TABLE ROCK INFORMATION

Table Rock Diving

Table Rock Lake attracts divers from all over the midwest, due to its wide variety of interesting dive sites and above average water conditions. During the summer months water temperature above the thermocline peaks at around 85_F. Below the thermocline, which develops between 20 to 30 feet, water temperatures range from 58 to 68 degrees. As the winter approaches, the thermocline disappears and the temperature of the lake gradually drops to around 42_F. The lake begins to warm up again in April and the thermocline develops in May. Due to the great variance in water temperature, making the proper choice in exposure protection is a little tricky. Most divers wear either a full 5 mm or 7 mm suit with a hood and gloves if they're diving below the thermocline. During the summer months, a 3 mm suit is all that's necessary above the thermocline. During the winter months the use of a dry suit is highly recommended. If you've never done any diving in freshwater lakes, it's always a good idea to consult with one of the dive shop staff members concerning water temperature, visibility, and recommended exposure protection and weighting. Visibility is usually best in the spring but remains above average through September. Above the thermocline, horizontal visibility ranges from 12-16 feet. Between 20-40 feet there is usually a "muck bone' where visibility lessens due to a large amount of suspended particles and zooplankton, but as you descend further, visibility usually opens up to 20-45 feet. At around 70 - 80 feet you start to lose ambient light and a dive light is recommended. There are no tides and no perceptible current in Table Rock Lake, but the lake level does vary from 900 to 925 feet above sea level. The change in lake level will of course affect the depth of the following dive sites. The depths given for the various sites correspond to a lake level of 915 feet above sea level, which is the conservation pool level.

The following are some of our favorite dive sites. All are within 6 miles of the State Park Dive Shop and can be reached by boat in 45 minutes or less. For details about site locations or for guided tours please contact Dick or Jeff Jarvis at the dive shop. 870-334-3069.

Directory:

Breezy Point
The Saddle
Breezy Island
Duck Island
Spoonbill Bluff
The Enchanted Forest
Jake's Point Island
Zebulon Pile
The Houseboat
Point 7
Kimberling Bridge
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Breezy Point Located 1 mile south of the State Park Marina. Nice vertical drop-off, some shallow ledges, interesting rock overhangs. This is a popular spot for boaters and cliff jumpers, so keep your eyes peeled for lost watches, sunglasses, boat anchors, and dive gear. Max depth around 65 feet.

Back to Top The Saddle Adjacent to Breezy Point. This is an underwater ridge that starts at Breezy Point and continues east across the main channel and eventually hooks up to a 15 ft. deep plateau which becomes the base of an island about 1/4 mile off the point. The ridge gets very narrow in spots (6 feet), with drop-offs on either side. Max depth around 90 feet. This site is topographically unique and visually stunning.

Back to Top Breezy Island This small island is due east of Breezy Point. A 15 foot plateau that starts at the island and continues halfway across the channel makes this a great shallow dive. If you want to see some big bass, this is usually a good place to start. There are lots of trees here, so proceed slowly and carefully to avoid entanglement. On the south slope off the plateau, there are some pieces of wooden buildings that washed up from the town of Fairmont after the dam turned the White River into Table Rock Lake in 1955.

Back to Top Duck Island Located just out from the State Park boat ramp, this is a favorite training site. There are lots of fish on the west side of the island due to all the rock crevices and shelves. On the east side of the island, at a heading of 65_ off the base of a partially submerged willow tree, lies a 25 ft. cruiser in 45 feet of water.

Back to Top Spoonbill Bluff Named for the spoonbill or paddlefish which have been spotted here, this site is located just north of point 2 on the west side of the channel. Some flat rock ~tables" and a nice shallow rock slope with some trees make this a good spot for watching fish. Max depth is 100 feet, although most divers stay above 40 feet where the fish are.

Back to Top The Enchanted Forest This site is a long rock bluff about a 1/2; mile north of Table Rock Dam. If you descend to 65-80 feet you'll be at the base of a grove of large submerged oak trees, some of which break the surface. Moving parallel to the shoreline and looking up the slope to the northeast, the silhouettes of the trees against the ambient light from the surface produces a beautiful visual effect. Lots of fish up shallow ( 1 5 ft.) along the ledge which extends from the shoreline about 20 feet.

Back to Top Jake's Point Island Situated about 100 yards east of Indian Point, this tiny island is a great shallow dive. The island is small enough to be circumnavigated during the course of a dive and makes a good second or third dive of the day. There is a 35 foot cabin cruiser located on the southwest slope of the island between 10 and 40 feet of water.

Back to Top Zebulon Pike This wreck, located across the cove from point 1, is a 90 ft. long double Decker excursion boat lying on a slope between 75-95 feet of water. There is a guideline which starts at a the base of a tree at 15 ft. and leads all the way out to the boat, where it's tied to the stern deck rail. This is a fun dive for the more experienced diver. Bring a light for this one.

Back to Top The Houseboat Between points 6 and 7 on the west side of the channel, at the mouth of a little notch in the shoreline, there's a sunken houseboat at a depth of 45 feet. A marker float is tied to the deck rail making this wreck an easy find. The slope heading south away from the boat at a depth of around 75 feet usually has some exceptional visibility and makes a wonderful deep dive.

Back to Top Point 7 The lake bottom forms a very shallow plateau (12 -15 ft.) heading out due east from the point marker. This plateau has lots of fish and one can almost always find an orphan boat anchor here. Diving along the north edge of this plateau you'll encounter a fairly steep slope. At a depth of 65 feet along this north slope there's a 40' ft. cabin-cruiser lying on its side.

Back to Top Kimberling Bridge Directly east of the north end of the Kimberling bridge there's a cove where a small runabout is located at a depth of 40 feet. Going a little deeper yields an interesting mini-wall which is one of the more visually striking sites in the lake.
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There are several other fun spots to dive in our area of the lake and we are always on the lookout for more, so if you discover a particularly interesting site, please let us know so we can share the info with other divers.

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