Huntsville, Alabama

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

shark tattoo

Guest
Messages
10
Reaction score
0
Location
Iowa
Going to be in Huntsville, Alabama for about 6 weeks, for some training.

I have my weekends free and would love to get some "bubble time". Any suggestions for some decent diving in the area would be appreciated! I am newly certified (and yes a little nervous about my first OW dive) but eager for the challenge!
 
Well you can dive the Madison Quarry in Huntsville. nice and warm right now. Great for a first time diver. They are open about 2 weekends per month. This is the closest, easiest, and warmest diving around HSV. Many of us dive it once or twice a month.

Moulton Quarry is about 1 hr drive from HSV. It's a small quarry but a nice place to dive. somewhat cold though.

Marthas Quarry is 2 hours north outside Nashville - www.marthasquarry.com

Pelham Quarry (aka Bluewater) is about 2 hours south - www.divealabama.com

Glencoe is about 2 hours SE - www.headsouth.com/diveland

Loch Low Minn is about 3-4 hour drive away - www.lochlow-minn.com/


The Gulf is about a 6 hour drive away. I'd suggest that at least for one of your weekends. Several Florida springs in the panhandle that are popular also.


Let me know when you'll be down here. We dive a good bit and you're welcome to tag along.

-mike
 
Send us your arrival dates and we can plug you into several events. Mike, shame on you for not inviting him to the monthly SEAS meeting. OBTW I am on the road to MS this Thursday. Check out the threads for the 2006 crab grab. This should be challenging for even experienced divers.
Howard
 
My bad guys. I forgot to tell you when I was coming down. Sep 4th until Oct 13th.

What will the water temps be like then?

A "new" guy without equipment, how much will rentals cost me in the area?
 
Water temps in the "local quarry" will be really warm then. It's 76f right now on the bottom.. In sept it should be up to 80f or more the way it's going. Typically in Ocotber the Madison Quarry temps are still in the 70's. It's a great time to dive out there.

The Gulf is in the 70's also come October. Not tropical, but still nice and warm. We went to the beach (and dove) last year in October and it was perfect weather.


Rentals aren't a problem. There are two full service dive shops in the area
SDI Scuba http://www.sdiscuba.com
Dive Sports http://www.divesports.com (Dive Sports even posts on SB and supports members here).

Both of them rent gear for about $25 bucks a day for reg and BC. Tanks run $6 to $8 with first fill included. A wetsuit averages about $10 bucks. Dive Sports has a "Quarry Days" package for a BC, Reg, and Wetsuit all for $25 bucks. Both Dive Sports and SDI have good compressor systems for clean air.


As PhilmontTrek mentioned, we've got the SEAS Club, which is the local scuba club. It meets on 2nd Thursday of each month. Looks like you'll be here for the Sept and Oct meetings. You are welcome to attend. It's open to anyone. It's a lot of fun and is mostly just a local diver get-together that is about diving. We'll be doing a 'grill out' and most likely a night dive at the local quarry sometime in that time frame.

Of course if you stay the last weekend you are here, you'll be here for Vortoberfest in the FL Panhandle!.

So... believe it or not, this area has a pretty active dive crowd. lots of folks from this area on SB also.
 
shark tattoo:
My bad guys. I forgot to tell you when I was coming down. Sep 4th until Oct 13th.

What will the water temps be like then?
Mike's right. September and October are just about the best times to dive down here. The water is warm and the air temperature is pleasant.

We need to do a road trip up to Martha's Quarry in Nashville around that time. RocketMan hasn't had a chance to dive there yet.

Luke
 
ScubaLuke:
...snip....
RocketMan hasn't had a chance to dive there yet.

Luke

Hey, I'm always looking for a good spot to throw-up at.

shark tattoo, what part of Iowa you from. My brother used to live in Manchester.

Cya in Sept.
 
Waterloo, Iowa there Rocketman! Its about central northeast Iowa.

Thanks for the responses.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/perdix-ai/

Back
Top Bottom