paulwall
Contributor
Met Mat (The famous SuPrBuGmAn), and an new SB'r Dana (dnos) on Sunday on a trip arranged by Gary's Gulf Diver (algulfdiver). He also set up 2 other divers to make 5 on the H2O Below (captained by the very capable Capt. Bubba).
5 divers on a 42' Newton Dive Boat? Eggselent....
Wind and waves were fierce the two days before the dive, and we were not optimistic about the conditions which were to greet us Sunday morning. Due to the fact that Mat and I had control of the trip, and weren't trying to make high tide, or anything, we made a leisurely jaunt from Loxley/Gulf Shores to Pensacola to meet the boat a few minutes after 8. The other divers soon showed up, and we were off before 9:30. It was a little chilly (around 56 degrees or so) when we left, but the sun was out, there was no wind, and the seas were nearly flat. 1-2' with an occasional big roller and even that laid down by the surface interval. Conditions couldn't have been much better.
Dive 1: We headed out to the Russian Freighter, a 400' long Artificial reef that has collapsed upon itself into a series of plates bound together by monofilament and lost anchor lines. Huge spadefish (some over 16" across), schooling amberjack, and the omnipresent toadfish call this wreck home. Mat first set about freeing a toadfish that had swallowed a hook, and bound itself up in the wreck. Water temp was about 63*, and I wasn't as cold as I thought I would be, but I was huffing some air down there.
Max depth 81' for 36 mins. Avg. 57'. We swam to the stern and around the boilers, and generally enjoyed 30'-40' visibility below a 20' murk layer.
Dive 2: We headed over to the "OOPS Barge". This is another artificial reef which has been battered by the storms and mostly covered by sand. Mat claims he saw some good sized snapper off the wreck, but mainly we saw more spadfish, some sheephead, and angels, and small triggers, as always the toadfish were ever present. There wasn't really much to see here, but I managed to hit 76 ft for 35 minutes. Water temp was 61* by the end of the dive.
Mat took pics, and should be along shortly with his take on the dives. I was really questioning my judgement going into the weekend, but the weather cooperated, and I had a really good time on the water.
Thanks Gary, Mat, and Dana!
5 divers on a 42' Newton Dive Boat? Eggselent....
Wind and waves were fierce the two days before the dive, and we were not optimistic about the conditions which were to greet us Sunday morning. Due to the fact that Mat and I had control of the trip, and weren't trying to make high tide, or anything, we made a leisurely jaunt from Loxley/Gulf Shores to Pensacola to meet the boat a few minutes after 8. The other divers soon showed up, and we were off before 9:30. It was a little chilly (around 56 degrees or so) when we left, but the sun was out, there was no wind, and the seas were nearly flat. 1-2' with an occasional big roller and even that laid down by the surface interval. Conditions couldn't have been much better.
Dive 1: We headed out to the Russian Freighter, a 400' long Artificial reef that has collapsed upon itself into a series of plates bound together by monofilament and lost anchor lines. Huge spadefish (some over 16" across), schooling amberjack, and the omnipresent toadfish call this wreck home. Mat first set about freeing a toadfish that had swallowed a hook, and bound itself up in the wreck. Water temp was about 63*, and I wasn't as cold as I thought I would be, but I was huffing some air down there.
Max depth 81' for 36 mins. Avg. 57'. We swam to the stern and around the boilers, and generally enjoyed 30'-40' visibility below a 20' murk layer.
Dive 2: We headed over to the "OOPS Barge". This is another artificial reef which has been battered by the storms and mostly covered by sand. Mat claims he saw some good sized snapper off the wreck, but mainly we saw more spadfish, some sheephead, and angels, and small triggers, as always the toadfish were ever present. There wasn't really much to see here, but I managed to hit 76 ft for 35 minutes. Water temp was 61* by the end of the dive.
Mat took pics, and should be along shortly with his take on the dives. I was really questioning my judgement going into the weekend, but the weather cooperated, and I had a really good time on the water.
Thanks Gary, Mat, and Dana!
Hadn't been wet in like a month, so I was seriously jones'n! Just got back from a working in New Orleans since Monday, so I haven't had time to upload pics just yet. Hopefully, sometime tonight I'll have some img's to throw online.
