After Visiting Balmorhea State Park

[cyclone]

Visiting Balmorhea was a very nice experience. I can't believe that around this winter season is very exceptional in terms of the water, weather and diving condition. Driving from Plano, TX to Balmorhea is about 450 miles. Took us 7 1/2 hours to get there. It worth the trip and if you enjoy the scenery that nature provide, there are lot of things you can see along the way. It's not like traveling from California to Arizona, which is mostly desert lands. You never know you're already there by the time you knew it.
The town is small, few shops to get souvineres, one restaurant about 5 miles away from the place and 2 gasoline station in the town. There are 3 diving shops owned by the same person. The Airfill cost $10 and takes forever to fill...hmmm about 10 to 15 min. When diving Balmorhea, I was told it was the best season to go there was around October, November and December. Only few people visit the place. We got there thursday night and decided to go diving Friday morning. The air temperature is 80 degree, the water 75 degree and no termocline. Water was 25 feet deep and this is what amazed us when we dove Friday. It looks we have privately owned the pool. It was only me and my wife. The water was almost 100 feet visibility. Continously replaced by the spring, in fact it says drained all the water in the pool of almost 3.5 million of gallons capacity and can be replaced in less than 4 hours. I was amazed by the amount of fish, turtles and critters in a decent amount of space. The fishes always waited to be hand fed, thousands of catfish lurk around you waiting to be pet and beg for food and the best of all the turtles- they swim with you, they follow you everywhere, they like pictures, like to be pet, varies in size from 3 inches to 2 feet in length. And most of all they like girls. Saturday was totally different as there are about 100 divers occupied the place. Varies from trainings, individual divers from different places. It turned the place inside out, water was stirred up from bottom and up. And seems like the turtles were no where to be found. Same thing on Sunday. And on Monday, it became what it is like when we found it on Friday. No matter how it became cloudy in the bottom from the past weekend it will be crystal clear in less than 5 hours. And all the life underneath came back to life. Me and my wife have logged 8 dives from Friday thru Monday ( 2 dives each day ) and bottom time of 1 1/2 hour each dive and defininetely will come back here everytime. And also you can do night diving here ( the safest place to go night diving. The park have the greatest people I have met. The place itself is worth seing and diving for. And don't forget to visit Mountains of Fort Davis, 30 min drive from the place. Overlooking the entire are as far as your eyes can see. If you like Hiking, Mountain Biking and Rock Climbing like we do, this is for you. There are always things to see on this place.
Here are the Pictures...




Turtles like to be pet.

Follow you wherever you go.



Crystal clear water finally...



Ocean like enveronment in a decent amount of space.

I want Pictures too...

See me glide through water...

[Zyxistal]

Those look great.

[cyclone]

Thousands of fish, hundreds of catfish and hundreds of turtles.

Critters everywhere...

Taken on the surface...

This is how wide the pool is.

About 25 feet deep...

This how long the pool is, there is also like this on the other side but shallower.

Another angle...

Entrance view...

Some info...

Mountains of Fort Davis...

[dutchman]

Wow, awsome pictures. It looks like a big pool. Where did you stay? What was water temps? Thanks for sharing. Got to go some time.

[cyclone]

There are lodges in the park itself. But I have brought my RV. Definitely worth diving for. Yep, definitely will advice anyone to experience this place.

[cyclone]

In front of Balmorhea State Park ( By the entrance )

Town of Toyahvale.

Our kids. Our RV...

By the Pool.

Another angle from the pool.

Deepest part of the pool.

Night Diving...

Sunset at Balmorhea State Park

Sunrise at Balmorhea State Park

[navyhmc]

I looked at the map: just at 800 miles/11 hours for me-looks like it's worth a road trip! Thanks for the photos.

[cyclone]

Here are the videos. Crappy you tube compressed my video file and made it look blurry. My original copies are lifelike sharp videos. Of course, it's taken from my Sea and Sea DX-860G camera.

YouTube - Balmorhea State Park

YouTube - Balmorhea State Park

YouTube - Balmorhea State Park

YouTube - Balmorhea State Park

[cyclone]

These are my raw, unedited copies which is a liitle better than what I have downloaded on Youtube.

[Zyxistal]

Hey Cyclone, great shots there. Starting to make me homesick for TX again.