What's Gulf (Destin area) diving been like recently?

[alashas]

We are tentatively scheduled to dive this coming weekend (April 16 & 17) with Scuba Tech, Destin. The dive shop said they only went out once last week, and visibility was poor. The Gulf had a lot of rain last week and looks like it is raining again today (Tues, April 12). How long does it take the visibility to improve if there is no more rain over the next 4 days? We are all novice divers. How deep will we need to dive in order to see the reefs and wrecks?
Thanks for your help!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

ScubaTech will take you out to divesites in the 40-70' range, unless you arrange otherwise. Expect to see bridge rubble, barges, and/or the Miss Louise tug. They are the most common spots they tend to visit.

The Gulf is pretty funky, it can change conditions rather quickly. The weather that came through today wasn't nearly as bad as the weather we've had for the past two weeks so it shouldn't push too much runoff into the bay/inshore beaches. The surf is fairly high right now off the beaches, which can affect visibility on inshore sites, but the wind should turn soon knocking the wave action down quite a bit.

Last weekend the LDS running out of Orange Beach, AL(not entirely too far from Destin) reported 50+' around 30miles out. Clear water is out there, hopefully it'll get a chance to get drawn closer into shore.

 

[Reiger]

Tend to be a good deal of jellies in Destin (last couple times I went), make sure to wear a suit.

 

[mike_s]

We are tentatively scheduled to dive this coming weekend (April 16 & 17) with Scuba Tech, Destin. The dive shop said they only went out once last week, and visibility was poor. The Gulf had a lot of rain last week and looks like it is raining again today (Tues, April 12). How long does it take the visibility to improve if there is no more rain over the next 4 days? We are all novice divers. How deep will we need to dive in order to see the reefs and wrecks?
Thanks for your help!

30 miles is a long run in a dive boat. Most won't go that far out (w/o charging extra).


See these two posts from other Scuba Board memebers with pics of the gulf this past weekend. It doesn't look good in Destin. Click on the pics in the below posts.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=93529

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=93408


Hopefully conditions have improved some for you.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Tend to be a good deal of jellies in Destin (last couple times I went), make sure to wear a suit.

Not a problem just yet, still too cold for em