Just wanted to report back on the great trip down to the Vandenberg this past weekend. If you didn’t know Conch Republic Divers and Horizon Divers hosted a wreck diving long weekend. Our guest got a package deal of 3 nights 3 double dips on 3 wrecks. They had the choice of two Upper Keys wrecks to pick from which included the Spiegel Grove, Duane, Bibb, or the Eagle for their Friday dive. Then it was off Saturday morning to Key West to board the M/V Spree and do a double dip on the USS Vandenberg. The 3 nights lodging included, two nights at a hotel in the Upper Keys and one night aboard the M/V Spree in Key West. Oh and lets not forget lunch which was provided for Friday and a nice snack during the surface interval aboard the M/V Spree.
Friday proved to be one of those magical days of diving. No seas, no current, and over 100’ visibility. Everyone really enjoyed diving that day. I had originally planned on diving the Bibb Friday morning, but it was one of those nights where I couldn’t sleep and getting up and 3AM left me too tired to risk diving the rebreather.
Saturday morning I loaded up our customers tanks and heading down to Key West to board the M/V Spree.
We were met at the ship by Capt. Frank and his wife Melanie who own and operate this well stocked live aboard dive vessel. The M/V Spree is a 100ft custom live aboard that can sleep 24 passengers. They do regular trips to the Dry Tortugas and take their passengers for some fantastic 3 to 7 day adventures. But today they were doing an afternoon dive on the USS Vandenberg for us.
We left the dock around 1PM and with only a 35 min ride we were at the USS Vandenberg. The size of the Spree limits the number of places it can moor but the vessel that was moored to the stern repositioned so we could have that mooring.
The manifest consisted of 8 divers. 2 of us were on rebreathers, 1 on doubles, and the rest on single 80 or HP 100’s. The current was as Mel called it, “A Rip Snorter”, but and we all had our plans in place in case we got blown off the line. Melanie jumped in and tied a tag line on the mooring line at 50’. This made our decent much easier as we were somewhat out of the current by the time we made the mooring line.
My buddy, who was on doubles, and I planned a long 45 min dive and got to see a lot on the back half of the ship. There are a lot of places to enter the ship but let me warn you that if you don’t have the right gear to penetrate this wreck don’t!! There is still a lot to see on the outside. We made our way down to see the rudder and inside to see the huge hydraulic rudder piston. Then up to mid-ships to see one of the radar antennas resting on the port side. It was broken off during the sinking.
For only being down 3 months this wreck is teaming with life. A lot of algae had attached itself to the wreck and schools of fish include a few Queen Angels had already make her their home.
After a great dive we worked our way back to the ship to find the crew had some chips, meat taco salsa(which was great without the chips), cheese dip, peanuts, and sliced oranges/grapefruit waiting for us in the air-conditioned house. Now that’s service. After a 2 hours surface interval, we all got to do it over again. What a great afternoon and this is the best way to enjoy a wreck of this size.
We returned to the dock around 6PM, got cleaned up, and those that wanted to went into Key West to enjoy the "Duval Crawl". This is named as such for all the bars you can encounter up and down Duval Street. As for me and the crew we went out for a Killer Hogfish sandwich at….where else…..Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island. It's a local place that's well hidden outside of Key West, but the food it GREAT!
This was a fantastic trip and we are looking to do this again in October so keep an eye out for a post about how to sign up or drop us a email letting us know you'd be interested in trip and we'll let you know the dates for the next one.
Thanks to the crew of the M/V Spree and the divers who signed up. It was a great time had by all.
Good Diving,
Friday proved to be one of those magical days of diving. No seas, no current, and over 100’ visibility. Everyone really enjoyed diving that day. I had originally planned on diving the Bibb Friday morning, but it was one of those nights where I couldn’t sleep and getting up and 3AM left me too tired to risk diving the rebreather.
Saturday morning I loaded up our customers tanks and heading down to Key West to board the M/V Spree.
We were met at the ship by Capt. Frank and his wife Melanie who own and operate this well stocked live aboard dive vessel. The M/V Spree is a 100ft custom live aboard that can sleep 24 passengers. They do regular trips to the Dry Tortugas and take their passengers for some fantastic 3 to 7 day adventures. But today they were doing an afternoon dive on the USS Vandenberg for us.
We left the dock around 1PM and with only a 35 min ride we were at the USS Vandenberg. The size of the Spree limits the number of places it can moor but the vessel that was moored to the stern repositioned so we could have that mooring.
The manifest consisted of 8 divers. 2 of us were on rebreathers, 1 on doubles, and the rest on single 80 or HP 100’s. The current was as Mel called it, “A Rip Snorter”, but and we all had our plans in place in case we got blown off the line. Melanie jumped in and tied a tag line on the mooring line at 50’. This made our decent much easier as we were somewhat out of the current by the time we made the mooring line.
My buddy, who was on doubles, and I planned a long 45 min dive and got to see a lot on the back half of the ship. There are a lot of places to enter the ship but let me warn you that if you don’t have the right gear to penetrate this wreck don’t!! There is still a lot to see on the outside. We made our way down to see the rudder and inside to see the huge hydraulic rudder piston. Then up to mid-ships to see one of the radar antennas resting on the port side. It was broken off during the sinking.
For only being down 3 months this wreck is teaming with life. A lot of algae had attached itself to the wreck and schools of fish include a few Queen Angels had already make her their home.
After a great dive we worked our way back to the ship to find the crew had some chips, meat taco salsa(which was great without the chips), cheese dip, peanuts, and sliced oranges/grapefruit waiting for us in the air-conditioned house. Now that’s service. After a 2 hours surface interval, we all got to do it over again. What a great afternoon and this is the best way to enjoy a wreck of this size.
We returned to the dock around 6PM, got cleaned up, and those that wanted to went into Key West to enjoy the "Duval Crawl". This is named as such for all the bars you can encounter up and down Duval Street. As for me and the crew we went out for a Killer Hogfish sandwich at….where else…..Hogfish Bar & Grill on Stock Island. It's a local place that's well hidden outside of Key West, but the food it GREAT!
This was a fantastic trip and we are looking to do this again in October so keep an eye out for a post about how to sign up or drop us a email letting us know you'd be interested in trip and we'll let you know the dates for the next one.
Thanks to the crew of the M/V Spree and the divers who signed up. It was a great time had by all.
Good Diving,
