On Tue, 16 Mar 1999, Jay Wright wrote:

> Supposedly there is some good diving off Savannah in the National Marine
> Sanctuary (Gray's Reef?).  Unfortunately I haven't been able to get down
> there and check it out.
>
> >One more...I visit Savannah twice a month on business. Is there
> >any local diving there?
> >
> >Thanks
> >M.D.
>

Hi.  Chuck Shipley here.  I live near Savannah and teach in the city.

Yup, I have talked to folks who dive out of Savannah.  There are
apparently wrecks and so forth in striking distance from Savannah.
Sorry I cannot be more specific.  Ask at "The Diving Locker and Ski
Chalet" for Ben.  He owns the shop (with his dad).  (912) 927-6604.

It should be remembered that Grays Reef is considerably south of Savannah,
however.  About half-way down the GA coast.  The only place off GA that I
have so far dived.  The Sanctuary is about 18 miles off the coast and the
depths are about 60-65 feet.  It ain't the Keys, and it ain't Boynton
Beach, but I like diving there.  Sometimes photographing and sometimes
hunting.  Currents can be pretty stiff and the viz is NEVER as good as in
Florida (at least at the times of year this warm-water-wimp dives).  It
can be pretty crowded with top-side fishermen on weekends, and they
sometimes don't seem too pleased about divers parking on a ledge.   There
are no mooring buoys and it can be kind of daunting to find the ledges, by
the way.  My diving buddy and I have each just invested in new GPS
units with differential units, so regardless of which boat we use I'm
hopeful we can re-find a ledge once we find one.

By the way, he is taking his Hattaras to the Bahamas in June, and is
talking about using that boat for a shake-down trip to Grays Reef
in late May.  The boat is 40' plus, and we would have extra room for
anyone willing to chip in on the diesel fuel.  I'll post something
more specific a little later, if there is interest.  (Respond to that
bait with PRIVATE e-mail, please).

Safe diving,

chuck
____________________________________________________________________________
  Dr. Charles Shipley   | It is not only for what we do that we are held
  [log in to unmask]   | responsible, but also for what we do not do.
Armstrong Atlantic St U |   --Moliere