USS Massachusetts

  • Is there anyone out there that is willing to take another freediver/spearfisher out on a trip to the USS Massachusetts? I am currently in Pensacola on active duty orders and have been trying to find a way out there. Any boat rental places wont let me take a boat out through the pass so i have no way of getting out there. I can pay for gas and/or food and drinks for the trip.:thumbsup2:

  • I'd like to help you out, as I'll be over there in a week or so, but the family schedule is pretty full. I might be able to offer a few other thoughts:


    First, I doubt there are any dedicated freediving charters. In my time in Pensacola, I don't think I ever met anyone who spearfished without scuba. But depending on your ability, there are a few popular scuba spots that you could hop a charter to. The three barges (about 45-50') and Tex Edwards Barge (about 70') are possibilities. MBT and the Dive Pros used to run spearfishing charters. MBT in particular is spearo friendly, and even runs the "Guns and Hoses" tournament every year. Give them a call if you haven't already. They'll go right by the Mass on their way to just about anywhere, so you might be able to arrange a quick stop on the way in.


    But even on my certification dives, there were a couple of spearfishermen that tagged along. I never experienced the rift between spearfishing and non-spearfishing divers that I often hear about in other places. This is North Florida / South Alabama, and most of the vehicles in the parking lot probably have a deer rifle hanging in the back, whether they spearfish or not.

  • Thanks jeff. Im not to worried about my breath hold or dive ability..i was in BUD/s and passed my under water 50m where we had to jump in the pool do a front flip and start swimin under water with no fins and no push off the wall 25 meters across, then turn around and could push off this time and swim 25 meters back all on one breath. My max breath hold is around 4 minutes if im relaxed and can lay down. Im in excelent shape. I even thought about swimin out to the wreck with a buddy from BUD/s but soon realized it would b hard to find from the waters surface. We have done 2 nautical mile ocean swims in first phase and even did one during a huricane which sucked alot lol. I will definately check out MBT and ScubaPro. They personaly know me prety well as i have spent over a grand in ScubaPro and 3 or 400 in MBT. Once agian thank you for the help.

  • Sounds like you're more than capable of making the swim, as the Mass is only about a mile offshore. But I would strongly advise against it because of the enormous boat traffic in that area. If you could score a couple of kayaks, though, you might have something.


    There are also two small wrecks that are only a couple hundred yards off the Ft. McRae beach which you could easily swim to if you could get a ride out to the fort. They hold sheepshead and flounder at different times of the year. Much less boat traffic, but you'll still want to be highly visible. If you think you have transport arranged, I can PM you the GPS numbers.

  • Yea I would love the GPS numbers. I just have to get my hands on a kayak or boat with a GPS on it because I dont think i would find them if I just did the swim out there. I thought about the swim out to the MAS but the boat traffic was one of the other things that stoped me from doing it especialy because i dont swim free style, I swim the combat side stroke which is a low profile, under water recovery and splash free stroke so the only thing the boaters could realy see is my mouth and nose wen i take a breath. I greatly appreciate the help though.

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