Gulf Shores, Alabama

[medic_diver45]

OK, I have a question.....I've been mulling over the idea of a trip for next winter to Gulf Shores just to escape the miserable weather that is a given for the winter time here. I am hoping to do some diving and was curious as to what there is to dive on down there? Are there wrecks? I don't want to bother diving if there aren't wrecks, cause if I want to just swim along a featureless bottom, I'll go to the local pool.

Also something that got brought up when I was talking to a buddy of mine who dives was as soon as I said Gulf Shores his response was "bull sharks". Apparently there was a rather brutal attack down there and according to a marine biologist that was interviewed on the program my friend saw said that Gulf Shores and the surrounding area are thick with bull sharks and that there have been "several" attacks in recent years. Maybe someone who dives the area could further clarify this for me.

 

[paulwall]

Are there wrecks? I don't want to bother diving if there aren't wrecks,

Hoo boy, are there wrecks! Mostly artificial reefs in the 45-130 ft range. Everthing from bridge rubble (not exactly a wreck, but very fishy) to Tug Boats (intact and pristine) to Liberty ships (The VW Van of WWII - Decay quickly to several sheets of metal laying on the bottom with the odd bulkhead sticking up). I'm not sure what the hurricane to the undewater terrain. There are also military tanks, airplanes, barges, freighters, etc. More than you could ever want to dive..

Not too many natural reefs in the area, however.

"bull sharks".

Bull S%&t, I say. Yes, some people got attacked near shore by sharks (the accounts vary from one person "teasing" with bait, to others swimming (and thrashing) in a school of baitfish. The sharks were likely not Bull Sharks, but I wasn't there.

I have never, in over 10 years of diving the area, seen a shark on a dive in Gulf Shores water. Maybe they were there, but they didn't bother me...

Now, Bull sharks do harrass spearfishermen in the Gulf on occassion.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'm still waiting for my first Bullshark encounter, I'm looking forward to it. I've never heard of them attacking divers, atleast divers who aren't spearfishing. The only sharks I've dived with in Gulf Shores were no more than 2' and far from intimidating ~ this was also right off the beach(150meters from shore) at a beach dive called the Whiskey Wreck. Towards the end of the summer last year, they counted ~100 sharks right off the beach, marine biologists weren't sure why there were so many congregated off our shores, but nobody was attacked.

The guy(Chuck Anderson) who got his arm chomped a few years ago, it was the first attack I remember hearing about in the area, happened to be my old high school assistant principle. He was training for a triathalon, swimming around old pier rubble, at dawn, in murky water. Put a man in a feeding zone, at feeding time, in murky water and you have alot of room for mistaken identity. Anderson doesn't blame the shark, so nobody else should

Tons of wrecks are available, as well as other artificial reefs, and a small handfull of natural limestone ledges can be found 20-30miles out in waters 100-130' deepish.

 

[medic_diver45]

How is it down there in the late part of January (which would be when I would probably be going down there) as far as diving goes?

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Chilly inshore water temps, in the upper 50s and lower 60s. Offshore is probably still in the mid 60s. Seas can get rough in the winter. Its impossible to predict, good conditions in the gulf - especially during the winter - are hit-n-miss.

 

[paulwall]

How is it down there in the late part of January (which would be when I would probably be going down there) as far as diving goes?

Temps in the 50's-60's. Water temp about the same. Thermocline of about 10* at around 55ft. Surface conditions are iffy, with the wind frequently out of the south, causing big rollers. Trip times are in the 30-50 min range, depending on the site. North winds mean cold air temps, though....

This continues all the way through March.

 

[mike_s]

I don't "dis-like" gulf shores, but I wasn't impressed with the diving there. I'll try it again sometime, but the local dive shop took us to some concrete bridge parts and all we saw besides a few concrete bridge collums was 1 fish and a WHOLE LOT OF SAND. It was pretty boring and a complete waste of the $75 bucks they were charging. (however I've heard the offshore oil rigs have more to offer, just didn't visit those.)

I have heard good things about the "Whiskey Wreck" which is an somewhat easy shore dive. Suprbugman has some pics of it on his website. (just click on his profile).

You'll find better restuarants in the Orange beach area just next to Gulf Shores, or better yet in Destin.

In the wintertime, lots of stuff in Gulf Shores closes up for the season and you don't have that problem as much in Destin.

If I was going to drive the 10-12 hours from Indiana to the beach, I'd most likely go to Destin over Gulf Shores, in my opinion. That and the last time I was in Gulf Shores, the traffic was so bad that it took us 2 hours just to get out of town (to get north of the outlet malls). They have no plan/idea how to move tourist in/out of the area. (But I doubt you'll have that problem in winter when you go).

On the good side, there are some nice houses in Gulf Shores to rent for cheaper than Destin and nice Condo's in Orange beach for the same. The "Foley Beach Express" in Orange beach (toll road) takes care of the traffic problem from that side of the beach area. (though it does little to help with gulf shores).

-mike

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I don't "dis-like" gulf shores, but I wasn't impressed with the diving there. I'll try it again sometime, but the local dive shop took us to some concrete bridge parts and all we saw besides a few concrete bridge collums was 1 fish and a WHOLE LOT OF SAND. It was pretty boring and a complete waste of the $75 bucks they were charging. (however I've heard the offshore oil rigs have more to offer, just didn't visit those.)

Never been a big fan of the bridge rubble and stacks-n-pillars myself, you have to get on the longer boat rides(6 hour trips or more) that will take you out 10-20 or even 30 miles. The 3-5 mile boat rides(4 hour trips) don't leave you with many diving options and the bridge rubble dive is pretty common for most of the local charters. Most of Destin's outfits do the same thing though - I don't remember not being on atleast one section of the bridge rubble stacks in Destin on their inshore dives.

The Whiskey Wreck is small and usually doesnt' have much relief(although there are times when it is hardly in the sand - but its rare). At the moment, its covered in sand - atleast in early Dec it was. I need to get back out there to check on it again. Its a fun dive, but not worth more than a tank in a day. Its a short swim off the beach at 150meters http://www.suprbugman.com/gallery/album14 <--this is what you can expect on an average day with slightly better than average vis.