OurNextStop: SCUBA Wyoming

As I mentioned in previous post, we took a side trip from the main gravel road and wondered down a narrow canyon that eventually opened up on to another open plain. On this plain there was a small lake about 3/4 mile long and 1/4 mile wide. It had been created by a rancher named Renner years ago when he damed up a small spring fed creek. When he died he left the land to the State with the proviso it be open to the public. The lake was called Renner Reservoir and water looked very clear and I had visions of seeing some of the fabulous landscape scenery under the surface of the water! I imagined walls and crevices and big boulders all at the bottom of this lake. So I persuaded BJ I needed to get wet; she concurred and I am still waiting to see what that is going to cost me!!

Renner Reservoir was a favorite fishing spot

We extended our stay in Ten Sleep for a another sleep and the next morning I loaded up my gear and we headed out to Renner Reservoir again. The ride was just as beautiful as the first time. Most of the campers in the canyon were gone since it was now a weekday, not a weekend as our first visit was.

The grass separating the canyons!

The best dscription I can make of the dive was Canyons in the Grass! Depth never quite reached 15 ft, viz was OK at about 25 ft. But, most of the bottom which was all mud, was grass fronds about 5-7 feet high. Too thick to swim through but there were clear spots irregularly located around the pond. I would swim to the clear spot and explore it, a few fish and sometime some algae on the bottom, then swim up over the grass until I found a new "canyon"!

One of the bass in the pond.

There were a number of small panfish that appeared to be sunfish type which is what a fisherman said was the most prevalent fish. It was a hybrid that was supposed to be good eating. I saw a few bass looking fish with a dark wide stripe down their side. They were decent sized and I suspect would have been nice to take home to dinner. But, I did not have a fishing license and was not interested in trying to get one!

Did see one large fish, i.e. 2 ft or so. It appeared to be a catfish, but never did see his head. I came upon him laying on the bottom with his head in the grass. He never moved as I approached him. Finally when I touched his tail he moved violently and stirred up the mud bottom so much I could not see him at all.

The snoozing catfish!

Water temp was 65 degrees and I had a 3 mil vest on under my 3 mil step-in so I was never uncomfortable. After about 20 minutes diving some threatening clouds moved in and BJ was getting nervous about thunderstorms. By the time I climbed back into the banana and got my gear secured they were gone! So we paddled around some and I kept looking for something other then the grass canyon pattern, but no luck.