paulwall:
We will run with a min. of 4 Divers on Our regular trips.
I am working on Our Calendar (Schedule) It becomes more regular the first of March.
Check it Out: http://gulfdiver.net/charters.htm
Dive Shops in New Orleans
- Thread starter Jon C
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We will run with a min. of 4 Divers on Our regular trips.
I am working on Our Calendar (Schedule) It becomes more regular the first of March.
Check it Out: http://gulfdiver.net/charters.htm
OP
Jon C
Guest
Leejnd:
LeeAnne,
When you make this happen, report back. I am certainly going back to the south on business soon and I would like to dive there. I think us Californian's get spoiled with the abundant dive opportunities here in So Cal. It never crossed my mind you couldn't just jump in the water in New Orleans without a 3 hour drive...go figure. I leave today for Dallas (burrrr), New Orleans (booo) and St. Louis (no time to dive a quarry). I will have to wait until the 27th when I get back!!! Really would have liked to dive in N.O.:shakehead
Jon
Leejnd
Contributor
Thanks for all the responses everyone! And Jon C thanks for letting me hijack your thread 
You're right, we are pretty spoiled here in SoCal -- if there's a beach, we figure we can dive it! I had the same reaction as you to the news that there's no diving off New Orleans. What...there's an ocean, there's fish, what's the problem? 
What a nice offer! Unfortunately it'll probably be on either a Friday or a Monday. I'm visiting New Orleans with my Mom's group for a weekend away from hubbys/kids, and I'll be too busy sitting on my balcony over Bourbon Street sipping Hurricanes with the other moms all weekend to get away
My plan is to tack on an extra day either before or after, and get some diving in. I would love to do some beach diving -- heck that's the vast majority of what I do around here. If any of your dive buddies would be up for some beach diving on either Friday, March 9 or Monday, March 12, I'd be up for that!
I did a little searching on Pensacola, and that looks like a good option as well. I found a dive shop there, MBT Divers, and I'm looking at their website now. Any other suggestions?
Given that it's just me (none of my Mom friends dive) I'm in a position of just having to hope you'd get enough folks for a charter. I did check out your site -- according to the calendar that's there, you have charters out to the Oriskany on both the Friday and the Monday. I've read up a bit on that wreck -- I'm not sure that should be the dive I do in the area. I'm not a tech diver, and while I'm advanced (AOW) and have over 50 dives including several to 100 fsw, that's as deep as I've gone. Given that most of the Oriskany appears to be deeper than that, is there really much for a diver at my level to do there?
I've also sent an email request for info to another dive shop in the area, Down Under Dive, and they say they have charters every day, and may have availability on the days I'm looking at.
I'm determined to make this work!
You're right, we are pretty spoiled here in SoCal -- if there's a beach, we figure we can dive it! I had the same reaction as you to the news that there's no diving off New Orleans. What...there's an ocean, there's fish, what's the problem? paulwall:
What a nice offer! Unfortunately it'll probably be on either a Friday or a Monday. I'm visiting New Orleans with my Mom's group for a weekend away from hubbys/kids, and I'll be too busy sitting on my balcony over Bourbon Street sipping Hurricanes with the other moms all weekend to get away
My plan is to tack on an extra day either before or after, and get some diving in. I would love to do some beach diving -- heck that's the vast majority of what I do around here. If any of your dive buddies would be up for some beach diving on either Friday, March 9 or Monday, March 12, I'd be up for that!I did a little searching on Pensacola, and that looks like a good option as well. I found a dive shop there, MBT Divers, and I'm looking at their website now. Any other suggestions?
algulfdiver:We will run with a min. of 4 Divers on Our regular trips.
I am working on Our Calendar (Schedule) It becomes more regular the first of March.
Check it Out: http://gulfdiver.net/charters.htm
Given that it's just me (none of my Mom friends dive) I'm in a position of just having to hope you'd get enough folks for a charter. I did check out your site -- according to the calendar that's there, you have charters out to the Oriskany on both the Friday and the Monday. I've read up a bit on that wreck -- I'm not sure that should be the dive I do in the area. I'm not a tech diver, and while I'm advanced (AOW) and have over 50 dives including several to 100 fsw, that's as deep as I've gone. Given that most of the Oriskany appears to be deeper than that, is there really much for a diver at my level to do there?
I've also sent an email request for info to another dive shop in the area, Down Under Dive, and they say they have charters every day, and may have availability on the days I'm looking at.
I'm determined to make this work!
If I can be of any help, feel free to PM me. Althought I have my favorites, I'm not alligned with any shop so I can steer you in the right direction.
Check out my website when you have a minute. I'm getting some good feedback on its value as as travel site.
Eric
Check out my website when you have a minute. I'm getting some good feedback on its value as as travel site.
Eric
captain
Contributor
Leejnd:Thanks for all the responses everyone! And Jon C thanks for letting me hijack your thread
What a nice offer! Unfortunately it'll probably be on either a Friday or a Monday. I'm visiting New Orleans with my Mom's group for a weekend away from hubbys/kids, and I'll be too busy sitting on my balcony over Bourbon Street sipping Hurricanes with the other moms all weekend to get away
I did a little searching on Pensacola, and that looks like a good option as well. I found a dive shop there, MBT Divers, and I'm looking at their website now. Any other suggestions?
