Wil
Contributor
Sunday : 5 April 2009
Trip Report: Bounce Diving ůew Wreck Sites
The goal was simple; put four divers on the boat, mix for 38%, and bounce dive a couple of dive sites not visited previously. Simple, yes, but thereÃÔ always something
We departed Taylors Landing Marina (Little Creek inlet) around 0750 and were met with absolutely calm seas on the outbound leg. Even passing abeam of Cape Henry where the sea state usually gets a bit choppy at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, it was calm. Seas were 1-2 ft from the Southwest and Winds 5-8kts from the South. Cruising a distance of 28nm at 35knots it took less than an hour to reach our first dive site.
Dive #1: The first planned dive was on a set of numbers found with our side scan two months ago. It appeared to be a number of in-line large objects on the bottom with a pattern resembling an old wooden wreck in 57 feet. The sort of clump pattern you see with an engine, boilers, and machinery after the wooden hull has all but deteriorated away.
No problem finding the site and hooking in. Bobby (RAD Diver) and Trey were the first in followed by Stan and I after 10 mins. Wendy remained on the boat as a standby, Captain, Life Guard, and to watch the US Submarine pass VERY CLOSE to our anchored location. (Later Bobby remarked that he heard ÅÔomething go by overhead but didnÃÕ give it much thought note: the extra 10 mins was the time I spent hailing their Captain on ch16 and asking their intentions and requesting they not pass so close aboard) .
Descending down the anchor line the wreck appeared at about 40 feet and looked to have 3 large clumps of steel concretions with another 5 or 6 small and lower profile concretions off to the side. Definitely had the shape of an older wreck. Each concretion had iron fittings, pipes, and beams but there was no hull visible above the sand. Just the concretions dotting the bottom. After about 20 mins exploring the wreck we unhooked and headed topside. Bobby & Trey knew the wreck as the Ūce Barge? A site dived occasionally by a local dive center. While itÃÔ a good check out dive location, it didnÃÕ hold our interest. With water temp around 45deg, visibility approx 20ft, and only a few sea bass hiding in the holes, weÃÓe outta there.
Dive 1: Ice Barge; GPS 36 49.220N 75 35.316W, LORAN 27061.8 41247.8, Depth 58fsw, Temp 45deg, Vis 20ft, negligible current on the bottom or surface
Dive #2: For our next dive we hooked into the Francis E. Powell, a WWII tanker torpedoed by U-130 . Having a recreational fishing vessel already anchored on the site made for interesting exchange when we arrived. [ItÃÔ important for divers and fishermen to get along, share the ocean thereÃÔ more than enough room for everyone] We made our intentions known and let them know weÃÅ dive one end of the wreck while they fished the other. Initially, they werenÃÕ too pleased to see us. However, that changed.
We hooked in and splashed in the same order as before. On the bottom the visibility wasnÃÕ that great around 15 feet and occasionally down to 10ft. There was slightly more current, just enough to stir the silt and NOT carry it away. Lots more sea bass on the wreck but not a single flounder was seen, for good reason-the water temp was around 39-41 degrees (brrrr). After 35 minutes of chasing sea bass toward the end of the wreck the fishermen were on, I gave the ÅÊtÃÔ cold letÃÔ go sign, unhooked and headed topside. Bobby & Trey were diving dry while Stan & I wore semi-dry suits with a shorty underneath (IÃÎ getting out my dry suit for next weekend)
Upon surfacing the fishermen has a whole new appreciation for the ÅÊnvading divers. Wendy remarked that theyÃÅ noticed our bubbles moving from our end of the wreck toward ÅÕheir fishing spot and soon realized that weÃÅ driven the sea bass to them. SheÃÅ said they were cheering and making all kinds of noise when the sea bass bite started. When we surfaced they were quite friendly and asked what the wreck looked like and what we saw. ItÃÔ the way it ought to be, fishermen and divers getting along.
Dive 2: Francis E. Powell; GPS 36 49.068N 75 23.833W, LORAN 27013.2 41270.0, Depth 87fsw, Temp 39-41deg, Vis 10-15ft, slight current on the bottom and surface.
The ride home was at a comfortable 41kts until Cape Henry. While we escaped the churn on the outbound leg we had to slow entering the Chesapeake Bay. A beautiful day off Virginia Beach, especially after the week of severe weather weÃ×e had. We donÃÕ get too many days like that.
