Where to go in the Gulf?

[The Chad]

Okay so after doing some searching I'm drawing a blank. I would like some input on diving off the Texas coast or "gulf of Texas" lol as my wife says. I'm not up for the flower gardens or really any other field trips by local ops. I was thinking more along the lines of taking my own boat and doing some deeper wrecks.

I heard of the Clipper and some rig diving but don't ya need to get permission first to dive a rig? (unless your with a charter that already has an agreement). I guess I was just curious how things worked down there and what conditions to expect in the gulf.

From what I gathered you need to go about 20+ miles offshore. Is anything bouyed like some of the wrecks in the keys? I haven't got the gulf blue chart yet, but on the FL and Bahamas one I have it actually shows some of the wrecks on the chart. Anyone dive any of the wrecks shown on the Garmin Bluecharts? Or dive from their own boat for that matter?

Just looking for some insight and some words of wisdom from ppl that have "been there and done that". I remember being told not to cross the gulfstream from Florida to Bimini if there was ever a north wind....stuff like that can be taken for granted but it is ever so helpful. School is in, so share what you will.

 

[MichaelBaranows]

I dive from my own boat all the time. I have only dove one wreck and that was the V.A. Fogg. But I dive rigs all the time. And no you don't have permission per say to dive a rig. Most of the rigs are not manned. Some rigs do have signs to not tie off and I have been asked a few times not to tie off but that is normally because they are working and don't want to drop anything on our boat.

There are not really alot of wrecks cause they are sanded over. There are a few shrimp boats but to me it is just much easier to dive rigs.

I believe that I read somewhere that the Clipper is suppose to have bouys.

I will suggest that the weather normally doesn't getting nice until June and make for a comfortable boat ride.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

Texas Parks and Wildlife has a map of much of the stuff sunk off of the Texas coast.
TPWD

Very little if any of it is buoyed. The only thing that may be (I can't remember) are the liberty ships. You can tie off to a rig but there are some things you need to know so you don't tear up your boat. I'm not the one to teach you.

TwoBit

 

[Cap335]

Can you tell us what part of Texas you are planning to dive. It might make our help more useful.

Randy

 

[PvilleStang]

I like to dive the wet part...

 

[The Chad]

I was thinking Galvaston, Houston, Corpus, Padre, I'd be coming from Austin so I don't think it would really matter. I just looked thru the NOAA AWODB and out of 1800+ pages dident see anything all that thrilling. Am I wrong in thinking you have to go way far out just to hit 100'?

 

[Skyjunky]

On a good day you need to go at least 20-30 miles out for blue water. Your best bet are the rigs.

 

[k-valve]

The Flower Garden Banks are a nice dive. Gulf Diving, out of Freeport, goes out there regularly in the summer. Their website is: Gulf Diving LLC - Welcome!. I've dove with them and they rock!

I'm not real familiar with rig or wreck diving off the TX coast, but it's there. Plenty of charters go out to the rigs. There are a couple that go out to the Texas Clipper which is a newly sunk ship off of South Padre. There are other wrecks off the Texas coast also.

I haven't dove with any other gulf diving charters, so I wouldn't want to recommend one. Maybe some other folks can help you out with that. You can alsodo a Google search for "texas gulf coast diving" or "south padre island diving" and you'll get plenty of results.

 

[scubadale]

Try this link for what is out there.

TPWD: Liberty Ship Reefss

 

[The Chad]

Hey thanks Dale that stuff looks pretty neat. I like hearing about the history. I wonder if there are any U boats out there