# Coming Back to the Cola



## Banana Republic Diver (Nov 8, 2008)

Hello fellow divers up in PCOLA! I'm a Navy Corpsman stationed in GTMO Cuba ( past 3 yrs) that's coming back to Pensacola in July 09. By the time I get back there I should have finished about 500+ dives here, all including: boat, beach, low viz, wreck, strong current,and bullshark petting dives. Been advanced certified for 30 yrs.I had the pleasure to dive the "O" this past June. I'm looking forward to all the local dives and elsewhere. Looking forward to possibly meeting some of you and getting some dives in.

Paul


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## cuzmondo (Oct 1, 2007)

Welcome home Paul. Plenty to dive around here, just keep up on this forum and I'm sure you'll meet lots of great folks and have many opportunities to hook up with other divers.


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## BADBOY69 (Oct 3, 2007)

Bro, welcome back to the P-cola 850! Sounds like you have been spending your time wisely! When ya roll in let me buy you a beer...I'd love to hear some of the stuff you've seen! Looking forward to logging some more "O" dive and some fish killin' dives w/ ya!


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Good news and welcome back when you get back.:letsdrink

Plenty of diving going on here in Pensacola. I dive when ever possible (Not as much as I would like). There are litterally hundreds of places to dive in the Pensacola area. We are known for theBig O, but there are tons of other places to dive. Keep in touch with folks on here and get up with some of us when you get in. Plenty of us own boats and look for divers to get out with us on trips.


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## RUSTY (Oct 2, 2007)

Man I loved GTMO. I was there from 85-90 and made about 300+ dives. Great diving and fishing there at that time. Loved to dive the slot and jump off the wall.


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Well you have just landed smack dab in the middle of probably the biggest group of crazy spearfishin divers around! 6 of us just got back this evening from playin hooky and out diving all day! Welcome man, and go see them guys at MBT Dive Center if your needin anything, and for your fills! Half of them are members on this forum! :letsdrink


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## BADBOY69 (Oct 3, 2007)

Yep, gotta admit...I was playin' hooky w/ Clay! I hope ya get down to MBT! That's our stompin' grounds!


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## Banana Republic Diver (Nov 8, 2008)

> *RUSTY (11/26/2008)*Man I loved GTMO. I was there from 85-90 and made about 300+ dives. Great diving and fishing there at that time. Loved to dive the slot and jump off the wall.


Yeah, the wall at the Slot is diffiently my favorite dive. Love to kick out and free drop on the wall. Did you ever go up the chimney? A Cable Beach to Slot drift dive isn't bad either. For those that don't know, Gtmo has limited dive areas. Basically, the southern part of the bay and about 5 ocean access spots. Real nice towering walls of reefs at the southern boundry. Spearfishing, there are some spots where we get 20-50lb Cubera snapper, black grouper 10-35lb, and snook 5-25lb. Lots of smaller varieties of snapper available. Fishing is great. Trolling some live herring will get you anything from kings, Ceiro and spanishMac's, tarpon, different types of jacks. Fishing out in the ocean, limited to a 7 by 12 mile area known as the Tackle Box, we've been getting some Mahi lately with some sailfish and marlin out there. Rusty, good to see another Tide man. ROLL TIDE!!

Paul


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## Banana Republic Diver (Nov 8, 2008)

> *BADBOY69 (11/25/2008)*Bro, welcome back to the P-cola 850! Sounds like you have been spending your time wisely! When ya roll in let me buy you a beer...I'd love to hear some of the stuff you've seen! Looking forward to logging some more "O" dive and some fish killin' dives w/ ya!


Sounds great. I personally haven't shot any fish yet. Alot of the times I just tag along with my spearfishing buddies and help them string their fish and watch out for our little bullshark buddies. Hope to have some good shark pic's soon. Just have to find someone with a good camera and strobe that will do it. Since I know I'm coming back to PCOLA I'll now start doing some hunting myself. When I did my "O" dive last summer, we also went to the oil platform not too far away. Lot's of nice Jacks we saw. Question for everyone. Is Spring and Fall the best time to dive the "O"? In June there was about 25 feet of algie bloom from the surface until you got into clear water.

Paul


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## Banana Republic Diver (Nov 8, 2008)

> *Clay-Doh (11/26/2008)*Well you have just landed smack dab in the middle of probably the biggest group of crazy spearfishin divers around! 6 of us just got back this evening from playin hooky and out diving all day! Welcome man, and go see them guys at MBT Dive Center if your needin anything, and for your fills! Half of them are members on this forum! :letsdrink


When we arranged our dive this past summer we went through Dive Pro's. They seemed to be very helpful. After reading this forum over the year it almost seems like there is an Auburn vs Bama element between MBT Dive Center and Dive Pro's. What are the pro's and con's with going with either shop?

Paul


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## Biller48 (Oct 1, 2008)

Fellow Doc, comming back to the area myself from Camp Lejeune. I will be in Eglin AFB the end of Jan. I was also a Reef Raider in Gtmo 2000-2001. Man the best place on earth, logged a pile of dives and shot more fish then should be allowed. Bill and Jesse still there? use to work in the water and the shop for them. We will have to meet up when we arrive. I left the Pcola Naval Hospital in 05. Hit me with a pm and contact info... Kevin


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