Hey from Mobile

[Port Tack]

I got my spearfishing license on-line with a credit card. You can then print the license on your printer. Mine says expires 9/30/06. I guess there is a set season for spear fishing.

Mike

PS SuprBugMan will tell you all you need to know about the Whiskey wreck. He is the local expert.

 

[tom wicker]

Coincidentally, I just joined this board and was looking to do some snorkeling (I'm new to any diving in this area) and was told by someone to try snorkeling at Alabama Point. Can you give me a little better description of where to go in? I'll be heading east on Beach Blvd....before the bridge or just after?? Also, what do you know about Whiskey wreck? Good for snorkeling or just diving? Any help is appreciated!

Hello GirlyGirl

First let me start by saying welcome. The questions you have asked about here I’ll be glad to offer to help you on. Lets start with the Pass as we call it locally. This dive can be enjoyed as a pleasant dive or snorkel just keep in mind the water can and most usually is very swift here . This dive should be only done at high tide or close to it. The dive starts as a wall that passes underneath the beach highway on the west side of the pass caution should be used along the wall part do to nets are being hung on the rocks along it and or course there are hook-&-liners there fishing most of the time a knife should be carried on you. Now this wall will give way to a jetties of large rocks and will continue a hundred yards or so further to mouth of the Gulf. If your interested in some sea life or fish this is a very nice drive. Now to get there you will turn East at highway 59 on beach road continue about 9 mile through Orange Beach as the large bridge comes in site almost directly across from a large marlin artwork on the left at San Rock there will be a road on your right called Gulf road. This is a very short road now a couple hundred fet after turning on this road you will come to a sharp turn to the right with a small parking area on you right, This was the old View parking area that was taken away by Ivan. Just walk across the road onto the beach and enter the water there in the bend. Now if anyone should ask who you are at the parking lot just tell them your friend to Tom and Ralph Wicker and all should be fine. Again I want to stress to watch the tides for high tide.

The Whiskey Wreak is another decent dive it is not a complete wreak as most seem to have the image of in there mind but still a good amount of the sides of the hull remains. To get to this site you make a left at the 59 and beach road intersection travel about 3 mile to you see a small lounge on the Gulf side called Bahama Bobs a public parking is right beside it on the left. Walk out the boardwalk straight out to the beach Line yourself up with the east wall of the small lounge and travel out about 100 yards on the second sandbar the wreak will be about 15ft below you it runs east to west on the bottom it’s not to hard to find. Most of the time you will find divers touring it as it is a well used dive. There is also a fresh water shower on the Boardwalk to clean the sand and salt off.

Both the sites are snorkeled just about every day finding a dive buddies should be no trouble or just keep your eye here on the board for group get together or just post you want a dive buddy for it

I hope I was of some help to you and look forward to meeting up with you one day on a site

Tom

 

[tom wicker]

I got my spearfishing license on-line with a credit card. You can then print the license on your printer. Mine says expires 9/30/06. I guess there is a set season for spear fishing.

Mike

PS SuprBugMan will tell you all you need to know about the Whiskey wreck. He is the local expert.

Port its like your boat licence They just want back in your pocket again for a renewal

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Like Tom stated, either site can be dived or snorkeled. We dive em both often, so keep an eye out on the Trips subforum ontop this forum. The Whiskey is a really great dive at the moment, its more uncovered than its been in the last 20 years from what I understand. Lots of little swim thrus through the ribs and some of the deck plating. Ballast stones are visible on alot of the wreck and even the bow side of the ship is starting to become uncovered. The main bulk of whats uncovered stretches ~100' so its hard to miss using Tom's directions.

The ALabama Point jetties are alot of fun. You can snorkel the outside of the West jetties pretty much any time, its shallow, and if you stick away from the point, you won't have to contend with the currents. The inside makes for a great dive, but you will need to dive during the tides or plan on drifting one way or the other without being able to swim back to your entry point.

 

[GirlyGirl]

Thanks for all the info, guys! I'm hoping to at least get a little snorkeling in this weekend. Got to work on buying scuba gear all over again since I sold mine some years back. If you see someone wandering around with printed pages of this forum in her hand, trying to follow directions, it'll be me!!

GG

 

[Port Tack]

Hello GG: If you get a chance to dive with these guys take advantage of it. They are a good group of folks and glad to help. I have started diving again after about 20 years off. I decided to take the course again and had fun with it. If you want to dive the Whiskey on a weekend I am off I have some extra gear you are welcome to use. Hope you have a great weekend.

MJ