's a picture from Janice's father's dive.

Source: J, 2010

Janice, what would you recommend as advice for people wanting to visit South Padre?

I'd say that if you're diving, make sure to get 2 dives or more each day, because you will fall in love with the beauty. Also, ask for permission to have a mixed scuba and snorkel dive, so that non-divers in your family can snorkel like I did. Plus, be sure to plan in advance all your gear rentals if you need gear - you don't want the dive shop to run out of your size of wetsuit because you didn't plan early!

Thanks again, Janice. 

You're welcome! And I hope everyone enjoys my story and advice!

Podcast: Clear Springs Scuba Park

I'd like to share with everyone a video that I've filmed and compiled of the dive site called Clear Springs Scuba Park (CSSP). Located in Terrell, TX, Clear Springs is an easy park to get to from the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Address

The address of CSSP is:

8131 County Road 346
Terrell, Texas 75161

Phone:
972-524-6820

More Information
A map of the lake, prices, hours, and more details can be found at the official CSSP website (ClearSpringsScubaPark.com).

Interview with a Texas Scuba Diver: Steve

I interviewed an experienced scuba diver, Steve M. I have known Steve for about 5 years, and have been on multiple dives with him. Steve helps out with the Venturing Crew 1020, located in Rowlett, TX. From the Crew 1020 website¹, Venturing

is a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America for young men and women who are 14 through 20 years of age and have completed the eighth grade. Venturing's purpose is to provide positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare them to become responsible and caring adults.

Steve and I are both members of Crew 1020, and I learned how to dive through the Crew’s connection to a dive shop and dive instructors.

Interview

Here are the questions I asked Steve, and what he had to say. Look for the superscript numbers to see the footnotes at the end, which will provide more information on Steve’s answers.

What scuba certifications do you have, or are working on?

I have open water, adventure, advanced, rescue, master scuba diver, dive master and assistant instructor. My specialties include: drift, night, multilevel, peak performance buoyancy, deep, boat, nitrox, equipment, diver propulsion vehicle, coral reef conservation, and underwater naturalist.

OWSI² (Open Water Scuba Instructor) is next, but I’m currently stalled and not sure if I want to be a Scuba Instructor. I started working on Dry Suit in February.

What places have you been diving to in Texas? How many times have you been to each site, and did you do day or night dives there?

I dove at South Padre Island in the Gulf of Mexico for 1 day. It was my favorite; nothing beats an ocean dive, boat trip, diverse sea life and blue water.

Here’s where I’ve been, and for how long:

     Brownsville Ship Channel; 1 day

     Laguna Madre; 2 days plus night dives

     Tyler State Park; 1 day

     Possum Kingdom; 4 days

     Comal River; 4 days plus night dives

     Canyon Lake; 3 days

     Blue Lagoon; 1 day

     Athens Scuba Park; 10 days plus night dives

     Clear Springs Scuba Park; 20 days plus night dives

Do you own any of your gear, or do you rent any parts?

I own all my gear except for a dry suit.

Do you rent from the same scuba shop, or different ones, and what shops are they?

I’m currently looking for a good close shop.

You’ve been to Trash Fest³ – how did you enjoy that?

I really like Trash Fest, the Comal River, and all the divers and clubs represented. It’s a well-organized and fun event.

Have you been to other cleanups or events, such as Hells Gate at Possum Kingdom, or others?

Yes, I have participated in the Hells Gate cleanup.

Do you have a memorable item you’ve discovered from the cleanups?

I guess the camera we found at the boat dock on Possum Kingdom. I still wonder if the memory card had any photos on it.

If someone wants to learn to dive, do you have any recommendations for the facility they go to (such as which scuba shop to get certified, and which lakes to do beginner’s dives)?

I would recommend the Dive Crew⁴ and their independent instructors. Clear Springs Scuba Park⁵ in Terrell is the closest and a very good facility.

And with Crew 1020, why, in your own words, is the Crew a good environment to learn to dive?

