Getting Kicked Off of Rigs

[hartwelltv]

Went spearfishing out of Fourchon yesterday and we got asked to leave 4 rigs. Naturally, they ask you to leave after you've tied up, put on your gear and swam around for 5 minutes.

The first rig, we've got asked to leave before, but only when there's a crewboat coming where we're tied up, and the guys are always cool about it. They were alright this time too.

The next two rigs, I'm hoping somebody knows what the story is with these... they're 30 miles due South of Fourchon, and on the map they look like a big circle of rigs, with the biggest ones being a few large platforms connected together..South Timbalier blk 135 is the middle... We're in the water and this guy comes down yelling at us "get back in your godamn boat and get out of here :mad: ". Like a dumbass, I asked what the problem was (as if this guy was going to be reasonable with us), and he continues his tirade, stating that it's "illegal to tie up to any rig in the Gulf of Mexico since 9/11." Normally, I'd call BS with this asshole, but we were in his territory, and I felt it was best to err on the side of caution and ask some more experienced people about this. We stopped at another rig about 5 miles away and he had radioed to those guys to tell us to get the f out of there... :mad: what a dick.

I've heard of the supposed "Loop Rigs" that no one is allowed to go near. But I don't think these were them - If somebody knows where these are, please post.

Anybody know what's up with these rigs? What about anchoring out there, can they do anything?

[wookie]

The loop is the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, sounds like it's in the area you are describing, although I thought it was in South Delta. I will check my charts when I get on the boat tomorrow. Usually Loop Radar will call you on the radio if you enter their security zone, demarked by yellow buoys. Operators can and some buttheads will not let you tie off to the rigs. They can't stop you from diving, but can request that you not tie off. I always found that I would rather go where I'm wanted than fight with an operator who has ony had sex with himself for the last 2 weeks.

[Southern Cross]

You were in the South Timbalier 130 field. LOOP is about 8 miles on a 20degree heading from there. I have dove every rig in that area since 9/11. It really depends on the crew. Some are nice, and some are assholes. I don't know the legality of tying up, but we do it all the time. When someone throws a fit, we just leave. Easier than trying to reason with a man that hasn't seen land in 2 weeks.

I've killed lots of cobia around there. How did you do?

[hartwelltv]

We had a pretty bad day, we got kicked off of 4 rigs that we usually hammer at, the close in (50ft) rigs were dirtier than I've ever seen them with 3-4ft vis down to 20ft where it turned black. :eek: This was by far the worst trip I've had out there. I shot one 30 lb stinky barracuda for a mookie donation, a triggerfish and a mangrove. Water was chilly in a 3mil suit.

Thanks for the heads up on the loop SC, is that NNE of there?

[mrfish87]

Chris, LOOP is off Grand Isle 18 miles out. Here is the LOOP website. http://www.loopllc.com/f1.cfm?n=1 Like we talked about last night, they will run you out of there before you get a chance to tie up and usually with some automatic weapons involved. You had to be the recipient of an a'hole boss in South Tim. I got thrown off WD79 a couple of times, and the the Apache guys are usually idiots, but you said they weren't involved..
LOOP is near GI 47..here it is on the nautical map from rodnreel http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm?lat=28.8842956691&lon=-90.0129915497&scale=250000&zoom=50&type=0&height=498&width=498&icon=0&searchscope=dom&CFID=3370178&CFTOKEN=54809314&scriptfile=http://mapserver.maptech.com/homepage/index.cfm&bpid=MAP0060030900%2C1%2C1%2C0&latlontype=DMS
See if this helps...later

[ROBERTO REYES]

It seems everywere you go, spearfishermen are second class citizens.
I was in mexico, and the local charters boats were saying that they had a tournament and we could not fish the same area.
To top things off, some spearos take the sides of the rod n reel charters boats.
Its a big world, it all depends on who you talk to in a particular time, just
like anything else in life.

[bottomnout]

I dive those rigs all the time. When those guys start hoopin and hollarin, dont pay them any mind, dont even act like they are there. You have every right to dive that platform, and tie up on that platform. I have had guys shoot me with a sand blaster while I was swiming inside the rig before, they threw bleach all over my boat, they told us they had huge pipes that suck up divers under the platform, all a bunch of BS. If you give into them one time they are going to think they can bully you around everytime. F##k That! If they start throwing wrenches and shit like that, call the coasties.

[hartwelltv]

I dive those rigs all the time. When those guys start hoopin and hollarin, dont pay them any mind, dont even act like they are there. You have every right to dive that platform, and tie up on that platform. I have had guys shoot me with a sand blaster while I was swiming inside the rig before, they threw bleach all over my boat, they told us they had huge pipes that suck up divers under the platform, all a bunch of BS. If you give into them one time they are going to think they can bully you around everytime. F##k That! If they start throwing wrenches and shit like that, call the coasties.

:thumps: That's exactly what I needed to hear.

[rigdvr]

I call em on the radio and ask em to move the conversation to channel 16...but thats a coast guard channel, they always tell me....exactly is my reply.

I try to give the guys a little fish every now and then, they remember you after that.

Bottom line, unless the terror level is raised to red or the masec level is 4, you have every right to be there

[Louis Rossignol]

The best thing to do is tie up the rig with your gear on, hit the water, then while underwater they can't tell ytou shit.

[Spearooo]

Seems like the oil companies migth stand to gain by being cast in a positive ligth in the publics eye.. These rigs have created habitat in previously baren areas and the fact the life around them is so rich could help them figth off the dredded bunny huggers.... It would be great if they could join forces w/ divers and anglers to study the positve effects of creating habitat.. Natural bottom can only take some much trawling and battering from traps before eroding...
then again what do i know?

[rigdvr]

spearooo, check out www.towersoflife.com