Day One Dive #1
Sometimes the journey is just as important as the trip. It started with a phone message. “All you women are alike. If you have a phone answer it! If you want to dive pick me up Friday morning.”
Who was this? Does it matter? I’m diving Friday.
As it turns out it is Jonny Rocket himself, alive and diving southern Florida
It was 6AM when I left Friday, dark and the weather report was for rain, Friday and Saturday. Well I was going to be wet anyway, so what. My husband had loaded the car for me with everything I could possibly need, including a 7ml wetsuit. Gotta love him. And I was off.
Good thing too cause Jonny called me at 6:10 “Where are you? I‘m leaving now, see you there”
5 ½ hours later I was in Key Largo greeted with sunny skies, a big bear hug and “get your stuff lets go”
We were diving the Spiegel Grove with Conch Republic Divers.
The USS Spiegel Grove is a Landing Ship Dock (LSD 32), which has been sunk to create an artificial reef in Key Largo. The vessel is 510 feet in length, 84 feet wide. She resides at a depth of 134 ft near Dixie Shoals in Key Largo. The depth at the highest point of the ship is 60-65 ft, depending on the tide level. Since her sinking in 2002, the Spiegel Grove had been lying on her starboard side. Due to the waves/currents/surge from Hurricane Dennis, the Spiegel Grove now sits upright.
According to the Captain there were 5-8 seas and lower than normal viz but there was no problem we were going on a 42 foot round hulled boat and it was to be a piece of cake.
The ride out was …… I have to find a word….what word means no one could stand, tanks popped their bungees and fell over, and everything was wet?
The captain briefed us on the site and in we went, granny line to the mooring ball, mooring ball beat me up a little with the waves but I was good and down the line we went. The “lower viz” was about 60 feet and the wreck quickly came into view. The line ended at the top deck at a depth of 85 feet and the water was a cool 75 degrees.
The Spiegel Grove is a spectacular wreck to come down on. Being so recently sunk and then righted by the storm there is not a great deal of growth on her. It is like descending on the actual ship as it was floating on top of the water and not laying under it. You could make out every detail and see every line and curve. It was kind of eerie but sooo impressive. Upon arriving on the deck you had to just go vertical and “stand” on it and look around.
After a quick tour of the deck, Jonny was itching to see what was inside. Huge swim throughs are cut throughout the ship with the ones in the top compartments being visible to each other.
We dropped down a deck in we went and immediately, I was stuck. My problem? A large yellow pony bottle failed to make it through the cut out. Back up center myself and off again. Coming out the other side we were on another deck with another tour and on to the next swim through. I could not tell you what rooms we swam through but according to Jon we went in at the radio room, turned left at the ladies powder room and came out the snack bar. I don’t think so but I need to do a little research to prove him wrong.
There was none of the infamous current on the site and the marine life included Goliath Grouper and Parrot Fish. 36 minutes at 94 feet and we were on our way back up the line.
Upon ascending, the seas were picking up a bit and since I was using a bigger steel tank than I am used to and carrying the mega pony, getting back on board was a bit of a challenge, but I was up to it and on the second attempt was up the ladder and on board.
What a great dive, I couldn’t wait for the second time down.
What do you mean we aren’t diving this wreck a second time? I always get a second shot at the wreck, where are we going? How big is that wave?
Dive #2
USCG Duane
The USCG Duane is a 329-foot cutter that was decommissioned on August 1st, 1985, as the oldest active U.S. military vessel. The ship was intentionally sunk on November 27, 1987, to create an artificial reef. This ship was sunk deep down to ensure that it would not conflict with navigation in the area. The Duane lies outside of the reef line and can have a ripping current. The Duane sits upright on the sandy bottom at 120 feet offering nearly 70 feet of relief. On clear days the outline of the hull can be seen from far above. The crow's nest and mast become visible just 50-60 feet below the surface.
