Mississippi Freedivers?

[Nickel]

Are there any freedivers/ freediving spearfishers in the Biloxi/Ocean Springs area? I'm a newbie to the sport and do mostly rig diving with the occasional spring dive when visiting family in Crystal River, FL. It would be nice to go freediving with someone else who's about as crazy as I am.

I might not go really deep like others here (only about 30 ft), but I've only been freediving seriously for a couple of weeks so there's plenty of time to improve! :wave

 

[Echo6]

I have just gotten interested in the sport, I'm in Gautier right down the road. Drop me a line.

 

[rigdvr]

There might be a freediving club in the area soon. With the growing interest in the sport, the few of us that have been at it for a while locally are in the process of starting one. Among the various reasons would be a resource to divers such as yourselves. I wish there were a few divers to help me out when I started...the rigs can be a very unforgiving place to learn how to freedive.

I can be reached at rigdvr@gmail.com if I can answer any questions for you. Being a charter captain, my diving is limited right now, but the season will be slowing down shortly and the snapper hunting will be at its peak soon.

Always remember, be safe, no fish is worth your life.
Mike Freeman

 

[Nickel]

Thanks Rigdvr! I think that a freediving club is exactly what the area needs. Definetely keep me posted on how its going and if you need any help.

And you're right about the rigs. My expierence on them has been quite interesting to say the least.

 

[rigdvr]

I got together with my dive buddy last night. We are laying the ground work for the club as we speak. His wife is an attorney so she will handle all the paperwork for us(we need to be a non-profit in order to join the LDCUC).

I'll share our reasoning thus far with you...
We want to be on the Louisiana Council Derby Board
We want to be able to send a team to nationals if we so choose
We want to be a resource for people interested in the sport
We want to share the things I had to learn the hard way
and finally...
We want to develope a group of local divers we will feel comfortable diving with.

We will hopefully have this thing organized and up and running soon. One thing we want to avoid is having a club where any yahoo can pay his/her dues and be a member. We want this to be a club of people that get along and actually want to get together and dive, have cook outs, ect.

As of now therer will be 4 senior members...
myself, Nick Duverney, Marcel Garsaud, and Bill Crawford. Marcel and Bill are both from Louisiana but they were the only dedicated freedivers around when I got started years ago. They are some of the best the area has to offer with some truly astounding catches: both have wahoo over 100#, cobia over 80#, ect. Nick is the first local diver I have met in a llong time. While he hasnt been freediving too long, he has the potential to be a great diver. As for me, I learned to freedive in the Florida Keys, a much easier place to learn than here I have been at it for about 8 years.

Then there are interested peoples such as yourself, 3 or four friends I just got into the sport this season, a couple of guys from pass christian, ect. The interest level is rising . I'll keep you updated with our progress.

What type of things would you like to see out of an area club? WE want this to be something enjoyable and beneficial.

 

[chasintail]

Well put Mike.If anyone would like to contact me I can be reached at chasintail@cableone.net.I think the club is going to work out great.


Nick Duvernay

 

[rigdvr]

Hey nick...think we should have a "name the new club contest"? Winner gets a club t shirt for free(when we make em'!)

Warning - Mike's Speedo Wearing Fish Spearing Lackies was already suggested by Nick.

 

[chasintail]

That would be sweet.Want to do it here or on spearboard?

PS Nick's Nasty Fish Nailers was already suggested by Mike.

 

[donmoore]

Good luck guys. Our club is finally taken off this year and we are joining the USOA too so we can send a team to the Nationals in Key Largo in July 2006. There isn’t an active dive council in Texas so we have to join directly.

We also hope to host a Texas tournament (rodeo) next August. Don’t know how it works if we have joined the USOA, but we wanted the tournament to be a just for fun outside of USOA tournaments like the rodeos you guys have in the upper gulf. Scuba and freediving divisions, since there are lot more scuba divers then freedivers and the local dive shops will be more supportive.

On your name, the only thing I can say is I wish we had not made our name so area specific "South Texas", because our members are from all over Texas now.
don

 

[chasintail]

Thanks for your reply Don.We plan on a freedive oriented club but scuba divers will not be refused.After all Mike and I are scuba divers also.

 

[chasintail]

Come on guys....What do think a good club name would be? :friday

 

[donmoore]

I can’t believe what has happened since last week! Mike, I saw your post afterwards. Glad you and your family are alive. Are there any other Mississippi / Louisiana divers with Internet access?

A bunch of us from across Texas are going out tomorrow. Conditions look good, but it feels very guilty. :waterwork
My prayers are with you,
don

 

[Nickel]

I know how you feel Don. I'm trying to get out to Vortex Springs some time before college starts back up in Oct. I feel guilty going out, but I just have to get away from the area for a little while.

I can't wait to get out to the rigs again to see which ones are gone.