new here, planning a trip to gulf shores

[jfg]

Hello, I've been hanging out reading on this site, decided to join up to inquire about a few things.
Sounds like a bunch of good guys that like to dive and spearfish, duh, that's a given I guess. I've enjoyed reading a lot of posts.
I have been out of diving for a long time. Still have my mask,snorkel,and fins along with a speargun I decided to bring back to life. I grew up in So. Calif and dove out there, then picked up spearfishing and went everytime I could. That's been a while back now. When the wife and I decided to make a trip to gulf shores this July, I got out my stuff and am trying to bring it back to life. I'd love to go diving while we are there. I was always a shallow snorkel diver and spearfisher, say 10' - 30' as a rule.
My question is, where do I begin to look for a place to do some snorkel diving while there? We will be staying at the Gulf state park in our camper and will be there about four days just chilling out from life. But I really want to get in the water with my gear and do a little shallow diving and maybe spearfishing.

If anyone can give me some advice on this, I really would appreciate it. We are coming down July 6th - 10th.
I am reading all the posts and it really has got me ready to give her a go again. I look forward to hearing from anyone.

P.S. I guess I am an old fart diver now days since I'm just over 50, but still can plow all day long, just not quite as deep as I use to.:D

[gulfdiver]

jfg,
Call me at my Dive shop and I'll tell you what we got in the area.
Check out my web site at [www.gulfdiver.net]

[fishbait]

you picked good place to get back at it. Lots of places to shore dive and spearfish, but you do have to have a spearfishing license . you may want to stop in montgomory. Or call dauphin island # 334/861-2882 Gulfdiver may be more help in getting license. But check before you go! have a great time!

[jfg]

Hey Gulfdiver and fishbait,
thank you for the replies. I will contact you Gary at your shop. It will be one of my getting away fun things to do while I'm there.

I feel kinda silly getting so excited about this,then I remember how much I loved the sport back when I was just a teenager. Last time I ocean dived was in cancun,mexico. It had been 19 years since I did any diving and I spent about 5 hours just freediving and checking out the fish and an old sailboat that had wrecked on a reef there. I was diving about 30 feet down and it was so clear it looked 5 feet deep. Well, that was 13 years ago. Yeah, I'm excited. Can't wait. I'll probably get in trouble with the wife and kids cause I'll be in the water with my head down so much, lol.

Hey, thanks again for the replies, look forward to being there and meeting some divers. Take care,
Jim

[fernandezh]

I'll vouch for Gary's dive shop. It is a new facility that truly caters to spearfishermen just as much as it does to divers/snorklers/freedivers. Gary is a great guy who puts the welfafe of his customers first.


Hector

[diver1]

You might want to check out Xtreme Adventures also when you come to the area.

They run spearfishing trips out of Dauphin Island. They mostly go to rigs, where the fish are super abundant and big. Mostly AJ's, Snapper and Grouper, with an occasional Ling thrown in for measure.

They are in Mobile.

www.xtremeadventures.net

[jfg]

Hey guys, I called and talked to Gary, your right, helpful person. He told me they could definately see to it that I got wet while I was there. :D Now I gotta get my stuff together and blow the cobwebs out and check the new rubber on the gun. Eeee haww, I feel like a kid again, oooh, there goes that knee again. This ought to be a kick, can't wait to get there. Hope I haven't gotten to fat to dive:D :D

Watch for beach reports, Tennessee man shoots bull shark and hung on all the way to Forida Keys before letting go............

[FredT]

Take was below my normal expectations, but I did have 3 spearfishing newbies with me. Jeanne REALLY needs to practice being a hole in the water.

Vis inshore sucked at under 6'. Vis out in 100'+ was good killing vis in the 20' ballpark on the bottom, but below the second thermocline it was right cool, close to or below 70°F. Deep water is dark due to suspended material in the upper layers, and we did have an overcast most of the day.

Can't say too much nice about the boat crew, boat layout on the Peeper, and Gary. All were excellent!

Next trip I'lll bring a set of emergency powerheads. Had a 8-10' bull chasing us up on the last dive (I think it was on the Wallace based on the hull damage and firebox), but we did boat the AJ he was after. Seeing one that size would have been more interesting if I'd seen him before he bumped my leg, and if the vis was good enough we could have seen both ends of him at the same time.

FT