The other week we headed out to the U-869. I’ve been there a few times, and was looking forward to another great trip. When packing my gear aboard, I was informed that I was just needed for support, and I would be able to do a dive for fun. Sounds like a plan I can live with! In light of this plan, I opted to take the second watch. Brandon took first watch then woke me a few minutes early to let me wake up a bit.
MY God! It’s full of stars! Quite simply, the sky is amazing out there! After the wake up call, (while Brandon was still at the helm) I went back to the cooler to grab my (now) ice coffee, and a snack. Looking up was just astonishing!!!!! I have no words to describe it. With the light pollution in the north east, we really can not appreciate the amazing canopy that is above us. 30 miles out, there is no other light, and the stars are a carpet of incomprehensible beauty. The constellations stood out so clearly, I felt I could reach out and touch them. Behind them was the often missed “milky way” which was visible as a blanket of soft but distinct lights. On course before us were bouncy castle for sale Orion and the Pleiades. Both more pronounced that my home telescope could hope to show. I stood in awe for a few minutes, while Brandon kept looking to check that I had not fallen overboard. Back to work, time to drive!
The eyes play tricks on you during the night. At one point I could swear a large ship was bearing down on us off the port bow, but nothing showed on radar. After a few moments of terror, I realized it was few clouds off on the horizon, just visible in the predawn light. While it was really on the horizon, it appeared to be right at our window. It’s easy to see how sea stories start.
We approached our destination, and discussions of the days events were rehashed. Plans were formed and then reformed. After a few evolutions, it was revealed that I was tying in. So much for that fun dive, but such is the life! Danny and I geared up to splash. The line was in, but apparently there was some issue. It was pulled and dropped again. (Never a good sign.) We splashed to find clear water, and a moderate current. As it turned out the current went all the way down to the wreck. Since the shot was only a weight, any tension would pull it off the wreck. We had to swim along the shot rather than pull on it to aid our decent.
After a few minutes of decent, the light dimmed, and I switched on my HID. 35 watts of bright blue light illuminated the surrounding area. However I could not see any indication Danny’s torch. I stopped my decent and looked up the line. There was no indication of Danny above me. Not good! The depth read 150, a long way to go yet. I continued my decent. Slowly the lights went out around me, but the current continued to keep the line just out of my reach. Deeper, deeper…. Only my lights and gauges were visible now. Deeper… deeper, there, what’s that? The line went off quickly forward. I could see the shot, but nothing else. It’s in the sand! Damn!
I looked around, but there was nothing immediately in sight. The vis was good, but hard to tell the distance with nothing but sand. I tied off my reel to the shot, then headed off into the current ( the most likely direction of the wreck). After only a few seconds, I could see clam shells and debris, then the shadow of the wreck. I turned back to the shot. Danny could now be seen approaching, however he had no light. He was fiddling with something. Yup, his light had failed (one of those special buys from NESS).
I returned to the shot, and proceeded to complete the task at hand, put a bag on it and shot it up. Once complete, I turned to see the Danny drifting off into the distance. He was being pulled by the drag on 300 ft of line, and drifting away from the wreck. After a quick swim, I grabbed the chain from his hand, and proceeded to walk it along the bottom to the wreck. We brought it to the top, and dropped it by a solid structure, then I signaled that I was going to look around. We were asked to tie into a clam dredge just off the starboard side. I quickly swam around the area, but could not find a dredge. I did find torpedo tubes which indicated that we were on the bow. When I returned I found Danny had wrapped the chain around the structure which turned out to be a bow winch. I guess this would have to be good enough, as the current would prevent us from moving the line much. I indicated for him to send up the signal.
It had taken a while to tie in, so I only had a few minutes left. Previously while looking around, my every gaze had been met by sets of claws and antenna. For some reason there lots of large lobster on this wreck. With the few minutes left, I grabbed a few, and headed up. The vis had been great, and I was hoping to see more!!! Maybe I’ll get a second “fun” dive.
The ascent was cool up to the 70ft stop where the water warmed up a bit. Then it was comfortable to the surface. The vis here opened up so that the anchor line and the entire hull of the Indy was in view. After boarding we helped the remaining passengers while the rest of the crew jumped in.
Everyone talked about how great the vis was, and how nice the wreck was. I was not able to see much, but had to console myself with the fact that my lobster was the largest, and it was only a few feet from the shot line.
On the way home, we all grabbed some sleep, and hoped for another day like this on the wreck.