For a Venturer or Scout the Crew is a good safe and ideal group to learn and or gain diving experience. It is just that the current group is not that committed to diving. I feel the crew should plan dives once a month in the summer to different locations in the state.

Footnotes

[1] Venturing Crew 1020. (n.d.). Retrieved April 8, 2011, from http://www.crew1020.org/crew1020/

[2] Open Water Scuba Instructor. (2011). PADI. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from http://www.padi.com/scuba/padi-courses/professional-courses/view-all-professional-courses/open-water-scuba-instructor/default.aspx

[3] Trash Fest. (n.d.). Texas Gulf Coast Council of Diving Clubs. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from http://www.tgccdiving.org/trashfest/index.html

[4] The Dive Crew. (n.d.). Welcome to The Dive Crew. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from http://www.thedivecrew.com/

[5] Clear Springs Scuba Park. (n.d.). Clear Springs Scuba Park. Retrieved April 8, 2011, from http://www.clearspringsscubapark.com/

Press Release: Texas Scuba Diving Blog

The "Texas Scuba Diving" (TSD) blog is a new information source for scuba diving locations in Texas.

TSD provides the facts about Texas dive sites: the atmosphere, water clarity, aquatic life, and special features at each site. TSD explains how to benefit from each dive site by listing who to contact and what rules are present; by linking to official websites; by providing photos and maps; and by sharing personal experiences.

TSD allows both the regular divers and newly interested audience feel welcome. Regular divers benefit from the details of the dive sites, and newcomers gain interest from the overall descriptions and photos.

More topics in "Texas Scuba Diving" include: resources on how to achieve diving certifications, descriptions of scuba gear, the general history of scuba diving, and explanations of underwater photography.

Visit "Texas Scuba Diving" at

scubadivingintexas.blogspot.com

Contact:

Amanda J.

amanda.jag99(at)yahoo.com

Photography and TX Fish

Texas lakes and rivers almost all have fish and aquatic life. The best way to remember the wildlife you encounter underwater is to take photos while you dive.

Underwater Photography
There are many cameras available for divers, from film to digital and D-SLRs (Digital Single Lens Reflex). The priority for your camera is for it to have a water-tight case accessory that is made for scuba diving. This case creates an air-tight seal so your camera stays dry as you dive, and it still allows you to use the camera.

Once you purchase a camera and case, be sure to keep the O-ring seal clean and in place. If the O-ring has just a single strand of hair on it, the seal could leak and your camera could get flooded. Below is a photo of this O-ring seal.

On left: Red O-ring providing water-tight seal on camera case. (Source: NNC¹)

For more information about photography, you may want to take a course about it through PADI. PADI has a Digital Underwater Photographer course to learn about choosing the right camera and refining your underwater photography skills.

Fish in Texas
There are many kinds of fish in Texas. Here are the fish and other aquatic life available at the dive sites I have already mentioned.

• Aquarena Springs (original post)
• fountain darter, San Marcos salamander, black bass, sunfish, perch, gar, crawfish, cichlid, turtles; Check out Scuba.Linda's Flickr stream of aquatic life at Aquarena.

Fish in Aquarena's Aquarium, representative of fish in the Springs (taken by me)

Cichlid in Aquarena's Aquarium (taken by me)

• Flower Garden Banks (original post)
• angelfish, goatfish, moray eel, wrasse, goby, damselfish, and so much more, since it is a coral reef. See the entire list at the FGB website.
• San Solomon Springs (original post)
• spiny softshell turtles, Mexican tetras, channel catfish, Comanche Springs Pupfish, Pecos Gambusia (mosquito fish), crayfish, Roundnose minnow, sunfish

Tetras in San Solomon Springs (Source: Flickr²)

• Athens Scuba Park (original post)
• There are very few fish here, if any, because the lake used to be a clay pit, and the pH of the water could be uninhabitable for many fish. The lake is best known for the sunken items that you can explore and photograph, because of the great visibility.
• Lake Travis (original post)
• catfish, bass, trout, crappie, sunfish, bluegill, carp, shiner, minnow, gar, freshwater eel, Texas cichlid; see a fish identification chart for variants of these fish.

