Wreck Diving for Dissertation Research

[Pavel Spirine]

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure whether this is best suited to Travel discussions or Wreck diving so I'm posting in both, moderators feel free to delete as necessary!
I am a second year geography student at Cambridge University, UK. For my third year dissertation I'm required to undertake a research project and I have chosen something which incorporates my diving hobby!

The dissertation will assess the impact of wreck characteristics upon marine biodiversity. The plan is to dive several wrecks, counting species and extent of plants (no fishies!), and seeing if there is any correlation with wreck size, age, complexity or material. Obviously if the wrecks are in significantly different locations then samples will be taken near each wreck, away from it to use as a control for local species. Some sand samples might be collected too to compare any chemical impact of wrecks.

I need to decide where is best to go for this research, since the global collection of wrecks is somewhat overwhelming from a logistical point of view.
I am an advanced open water (PADI) diver, and I still consider myself a beginner so would prefer to dive easy-ish wrecks. My experience with wreck diving (did the specialty) is with Zenobia in Cyprus (I am originally from Cyprus so all of my dives have been there).

I would obviously prefer if I could find a place where I could study 8-10 different wrecks in one location (or close by), since that would make cost and time issues a lot easier!

Also it is easier for me if I can do wrecks in the Med or in the Red Sea since I would be in Cyprus at the time anyway. Zenobia will be dived as an alternative dataset (which on its own is useless since it's just one ship). I'll either be diving alone with tour guides/groups, or with my father (same qualification as me, more experienced, but not with wrecks). Obviously we'd still dive with a leader/dive guide wherever we go.

Does anybody have any suggestions/comments/ideas on where the best place would be to go? If it's in the med it's not really a problem to go to 3 different countries since they're both close, and cheap (relatively) to get to.

This would take place throughout September 2008.

Also I would like some sort of information regarding what the best way about collecting data is, since obviously the dive group would be more interested in observing fish/swimming around the wreck, rather than counting plant species etc.

Thanks so much,

Pavel

 

[jimdiverman]

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure whether this is best suited to Travel discussions or Wreck diving so I'm posting in both, moderators feel free to delete as necessary!
I am a second year geography student at Cambridge University, UK. For my third year dissertation I'm required to undertake a research project and I have chosen something which incorporates my diving hobby!

I need to decide where is best to go for this research, since the global collection of wrecks is somewhat overwhelming from a logistical point of view.
I am an advanced open water (PADI) diver, and I still consider myself a beginner so would prefer to dive easy-ish wrecks. My experience with wreck diving (did the specialty) is with Zenobia in Cyprus (I am originally from Cyprus so all of my dives have been there).

I would obviously prefer if I could find a place where I could study 8-10 different wrecks in one location (or close by), since that would make cost and time issues a lot easier!

Also it is easier for me if I can do wrecks in the Med or in the Red Sea since I would be in Cyprus at the time anyway. Zenobia will be dived as an alternative dataset (which on its own is useless since it's just one ship). I'll either be diving alone with tour guides/groups, or with my father (same qualification as me, more experienced, but not with wrecks). Obviously we'd still dive with a leader/dive guide wherever we go.

Does anybody have any suggestions/comments/ideas on where the best place would be to go? If it's in the med it's not really a problem to go to 3 different countries since they're both close, and cheap (relatively) to get to.

Thanks so much,

Pavel

I know of several relatively new wrecks in Florida. I also know that in the case of the Oriskany, this type of information is being looked at. I am not sure how formal it is though, but I would not doubt there are such activities taking place there now. I do know that people have been amazed at how quickly sea life took to the wreck after the sinking. The Adolphus Busch was sunk about 10 years ago also in the South Florida area and there are many older wrecks.

Besides, if I were a 3rd year college student, Florida would be my destination of choice anyway.

 

[robint]

Wow! What a fun project!

I have a couple of suggestions for you.

1. Truk Lagoon, Micronesia - WWII wrecks, so over 50 years of growth on them. Not a cheap trip, but for the $$$ would be best final project for you. Best by liveaboard where you can do more than dozen wrecks in 1 week.
2. Palau, Micronesia - WWII wrecks, a bit farther apart so not quite as easy to accomplish. You could book trips with land-based operations to make sure you cover the areas not usually visited. I would check with Sam's Tours: Palau Diving Micronesia, Island Hopping and dive travels or Scuba Diving Micronesia with Fish 'n Fins, Palau's Pioneer Dive Shop
3. Southeast Florida (Ft. Lauderdale-Pompano) and Florida Keys - wrecks of various ages and sizes, some tug boats and some huge battleships. Probably the least expensive of the group but the wrecks are not as old so not as much growth. Some wrecks have been in water less than 3 years so very little growth but some wrecks have been down 20+ years. This idea might work best for your project. Check out: CONCH REPUBLIC DIVERS VOTED #1 DIVE SHOP IN FLORIDA KEYS..2006 & 2007 and South Florida Diving Headquarters for info on the wrecks.
Speigel Grove, Duane, Eagle in Keys are excellent dives. In Ft. Lauderdale area there are dozens to visit.


robin

 

[Pavel Spirine]

Thanks!

Truk Lagoon was what I first considered and would absolutely love to go there, but I am slightly concerned about the difficulty of the dives there, I really don't want to get into very deep/deco diving.
The last suggestion (florida) sounds interesting since it's more accessible, and the age doesn't really matter as long as there is a variation which can be monitored!

 

[robint]

Thanks!

Truk Lagoon was what I first considered and would absolutely love to go there, but I am slightly concerned about the difficulty of the dives there, I really don't want to get into very deep/deco diving.
The last suggestion (florida) sounds interesting since it's more accessible, and the age doesn't really matter as long as there is a variation which can be monitored!

yes, on second thought, Florida would be better because the wrecks are all different sizes, depths, and ages.
Down off Key Largo are the Duane and the Speigel Grove - it would be interesting to compare the growth on these two as the Duane has been down a few decades but the SG is recent.
The nice thing about that area is that there are so many wrecks and that all the dive ops dive them regularly.
Some pictures for you:

The Ancient Mariner, Ft Lauderdale area

The Jay Scutti, tugboat, same area

The United Caribbean, same area

robin

 

[Doc]

I would obviously prefer if I could find a place where I could study 8-10 different wrecks in one location (or close by), since that would make cost and time issues a lot easier!

Also it is easier for me if I can do wrecks in the Med or in the Red Sea

The Red Sea is an obvious choice. I can think of no greater concentration of shallow wrecks with very easily to obtain dive-op access in an aquatic environment that is so commodious to growth.