Eagle Lake - Freshwater Coral

[BioDiver]

My family has had a lake home on Eagle for, well, a very long time. My great grandparents homesteaded on Eagle and owned about a quarter of the lakeshore. Now that homestead is divided up and many of my family members still have cabins on the lake.

I, too, have always heard stories about the coral from my grandfather and my father. Neither of them have ever seen it but only knew about it.

Since I have started diving I have made quite a few dives in Eagle in very specific places. And... Yes, it does exist... by the TON! There are many places I have found it but there is a catch. It is all dead; very dead.

The lake has changed dramatically over the years especially the clarity. Much of the coral is in 30 feet or more (the lake tops out at about 46 feet) and I just don't think the water is clear enough anymore.

When my dad was a kid he said the lake was like crystal. He would spot a clam on the bottom in 20 feet and freedive down to it. Well, not anymore. On a good day of diving you may have 8 to 10 feet of vis or so.

It would have been absolutely amazing to see all of the coral in it's prime. I highly doubt there is any alive anymore as I have seen a lot and all of it has been dead. It is still very unique and cool to see.