Ft. Pickens Thursday Aug. 27

[bamaskubacat]

Hi Kate! If I had all my own equipment already I would probably take you up on that. But if we were to get there and decide not to dive I'd be out @ $50 in rental gear :depressed: Plus, Underwater Works (which is the only dive shop I know of over here is closed today and doesn't open Thursday till like 2:00 - they shortened their hours when the oil hit) I really really need to get my own gear! I have a bc, but need a regulator and fins. But until I get over my initial nervousness and know without a doubt I'm gonna dive a lot (which I probly am) I don't want to spend the 500+ for a new regulator - which is why I'm looking for used.

What do you really think the visibility will be tomorrow?

Tina

 

[mrmccoy]

The last report was 15ft But there is no telling what it will be tomorrow.

 

[kmenees]

Mrmccoy - I will dive wherever, visibility of 15 feet seems about average, although it can definitely be worse. Ft. Pickens is fine with me. You should have seen the vis there on my open water checkout dive - it might have been 3 feet! The only problem I can really imagine we may have when we get there is Jellyfish, its that time of year! We can always move over to the pier rubble in that case though.

 

[mrmccoy]

I will be wearing a full wetsuit so jelly fish are no big deal. I haven't checked out the peir rubble yet, the beach was packed when we were going to so we decided not to. It sounds like a good fall back plan!

Mrmccoy - I will dive wherever, visibility of 15 feet seems about average, although it can definitely be worse. Ft. Pickens is fine with me. You should have seen the vis there on my open water checkout dive - it might have been 3 feet! The only problem I can really imagine we may have when we get there is Jellyfish, its that time of year! We can always move over to the pier rubble in that case though.

 

[bamaskubacat]

???? I'm still trying to learn the tides. Would someplace like the Whiskey Wreck or another site off Gulf Shores have better visibility with this neap tide since there is no pass there? Or does that not matter? Does a neap tide usually mean low visibility regardless of the location?

 

[mrmccoy]

???? I'm still trying to learn the tides. Would someplace like the Whiskey Wreck or another site off Gulf Shores have better visibility with this neap tide since there is no pass there? Or does that not matter? Does a neap tide usually mean low visibility regardless of the location?

What are you trying to learn about them?
The whiskey wreck really isn't tide dependent the biggest issue is dealing with the surge. Pick a day with flat seas if possible(early morning is best or so I've been told)but the vis doesn't get any better then pickens and changes more often.
This past Sunday we had 2-3ft vis on the west end of the wreck and 5-8ft on the east end. So it's luck of the draw.
Just dive with people that have been to the site before and if you aren't comfortable with the vis or current call the dive

 

[chris_b]

???? I'm still trying to learn the tides... Does a neap tide usually mean low visibility regardless of the location?

Neap tide just means that there is very little variance in height between low and high tide and thus only a small inflow of gulf water. With a "spring" tide (where there's a relatively large variance in height between low and high tide) a site like Ft. Pickens is "flushed" by lots of incoming gulf water, which often improves visibility. However, the "pull" of the tide in a spring tide can be rather strong if you don't dive at slack tide, so in a way a neap tide may involve a lot less finning/stress despite the potential for lower visibility.

I would love to make it tomorrow as I'm trying to get my wife back into diving after her being dry for several years. She gave up diving after our first kid was born (she also was tired of getting seasick on dive boats). After we moved to Pensacola a few years ago, she's expressed a willingness to shore dive but until this month we've had a least one kid at home--now that our littlest is finally in preschool I hope she'll agree to some occasional shore diving. If we don't make it the same time as you guys we may say hi during your surface interval.

 

[mrmccoy]

Hope to see both of you there!
I kinda got off topic about the tides thanks for going into detail chris!

 

[bamaskubacat]

What are you trying to learn about them?

Thanks for all the info. I moved here from Kansas (no tides to worry about there). So, I'm just trying to learn what the different tidal stages are, how it effects diving - currents, visibility, etc. and how to determine when the best/safest times are to dive. I'm sure I'm overly cautious, but better that then doing something stupid cause I didn't ask questions.

Thanks again!
Tina

 

[DocCarl]

bamaskubacat,

+1 for Kate's (obviously I'm biased), mrmccoy's, and Chris_b's comments- - - especially regarding the increased flow (felt as strong current) around neap tide at Ft. Pickens. You may trade an extra 5' of viz for a current that requires you to hold on the rocks in order to keep from being swept off the site. It's not really dangerous- - just something else to contend with. On the other hand, I know people that have show up there at random times and had slack water with 35'+!! It's impossible to predict that you'll have a certain amount of viz on any given day: we just kind of work off averages.
Please don't interpret this to mean that Ft. Pickens is an "advanced" location. As Kate said, half of her OW cert dives were conducted at Ft. Pickens (as well as TONS of other OW students) with < 8' viz and a tide falling so fast it should have been wearing a parachute.

Also, bear in mind that there is always a possibility of scrapping a dive once you get to site, rentals or no. Conditions may change, or otherwise be found unacceptable for diving based on your training, experience, and confidence. This is applicable to any site- - whether it be a $150 trip to the Oriskany, or a night dive in your swimming pool. Thumbing the dive is ALWAYS an option: anyone you're diving with that doesn't respect your assessment of a dive in light of developing conditions is someone you don't want to be diving with.

Regarding visibility for shore dive sites in this area:

In my experience, the better shore visibility is encountered to the east. Destin jetties are typically more clear than Ft. Pickens (tide conditions being equal) and I've had some of the best visibility at St. Andrews, not to mention a higher critter count.

Gulf shores is much closer to Mobile Bay, and as such is prone to more 'green' water. When we dove the Whiskey this past Sunday, we had about 6-8' at the east end, and about 2' at the west end. This was at high tide.

Gear:
The best way to 'see' if you will get over that nervousness is to dive. Dive with people that know the site and have experience. Dive often. Kate will be the absolute best person to talk to about this: in about 8 months she has gone from 'verge of panic attack nervous' to ' Fish '.
No need to buy any kind of regulator just yet- - although I would recommend some fins: you can always use them for snorkeling.

Chris_b, Come on out! I think we're getting there about 9, but two tanks are on the plan- - - so you could always join us for the second.