Recommend your FAV DIVE OP near Pensacola

[ravenfish]

Will be in Pensacola August 18-22. I have a couple of days to dive and need some info on local dive ops and charters.

Some info you may need to make your suggestions:
2 fairly new OW Nitrox divers.
Requests a DM for the dives.
Wish to see marine life and wrecks.
Looking for a big boat, one diver prone to seasickness.
Need tanks and weights.

Thanks for any advice, suggestions and referrals.

 

[mwhities]

Capt Tim at Viking Diving Pensacola was my first boat dive experience. Good sized boat and no one of the 6 that went out got sick.

I also recommends Gary's crew at Gulf Diver in Orange Beach.

In Pensacola, I'd recommend MBT Divers

Good luck.

Michael

 

[ravenfish]

thanks mwhities,
it's my first time in the gulf. i have no idea where to go.
is the oriskany too much for a beginner?

 

[Kevin Carlisle]

Like MWhite said Gary at Gulf Diver I have heard nothing but good things about. I like Scuba Shack. They are great people to dive with. Your friend can get sick on any boat, tell them to take something before they go out. Most dive ops I know of require the AOW cert for the Oriskany. That dive could be a handful if you dont know what you are doing, I have done it four times and I think its great. But my fav site is the Russian Freighter, tons of life and about 85ft if you lie in the sand. Hope any of this helps.

 

[tstonedvr]

Your biggest boats will be the H2O Below via MBT and the Wet Dream via the Scuba Shack, both good ops with the H2O being the one I use. Several smaller boats are available and can be found through MBT, overall this part of the gulf has some good ops.
A lot of nice sites other than the Oriskany to dive.
Yarg

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Aside from whats been listed already, another large boat to look at is the Down Under, who launches out of Orange Beach. Down Under Dive Shop is in Gulf Shores, they have a larger Newton than the H20 Below.

A catamaran type boat like Gary's will ride significantly better than a typical V-hull boat of the same size if you want a better ride and less crowds.

 

[wjefferis]

What Bugman said is very correct. A twin hull cat like the the cat-n-around (Gary's gulf divers boat) is very stable and doesn't beat you up like a V hull will. I have been on several of the larger boats and even though the cats are smaller they seem more stable. You might also want to suggest that the diver prone to sea sickness takes some Bonine the day before the dive and then the morning of the dive and they should be good as gold.

To be fair here are the twin hull boats that I know of in the Pensacola and Orange Beach area:

Gary's Gulf Divers Gary's Gulf Divers, Full Service Dive Shops, Orange Beach, Alabama

Bluewater adventures Pensacola SCUBA Diving Charter Boat Dive the USS Oriskany Spearfishing Artificial Reef

Southern Offshore Adventures Pensacola Scuba Diving Oriskany

Dr. Dive Dr Dive Pensacola, FL - Home of the USS Oriskany

There is also Wild Kat charters, but their website is down right now. I think they still charter out of mbtdivers at MBT Divers Dive shop Pensacola, FL

I may have forgotten someone and if I have I am sorry, please put down the additional contact info.

 

[ravenfish]

Thanks Guys!
I will look into the twin hull boats.
Kevin suggested the Russian dive, any others?
Please email christineaferrer@gmail.com

 

[BLOWN03GT]

Check out Tanked Up Charters with Capt. Jeff. I did a 4 tank dive with him yesterday. 3 on the Oriskany and 1 on Pete Tide. The boat is fast, stable and he has gas motors, plus he only takes 6 divers so you have plenty of room to move around. Yesterday we only had 5 divers and I used the DM Rich as a buddy. The first dive he gave me a tour of the Island including down to the flight deck. The second dive I wanted to do some penitration so he took me on some of the swim throughs. Rich will only take you on what you're comfortable with.
Pensacola Scuba Diving Oriskany