My first NJ Wreck Dive

[giantfan]

Hello everyone,

I am newly OW certified (last Feb in MX) finally got out to do my first NJ wreck dive.

I have done a couple of dives in the bay just to get accustomed to diving from my own boat and do some basic skills practice but have yet to go and dive on some structure.

We left the dock around 3pm and ran down to Long Branch to the Dual Wrecks. I found the wreck on my first pass as it was right where they said they would be…. The numbers I got off of another site were wrong and I knew that as soon as I punched them into my machine as it showed the wreck being on land….

Dropped anchor and started to suit up. The water looked a bit dirty but we figured that we would go down and see if it was any better at the bottom….

I was with a friend of mine and his buddy who is a dive instructor as well as three fishing buddies that were staying topside, so I felt that I was in good hands for my first dive in the North Atlantic. Down the anchor line we go with me being in the middle of the two of them so they could both keep an eye on me. Well the water didn’t get any better as we went down and I was surprised at how quickly we got to the bottom. I saw a black mass getting closer and I assumed that it was Anthony who was the first one down the line… I wanted to get close enough to him to let him know that I wasn’t feeling comfortable with the viz being less than 1 foot and this being my first time in murky water. All of a sudden the surge pushed me right up against what I thought was him….to my surprise all I saw was a bunch of barnacles about 3” from my mask …..ok, I found the wreck!!! As I backed off I located my buddy and signed to him that I wasn’t comfortable and that they should stay down and I would meet them back on the boat when they were done.

Since we were only in 25’ of water they came up to the top with me and we talked for a little bit… they decided to go back down and screw around down there for awhile while I went back to the boat. I had a stern line tied off to a cleat and decided to grab a hold of that and drop down a few feet and work on some of my skills. I did that for about 20 min and screwed around with my new computer before I got pretty board and called it a day.

I will admit that I was quite disappointed with the dive but I did get to try my new gear and get a feel of what it is like to have close to zero viz so it wasn’t a total loss.

The other guys came up after about 30 min and we packed up our stuff…. Had a couple of beers and headed over to the reef to do some fishing.

All in all it was a good time with good friend and a lot of laughs (most of them being at my expense). I am in no way discouraged and will be trying again sometime next week.

[lowviz]

Doesn't sound like you had much fun on that dive.

Some resources: Scuba Diving Links, NJ Council of Diving Clubs

You may want to consider an easier start:
A lot of NJ/NY shops offer an "intro to wreck diving" dive. Call around. The trips usually go out in the afternoon, it will be a "one tank" dive. (Meaning one dive, the term has nothing to do with singles or doubles rigs.) Everything is much more laid back, the day's objective is to just get all the divers up to speed on fitting into the flow of the particular boat you booked and getting into the water (and back) safely on an inshore easy wreck. The crews are at their best, they know they will be very busy that day. These dives are a good way to increase both your experience and confidence.

I did something similar on the Joan III (aka Joan LaRie), a shallow, intact, upright, tugboat wreck in the Axel Carlson reef. Easy dive, much fun. Got a bag of really nice mussels right at the tie-in on the forward towing bit.

Great to hear that you are not discouraged, it really does get better.

[manni-yunk]

NJ currents and vis can be intimidating. Dont rush it. I remember calling dives when I got to the bottom due to poor vis. Now - Im just as comfortable in 1 ft of vis as I am in 25.

Keep diving with competent and experienced NJ divers and you will get more comfortable. Once you are - you will love NJ diving - I do!

Our first diver down sets 2 powerful strobes on the anchor line. One about 5 ft above the anchor and the other about 15. That way, everyone else knows when thet are close - AND - it makes finding the anchor line on the way out, much easier. Another thing we did was mark the anchor line every 15 feet with depth markings so we know how far from the anchor we are on the way down.

[giantfan]

Our first diver down sets 2 powerful strobes on the anchor line. One about 5 ft above the anchor and the other about 15. That way, everyone else knows when thet are close - AND - it makes finding the anchor line on the way out, much easier. Another thing we did was mark the anchor line every 15 feet with depth markings so we know how far from the anchor we are on the way down.

Thats a great tip, thanks! I have a couple of strobes that I use for Swordfishing that will work like a champ. How do you mark the anchor line? I'm thinking zip ties????

[giantfan]

Doesn't sound like you had much fun on that dive.

Some resources: Scuba Diving Links, NJ Council of Diving Clubs

You may want to consider an easier start:
A lot of NJ/NY shops offer an "intro to wreck diving" dive. Call around. The trips usually go out in the afternoon, it will be a "one tank" dive. (Meaning one dive, the term has nothing to do with singles or doubles rigs.) Everything is much more laid back, the day's objective is to just get all the divers up to speed on fitting into the flow of the particular boat you booked and getting into the water (and back) safely on an inshore easy wreck. The crews are at their best, they know they will be very busy that day. These dives are a good way to increase both your experience and confidence.

I did something similar on the Joan III (aka Joan LaRie), a shallow, intact, upright, tugboat wreck in the Axel Carlson reef. Easy dive, much fun. Got a bag of really nice mussels right at the tie-in on the forward towing bit.

Great to hear that you are not discouraged, it really does get better.

Thanks for the info. I am kinda partial to using my own boat as it allows me to go fishing if the diving doesn't work out for some reason or another. I have a few friends that are qualified divers so that helps as well. It just didn't feel right for me this time out so I didn't want to force it.
I will be back at it soon for sure.

[lowviz]

Thanks for the info. I am kinda partial to using my own boat as it allows me to go fishing if the diving doesn't work out for some reason or another. I have a few friends that are qualified divers so that helps as well. It just didn't feel right for me this time out so I didn't want to force it.
I will be back at it soon for sure.

Really nice having your own boat, I just suggested otherwise so you can pick up tips from the dive boats (if you need 'em).

Have fun, stay safe.

[pedo]

It will get better and easier. Some of the medium depth wrecks, say 60 to 70 ft, can actually be easier dives. The Dual Wrecks are so shallow and close to the beach that the surge and vis can really stink.

[manni-yunk]

Most boat stores sell little plastic depth markings that get weaved in the line at apecific depths. Its a little kit with labeled plastic markers.

We do ALL private boat diving IN Cape May - if you want to come with us we could show you guys how we:

1) find the wreck and mark it for grapnel
2) Grapnel on
3) Tie in and set up strobes
4) untie and prepare anchor to pop off easily
5) set up all down lines including granny line to stern
6) set up anchor line with markers.


Let me know!

[Eff]

I know it's been said by others, but hang in there!

I've had dives in 1ft viz off Jersey, but also dives with 75 ft viz! (No joke, it was on the Stolt and I guess the currents brought in some good water or something :P)

Over time you will adapt and become awesome at everything in life. Or just diving.

[francousteau]

Like others have said, you were too close to shore where the surf is churning and mucking up the viz. Back in the day, divers used to swim out to the dual wrecks (there may be some who still do). Try to take your boat a bit further out. Maybe try to get to some intact tugs, ie: Veronica M. It sits in 75' of water, but the wheelhouse is maybe 50'. I've never had bad viz there and it's a great 1st timer wreck. Don't worry about 75'! If it's the Anthony that I'm familiar with, he'll keep you safe. Don't give up on great NJ diving.


Franco