17 replies to this topic

[Morish Idol]

Hi Everyone.
not sure this is the right place to put this or not, if not then please if possible move it and if not possible please excuse me.
i was wondering if any of the members who live around or near Houston have ever heard of Mammoth Lake and/or have been there.
i was reading the diver training magazine and came across the Dive the USA. i went to their site and they had a map of the US and i was clicking on the flags for both Texas and Oklahoma when i came across Mammoth Lake. it is a made from scratch diving lake. from the site it is over 55 acres and is supposed to be somewhere around 70-80 feet deep when filled.
was wondering if anyone has been there to dive it and if they would recommend it or not. it looks really interesting due to what they have put into it. they even made a cave for cave diving due to Texas A&M i believe asking for that.
i was thinking of maybe heading down there one day after i am certified. and was wondering if it would be worth the drive or not.
thanks to any who respond to this.

[ScubaPunk]

I have been to Mammoth Lake a few times. I'm not sure that I would say it is worth the drive all the way from OK. I think it is one of the better local lakes because it does have some depth to it. They have a lot of things sunk for our amusement as most scuba parks do. The times that I have been there, the visibility has varied from extremely poor to maybe 15-20 ft. I have never tried the cave system. I will be going back throughout the summer. There is still much of the lake that I have not explored yet. They have a full service dive shop and a resturant next door.

If you decide to head this way, let us know, and maybe we can get a group together to head down there. The lake is about a 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive south of Houston.

[Morish Idol]

Hi Scuba
thanks for the response. it was just something i was thinking about doing is all. i am in the Austin area around once a month to visit with my kids. i was just thinking it might be something to do one weekend if i am down there. might have to take a couple days off work but man that is ok. lol.
so the visibility is nothing great then. i would have thought it would be better then that though. maybe things haven`t settled down enough yet. thought it was a new spot. maybe account for the visibility problem. but then again aren`t most lakes around Oklahoma, Texas that way.

[Landlocked Dive Nut]

The vis isn't so great in the lakes & quarries of Missouri, either! Any place that gets good rains will have runoff, and poor visibility.

Guess we'll just have to drag you into the clear vis of the Caribbean, once you get your C-card! Start saving up!

[ScubaPunk]

Most local lakes are not great for vis, but they help the addiction in between those blue water trips.

[Bubble2Bubble]

Welcome Morish Idol to SD

I have heard of Mammoth Lake before, but I have never been there either. You might want to use map-quest and see if Broken Bow Lake Ok is close to you, I dive there alot and the vis is better than most lakes in the mid-west...anyway pm me if you want to dive there someday.

Bubski

[Morish Idol]

LLDN i would love to go to the Caribbean. but alass financially don`t think i will be able to for a while. even though i would love love to go. i have been into salt water aquariums for yrs and i love the coral and fish. one of my things to do before i die is go to Australia and the Great Barrier Reef. but then again anywhere it is clear,salty, and gorgeous is fine with me. lol
Bubbles i believe Broken Bow is about an hour or two from me. not sure i would have to look it up and don`t feel like it right now. lol. being lazy tonight. but that sounds good to me. just remember i will be fresh out of OW if we do. lol. oh and as of right now i cant PM anyone. i am looking at becoming a premier member but will have to wait a week or two or three. lol.but will let you know. thanks for the offer.
Well Scuba unfortunately for me it looks like it will be the local lakes and quarries for my diving. right now finances don`t allow me to go much farther then local areas, and maybe to texas areas. but then again if i can afford to i might have to take a trip to the Gulf. not sure how the diving is around there and places to stay, but i do have a tent and wouldn`t be the first time i camped out.
and the worst thing is this waiting to get certified is killing me. i have waited so long to do this that now it is all i can think about. and having purchased all my own gear makes it worst because i cant go anywhere until i am certified. lol. well they say good things come to those who wait. but this guy is getting tired of waiting. lol.
thanks to all of you for the encouragement and the offers of diving together. that is the one thing i was kind of worried about. not having anyone to dive with. but then again i was planning to go to the area lake where my LDS does most of its diving and certification process at. they are there almost every weekend during the summer so if i go i should have someone to dive with.

