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/

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

San Solomon Springs

Location

Another great place to dive in Texas is at San Solomon Springs. It is in the western part of Texas, and is protected by the Balmorhea State Park. Below is the general area of the park, shown by the star.

Source: Texas Parks and Wildlife¹

Springs Details
At the Balmorhea State Park, the San Solomon Springs feeds into a "pool," spanning across 2 acres of the natural springs. The "pool" water is the Springs itself, with only man-made parts of ladders and surrounding walkways.

The environment in the pool is just like a freshwater lake; the divers and swimmers can experience the original and preserved wildlife. To help you understand this unique design, here is a photo of the "pool" attraction.

Source: TX State Park Guide²

Temperatures and Wildlife
The water temperature also remains constant, around 72 to 76 degrees. With water so warm, you can comfortably seek out many fish, including the

• Mexican Tetra,
• Channel catfish,
• Comanche Springs pupfish, and
• Green sunfish.

You can visit the Encyclopedia of Earth to learn about these fish and other wildlife found at the Springs.
    

Diving Rules

You can dive at the park from 8 am until sunset, on any day of the year. Night diving is also available for a $4 fee per person. You need to have at least one diving buddy, because you cannot dive alone. Also, do not touch the environment; the wildlife is protected and we all need to preserve the Springs for future generations to see.

Before you travel to Balmorhea, please read the official Balmorhea State Park scuba rules, so you can have a great time without any preventable problems.


Footnotes
[1] Balmorhea State Park. (2011, March). Texas Parks and Wildlife. Retrieved March 16, 2011, from http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/balmorhea/

[2] Balmorhea State Park. (2008, November 4). Texas State Park Guide. Retrieved March 16, 2011, from http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/publications/parkguide/rgn_bb_004.phtml

Scuba Inventor of 93 Dies

Christian Lambertsen
From the NY Times¹, "Dr. Lambertsen, an expert in respiratory medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, died on Feb. 11 at his home in Newtown Square, Pa., his son David said." A picture of Lambertsen is shown below.

Source: The Telegraph²

Lambertsen is the man to invent the term "scuba," since he created the acronym Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus in 1952. He invented scuba gear, as The Atlantic³ explains:

His first underwater creation was known as the Lambertsen Underwater Respiratory Unit or LARU (Lah-roo). It was used in World War II and spawned many imitators.

LARU
With this device, the diver inhales pure oxygen. The NY Times¹ explains that

...carbon dioxide in exhaled breath is then scrubbed out through a chemical filter and returned to the diver as purified oxygen.

 “It means that it doesn’t emit bubbles, so if you are swimming under a ship there are no telltale bubbles,” said Tom Hawkins, a historian for the Naval Special Warfare Foundation in Virginia Beach.

Conclusion
Christian Lambertsen contributed immensely to the progression of diving. Lambertsen, his LARU, and his many other inventions will not be forgotten.


Footnotes

[1] Dennis Hevesi. (2011, February 25). Christian Lambertsen, Inventor of Scuba Precursor, Dies at 93. Retrieved March 4, 2011, from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/26/us/26lambertsen.html?_r=1

[2] Christian Lambertsen. (2011, February 23). The Telegraph. Retrieved March 4, 2011, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/technology-obituaries/8343789/Christian-Lambertsen.html

Milestones in Scuba History

Note: Click on the year to see the link from where I gathered the information, or refer to the footnotes at the end.

1878¹

Henry Fleuss receives a patent for his self-contained breathing device, and tests it by breathing underwater.

1911²

The company Draeger (or Dräger) in Germany releases an underwater oxygen rebreather, which recycles air so to re-breathe the same air. (See photo below.)

Source: Draeger History²

1924³

Yves Le Prieur creates a breathing device that does not recycle air, and it becomes known as "the forerunner of modern scuba." 

1933⁴

Fins are first patented in France and then in the US by Louis Corlieu, and the fins are made of rubber strengthened by steel.

1940⁵

Rubber fins are patented by Owen Churchill, as an improvement of Corlieu's fins. (See photo below.)

Source: Smithsonian⁵

1942⁶
The design of the aqualung is improved by Jacques Cousteau throughout the 1940s, and hits the market by the 1950s. (See advertisement below.)

Source: My Watch

1956⁷

The red-and-white dive flag (still used today) becomes popularized by Ted Nixon, even though Denzel James "Doc" Dockery invented the design. 

1961⁸

NASDS (National Association of Scuba Diving Schools) is founded.

1966⁹

The Professional Association of Diving Instructors, or PADI, is founded.

1970⁸

SSI (Scuba Schools International) is founded.

Footnotes

[1] Henry Fleuss. (2010, November 15). Wikipedia. Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Fleuss

[2] History About Dräger. (2011). Dräger. Retrieved February 26, 2011, from http://www.draeger.com/US/en_US/company/about_draeger/history/

[3] The History of Scuba Diving. (n.d.). Best Scuba Diving Tips. Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://www.best-scuba-diving-tips.com/history-of-scuba-diving.html

[4] Thomas Tillman. (2010). Timeline of Diving History. Diving History. Retrieved February 26, 2011, from http://www.divinghistory.com/id11.html

[5] Owen Churchill. (n.d.). Smithsonian. Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://americanhistory.si.edu/sports/exhibit/removers/churchill/index.cfm

[6] Scuba Diving. (2008, April 2). New World Encyclopedia. Wiki, . Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Scuba_diving

[7] Chris Whitten. (n.d.). Dive Flags. Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://www.dive-flag.com/

[8] Recreational Diving. (2011, February 18). Wikipedia. Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recreational_diving

[9] About PADI. (2011). PADI. Retrieved February 27, 2011, from http://www.padi.com/scuba/about-padi/default.aspx

Welcome to Texas Scuba Diving

Meet the Author

Hello everyone! My name is Amanda J., and I am a freshman college student at the University of Texas in Dallas. I have lived in Texas my entire life, and I love to scuba dive, play with my two cats, and write poetry. I’m excited to share with you my scuba experiences, and provide a great scuba blog that you can enjoy.
       

Texas Scuba Diving Blog
In this blog, I will provide you with diving locations in Texas to help you discover Texas diving all in one place. I will share my firsthand experiences about Texas diving locations, scuba gear, and other diving hints.
     
Scuba facts and specific dive site information will also be provided, so you can get the current and correct information you need.

   

My Scuba Qualifications
I received my Open Water scuba certification from PADI in early 2006, and since then have been diving every year. I have dived at five freshwater dive sites in Texas:

• Athens Scuba Park
• Aquarena Springs
• Clear Springs Scuba Park
• Comal River 
• Possum Kingdom 

I also went diving in the Florida Keys, which was a great saltwater diving experience.
 

In Future Posts

You can look forward to seeing information about these diving locations, and more:

• Balmorhea State Park
• Flower Gardens
• Lake Sam Rayburn
• South Padre Island
• Windy Point Park