Diving ship wrecks offshore in the Gulf of Mexico is a great
adventure. The waters abound with large schools of fish of every size. It is very safe when
you are trained to follow safe diving practices around wrecks.
On the upper Texas Gulf Shelf, the bottom composition is
made up mostly of silt and mud. Therefore, any sunken structure becomes
a hiding place for small fish in very large schools. The smaller fish become bait for the
larger ones which are found congregating all around the wreck. The abundance of fish draw
fisherman and divers alike.
One of the best areas to explore is the area around the wreck of the V.A.Fogg
as the Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the Rigs to Reef Program, keep expanding its conservation and
development. The area has also received two more liberty ships, six oil rigs laid on their side
forming a star, a Connoco rig, and 1000 pot ash blocks that are 5x5 from Houston Lighting
and Power. With this collection of these bottom structures, divers have the best site for
diving within 38 miles of Freeport, Texas.
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These two pictures are of the same spot only two different days.
A Saturday and then the next day, Sunday. Notice that on the poor visibility how close
the snapper will get to investigate. These are mostly a length of 14 inches.
This part of the V.A.Fogg is near the bow in a depth of 60 feet. If you
move forward in these pictures a diver will be heading towards the bow. |
The deck will be at 80 feet where the wench (as pictured at the top
of this page) and a compartment open up and divers will find small black
coral growing. Do not descend inside there are several large groupers of
very large size which have been known to swallow divers and spit them out. |
To the right will be the large anchor chain and ivory coral growing.
This is the best place for spotting the Hammerhead Sharks. The reef fish
and all the snapper will vanish into the wreck. That's when you watch closely
and a six to ten foot shark will gracefully glide in and out of your field
of vision in a matter of minutes. It is an awesome experience which most
divers will miss because of being caught up in the sheer numbers of fish.
Warning be careful of the fishing line it is very thick in this area and
easy to get tangled up. |
When spear
fishing in low visibility divers will line up on one side of the deck and
their buddy will stay behind them. the large snapper will come up from
the bottom to investigate and divers will have to aim downward as they
turn to look at the diver with one eye. The out stretched spear gun seems
as if a small fish and a diver has to lead the fish to get a kill shot.
The Spade fish will be in large schools above the mucky layer and can
be quiet aggressive on a fish being dragged behind the diver. Watch the
Spade fish and if they disappear watch for a shark coming close to investigate. |
Be
sure and monitor your air supply the trill of see so many fish and being
so close can cause a diver to breath the air faster. Especially if a shark
is expected and the adrenal runs fast. Watch bottom time and depth, if
a visibility is good divers can reach 110 feet just out from the bow where
the current digs a slight trench. Do not try to carry the anchors, use
a good lift bag to move it close to the ascent line. Plan to retrieve it
on your next dive where that is your dive plan. |
Any time your diving these wrecks and rigs, be sure to wear a good wet
suit, gloves and have two dive knives for cutting fishing line and anchor
lines. There are usually 20 to 50 anchor which are hung up in the tangled
mess of steel. During the summer there are usually 15 to 30 boats fishing
the area. Watch for lost fishing rods and reels. We usually get one or
two every time we dive this sight.
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The better explored your dive adventure, the better it will be, Well Planned!
