Great Lakes Wrecking Crew came south!

Hi, Steve and I traveled down to Pensacola from Dayton Ohio to do some warm, salt water diving for a change from our usual 36* water this time of year back home. He booked on the H2O Below for Monday the 24, and Tuesday the 25th. Monday for a couple inshore dive to get acclimated, then Tuesday for the Oriskany.

Monday got blown out, unfortunately, but we have a good visit to the museum out at the Naval Station. So, a pretty good trip, especially as we got to study some models of the Essex class carriers like the Oriskany. Came in handy for Tuesday.

Tuesday, we boarded the H2O Below, with Capt Doug, DM DJ, and DMIT Rich. We set out for a 3 hour tour, err, a 25 mile trip out to the O with 7 divers on board. 2-3 foot waves, with occasional 4 footers. Once Rich got the boat hooked up. we all splashed in and descended to the ship. Wow. That is much bigger than the 500' freighters we've dove up in Lake Huron! In a 22 minute first dive to 120', we got to explore the front side of the tower. I was surprised at the number of sea urchins on it. A few fish, not many, a couple other divers saw a bull shark, I think I saw it, but only in the distance, so wasn't sure.

Surface interval, saw a Portugese Man o war, and we had a porpoise checking us out.

Second dive, went to 100' for 26 minutes, explored the back side of the tower. Saw more fish this dive.

My 7mm wetsuit was definitely more wetsuit than I needed for these dives! So, in answer to another thread I saw on here about when will the gulf be wetsuit diveable, my answer is, it ALWAYS is wetsuit diveable!

I will be talking to the GLWC folks back home and try to get up another trip down here some time!


Ken

Glad you had fun, there are a bunch of great wrecks out here, extend your stay next time!

Hey Ken. I am so glad you guys had fun. I hear that the coffees and hot choc were nice. Thanks for the post. We get a ton of questions about water temp this time of year and like you I think the gulf is pretty diveable anytime of the year. As long as you can get out there. I could never do the freezing temps you guys dive in. I'll take 68 degrees in March anytime.

seadoggirl:

Hey Ken. I am so glad you guys had fun. I hear that the coffees and hot choc were nice. Thanks for the post. We get a ton of questions about water temp this time of year and like you I think the gulf is pretty diveable anytime of the year. As long as you can get out there. I could never do the freezing temps you guys dive in. I'll take 68 degrees in March anytime.

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We do have our annual spring Meet and Greet at Gilboa Quarry, near Findlay Ohio, coming up the last weekend of April.

Any and all are welcome to attend. The comraderie is just as important as the diving, but the main aim is starting to lay the plans for summer diving. The diving is usually, as the name Great Lakes Wrecking Crew suggests, on wrecks up in the Great Lakes, but with occassional trips elsewhere. And did I mention the Saturday carry in lunch/dinner?

If any of you can make it up to Ohio, a little south of Toledo, check out our thread on the GLWC forum about the Spring M&G. Come for a visit! Vis ought to be 40-50', and water temps should be brisk! We do have people dive in wetsuits, but a 7mm 2 piece is advisable.


Ken