Winter Diving in North Alabama

[willardj]

Oh man... what a quarry that would be. Think about a 363 foot dive to see the base of the rocket. Or even on its side, how impressive it would be to swim along. Maybe they need to toss one of the three still around into a quarry... probably make quite a profit for NASA.

:mooner: It's not that deep and I was mistaken it is a MinuteMan rocket. Not a Sat 5

 

[Boomer7]

Last year we were lucky to hit 40ft

 

[utdivermatt]

:mooner: It's not that deep and I was mistaken it is a MinuteMan rocket. Not a Sat 5

I knew it wasnt, expecially since only three exist, but think about what a quarry that would be. It would be amazing to see one in the water.

 

[mike_s]

Oh man... what a quarry that would be. Think about a 363 foot dive to see the base of the rocket. Or even on its side, how impressive it would be to swim along. Maybe they need to toss one of the three still around into a quarry... probably make quite a profit for NASA.

NASA doesn't own the Saturn V's anymore believe it or not. The National Air and Space Museum, which is part of The Smithsonian, owns them.

There are actually 4 on display if you include one that is a full size model.

The model in front of the Space & Rocket center in my opninon doesn't qualifty. It has a steel frame and just model skins around it. and was constructed on site from scratch. The other on display at the HSV Space & Rocket Center is on it's side in the back. There is an effort going on now to 'save' it from all the years of sitting out in the weather. (Matt prob already knows this from working there...).

Believe it or not also the Space & Rocket Center and Space Camp is not owned by NASA either. It's owned by the State of Alabama.

The other 2 on display are at Kennedy and Houston.

I'd be cool if they sunk the model though, if they had a spare or something.


As for other coo rockets in the area. there is a Saturn 1B at the I-65 southbound rest stop just south of the Tennessee state line. I'll put some pics below.

Last year we were lucky to hit 40ft

Yeup. My computer read 41' max on one dive after the water came up a foot or so..\



Rocket Pics.

This is the Minute Man missile sunk in Madison Quarry. This pic was taken at the quarry before it was sunk. I think it's total height is around 65'. The top of the missile sticks up out of the water several feet, depending on water level.

This is the Saturn V model being built at the Space and Rocket center.

This is the Saturn V on display at the Space & Rocket Center. (A real Saturn V)

Here's the Saturn 1B at the I-65 rest stop

 

[utdivermatt]

If you want to get into real specifics, the one lying down at Sprocket is the only one that really counts as a full Saturn V. Neither of the other two are one complete rocket, but rather parts of two different ones mixed and matched. The one in H'ville is actually a full rocket, that has actually been used for dynamic tests.

As for saving the Saturn V, they are bulding a facility to house the real Saturn V (lying in the back). It is a very similar idea to the one in Flordia, at the Cape. If you have been there you know what it looks like. Last I saw the plan was to make the front side glass, allowing you to view it from the Interstate. Should be very impressive. I havent seen it since August, but the original plan was to have it done by this fall sometime.

Sprocket isnt under NASA? And here I have been telling everyone I work for NASA... Way to ruin my cover Mike!

 

[mike_s]

Sorry Brian if we completely hijacked your thread. Maybe the extra posts will bring in more winter diving interest.

As for saving the Saturn V, they are bulding a facility to house the real Saturn V (lying in the back). It is a very similar idea to the one in Flordia, at the Cape. If you have been there you know what it looks like. Last I saw the plan was to make the front side glass, allowing you to view it from the Interstate. Should be very impressive. I havent seen it since August, but the original plan was to have it done by this fall sometime.

Here's the URL for saving the Saturn V if anyone's interested.
http://www.spacecamp.com/saturnv/

Sprocket isnt under NASA? And here I have been telling everyone I work for NASA... Way to ruin my cover Mike!

Yup.... sorry to blow your cover story. You're a lowly state employee.

see http://www.spacecamp.com/details.php?cat=Foundation&program=Index

(Ownership by the state was also referrenced several years ago when they lost a ton of money due to mis-management. The state had to foot the bill. Not NASA.)


EDIT: Since you didn't work for NASA like you thought you did, does this mean you can't get us those NASA Astronaut Diapers for the long non-stop 900 mile drive to the Keys?

 

[skybird]

WOW most of you must dive dry. All I have the money for is to sit around in the winter and wish it was warmer..........or that I had the money to travel to warm exoctic waters.
sigh

 

[philmottrek99and02]

WOW most of you must dive dry. All I have the money for is to sit around in the winter and wish it was warmer..........or that I had the money to travel to warm exoctic waters.
sigh

Welcome back. Where have you been? Didn't see you at SEAS in January. Of course I don't dive dry. Are you silly? We had a great viz dive at Pelham last weekend. You should have come.

 

[skybird]

computer wise, mine is dead and I am trying to use this ancient machine of my dad's till I can get one. Other wise, just been involved with life..sometimes takes precedence over what I want to be doing. If you don't dive dry isn't it too cold at Pelham right now??????????? What is the temp? and how thick a suit would I need?

and thanks for missing me, its nice to be missed

 

[mike_s]

SkyBird! I wondered where you had been hiding!

Pelham was 53f water temp last weekend. Those crazy souls who dove it 'wet' layered up all kinds of wetsuits. (Yes I wimped out from the start and didn't go).

anyone dive this weekend? I bet you had to cut a hole in the ice to get in!