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We dove U-1105 today! 08/06/06
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We just got back from this dive today. I live in Tappahannock, VA so this was almost a local dive for me.
We drove over to a Dennis' river house at (near Coles Point, Virginia) he took his boat out to site. We were supposed to meet another guy at the site who had experience diving this sub. We had no problem finding the site and mooring to the morring buoy (Blue and White and clearly labeled). We were there at 11:30am in time to dive at the recommeded High, Slack Tide. Our contact never showed?
Conditions were PERFECT. Very Smooth water, warm, clear day. Hadn't rained in days. There was no appreciable surface current! There were 3 of us (John, myself and Dennis). We wanted to leave someone on the surface so John and I made 1st dive. Visibility was a bit better that I had psyched myself up for (maybe 8 feet ?)
We all had 10 watt HID lights (I would NOT make this dive without HID). Our prep experience was several trips to Cooper River, SC doing shark tooth dives. We were as comfortable as to be expected with zero viz diving.
We surface swam over to small orange ball that was ascent/descent line connected to the Conning tower. You are NOT to moor to this line! Be mindful of jelly fish and fishing lures around the downline (We all wore full wetsuits - I wore 7/5 mm,hoods and gloves) Water temp was very comfortable 79 degress F.
As I reached 60 feet I still could not see any signes of wreck. It was only at 66 feet before I saw Stainless Steel base that downline was tied off to. We were amazed by the surving Wooden slates lining inside of Conning tower area. This has been submerged for some 57 years! As this was our 1st time here, we stayed pretty near conning tower and didn't venture too far fore and aft but did descend to 79 feet to get a look at the HEAVY silt! It brought a new full appreciation of how bad silt could be! I did manage to locate the missing OMS Wrech Reel we were told about and recovered it. The owner promised to buy drinks for whoever recovered it?
We ascended and after a almost an hour Surface Interval then Dennis and I made the next dive leaving John to mind the boat. Again we saw Jelly fish on descent line and managed to stay clear of them. We again cricles the conning tower but didn't go far forward or aft but it seemed most of the actual deck disappeared into the silt quickly.
All in all it was not near as difficult as much of the available literature made it out to be BUT it is a very poor viz dive and you can not bring too much light! We did have GREAT Conditions and I imagine it doesnt get much better.
I am sure that it would be far more difficult if current was stronger!
I wouldn't want to do that type diving every day (we just got back from a weeK AND 24 dives in Bonaire!) but it was a great day trip!
If you have any questions about the U-1105 feel free to email me!
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We just got back from this dive today. I live in Tappahannock, VA so this was almost a local dive for me.
We drove over to a Dennis' river house at (near Coles Point, Virginia) he took his boat out to site. We were supposed to meet another guy at the site who had experience diving this sub. We had no problem finding the site and mooring to the morring buoy (Blue and White and clearly labeled). We were there at 11:30am in time to dive at the recommeded High, Slack Tide. Our contact never showed?
Conditions were PERFECT. Very Smooth water, warm, clear day. Hadn't rained in days. There was no appreciable surface current! There were 3 of us (John, myself and Dennis). We wanted to leave someone on the surface so John and I made 1st dive. Visibility was a bit better that I had psyched myself up for (maybe 8 feet ?)
We all had 10 watt HID lights (I would NOT make this dive without HID). Our prep experience was several trips to Cooper River, SC doing shark tooth dives. We were as comfortable as to be expected with zero viz diving.
We surface swam over to small orange ball that was ascent/descent line connected to the Conning tower. You are NOT to moor to this line! Be mindful of jelly fish and fishing lures around the downline (We all wore full wetsuits - I wore 7/5 mm,hoods and gloves) Water temp was very comfortable 79 degress F.
As I reached 60 feet I still could not see any signes of wreck. It was only at 66 feet before I saw Stainless Steel base that downline was tied off to. We were amazed by the surving Wooden slates lining inside of Conning tower area. This has been submerged for some 57 years! As this was our 1st time here, we stayed pretty near conning tower and didn't venture too far fore and aft but did descend to 79 feet to get a look at the HEAVY silt! It brought a new full appreciation of how bad silt could be! I did manage to locate the missing OMS Wrech Reel we were told about and recovered it. The owner promised to buy drinks for whoever recovered it?
We ascended and after a almost an hour Surface Interval then Dennis and I made the next dive leaving John to mind the boat. Again we saw Jelly fish on descent line and managed to stay clear of them. We again cricles the conning tower but didn't go far forward or aft but it seemed most of the actual deck disappeared into the silt quickly.
All in all it was not near as difficult as much of the available literature made it out to be BUT it is a very poor viz dive and you can not bring too much light! We did have GREAT Conditions and I imagine it doesnt get much better.
I am sure that it would be far more difficult if current was stronger!
I wouldn't want to do that type diving every day (we just got back from a weeK AND 24 dives in Bonaire!) but it was a great day trip!
If you have any questions about the U-1105 feel free to email me!
