Washington DC area diving

[Spearchucker]

I am going to be in the Washington area (Sterling Virginia) from December 22 through 27 and would love to hook up and do some shooting anywhere that is at least reasonable close drive. I am visiting my in laws, so I will be desperately needing something to shoot at.

[SeaWitch]

If your up to driving out to Ocean City, MD drop us a line.

[Dive4Blood]

I hear that the Reflecting Pool near the Washington Monument has some sick stacks of groupers this time of the year, and it should be easy to fill up a gnarly HOD. I bet there are some deep drop-offs so go easy on the nitrox!!! Give Condoleeza Rice a call, she's an accomplished steelslinger that shoots a single shafted Wong.

[junior]

Bring your dry suit:D

[SeaWitch]

Originally posted by junior
Bring your dry suit:D

Nah! Come on in the waters fine. :D

[sharkbait]

I have some friends from NJ that spear and I would love to meet them somewhere and dive together. Maryland might be good middle ground. Tell me more about diving there.....
Thanks,
Brian

[junior]

I've been surfing in Ocean City in January. It was snowing as we crossed the bridge onto the island. Nah, not cold at all:D

[SeaWitch]

Originally posted by sharkbait
I have some friends from NJ that spear and I would love to meet them somewhere and dive together. Maryland might be good middle ground. Tell me more about diving there.....
Thanks,
Brian

Ocean City is on the Delmarva Peninsula, we are 15min from DE and 30 to VA, depending on what you are after state laws may effect which you would prefer to dive.

Would you be on SCUBA or Freediving? Will you be spearing Inshore, Wreck, or Blue Water?

[Bergo]

I am back from Aus.... WOW!! more on the trip later.

Seawitch- lets grab spearchucker and set up a trip if you are available.

[sharkbait]

Originally posted by SeaWitch
Ocean City is on the Delmarva Peninsula, we are 15min from DE and 30 to VA, depending on what you are after state laws may effect which you would prefer to dive.

Would you be on SCUBA or Freediving? Will you be spearing Inshore, Wreck, or Blue Water?

We are all inshore & wreck scuba spearfishermen and proud of it.

[Bergo]

I am in the process of getting photos set up to post but yeah a 62 year old guy (don't know if you are on the board Bernie) nailed this sucker.

I was in the water with a separate group doing a drift about 100meters from him. We had seen the doggies on the drift before and were hoping to get them.

I will do a full write up in a separate post. Get the drool rag out....

[SLAYER]

i just came from there, some little lakes were frozen over

[SeaWitch]

Spearchucker & Bergo, if you are interested in going out this week just let us know and we'll set something up.

sharkbait, I haven't forgotten you, this should slow down tonight and I'll get you the info you want.

Dive Safe!
Southern Sea Witch

[Spearchucker]

Well, unfortunately I got here tonight, and it supposed to get mind numbing cold,and not warm back up until I leave, which is Monday. I do not dive in 30 degree weather.

[junior]

Originally posted by Spearchucker
Well, unfortunately I got here tonight, and it supposed to get mind numbing cold,and not warm back up until I leave, which is Monday. I do not dive in 30 degree weather.

I bet Zack would loan you his Star Wars thermos with warm tomato soup:D

[Bergo]

oh- the water is nice...... come on in!

[SeaWitch]

Thursday: Wind driven rain showers early with a steady, soaking rain later in the day. High 58F. Winds SSE at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.
Thursday night: Showers ending in the evening with partial clearing overnight. Low 33F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Friday: Mostly cloudy. High near 40F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph.
Friday (24 hours): More clouds than sun. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the mid 20s.
Saturday (24 hours): Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Sunday (24 hours): Mainly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s and lows in the mid 20s.
Monday (24 hours): More sun than clouds. Highs in the upper 40s and lows in the mid 30s.
Tuesday (24 hours): Times of sun and clouds. Highs in the upper 50s and lows in the low 40s.

You wouldn't want to go out in the rain (next to no viz), but the other days look promising.

:D The water's even warmer.

[SeaWitch]

SUN
NE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.

MON
SE WINDS 10 TO 15 KT. SEAS 2 TO 4 FT.

[richhermes]

Originally posted by Spearchucker
I do not dive in 30 degree weather.

WHAT? Your Mangina hurtin' again??

[Spearchucker]

Alright, I did not bring any gear with me, but if you guys have enough loaner stuff, I will go!

Call me at 813-244-9716

[SeaWitch]

Originally posted by Spearchucker
if you guys have enough loaner stuff, I will go!

Why yes. yes we do :D

How long are you down for and we'll figure out which day looks most promising.

Bergo, are you still up to it?

[Bergo]

oh yeah! Let us go forth and shoot.

[richhermes]

All it takes is a Mangina comment....:D

Just realize John that you will have shrinkage so bad that your balls will not drop for about a week.

[Spearchucker]

Man, it is really cold this morning. Their is ice on the hood of my truck.

Sunday is the only day, but it is so damn cold I am wavering....

[Bergo]

I smell somthing.....

You guys smell something?

[SeaWitch]

Seriously it is always colder further inland, and warmer down here on the peninsula. When they get snow we are generally the cut off and get little to none. It's not to bad here now, but will get cold tomorrow and "warm" back up the first of the week. Granted its not Florida.....

You are about 3 hours NW of us, by the way.