Safe diving,
Will
Trip Report: Bounce Diving ůew Wreck Sites
The goal was simple; put four divers on the boat, mix for 38%, and bounce dive a couple of dive sites not visited previously. Simple, yes, but thereÃÔ always something
We departed Taylors Landing Marina (Little Creek inlet) around 0750 and were met with absolutely calm seas on the outbound leg. Even passing abeam of Cape Henry where the sea state usually gets a bit choppy at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay, it was calm. Seas were 1-2 ft from the Southwest and Winds 5-8kts from the South. Cruising a distance of 28nm at 35knots it took less than an hour to reach our first dive site.
Dive #1: The first planned dive was on a set of numbers found with our side scan two months ago. It appeared to be a number of in-line large objects on the bottom with a pattern resembling an old wooden wreck in 57 feet. The sort of clump pattern you see with an engine, boilers, and machinery after the wooden hull has all but deteriorated away.
No problem finding the site and hooking in. Bobby (RAD Diver) and Trey were the first in followed by Stan and I after 10 mins. Wendy remained on the boat as a standby, Captain, Life Guard, and to watch the US Submarine pass VERY CLOSE to our anchored location. (Later Bobby remarked that he heard ÅÔomething go by overhead but didnÃÕ give it much thought note: the extra 10 mins was the time I spent hailing their Captain on ch16 and asking their intentions and requesting they not pass so close aboard) .
Descending down the anchor line the wreck appeared at about 40 feet and looked to have 3 large clumps of steel concretions with another 5 or 6 small and lower profile concretions off to the side. Definitely had the shape of an older wreck. Each concretion had iron fittings, pipes, and beams but there was no hull visible above the sand. Just the concretions dotting the bottom. After about 20 mins exploring the wreck we unhooked and headed topside. Bobby & Trey knew the wreck as the Ūce Barge? A site dived occasionally by a local dive center. While itÃÔ a good check out dive location, it didnÃÕ hold our interest. With water temp around 45deg, visibility approx 20ft, and only a few sea bass hiding in the holes, weÃÓe outta there.
Dive 1: Ice Barge; GPS 36 49.220N 75 35.316W, LORAN 27061.8 41247.8, Depth 58fsw, Temp 45deg, Vis 20ft, negligible current on the bottom or surface
Dive #2: For our next dive we hooked into the Francis E. Powell, a WWII tanker torpedoed by U-130 . Having a recreational fishing vessel already anchored on the site made for interesting exchange when we arrived. [ItÃÔ important for divers and fishermen to get along, share the ocean thereÃÔ more than enough room for everyone] We made our intentions known and let them know weÃÅ dive one end of the wreck while they fished the other. Initially, they werenÃÕ too pleased to see us. However, that changed.
We hooked in and splashed in the same order as before. On the bottom the visibility wasnÃÕ that great around 15 feet and occasionally down to 10ft. There was slightly more current, just enough to stir the silt and NOT carry it away. Lots more sea bass on the wreck but not a single flounder was seen, for good reason-the water temp was around 39-41 degrees (brrrr). After 35 minutes of chasing sea bass toward the end of the wreck the fishermen were on, I gave the ÅÊtÃÔ cold letÃÔ go sign, unhooked and headed topside. Bobby & Trey were diving dry while Stan & I wore semi-dry suits with a shorty underneath (IÃÎ getting out my dry suit for next weekend)
Upon surfacing the fishermen has a whole new appreciation for the ÅÊnvading divers. Wendy remarked that theyÃÅ noticed our bubbles moving from our end of the wreck toward ÅÕheir fishing spot and soon realized that weÃÅ driven the sea bass to them. SheÃÅ said they were cheering and making all kinds of noise when the sea bass bite started. When we surfaced they were quite friendly and asked what the wreck looked like and what we saw. ItÃÔ the way it ought to be, fishermen and divers getting along.
Dive 2: Francis E. Powell; GPS 36 49.068N 75 23.833W, LORAN 27013.2 41270.0, Depth 87fsw, Temp 39-41deg, Vis 10-15ft, slight current on the bottom and surface.
The ride home was at a comfortable 41kts until Cape Henry. While we escaped the churn on the outbound leg we had to slow entering the Chesapeake Bay. A beautiful day off Virginia Beach, especially after the week of severe weather weÃ×e had. We donÃÕ get too many days like that.
Safe diving,
Will
