FAQ's | The Scuba Ranch

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FAQ's

What is the visibility like at The Scuba Ranch?

The Scuba Ranch is a Texas freshwater lake that is completely natural, with no added chemicals to improve clarity. The visibility will vary depending on where you are in the lake, the depth, and the time of year you are diving. We hear varied reports on visibility from divers every day, please remember it is a subjective measurement. Overall, The Scuba Ranch has very good visibility, better than you will find in most area lakes, which makes it a great place to dive locally! Currently we are getting visibility reports that vary from 15-25 feet plus! Maximizing visibility is (and will always be) our goal, with that in mind we have installed aerators and introduced some new fish in early 2020 that we hope will have a positive impact on the visibility! Time will tell!

What is the current water temp?

Please see the banner at the top of each page for the most recent temperature postings at 20 feet. WE NO LONGER HAVE A THERMOCLINE! This is thanks to the aerators put in in early 2020, so you can enjoy all areas of the lake in comfort :).

Is there wildlife in the water?

YES! Turtles, fish that are quite social, and our newest in the neighborhood is freshwater jellyfish! (no they don't sting, they are harmless...and adorable!) Freshwater jellyfish apparently like warm water so keep your fingers crossed they will come back this summer!

Do you give Scuba lessons/certification?

The Scuba Ranch is not a scuba school. Area scuba schools and instructors bring their students to The Scuba Ranch to complete the open water portion of their certification. There are many great and qualified schools and instructors around! If you would like help finding a scuba school in your area, please check out the "scuba schools" page on this site to find them listed alphabetically by geographic location.

Do you accept credit/debit cards?

Yes!

Can I rent gear at The Scuba Ranch?

Yes, we have rental gear available! For pricing and info check out the "Rental Gear" page on this site.

Do I need to reserve rental gear?

At this time we do not have a system in place to reserve rental gear, so it is on a first come first serve basis. We haven't run out yet!

Can I get air-fills at The Scuba Ranch?

Yes, you certainly may! Tanks fills are $10, and the air-fill station is open until 5pm on days the park is open. We do have discount packs available as well! (buy 5 fills get one free)

What if I'm not a scuba diver, can I still come to the lake?

Yes you may, however please know that The Scuba Ranch is first and foremost a scuba diving facility. We also have snorkeling sets, inner tubes, kayaks, and paddleboards available for rental. We ask that non-divers stay in the designated swimming area so as not to impede the learning experience and safety of less experienced divers.

Do I need to bring my own food/ice?

You are welcome to bring your own picnic, or cookout. We do have drinks/snacks/ice for sale as well!

Do you have grills available for me to cook out?

Yes, there are a few grills around the park, there is not however one at every picnic table or pavilion, we hope to be getting more of these in the future! You are welcome to bring your own grill with you!

Do I need to make reservations ahead of time?

At this time you do not need to make a reservation for gear, diving, or tent camping. We do, however, recommend reservations for RV space, as we do have limited hook-ups available. Please see the RV reservation page on this site to make your reservation.

Can I reserve one of your pavilions?

We do allow reservation of pavilions for groups of 10 or more, please email info@thescubaranch.com or call 940-765-DIVE for details on that!

Who/what is "Sisco the Shark"?

Sisco is our park icon! He is a 51 foot metal shark you can get to know from the inside out! He hovers at approximately 22 feet deep in the lake. You can swim through his mouth and out his rear end (we'll let you make your own jokes about that). We like to say that #Siscoeatsdiversforlunch. We also have a land-shark version of Sisco that likes to visit divers when he can and get into all sorts of silly antics. Follow us on Facebook to see Sisco's most recent adventures!

Is this a man made lake?

The Scuba Ranch is a 23 acre private lake. It used to be a rock quarry that was filled in by a naturally occurring aquifer. The lake is not chemically treated, and we have a variety of aquatic wildlife as well as underwater attractions for you to visit during your dive!

Can I bring my own kayak/paddleboard?

No, sorry but we do not allow the use of outside kayaks or paddleboards. Again, remember The Scuba Ranch is first and foremost a scuba diving facility. Our regulatory agencies are very particular about the use of these vessels and limit what is and is not allowed as well as the number of them allowed on the lake at any given time. Not to mention invasive species that travel from lake to lake. If your primary objective is kayaking and you have your own kayak, a public lake is probably a better fit.

Why do I have to pay to be an observer?

The Scuba Ranch is not a public lake, and it is not subsidized as such. We are classified as a recreational/amusement facility, and all of our grounds and lake maintenance/insurance/staffing, etc is funded by park admissions. Again, we are first and foremost a scuba diving facility, but the governing bodies that regulate us do not differentiate between guests who scuba dive and guests who do not scuba dive.

Why do I have to fill out a park waiver if I'm not scuba diving?

See answer to above question.

Are you open year-round?

Last year we opened for the full year on a trial basis and it was somewhat successful! We do have limited hours in the cold months though. Stay tuned for off-season park hours to be posted on this site or our Facebook page as winter gets closer.

Why aren't you open during the week?

Because we just do not have enough attendance to justify the expense of being open. If you need to schedule a mid week dive for a group, we can sometimes accommodate subject to staff availability.

Email: info@thescubaranch.com or call 940-765-DIVE to schedule a group for a midweek dive.

Do you allow free diving/snorkeling?

Absolutely! Snorkel kits are also available for rental if you need those.

Can I bring my dog to The Scuba Ranch?

LEASHED dogs are welcome at the park. However, we do have the following boundaries:

-Please do not allow your dog to get into the lake

-Please bring a crate to safely house your dog while you are diving (please do NOT leave them in your car, unless you are willing to leave the air conditioner running while you are in the lake)

-Please bring bags to clean up after them! We have lots of people walking around bare-footed or in their flip-flops or scuba booties...stepping in your dog's poop makes your dogs presence less enjoyable for everyone :).

-Service dogs are of course welcomed subject to the above guidelines as well.

Do you have group discounts?

We do not have group discounts per-se...but what we do have is a buy 5 entries, get one free offer (a 6-pack). We also have a 6-pack offer for air-fills. You can arrange with your group for a 6 pack card for either one if you'd like, but they must be purchased and paid for on one ticket. FYI: these do not have to be used on the same day, so you can purchase a 6 pack card for the price of 5 to use for later admissions or air-fills.