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Senter Cove Guy · 08-10-2009, 10:13 PM

Grant and I did find the wreck at 85 feet deep off of Ship Island yesterday. It's a stripped down fiberglass 18- 20 ft runabout. I was just reviewing my dive log for the dive and we didn't reach 85 feet for 14 minutes, but, that's because we were following a trail of clorox bottles suspended just off the bottom at various depths that mark the way to the wreck.

The visibility was pretty good...around 20 feet I'd say. It was a partly sunny day and we really didn't have to turn our lights on until about 50-55 feet. We were diving down a rock ledge until about 70 feet and then it turned to muck. The wreck was sitting right side up in the middle of the muck. Water temp at the bottom was 52 degrees F. We spent about 6 minutes swimming around the wreck just checking it out...then we followed the rock ledge back up to the boat. Total dive time was about 40 minutes including 3 minute safety stop. One of the 5 best dives I've done in Winni. No fish were seen. It was dark at 85 feet but you could see a little without lights...just not very far.

We had looked for it last year and had missed it to the west so we revised our dive plan for this year and it worked out perfectly.

When wreck diving in the ocean, say to 125 feet, we usually make a bee line down to the bottom in about 3 minutes so that we have as much air as possible at depth. Coming up is a different story...slow and steady. Visibility at 125 feet in the ocean off of North Carolina can be 50 - 100 feet depending upon lots of variables. No lights necessary unless it's a night dive or you are going to penetrate a wreck.

If this post piques your interest, Dive Winnipesaukee would love to have you as a dive student.

08-10-2009, 10:13 PM	#9
Senter Cove Guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 593 Thanks: 283 Thanked 427 Times in 139 Posts	It's Like This... Grant and I did find the wreck at 85 feet deep off of Ship Island yesterday. It's a stripped down fiberglass 18- 20 ft runabout. I was just reviewing my dive log for the dive and we didn't reach 85 feet for 14 minutes, but, that's because we were following a trail of clorox bottles suspended just off the bottom at various depths that mark the way to the wreck. The visibility was pretty good...around 20 feet I'd say. It was a partly sunny day and we really didn't have to turn our lights on until about 50-55 feet. We were diving down a rock ledge until about 70 feet and then it turned to muck. The wreck was sitting right side up in the middle of the muck. Water temp at the bottom was 52 degrees F. We spent about 6 minutes swimming around the wreck just checking it out...then we followed the rock ledge back up to the boat. Total dive time was about 40 minutes including 3 minute safety stop. One of the 5 best dives I've done in Winni. No fish were seen. It was dark at 85 feet but you could see a little without lights...just not very far. We had looked for it last year and had missed it to the west so we revised our dive plan for this year and it worked out perfectly. When wreck diving in the ocean, say to 125 feet, we usually make a bee line down to the bottom in about 3 minutes so that we have as much air as possible at depth. Coming up is a different story...slow and steady. Visibility at 125 feet in the ocean off of North Carolina can be 50 - 100 feet depending upon lots of variables. No lights necessary unless it's a night dive or you are going to penetrate a wreck. If this post piques your interest, Dive Winnipesaukee would love to have you as a dive student. __________________ Lake Winni - The only place I want to be during the summer. Last edited by Senter Cove Guy; 08-12-2009 at 08:40 AM.