Whiskey wreck, Gulf Shores, Al 7/1

[paulwall]

I had planned to drag my nephew over at 6am, but caught a late post from Theresa about an 8:15 meet-up.

Since I was driving the "Creeper Van" (white cargo van with no windows), I parked across the street to facilitate my departure. Left the nephew behind with a wicked sore throat. Geared up with a 72 and walked over to find Bamaskubacat and her SO gearing up by Bahama Bob's. Chatted for a while and headed out of the 90* sun to wait in the water.

3 other divers on hookah(!?) were searching for the wreck. Waves were 1 ft. or less and wind was stiff out of the N. Few clouds, and the sun was bright.

Kat and her buddy soon joined me, we did a quick buddy check and set out to join the search in the 5' vis.


One of the hookah divers found the wreck, I tied in and we began the dive. The west end to the break was exposed and as far east as the edge of the "cabin" had 3-5' of relief. The 5 posts on the South side were visible and I inadvertently swam under a couple of cross- beams. A school of spadefish, soapfish, electric skate (ask Kat), blennies, flounder, and a parrotfish were all in residence. I swam around for 55' and the hookah divers left, Tessunderwater (with an 8' pole spear), DocCarl, and 2 others showed up while I was under. Kat and her buddy were onshore when I came out. Water temp 81*, vis 5' with lots of particulate, little June grass.

Chatted with another diver (Sans gear) and her husband about the site and promoted scubaboard to all non-members. Got a Facebook link for Gulf Coast Diving.

Final roll call: Paul(paulwall), Tina(BamaSkubacat), Carl(DocCarl), Theresa (tessUnderwater), Tina's SO, Juan (Theresa's Buddy), and Carl's Buddy, and the 3 Hookah Amigos, who left a small float crimped to the wreck to find it more easily.
(God, I'm terrible and remembering names).

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

 

[NeoByzantine]

Thanks for posting this.

NeoByz

 

[bamaskubacat]

electric skate (ask Kat)

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

HA HA - I didn't know what it was until I asked Paul after the dive. Had never even heard of an electric skate. My hubby and I descended to help look for the wreck and as soon as we hit the bottom my ass was literally electrocuted :shocked2:. I had on a one mil. skin so it didn't hurt, but I was not expecting it and it scared the crap out of me. We must have startled it when we hit bottom and it raced across my butt and disappeared (which in 4 foot of vis didn't take long, all I saw was a dark shadow race away).

 

[Tessunderwater]

I was excited about the possibility of flounder but with the low visibility it was in vain. However it was a very good dive I enjoyed seeing Paul again as well as Tina and her husband. Great dive!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Sounds like there is still enough relief to have a good dive, I miss the Whiskey!

Thanks for the report

 

[DocCarl]

It was a nice dive, and it was great to see everyone!

I estimate about 6' for relief at the tallest point. There was plenty of clearance to swim under two of the deck beams.

Superbugman,
What's the distance and direction to that other section located to the west? I thought about searching out to the west & south, but with no clue on the distance I felt that the chances of hitting it were pretty slim.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

If you follow the direction of the starboard side hull and you can start running into some of the other sections of wreck as soon as 20'(if the sandbar is washed out good) or as far as 60-100' to reach the higher portions of relief that might be out of the sand in times when the sand is washed in.