[Bubble2Bubble]

Morish Idol

well they say good things come to those who wait.

If You take LLDN advice and dive the Caribbean, I doubt if I get a pm from you ..lol

If You ever dive into life...You will live for diving.....


Bubski

[Morish Idol]

well Bubble i am doing that now. living to dive. lol. i am so anxious to do this and be able to dive when i want, as long as i have someone to dive with of course, that i can`t stand it. was so disappointed to here that we were not going to Clear Springs this weekend. i am so ready for the open water part it isn`t funny.
even if i do take LLDN`s advice and dive the Caribbean i will still give you a shout because when i do it will be a long time away. unless i get lucky and win the lottery then oh yeah one of the first things i do. lol. and even when i do go it will be like maybe once every year or two that i do, at least for now anyways. lol.
so don`t worry i will give ya a shout when i am done with certification. and nope still haven`t looked up Broken Bow lake either. lol..... really reallly lazy today.

[ScubaPunk]

well Bubble i am doing that now. living to dive. lol. i am so anxious to do this and be able to dive when i want, as long as i have someone to dive with of course, that i can`t stand it. was so disappointed to here that we were not going to Clear Springs this weekend. i am so ready for the open water part it isn`t funny.
even if i do take LLDN`s advice and dive the Caribbean i will still give you a shout because when i do it will be a long time away. unless i get lucky and win the lottery then oh yeah one of the first things i do. lol. and even when i do go it will be like maybe once every year or two that i do, at least for now anyways. lol.
so don`t worry i will give ya a shout when i am done with certification. and nope still haven`t looked up Broken Bow lake either. lol..... really reallly lazy today.

Check out the October trip to Cozy. Very inexpensive.

[UP Diver]

Moor-

If you are in Austin, you can take a shot at Lake Travis, but vis can shift markedly (as can the temperature...)

After you get your C card, check out San Marcos (Aquarena Spgs). The best vis I have seen in over 30+ years of diving in Texas. You do the Scientific Diver program and you can return to dive with kids in tow (I think... my kids are grown).

Scuba Punk is right about hitting a trip to Coz though. Good training, great experience! You will be spoiled and never want to dive in lakes again...

Good luck.

UP Diver

[Bubble2Bubble]

UP Diver

You will be spoiled and never want to dive in lakes again...

That's how I end-up with alot of dive gear for very little, Alot of divers get certified in the Caribbean and then come back home and purchase 2500 easy.. of dive gear and then go to there local lakes. They probably say..where is the Coral, Pretty Fish and OMG I cant see what just swam near me..I'm outa here ....



Bubski

[dustbowl diver]

Hi Everyone.
not sure this is the right place to put this or not, if not then please if possible move it and if not possible please excuse me.
i was wondering if any of the members who live around or near Houston have ever heard of Mammoth Lake and/or have been there.
i was reading the diver training magazine and came across the Dive the USA. i went to their site and they had a map of the US and i was clicking on the flags for both Texas and Oklahoma when i came across Mammoth Lake. it is a made from scratch diving lake. from the site it is over 55 acres and is supposed to be somewhere around 70-80 feet deep when filled.
was wondering if anyone has been there to dive it and if they would recommend it or not. it looks really interesting due to what they have put into it. they even made a cave for cave diving due to Texas A&M i believe asking for that.
i was thinking of maybe heading down there one day after i am certified. and was wondering if it would be worth the drive or not.
thanks to any who respond to this.

If you were looking for a place to practice, have you been over to the Eastern side of the state and dove in Lake Tenkiller? Again the vis can and water temps likely will be hit and miss, but they put a designated scuba park there several years ago now. Just a thought!
DBD

[Mermaid Lady]

Most local lakes are not great for vis, but they help the addiction in between those blue water trips.

They're also good places to practice stuff like compass navigation
(I'm an excellent navigator )

[techintime]

Moor,
You could also try Lake Ouachita in Arkansas. It's near Hot Springs. Supposedly the second clearest lake in the US (second to Lake Mead). But it's still a Lake.