Remember the trip out to the Spiegel Grove? We got to the Duane the same way, except the seas had picked up a bit. The captains briefing ended with, look up on your ascents and please don’t get hit in the head with the boat.
We tied in, suited up and down we went. Once under the water, again there was virtually no current and the visability on this site was at about 80 feet, the water temp 77 degrees.
I love this wreck. We were greeted at the mooring ball by a 3 foot sea turtle who stayed around for the rest of the dive. Down the line we went and the crows nest came immediately into view. Down the line to the deck at about 94 feet and again you had to stop and just turn in a circle and take it all in. The Duane has been in the water longer than the Spiegel Grove and has much more marine life on it, but the ship itself is not to be ignored.
Arriving at the deck and just turning in place to take it all in, first the intact crows nest, having to tilt your head back to catch site of the very top (banging your head on your tank valve, the price you pay) and swimming in and out of the nest are barracuda, 10 or 20 of them at 3-5 feet each and swimming around the very tip, our turtle friend.
Now you turn slowly taking it all in and as you come about 180 degrees you are greeted with the most amazing site, luckily you are supposed to breath in because you just do. Flying above the bridge is a huge American flag. It catches you off guard and gives an aura of pride to the wreck in an eerie sort of way.
The variety of sea life was absolutely amazing and entertaining. With angel fish, pilot fish, parrotfish, barracuda, sea cucumbers, funky little worms, our sea turtle and much more.
Jon entertained himself growling and chasing a barracuda, I followed with my camera to capture the moment he got bit. After 24 minutes at 101 feet I was on my way up the line with another group of divers while Jon got some extra time in on his rebreather. Hand over hand, slow ascent about 20 feet up and POP!! S**t, my O ring? At depth! Where were the bubbles, the free flow? Hey Cheryl, you have mega pony. Stop holding your breath, breathe. Nothing, no free flow, no bubbles, just air, in my reg, where it should be. Strange. And up I went with no further problems, there at least.
The seas had picked up some, do you see a trend here? Being tossed around on the tag line waiting my turn and this little man pops up from the granny line and jumps in front of me on the line. No problem, I just hold on and I will get in, it happens.
Then it happened, I looked up and coming right at the boat was a rogue wave, a tsunami, 200 feet tall! The crew all left the dive platform to grab hold of something and here I was on the trail line, planning how I was going to be washed out to sea and inflate my SMB and at least get to ride back in Helicopter or passing cruise ship.
OK, maybe it was only a 12-15 footer, but dont tell Jon that, he was still on the line doing a stop and had to drop to 30 feet cause he was being tossed around so badly underwater at 15 feet. He should feel bad leaving me with these other guys who left me in the water to be washed out to sea by giant tidal waves. And let me tell you, to say a 15 foot wave viewed from the water line with only a yellow piece of nylon tethering you to the boat is pretty unnerving, is an understatement.
The wave passes followed by its possee of smaller rollers and the crew very quickly pulls me in and out of the water and back on the boat. I now have to break down my gear because as soon as Jon surfaces we are…. getting out of there. Upon removing my regs from the valve the O ring pops out into my hand. ???? Cant be. This is crazy.
Jon is now back on the boat, big grin, story about the smokestack, telling me (with a wink) to stop whining about the little bit of chop. Aaannnd, did I notice that my camera housing was cracked? DOH!? My little Walmart special, good to 35 feet, that regularly took decent pics at 85 feet, dove the Speigel and did over a 100 feet on the Duane, it exploded on the ascent! My POP on the upline! And all pictures of the 2 dives, flooded.
Jeeshhh!!
Day 2 Dive #3
After diving the Duane and the 200 foot wave incident, I needed dinner and a drink. Like Jon, I like my beer in a green bottle, but the guy is never happy
Leave my beer alone Jon!! I like it, I like the screen printing on the bottle and Latrobe is a foreign country, you ever been there?
6:30 the next morning everyone is up, our dive is not scheduled until 12 but we are pacing and the restaurant is not open for breakfast yet, so we jump in the car and run down to the marina to see what is going out earlier.