[SeaWitch]

Unbelievable! We have snow storm hitting all the way down to NC.

I hate the snow. I'm thinking a move south sounds good right about now!

[Spearchucker]

Yea, I wish I could have hooked up with you guys, but it is so damn bone numbing cold.

Maybe next summer,when I get drug up here again to vixit the old balland chains kin folk.

[Bergo]

Witch

You mentioned in another post that there may be a spearing club starting up in OC. Keep me in the loop on this one if you would.

[Marcus]

Originally posted by Spearchucker
Yea, I wish I could have hooked up with you guys, but it is so damn bone numbing cold.

Pussy!

[Spearchucker]

Yeah, well Marcus, at least I am not pissing and moaning about getting hurt on that girls hill in West Virginia :)

Actually, man was it F-ing cold. It was like 15 degrees Sunday morning. You know it is bad when I have to turn the key on to my diesel pickup for close to a minute to get the glowplugs warmed up enough to allow the engine to start.

[Marcus]

Originally posted by Spearchucker
Yeah, well Marcus, at least I am not pissing and moaning about getting hurt on that girls hill in West Virginia :)

Actually, man was it F-ing cold. It was like 15 degrees Sunday morning. You know it is bad when I have to turn the key on to my diesel pickup for close to a minute to get the glowplugs warmed up enough to allow the engine to start.

:D

Yea, you wouldn't have got my magina in the water neither.

[SeaWitch]

Ocean City diving in Jan...dive report to follow shortly from Triggerfish.

[TriggerFish]

This picture is from my dive on Sun. on a popular wreck in our region the African Queen. Although most of my spearfishing is freedive spearfishing I have found that if you want fresh fish in winter in the mid to north Atlantic SCUBA and Dry suits seem to be the right tool for the job. The dive started off in 2-4 foot seas and a current that sent me back up the anchor line if I relaxed my grip even slightly. After tying into the wreck I took shelter from the current behind the wrecks massive 50' relief. At a depth of 78' I noted that the temp. Was a toasty 43F. Visibility was only about 15’ due to the very overcast sky there just was not much light at that depth. But the fish did not disappoint as the Tog where thick and shooting 6lb. Fish would have been no challenge at all. At one point I took a long shoot on a big Tog that pulled off as I grabbed at the shaft. I tracked it across the bottom as it ducked under some wreckage and reappeared several times through the Swiss cheese like steel that covered the sand. I saw the eye and part of the head of my quarry and wasting no time dove on it driving the shaft through it’s head and working it out of the hole was surprised to find this was not the fish I had originally shoot but a much larger fish that I had just captured by a hand spear. Go Figure! After pulling the hook from the wreck I had my respectable MD State limit ranging in size from 9 lbs. to 13 and broke my winter doldrums. But I can’t wait for the 2005 spring season to bring back the Trout, Triggers, Drums, and Sheephead, and put an end to the tanks and drysuits at least until Winter 06. ;)

[Bergo]

Can't wait to come down and dive with you guys.

Nice report.

[Joboo]

Any of you guys from up that way dive the Chesapeake Light Tower or any of the artificials adjacent to it? Any pics or recomendation of which wreck to dive that is part of that artificial formation? Spring/Summer vis?

[Mako993]

Triggerfish,

Do you dive year round? I'll be starting up this Spring around the DC area. What is in season about April and May?

[TriggerFish]

Originally posted by Joboo
Any of you guys from up that way dive the Chesapeake Light Tower or any of the artificials adjacent to it? Any pics or recomendation of which wreck to dive that is part of that artificial formation? Spring/Summer vis?

I know some divers in the VA Beach area which freedive the light tower with great results. But I am not familiar with the adjacent reefs. Although it's in my general region, VA Beach is 3 hours from here.

[TriggerFish]

Originally posted by Bergo
Can't wait to come down and dive with you guys.

Look forward to diving with you. Still very serious about starting a club out of OC. I have already spoke to several people who are interested. A few from the DC area. We'd love to have you.

[TriggerFish]

Originally posted by Mako993
Triggerfish,

Do you dive year round? I'll be starting up this Spring around the DC area. What is in season about April and May?

Yes, I dive year round, weather permitting. April/May Inshore and on wrecks, Taug Tog, Sea Bass, Striped Bass (Delaware), Trout.

As the water warms in June we also start to see more Sheepshead, Trigger Fish, & Black Drum.

Then there's Bluewater.....:D

[Defofthecrown]

Trigger,

Dry suit? Euro gun? only 15' vis.? It's like I don't even know you anymore...
How are the sinus' doing these days? Good to see you getting in the water, and any 'tog in double digets is solid.

-Chris

[Mako993]

I am new to the spear fishing scene here, and spring would be the time I'd be jumping into it. I've near spear fished before, although I'm a lifelong hunter and fisherman, and haven't even been diving in several years, but It's something that has long interested me and I'm dying to try some underwater hunting.

[TriggerFish]

Defofthecrown, Glad to hear from you I hope the Pacific Ocean is bringing you Joy. I have not had my operation yet but have never had major problems equalizing on SCUBA. I should be recovered from that in time for Spring. :)

Mako, you should PM me if you want more info. on hunting this Summer. Spearfishing is the best of Hunting and Fishing I am sure you will take to it quickly .

[Mako993]

Send you a PM, Triggerfish.