Recommend US Warm Water Non-Trimix Beginner Wrecks

I will be completing my Tech Wreck Penetration this fall/winter. (what the H is it with my timing??? )

I'm planning for next year -- want to stay US for cost's sake.

What would you recommend for Newbie Wreck Penetrations? Something to be explored with less than 1/2 hour deco.

Jax, you've got a drysuit, what's up with the warm water requirement?!?!?!?! Get some decent undergarments

Good point. Define "warm" !

May as well define "non-trimix" as well.

katepnatl:

Jax, you've got a drysuit, what's up with the warm water requirement?!?!?!?! Get some decent undergarments

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:tongue2: :mooner:

All the drysuit does is make 65^o almost tolerable.

ianr33:

Good point. Define "warm" !

May as well define "non-trimix" as well.

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Two deco gasses, best mix for the bottom. No envelope-pushing, just comfortable dives.

Jax:

Two deco gasses, best mix for the bottom. No envelope-pushing, just comfortable dives.

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what is your definition of "best mix" equivalent narcotic depth? Some use 100' or less, some dive air to 220'.

Give us a max depth you are comfortable diving air/nitrox to and you might have more luck.

:huh: Erm, I always liked O₂% = 1.4 / P_ATA.

But probably 160' until I can get some experience.

Your best bet and most cost effective option will likely be South Florida - Ft. Lauderdale area. Plenty of vessels sunk as artificial reefs that present fantastic training sites. The HYDRO ATLANTIC (top around 130-140', sand around 175') is a great site to get into the deeper stuff, and provides fantastic potential for penetration training. There are dozens and dozens of sites from 100-300'+, and most are about a 30 minute run to get to so you can do two trips a day if you want. In the winter time when weather is generally iffy overall, you still have a really good shot at getting out compared to other more northern areas of the US. If it's blowing out of the NW-W-SW you are golden due to the limited fetch.

Jax:

I will be completing my Tech Wreck Penetration this fall/winter. (what the H is it with my timing??? )

I'm planning for next year -- want to stay US for cost's sake.

What would you recommend for Newbie Wreck Penetrations? Something to be explored with less than 1/2 hour deco.

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The Mispah to get really comfortable with many levels of penetration possible.... see Trip to Palm Beach to dive with Goliath Groupers! - YouTube
at 2:23 into the video you see the goliath heading into the right side access to an entrance to the lower deck, below the one you are already in...this being a serious penetration, and one too tight for me to squeeze my camera into with the lights not getting seriously in the way....and, it is a low overhead, meaning I would not want to use my freediving fins in the lower deck--it would be jet fins or some equivalent where no silting bottom or top would become a big deal fast.

Jax, you would do this on the boat Narcosis, since it is a huge boat that does not wallow in seas like most dive boats, and would drastically reduce the chance of seasickness in even 5 foot or bigger seas....and you would pick a day when the seas are nice and flat anyway

When the Mispah gets to be easy for you to penetrate, the Castor or the Hydro are the next 2 to plan on, in that order...the Castor is more like 118 at bottom I think, and the Hydro at 165 or so....but I do NOT think you should be playing with penetrating the hydro without Trimix... If you have to penetrate the hydro, I will loan you one of my tanks

Jax:

:huh: Erm, I always liked O₂% = 1.4 / P_ATA.

But probably 160' until I can get some experience.

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I can't tell if you're joking.