mwhities
Contributor
Woke up too early at 0500 and made myself two thick peanut butter sandwiches and drank a glass of milk (I wanted to eat light.)
Took off from Fort Morgan and headed to Gulf Shores. The trip took about 35 minutes and I finally ended up at Bahama Bobs.
Upon arrival, I met MPR (Mike) and CivilE (Jason) standing in the parking lot chatting. I jump out and greet them and we start talking about this and that. (He has a NICE 4-door Jeep, I want one.) Soon after, Halftime (Jim) pulled in. Still no sign of Paul. So all four of us are there talking and waiting for Paul. I decide to call Paul and he said he was at Hooters... (Without US!?%#@$^4?.. Ohh, 0615.. nevermind). Paul finally showed up and we all started getting suited up. MPR and CivilE were the first to get suited up, they headed out to relax in the water. Then halftime finished up and headed out as well. paul had finished up but, he was waiting for my big slow butt. As I finished up, Paul and I started to head out and Mike4hire (Mike) showed up. Paul opted to stay with him as I made my way down to the shore. Just shortly, the two of them arrived.
Paul was nominated as the leader. We all donned our masks and started following Paul.
His post here.
We saw Paul heading North to the beach and MPR and CivilE found the wreck. We figured Paul was narced, his compass was BAD, or he was calling his dive. Looked like he called it.
Myself and halftime paired up and I think MPR and CivilE and Mike4hire paired up. Halftime and I went down to the wreck and started swimming East. Following the wreck on the South side there was a LOT of sand built up. I even motioned to halftime that there was a lot of sand there. (The first and last time I was there, SBM took me and Frank out and you could see a lot more of the wreck.) We finally made it to the bow and started swimming North and then immediately West. The bow wasn't as big as I remember it being. So there has been a lot of sand added there. Swimming West still, noticed that there was quite a bit of smaller fish (One day I get to know all of the names.) swimming around.
Halftime brought a light and was looking in every nook and cranny he could find. I saw a few little crabs and found several little shells I thought looked good and stuffed them into my x-shorts pocket. About half way down the wreck, I think we picked up mike4hire some how. We made it to the end of the wreck on the North side and started to head East again on the South side of the wreck. When we made the corner, I saw a good sized trigger (I know the name of that one as I went deep sea fishing one time and I caught two 7lbers.
) and motioned to halftime and pointed to the Triger fish and did my "gun" hand signal.
Several other fish were swimming around. I'm guessing here but, small Amber Jacks (If my memory serves me right from looking at others pictures.) and Spade fish too (those for sure.). I did take my time and look for small tropical fish on the wreck it's self. I think they are called Blennies (?) Cute looking big eyed dewds. I watched a couple of them watching me and when I go to close, they were gone. (Hauling ***.)
I remember not seeing mike4hire again so I looked around and couldn't find him. I assumed (this might have been bad) that he took off with the other two or went up to the surface.) So halftime and I kept swimming East and about half the way again, there were some over hanging metal (support beams?), so I decided to see if I could swim through one at least. I did it! Yay! Any other time I've ever tried to swim under something, I couldn't. halftime swam over the first one i went under.
We arrived at the bow again and halftime, with his light, poked it under a spot next to the bow and there was a HUGE crab. (I think Paul said it could be a Stone crab.) We left that big dewd alone and halftime swam around to te front of the bow again and I swam up and over it to the bottom.
Again, mike4hire was there. (He's starting to scare me) We then made our way West again following the North side of the wreck. I think I remember Mat or someone saying that here were two or three pieces of the Whiskey Wreck, so as we made our way to the end of the first piece, I decided to keep going straight off that wreck and see if I could find the other piece. We swam for about 40 leg kicks and BAM, a piece of metal. Was it part of the wreck? I'm sure but, there was nothing else around.
I was running at about 1200psi so I decided to head back to the beach. With halftime and mike4hire following me, I made my way toward shore. (I didn't wear my compass as we were going to follow Paul.) I looked up and saw the sun peeking through the water (only 12 - 15 fsw deep), so I put the sun to my right side and started heading North. I was near the bottom so I would put my hand down and see where the shadow was from my hand and I kept the shadow to the upper left of my position. (Ok, I'm swimming here thinking that I have two guys following me, I don't have my compass and I'm trying to navigate by using the sun, I'm SOOO going to end up in Fort Morgan when we surface.)
I know I'm still heading North be the sun to the right and it's getting shallower. In about 5fsw I decided to call the dive and stand up. What do you know? I was RIGHT behind Bahama Bobs.. (Bet I couldn't ever do that again.)
I think (I'll need to refer to my dive computer again.*) it was a 44 minute dive. I think the viz was 10 - 15'. Water temp I think was 86F+- or so.* Max depth was 16fsw and average was 12fsw.