Given that it's just me (none of my Mom friends dive) I'm in a position of just having to hope you'd get enough folks for a charter. I did check out your site -- according to the calendar that's there, you have charters out to the Oriskany on both the Friday and the Monday. I've read up a bit on that wreck -- I'm not sure that should be the dive I do in the area. I'm not a tech diver, and while I'm advanced (AOW) and have over 50 dives including several to 100 fsw, that's as deep as I've gone. Given that most of the Oriskany appears to be deeper than that, is there really much for a diver at my level to do there?
I've also sent an email request for info to another dive shop in the area, Down Under Dive, and they say they have charters every day, and may have availability on the days I'm looking at.
I'm determined to make this work!
Althought New Orleans is surrounded by water most of it is marsh land and brackish water lakes and bays. The actual gulf is about 50 miles south as the crow flies from downtown NO.
The gulf offers excellent diving at the oil rigs but getting to them is not a short trip. One of the starting points for a gulf trip is Grand Isle, La which is about a 100 mile drive from NO. The boat trip can be anywhere from 20 to 50 miles. There are closer starting points by car but results in longer boat trips. Condition would be similar to those at the California rigs. At times visibility can exceed 100 feet at the farther rigs in depths to +1000 feet with large amounts of marine life.
Leejnd
Contributor
Depths to 1000 feet? Yikes, I hope you just did an extra zero! LOL! Anyway, thanks again for the info. I'm looking into the leads I've got so far on dive opportunities out of the Gulf area or Pensacola...I am determined to blow some bubbles while I'm down there. I'll report back what turns up.captain:
wjefferis
Contributor
Leejnd,
If you are thinking of diving the pensacola area also check out Dive pros http://www.florida-divepros.com/ they are a great shop in Pensacola as well. If you are looking for a fast boat the Y-knot from Blue Water Adventures http://bluwateradventures.com/ is the quickest. If you are looking for a larger boat then you might try the Scuba Shack and their boat the Wet Dream at http://www.scubashackpensacola.com/sdm.asp?pg=wetdream . If you do decide to dive in Orange beach I would go to Gary's Gulf Divers. He has a smaller boat and requires less divers to go out than Down Under needs. If you have any other questions about Pensacola let me know I will be glad to help.
If you are thinking of diving the pensacola area also check out Dive pros http://www.florida-divepros.com/ they are a great shop in Pensacola as well. If you are looking for a fast boat the Y-knot from Blue Water Adventures http://bluwateradventures.com/ is the quickest. If you are looking for a larger boat then you might try the Scuba Shack and their boat the Wet Dream at http://www.scubashackpensacola.com/sdm.asp?pg=wetdream . If you do decide to dive in Orange beach I would go to Gary's Gulf Divers. He has a smaller boat and requires less divers to go out than Down Under needs. If you have any other questions about Pensacola let me know I will be glad to help.
Leejnd:
the draw of the rigs is that there is an abundance of life on the legs of the platforms.
you will be in 400 ft of water with the jacket (legs) rising from the bottom and providing a nice relaxing 60' to 100 ft' dive.
paulwall
Contributor
Leejnd:
Well, you don't have to go to the bottom!
mrfish87
Contributor
But Paul, it's more fun to go to the bottom.
The best time to dive the rigs to avoid the long boat rides is late summer...but it is also the prime hurricane season. You can get in some really nice water close to shore at rigs as shallow as 35 - 40 feet. The rigs make great dives but the main draw is spearfishing. There have been times when I haven't been able to see the other side of the rig because of the amount of fish present. This time of year the water is usually kicked up from all the fronts coming through. You must be prepared (although not always) for a "murk layer", river water floating over the denser salt water below it. It makes for some interesting light penetration dpeneding on the thickness of the "murk". If you just want to get in the water in the lake, I did catch it with about 10 feet of viz a few weeks ago but the water was a chilly 59, and that is downright freezing to me. There is not much to see other than some flounders, trout, and catfish and occasional big gar. The lake is only about 15 feet deep so it gets kicked up in a hurry, but if it stays calm for a couple of days it clears up nicely, and it is wet.
Robbie
The best time to dive the rigs to avoid the long boat rides is late summer...but it is also the prime hurricane season. You can get in some really nice water close to shore at rigs as shallow as 35 - 40 feet. The rigs make great dives but the main draw is spearfishing. There have been times when I haven't been able to see the other side of the rig because of the amount of fish present. This time of year the water is usually kicked up from all the fronts coming through. You must be prepared (although not always) for a "murk layer", river water floating over the denser salt water below it. It makes for some interesting light penetration dpeneding on the thickness of the "murk". If you just want to get in the water in the lake, I did catch it with about 10 feet of viz a few weeks ago but the water was a chilly 59, and that is downright freezing to me. There is not much to see other than some flounders, trout, and catfish and occasional big gar. The lake is only about 15 feet deep so it gets kicked up in a hurry, but if it stays calm for a couple of days it clears up nicely, and it is wet.
Robbie
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