Savannah Off Shore

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scubachick01

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I recently moved to Savannah & plan to do some off shore diving this summer. Someone told me she won't dive off shore here because the current is too fierce. Is it always or do you think that was just her particular experience that day? (She didn't say how many times she dived off shore....just related an experience she had.)
 
Scubachick,

I hope you like Savannah. I LOVE the place!!!

I don't know why, buy Savannah has never been much of a drawing card for scuba divers. I don't know if the reef structure is absent, to far out to be practical to dive, the currents are too strong or what.

Neither do I know about the proliferation, or lack thereof, of wrecks in the area.

Perhaps it's just that any wrecks that are present may have not been mapped.

Anyway, I hope you find some good dive locations.

Safe dives . . . . .
. . . safer ascents

the Kraken
 
The Kraken:
Scubachick,

I hope you like Savannah. I LOVE the place!!!

I don't know why, buy Savannah has never been much of a drawing card for scuba divers. I don't know if the reef structure is absent, to far out to be practical to dive, the currents are too strong or what.

Neither do I know about the proliferation, or lack thereof, of wrecks in the area.

Perhaps it's just that any wrecks that are present may have not been mapped.

Anyway, I hope you find some good dive locations.

Safe dives . . . . .
. . . safer ascents

the Kraken


Thanks, Kraken. So far I love Savannah. It's a beautiful area & so much to do & see. A guy in a dive shop I went in the other day showed me some pictures of a whale shark they saw on an off shore excursion last year. Way cool! :) I've heard of some wrecks in the area but I don't know yet where they are. If the current's no worse than Cozumel I'm not too worried about it but the lady I talked to made it sound really bad. I'd like to hear some other diver's experiences with it. It won't stop me from going....just want to be prepared.
 
scubachick01:
I recently moved to Savannah & plan to do some off shore diving this summer. Someone told me she won't dive off shore here because the current is too fierce. Is it always or do you think that was just her particular experience that day? (She didn't say how many times she dived off shore....just related an experience she had.)

I haven't dove Savannah for about 5 years. However, I have enjoyed the dives (about 15) that I have made there. It is however very weather dependent. I've had about a third of my planned trips cancelled due to the weather. Boat rides are longer than the Florida sites as it is a very shallow gradually sloping bottom. Boat costs are higher too. However, I the dives I have made have been quite memorable. The Sagebrush (wreck dive) is always a favorite. I never will forget my first dive on this wreck. There were so many Atlantic Spade fish above the wreck that it was difficult to see it on our descent. Vis was 60' that day. Several large cobia were circling the wreck. Near the Sagebrush is J reef. This is a low profile - maybe 4-5' - limestone ledge. One the largest nurse sharks that I have ever seen was on J Reef - had to be 12'+ and wedged under the ledge not 6' away was a very large turtle. Both were undisturbed by our presence. Other good sites are Grays Reef (a bit further south) , the Betsy Ross (wreck) and the Navy towers (and interesting dive with lots of fish that does not require much swimming - just hang out and watch the show).
 
diveprof:
I haven't dove Savannah for about 5 years. However, I have enjoyed the dives (about 15) that I have made there. It is however very weather dependent. I've had about a third of my planned trips cancelled due to the weather. Boat rides are longer than the Florida sites as it is a very shallow gradually sloping bottom. Boat costs are higher too. However, I the dives I have made have been quite memorable. The Sagebrush (wreck dive) is always a favorite. I never will forget my first dive on this wreck. There were so many Atlantic Spade fish above the wreck that it was difficult to see it on our descent. Vis was 60' that day. Several large cobia were circling the wreck. Near the Sagebrush is J reef. This is a low profile - maybe 4-5' - limestone ledge. One the largest nurse sharks that I have ever seen was on J Reef - had to be 12'+ and wedged under the ledge not 6' away was a very large turtle. Both were undisturbed by our presence. Other good sites are Grays Reef (a bit further south) , the Betsy Ross (wreck) and the Navy towers (and interesting dive with lots of fish that does not require much swimming - just hang out and watch the show).

Thanks, diveprof.....those all sound great! It'll sure beat the MO/AR lakes I've been diving. :)
 
scubachick01:
I recently moved to Savannah & plan to do some off shore diving this summer. Someone told me she won't dive off shore here because the current is too fierce. Is it always or do you think that was just her particular experience that day? (She didn't say how many times she dived off shore....just related an experience she had.)

The current/vis etc can be bad here if your dives are not planned properly around the moon phase/tides. My family/customers and I have been diving here for 20 years and there are MANY wrecks reefs etc to dive on offshore. Check out our websites for video's pictures etc.
 
SeaTiger,

It's just my opinion, but you guys should really look at doing some marketing, especially in the Atlanta area. There are thousands of divers up here who would love an alternative to Panama City or south Florida.


I'd love to bring my wife down with me and do some wrecks out of Savannah.

the K
 
Ah Savannah. What a lovely city and soon it will be at its most beautiful (once the azaleas and such start blooming). I love that town. Good eats, great kayaking. Anyhoo....this year I am definitely going to dived there. Have tried twice, but both times, the trip was called on account of heavy seas.

Scubachick - an additional dive opportunity you might want to consider is the Cooper River about an hour north of Savannah, up around Charleston. They are kind of fun in that you are guaranteed to find lots of fossilized sharks teeth, maybe some cultural artifacts, and the diving experience itself is kind of exciting and unique in that it is serious blackwater. Like maybe 5 to 30 inch visibility with a decent light. Of course, not everyone enjoys that sort of thing, but if you have the right attitude about it, it can be sort of addictive. In Savannah, btw, make sure you go to the Ocean film festival. There are films and talks and all sorts of stuff you'd be interested in. It's a 3-day affair, probably in September.

Seatiger - re Kraken's comments, I work at the new GA aquarium in Atlanta along with a ton of other divers. We have a Gray's reef exhibit and I am hoping that I can generate some interest in a group trip(s) this summer down to the coast to see in person what we normally look at and talk about through a 2" Acrylic window. What time of year, btw, does the water become sufficiently warm for a reasonably comfortable 3 mil dive and, independent of apparel, what times of year would you say are best for diving down there both in terms of the scenery/vis and probability of the dive not being called due to weather/seas?
 
Ahhhh . . . . just think of it!!!

A couple of good wreck dives coupled with a nice weekend B&B in beautiful Savannah!!!

I don't think it could get any better on the southeast coast.

the K

the K
 

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