Deep Hole at Aquarena Springs, San Marcos, Texas

[kdogbigdog]

I miss that place. I worked at AS when I went to SWT, no Texas State. I was in the under-water show and one of a handful that maintained the springs, so the glass bottom boats had a clear view. Logged over 5000 dives in Spring Lake and still have it ranked high in placed to dive in North America.

[Tom3877]

I got my certification here :)

[DallasHammster]

I grew up in San Antonio and spent a lot of time in San Marcos. I have pictures from when I went to Aquarena Springs as a kid in the 1970s and 1980s. I loved it. Interestingly enough, I can probably count on one hand the number of times I went there when I was actually a student at (Southwest) Texas State from 1987 to 1991, so maybe I instinctively saw the writing on the wall. I suppose it's good that something constructive is being done with it, but it's still sad to think of what is gone.

[CatsAndKittiesRox]

awesome

[Pellaz2112]

Glad I read the comments here...I remember seeing the underwater mermaid show with my uncle many years ago, and was curious why a YouTube search on "Aquarena Springs" didn't turn up any videos of it. Now I know...it's all gone.

Oh, well.

[kboy2k]

is that near cream of wheat-- Iworked there in the underwater indian show in hte early90s-- did they take u inot the underwater theater area- where the sub is and the lilly pada s and such- we had air hoses hooked to the lilly pads and at the top of the background?-- would luv to go back someday

[cornstar70]

I don't think they have that stuff anymore since the university bought it.  Just the glass bottom boats and an aquarium. I wish they still had the diving pig

[lindagru]

kboy2k--This is at deep hole, a different spot than cream of wheat. There are no underwater shows these days--the place is used for educational purposes.

[kboy2k]

someone said they still have an aquarium? there- is this the underwater submarine- with bleacher type seating/ It'd be a shame to not use that sub- great for viewing fish -do they still have albino catfish adn pacu? they used to. Can visitors dive there? or just students(maybe they'll make an exception for an old underwater indian)?

[scubalinda]

They have an aquarium on the property, but it's not the underwater theater where we used to watch the mermaid shows. The underwater theater started taking on water a few years ago and it's soon to be history--they'll be pulling it out of the lake.

[kboy2k]

oh- thats sad- they should just weld it better- that is a great place to view the water without having to get wet- just like diving almost. Is the Cave still there- we had dressign rooms in the backa nd an access hole directly to the water adn ther was even an air pocket about 12 feet down behind the background. THe hydrilla in the lake had to be constatnly macheted away- is that still a big problem there?

[scubalinda]

Aquarena is now a protected environmental area with federal and state protection. The hydrilla has been eradicated through many volunteer man (and woman) hours. The mermaid show props are still there, but within the next year or 2 the Army Corps of Engineers plans to remove the remaining props of the show area, including the underwater submarine theatre. Part of the cave is there, as well as the "volcano" looking through with the hole in the top.

[Marsian02]

@scubalinda very happy it is returning to a natural enviroment, it looks spectaculer.

[willisp2]

I did my open water certification here! I think the bubbling sands is called "oatmeal" or something....caused by the springs.

[bevin80]

Yes, it's called "Cream of Wheat" - I believe. I took the scientific diving course and an archeological course there years ago. It is truely amazing!

[regentissatanas]

why the fuck is there moving earth

[vballizlyfe]

Aquarena springs is my favorite place on earth

[Ishovien]

lol! the hole? yea its the spring... shooting out water...some spots make the ground "boil" looks like.. so neat

[tomaridion]

duhhhh

[tomaridion]

wtf is that??

[dizzin9]

oh that thing that just went by is called a "fish".