Nav. Dive Idea in Chilly Florida

[wjefferis]

I'm not sure if you would be interested or not, but we have two Navy dive tenders the YDT-14 and the YDT-15 that sit 300 feet apart.This could be used for kind of a shake-out dive to figure out what adjustments might need to be made to your dive plan or equipment. These two wrecks are easily accessable by boat from both Pensacola and Orange Beach. Here is some info from the MBT website on the two artificial reefs.

NAVY BOATS N30:05.309 / W87:09.634


[SIZE=-1]Navy Dive Support ship YDT-14 and her sister ship YDT-15 were sunk as artificial reefs in April of 2000, They both sit upright , 300’ apart approximately 17 mile SSE of Pensacola Pass. Depths range 65-90’. These wrecks quickly became home to an impressive array of marine life, and local favorites for divers. [/SIZE]

 

[PCBCaptChris]

That would probably be awesome... Do you know where I can get some rock solid numbers for the pensacola area? Whenever we do a weekend excursion that is always a problem. I'd be glad to give some solid PC numbers...

Any ideas for how to increase my accuracy going that distance?

 

[paulwall]

That would probably be awesome... Do you know where I can get some rock solid numbers for the pensacola area? Whenever we do a weekend excursion that is always a problem. I'd be glad to give some solid PC numbers...

Any ideas for how to increase my accuracy going that distance?

The only time I've done any long-distance straight-line navigation, I've held my wrist compass out, superman style and kept it pointed in the direction i wanted to go.

Some have dragged a line in the sand, to show that you were going straight for as far back as you can see (limited viz makes this more difficult). Knowing how many kick cycles you'll need before you are "lost" will help.

Terrestrial navigation has you line up a landmark in your path and move toward that. Might be more difficult in featureless sand.

Maybe drop a strobe on a marker line at your destination?
Drop "bread crumbs" in your wake to keep you on a straight course?

Have a surface swimmer drop weighted course corrections down your marker line?

Honestly, this is an exciting challenge. The worst that could happen if you miss the target is an open-water ascent. (Flame suit on).

 

[algulfdiver]

What about just draging a weighted line with the boat and just following the weight or just the trail it leaves in the sand.
I have done this with some army tanks off OB

 

[PCBCaptChris]

Yeah I could use a mushroom anchor to drag from one to the other and then just hit the sand and follow it over... Hummm...

I kind of wanted to do it as a nav thing, but that would be nice the first time I do it to double check a little... Anyone know where to get those nav board things with th eliquid filed compasses like the navy fellas use?

 

[algulfdiver]

Here is a link. I am a hollis dealer if you are interested in one.
Instruments

 

[wjefferis]

That would probably be awesome... Do you know where I can get some rock solid numbers for the pensacola area?

First, here is a link where you can check all the artificial reefs and their coordinates in the Pensacola area. The YDT-14 and YDT-15 are numbers 72 & 73 on the list respectively. This should be very acurate since it is coming from the marine division that moniors and permits all of the artificial reefs in Escambia County. Here is the link http://www.co.escambia.fl.us/departments/nesd/documents/Artificialreeflist6Aug07_000.pdf


Second way would be to call some of the local diveshops/ boat captains and while I can't promise they will give you the numbers it would be worth asking as they are very public numbers. Hope that gets you in the right direction.

 

[PCBCaptChris]

I've got a buddy with one of these: http://www.rjeint.com/pdf/TAC-100revA.pdf#page=1 It's a nav board. It has a spot for a wrist watch to time your distance, which shouldn't be a problem. The compass should work out well, I'll just have to correct for the drift from current... I won't need the depth gauge so much because I won't have to worry as much about my PPO2 as the combat diver folks... I won't need a glow stick either, because I am afraid of the dark.

I'll put something up when I go in the next few weeks...(the hard part has been getting a sucker... I mean buddy to go in the cold water with me... They need a drysuit and doubles)

 

[algulfdiver]

I'm not sure if you would be interested or not, but we have two Navy dive tenders the YDT-14 and the YDT-15 that sit 300 feet apart.This could be used for kind of a shake-out dive to figure out what adjustments might need to be made to your dive plan or equipment. These two wrecks are easily accessable by boat from both Pensacola and Orange Beach. Here is some info from the MBT website on the two artificial reefs.

NAVY BOATS N30:05.309 / W87:09.634


[SIZE=-1]Navy Dive Support ship YDT-14 and her sister ship YDT-15 were sunk as artificial reefs in April of 2000, They both sit upright , 300’ apart approximately 17 mile SSE of Pensacola Pass. Depths range 65-90’. These wrecks quickly became home to an impressive array of marine life, and local favorites for divers. [/SIZE]

Walter, You interested in doing a nav to this one with Me?

Sorry

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

I'll put something up when I go in the next few weeks...(the hard part has been getting a sucker... I mean buddy to go in the cold water with me... They need a drysuit and doubles)

Why do they need to be dry?

If its a free boat ride, I know someone you could get in the water with ya...