# Birmingham Blue Water Rock Quarry



## kennethmandel62 (Oct 3, 2007)

Well my buddy has been telling me that I should go check out the Rock Quarry in Birmingham, so since I was already in Tuscaloosa I decided to make the hr and half trip up to the Quarry. It was nice to be able to get my gear out for the first time this year and just check it out and make sure it's good to go before I get into the Gulf and hopefully do some spearfishing. The Rock Quarry gets up to 140ft, but the section that I was inwas around 90 ft. The water temp was the coldest that I had ever been in, at 51 degrees. I wouldn't recommend making a special trip all the way up there from Pensacola, since it'd be about 5 hrs or so, but ifur going to be up that way definitely look it up online and go check it out.


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## Florabama (Oct 19, 2007)

Wooooow nelly! 51 degrees? Man, that's dry suit temps. Is it that cold year round or just in the winter, andwhat did you wear? It does appear to be a pretty site, though.


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## aubfish (Nov 5, 2007)

I did my OW certification there summer of '98. The surface temp was around 80°, but there was a wicked thermocline that dropped down in the 50's below it. You had to suit up in 2 piece 6mm suits and hoods up in the parking lot and walk down what seemed like a bunch of steps to get to the water. Still a pretty neat dive when your landlocked. Thank God I live back down here now!


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## kennethmandel62 (Oct 3, 2007)

Yeah with my 6mil two piece along with my hood made it not too bad. I didn't know until I got there and bought my tanks that the temp was as low as it is, and I was pretty damn intimidated by it. The coldest I've ever been into prior to this, was just 68 at morrison.The thermocline was pretty intense. It felt like a 20 degree difference between maybe 5 feet of water. I may be exaggerating that a little, but it sure did seem like it.


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## UnderWater Angler (Jul 18, 2008)

That'll make you appreciate the good ol' GOM! Glad you found a way to get wet even all the way up there:letsparty


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## Florabama (Oct 19, 2007)

That's about as cold as I've dove and I've only done that a few times. That kind of water is painful, but they tell me dry suits can keep you nice and toasty.


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## downLOWEdiver (Jun 29, 2009)

I have dove this quarry many times, and yes the second thermocline is usually what gets people. There is a lot to dive in this site though. Two sail boats (one large one and a small one), a school bus, various small vehicles, a pile of swim through concrete pipes, two fire trucks, etc... and if you can sneak down a bottle of cheeze whiz the fish around the submerged training platforms go absolutely NUTS!


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## Sea Monkey (Dec 26, 2008)

The OLE ultimate rock quarry. 

If you folks are refering the quarry in Pelham. Ole bluewater park. Years ago they used to let people swim and drink adult beverages. Local radio stations and bikini contests,Man that was the place to be on weekends!!!!!!!!!!!!!They let you jump off of bout a 60 ft. cliff. and there was that big tire that floated in the water. Had all the party docks out in the water,Man those were thedays.I used to live up that way and swam in many rock quarries. Never did scuba dive.


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