Catfish in Lake Travis (Source: FM Dive News³)

And in all my future posts, I'll provide you with photos of fish you can see, and let you know what species to expect at the dive sites.


Footnotes

[1] Naked Nimamok’s Corner. (n.d.). Retrieved March 30, 2011, from http://nimamok.wordpress.com/

[2] Rebecca dlghtflyswt. (n.d.). Flickr. Retrieved March 30, 2011, from http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlghtflyswt/63640348/in/photostream/

[3] Photo Archive. (2007). Fargo-Moorhead Dive News. Retrieved March 30, 2011, from http://home.earthlink.net/%7Efmdivenews/fmdn-photo-archive.html

Scuba Basics and Knowledge for Non-Divers

Since I recently received a comment from a non-diver, I'd like to answer her questions, and provide other non-divers with some information about diving in general. Thanks for your interest, and I hope if you're interested in diving, this post can help you learn more and get started on training to dive!

Basics of Scuba
Scuba diving is all about swimming underwater for long periods of time to enjoy the underwater world. You can dive for an hour or more, depending on how deep you dive. The deeper you dive, the faster the oxygen in your tank gets used, because of the higher water pressure.

Scuba Certification
There are multiple organizations that provide scuba courses and certifications. For your first course, you will have to read all about scuba diving, safety regulations, rules, and the technical aspects of diving. You want to be sure and understand how your body changes as you dive! Here are agencies that you can take courses through:

• Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)
• National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI)
• Professional Diving Instructors Corporation (PDIC)

To find a scuba shop to get PADI, NAUI, or PDIC scuba certified, search "PADI scuba in city, state" using Google or another search engine (change "PADI" to your preferred agency). There are more agencies than listed above, but these three are the most known. I trained using PADI, and it has been a great experience.

Scuba Equipment
To dive, you need items to help you navigate, breathe, and keep track of time and direction. The gear you will need includes personal gear and more expensive gear to rent at first.

Personal equipment you should purchase when you first start to dive:

• Mask - basically goggles to cover your eyes and your nose
• Snorkel - used for when you surface swim, to preserve your oxygen in your tank
• Fins - the flippers for your feet to help you propel through water
• Booties - the cloth-type shoes for your feet so the plastic fins don't give you blisters, and for use when exiting your dive. It is not easy to walk in fins, so the booties serve as walking shoes.

Personal Scuba Gear (Source: Snorkeling Packages Blog¹)

Gear you can rent at first, and once you become a regular diver and can afford it, can purchase:

• Oxygen Tank - the cylinder filled with compressed oxygen and some other gases, which is your source of breathing while diving.
• BCD (Buoyancy Control Device) - a "vest" that you wear that allows you to carry your oxygen tank and other devises; you can inflate it with air to help you float, and then deflate it when you dive.
• Regulator - this is what attaches to the oxygen tank, and allows you to inhale its oxygen and exhale bubbles into the water through the mouthpiece. It also connects to the BCD to help the BCD inflate.
• Gauges - the compass, dive computer, clock, and air gauge can all be considered your gauges. These devises monitor your direction, depth, time spent underwater, amount of oxygen left in your tank, and more.

Scuba Gear (Collage made by Amanda J., with photos from DSE²)

Visit Dive Shops
Scuba diving all begins with the basics, from the gear and their functions to the options for certifications. The best way to learn about scuba is to start by visiting your local dive shop. Divers (including myself!) love to explain scuba equipment, how training courses work, and their diving experiences.

Footnotes

[1] Promate Scuba Dive Fins Mask Snorkel Boots Gear Set. (2011, February 27). Snorkeling Packages. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from http://allplayoutedit.blogspot.com/2011/02/promate-scuba-dive-fins-mask-snorkel.html

[2] Feature Scuba Equipment. (n.d.). Divers Scuba Equipment. Retrieved March 29, 2011, from http://diversscubaequipment.com/index.asp