Medina Lake , Texas

On Medina Lake west of San Antonio is a dive site called Joe's Place, which has its beginnings in 1916 when Joe Granieri founded Joe's Wharf, a fishing camp. He and his family ran the operation for nearly six decades, finally stepping aside in 1978. In 1979 the family leased the site to Lackland Air Force Base for use as a military recreation area for troops and their families. The Air Force added a marina, bait house, and an RV area until ending its lease in 1994. The site was then privately leased until 2001 when one of Granieri's daughters and her family re-established the business, naming it Joe's Place Marina and Resort, in honor of her father. He died in 1980. The family continues to own and improve the property with on-site managers. Joe's Place has a cove for diving that includes dive markers, a large diving/training platform in 25 feet (7.5 m) of water, and underwater sites that have been mapped and tagged.

Depths to: 100 feet (30 m) in the deepest parts of Medina Lake .

Visibility: 10-15 feet (3-5 m).

Water temperature: 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) in the winter and 80 F (26 C) in the summer.

Aquatic life: Striped bass, catfish, bream, carp, and crappie.

Fees: $5 to enter and $3 to park.

On-site amenities: Dry storage, water slips, moorings, two concrete boat ramps, fishing, picnic and camp grounds, RV park, beach, swimming, party rental facility, boat rentals, sand volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, playgrounds.

More info: Call (210) 734-5526 or visit www.joesplacemedinalake.com.

Open: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday from Easter to Labor Day, with varying hours in the off-season. Closed Monday and Tuesday except by appointment. Call ahead for up-to-date information.

Getting there: Take U.S. 90 west from San Antonio , Texas , to Loop 1604. Drive north for about 8 miles until reaching FM 471. Take FM 471 for about 9 miles until reaching FM 1283. Take FM 1283 for about 7 miles until reaching County Road 271. Drive south on 271 to Mico , Texas , and Joe's Place.