The Bib Wreck. The USCG Cutters Duane and Bibb are sister ships located ¼ mile apart. They were sunk in 1987 to form an artificial reef and are about a mile south of Molasses Reef. Both are in 130 feet of water. The Duane stands upright below the surface, the Bibb lies deeper because it lays on its starboard side with 120 to the deck
Another sunny day and the seas have flattened out to a much more manageable 2-4 feet but the current has picked up tremendously.
We are off in a smaller boat this time for the Bib. The Captain informs me I must be ready to hit the water as soon as we arrive because my dive buddy, Jon, bless his heart, wants a longer run time today and our Captain doesn’t want to hear him whine if I am slow and he doesn’t get it.
Upon arrival I am shuffled to the swim platform as the captain briefs us on the wreck warning us that the currents are much stronger here and the fact that the wreck is on its side is very disorienting. They then push me off and we are diving. The current is killing me, I am pulling myself along the granny line and getting nowhere! This current is killer. All of a sudden I am pulled and lifted from the water. The trail line is wrapped around mega pony and I am tied to the boat. The crew has pulled me in and untangles me and I am off.
Down the line we go, carefully watching for fish hooks, slowly on down to the deck at 120 feet with about 80 foot of viz.
The whole ship is strange after diving yesterday. Very weird looking over the side and seeing the crows nest shooting out into the distance. The current is still quite strong on the bottom and diving over the port side of the ship skews my sense of direction (don’t say it).
There is not a great deal for me to explore here as I am uncomfortable going much deeper and the current is tiring. After 21 minutes I ascended the line with another diver who now has first hand (left to be exact) knowledge of fire coral.
As the other divers joined us for the surface interval we had an amusing conversation about gullible divers and the “stories” surrounding wrecks. Being generally in the gullible category I listened intently for what I should not believe. There has never been a barge that sank while carrying circus animals to the next town. All of the elephants did not suddenly move to one side and tip the barge thus sinking it and drowning the animals. I will never go ivory hunting under water, no not me.
And as the last divers surfaced, we prepared to move on to our next dive. A reef. I have never dove on a reef. I look forward to it. And I have another camera, maybe I can get a picture this time.
Dive #4
As we head to our final dive, I am contemplating all that has happened so far. I make a mental note that I have to work on my ascents. I don’t pay enough attention to what is going on above me. I am so busy multi tasking with the depth and timing and jon line and venting and on and on, I don’t look up, hardly ever. I need to be more aware of what is above me, where the boat is if there are any divers above me, anything else in the water, is the mooring ball being tossed around? I have to look up more, much more.
The Pickle Wreck/Reef is a coral reef with a wreck lying amongst it. The story of the wreck is that a barge carrying pickle barrels filled with cement powder was sunk during the Civil War and the seawater breached the barrels causing the cement to harden and the barrels disintegrated over time and what is left of the wreck is now cement slabs in the shape of pickle barrels.
Should I believe that one?
This is a slow leisurely drift over the reef just sucking in all of the sites. Colorful tropicals, corals sponges and aneomes (spelling?) Jersey has colors, the problem is that the colors are brown, umber, tan, beige, green, light green, moss green, sea green, sage, cerise, pea green, dark green and more brown.
I took lots of pictures, I have 10 recognizable ones
http://www.wreckvalley.com/gallery/v/USA/keys+2007/
If you know what any of the fish are please feel free to let me know. There is a parrot fish and a squirrel fish in there.
53 minutes at 25 feet. What a great way to end the dives.
We got back to the dock, loaded our gear, said our goodbyes and headed home, my last obstacle? I am a Jersey Girl through and through. If I get to the gas station and no one helps me fill my tank….I will have to call Triple A to come and do it.
Now I have to plan more dives, dive with the manatees, dive with the sharks and dive for shark teeth. If the teeth are there why arent the sharks? Maybe this place is where the shark tooth fairy stores her stash.
Love
Cheryl