Diving Gulf Shores Labor Day

[dxxxiii]

May need a buddy if any in LA avaialble. I'm pretty new at this but having fun with each dive.

 

[dxxxiii]

Looks like I'm diving with Down Under Dive shop (west of 59 in gulf Shores) on Friday at 0800. Near High Tide so maybe decent visibility.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

If you are interested in a beach dive later, post. I live in the area and I'm just about always up for a dive.

 

[mike_s]

Down Under Dive Shop has a pretty decent dive boat. It's only a couple years old. I think its a Newton 41 or 46 dive special. They also do a very good job of tracking divers in/out of the water. They have a diver down tag you take off the board when you enter the water and put on your BC. When you get back on the boat you put your diver down tag back on the board. That way the capt can see that all the divers are back on board. But they also do a roll call by name also. So they go to extra lenths to make sure they don't leave a diver having to swim home.

Diver Down isn't a cheap dive though. It was $75 for a 4 hour trip and
that didn't include tanks and weights either. In comparison we dove
a few months earlier in Key Largo for $55 for a 4 hour trip and
it included tanks and weights.

As for the diving.... don't get your hopes up. Unless you like lots and lots of sand. There really isn't anything to see in Gulf Shores. There are a few ship wrecks.
but they took us diving on some concrete columns that apparantly used to
be part of an old bridge. Was pretty much the most boring dive I've ever
been on. Nice boat, but wasn't too impressed with the diving.

Hope you have a good time.

 

[one90proof]

I have also heard that there isn't a whole lot to see in Gulf Shores. One day I'll need to go find out for myself.

I do most of my diving out of Pensacola through my LDS in Mobile, Xtreme Adventures and always have a good time.

 

[mike_s]

I have also heard that there isn't a whole lot to see in Gulf Shores. One day I'll need to go find out for myself.
QUOTE]

That is true for Gulf Shores both above and below the water.


There are much better beaches to go to than Gulf Shores.
And much better diving also.

This might seem minor, but the resturant selection and quality there is pretty poor.

The major problem is traffic when you try to leave. It's bumper to bumper for 20 miles and takes about 2 hours as they don't even try to make it go faster. If you go, stay in Orange Beach and take the Foley Beach Express. It's a toll road but only costs a few bucks but saves you about 2 hours time.

 

[scubabamatxn]

Did you see the article in USA Today, today? The had an overhead picture taken 100-200 yards offshore at Gulf Shores. There were 50- 75 sharks in a group-- it seems like there has been an abundance of bait fish just off the beach for a few days. Keep your eyes open!

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

There are actually quite a few wrecks out there, don't expect much in the natural reef department though. The wrecks vary from barges, to tugs, to liberty ships(400+'), airplanes, tanks, rigs, ect. They do have some limestone reefs ~30 miles out I believe - I haven't been there yet.

The bridge spans are popular for all the charters in the area because of the ease to get there and dive them for a good long time. I agree, its not the most attractive dive, but it does bring in some good sized fish at times.

As for resturant selection, its there, if you know where to look

Traffic used to be horrible, but the Foley Beach Express has cut into it making more bearable. There are also back roads from the Foley/Gulf Shore city limits that will take you all the way to Loxley, where I-10 crosses.