I know my typing/proper sentences/English/writing skills suck but, you get the point.
Michael
Took off from Fort Morgan and headed to Gulf Shores. The trip took about 35 minutes and I finally ended up at Bahama Bobs.
Upon arrival, I met MPR (Mike) and CivilE (Jason) standing in the parking lot chatting. I jump out and greet them and we start talking about this and that. (He has a NICE 4-door Jeep, I want one.) Soon after, Halftime (Jim) pulled in. Still no sign of Paul. So all four of us are there talking and waiting for Paul. I decide to call Paul and he said he was at Hooters... (Without US!?%#@$^4?.. Ohh, 0615.. nevermind). Paul finally showed up and we all started getting suited up. MPR and CivilE were the first to get suited up, they headed out to relax in the water. Then halftime finished up and headed out as well. paul had finished up but, he was waiting for my big slow butt. As I finished up, Paul and I started to head out and Mike4hire (Mike) showed up. Paul opted to stay with him as I made my way down to the shore. Just shortly, the two of them arrived.
Paul was nominated as the leader. We all donned our masks and started following Paul.
His post here.
We saw Paul heading North to the beach and MPR and CivilE found the wreck. We figured Paul was narced, his compass was BAD, or he was calling his dive. Looked like he called it.
Myself and halftime paired up and I think MPR and CivilE and Mike4hire paired up. Halftime and I went down to the wreck and started swimming East. Following the wreck on the South side there was a LOT of sand built up. I even motioned to halftime that there was a lot of sand there. (The first and last time I was there, SBM took me and Frank out and you could see a lot more of the wreck.) We finally made it to the bow and started swimming North and then immediately West. The bow wasn't as big as I remember it being. So there has been a lot of sand added there. Swimming West still, noticed that there was quite a bit of smaller fish (One day I get to know all of the names.) swimming around.
Halftime brought a light and was looking in every nook and cranny he could find. I saw a few little crabs and found several little shells I thought looked good and stuffed them into my x-shorts pocket. About half way down the wreck, I think we picked up mike4hire some how. We made it to the end of the wreck on the North side and started to head East again on the South side of the wreck. When we made the corner, I saw a good sized trigger (I know the name of that one as I went deep sea fishing one time and I caught two 7lbers.
) and motioned to halftime and pointed to the Triger fish and did my "gun" hand signal. Several other fish were swimming around. I'm guessing here but, small Amber Jacks (If my memory serves me right from looking at others pictures.) and Spade fish too (those for sure.). I did take my time and look for small tropical fish on the wreck it's self. I think they are called Blennies (?) Cute looking big eyed dewds. I watched a couple of them watching me and when I go to close, they were gone. (Hauling ***.
) I remember not seeing mike4hire again so I looked around and couldn't find him. I assumed (this might have been bad) that he took off with the other two or went up to the surface.) So halftime and I kept swimming East and about half the way again, there were some over hanging metal (support beams?), so I decided to see if I could swim through one at least. I did it! Yay! Any other time I've ever tried to swim under something, I couldn't.
halftime swam over the first one i went under. We arrived at the bow again and halftime, with his light, poked it under a spot next to the bow and there was a HUGE crab. (I think Paul said it could be a Stone crab.) We left that big dewd alone and halftime swam around to te front of the bow again and I swam up and over it to the bottom.
Again, mike4hire was there. (He's starting to scare me
) We then made our way West again following the North side of the wreck. I think I remember Mat or someone saying that here were two or three pieces of the Whiskey Wreck, so as we made our way to the end of the first piece, I decided to keep going straight off that wreck and see if I could find the other piece. We swam for about 40 leg kicks and BAM, a piece of metal. Was it part of the wreck? I'm sure but, there was nothing else around. I was running at about 1200psi so I decided to head back to the beach. With halftime and mike4hire following me, I made my way toward shore. (I didn't wear my compass as we were going to follow Paul.) I looked up and saw the sun peeking through the water (only 12 - 15 fsw deep), so I put the sun to my right side and started heading North. I was near the bottom so I would put my hand down and see where the shadow was from my hand and I kept the shadow to the upper left of my position. (Ok, I'm swimming here thinking that I have two guys following me, I don't have my compass and I'm trying to navigate by using the sun, I'm SOOO going to end up in Fort Morgan when we surface.)
I know I'm still heading North be the sun to the right and it's getting shallower. In about 5fsw I decided to call the dive and stand up. What do you know? I was RIGHT behind Bahama Bobs.. (Bet I couldn't ever do that again.)
I think (I'll need to refer to my dive computer again.*) it was a 44 minute dive. I think the viz was 10 - 15'. Water temp I think was 86F+- or so.* Max depth was 16fsw and average was 12fsw.
I know my typing/proper sentences/English/writing skills suck but, you get the point.
Michael
