Dive #1 of Day/Dive #552
Date: Sunday, Feb. 5
Location: Wreck Alley/Yukon
Approx. Time [Dive Times Staggered]: 11:20 am
Dive Length: 45 mins.
Max Depth: 85 ft.
Mix: 21%
Viz: Not Bad: 15 -20 ft.
Critters Seen: Schools of Surfperch, Senoritas, Blacksmith fish, numerous Metridia, Club-Tipped [Strawberry] anemonies, Greenlings, and one very large Lingcod
Today was very interesting. As we pulled in to tie up to the Yukon, we has seen from quite a distance away that a US Navy ship [class unknown] about 100 ft. long, was anchored right next to it. We wondered what it was doing and if they’d let us pull up next to them to dive. Only one way to find out is to ask, right? As we pulled up to the Radio Tower mooring line, they were anchored about 80 ft. to the South of us. So close, we could see the name of the ship and the draft marks on the side. We were half afraid they’d chase us away in high speed boats with .50 cal machine guns pointed at us.
We could see that surface support teams were prepping two hard hat divers to go in the water, so we just yelled across to them, ‘OK to dive here?’ and they indicated it was no problem; it was probably just routine training of their hard hat divers in fairly shallow water; nothing top secret, or with military sensitivity attached to it, so they just went back to prepping the two divers and we began suiting up. They even didn’t object to us snapping a couple photos of them, even though I’m sure we were technically violating some rule about photographing Naval vessels. But, we were pretty obvious about it and no guns were pointed at us, so we assumed they had no objection. I’m sure they would have made it clear if they had. We watched the divers get suited up and attached to their surface support lines. Oddly, they were also wearing wet suits [not dry] and were wearing back up SCUBA tanks, but no fins. They were carefully lowered into the water by cranes on these small cradles and were in the water before we were. Within about 20 mins, their bubbles were almost directly beneath us in the boat, but we never saw them on the Yukon. One interesting thing we observed was that the Navy vessel had a re-compression chamber on board and has soon as the divers surfaced, they were taken by the arm and led straight into it. We figured its some type of Navy SOP, or precaution, rather than because they were bent, because we timed their dive: it wasn’t more than 25 minutes and we knew the bottom there was only 100 ft. That cradle may have lifted them up at a faster than normal [30-60 ft/min] speed as well. Any former Navy divers out there that can shed light on this, offline?
Anyway, after watching them for a while, we decided it was time for us to go diving. It was determined that Dan and Allison would go in the water first. That would give Barbara, Kathy and me time to suit up, and then, when the surfaced, we’d go in, so that the boat would never be unattended. We thought about asking the Navy to watch our boat for us, but then, wisely decided against it.
So, after about 40 mins, Dan and Allison popped up, reporting good conditions on the Yukon: fairly good viz, with little or no current, so, Barbara, Kathy and I suited up and jumped in.
Going down the line, we weren’t sure how good the viz would actually be, because, in the past, it’s been great in the top 20 ft. and rather sucky down below, but upon arrival on the ship, we could see it was a nice 15-20 ft. and we were relieved. There was also, as Dan and Allison had reported, little or no current, which was nice, after the battering we took a few weeks ago.
By prior agreement, because Barbara had a shorter fill than the rest of us, it was agreed that she would descend with me and Kathy and then hang out by herself near the Radio Tower, taking video and Kathy and I would would explore forward towards the bow and meet her back there when we were done, so that’s what we did.
Leaving Barbara to her videoing at the Radio Tower, Kathy and I proceeded forward towards the bow, passing by Milt’s Tilt, where I tried, unsuccessfully to brush away some of the debris from the plate, so the names were more visible. Then, it was on to the Crow’s Nest and the Forward Guns, where schools of Blacksmith and Senoritas flitted about us as we swam though the water column.
As always, we poked our heads in the various holes in the side, without actually penetrating, although I did actually go about 5 ft. into one of the holes, just aft of the Forward Guns, before deciding, rather wisely, I might add, that I did not want to be surrounded by rusty metal in near pitch blackness while 80 ft. from the surface.
Kathy and I made it all the way down to the bow, down towards the sand, and then began to make our way back to the Radio Mast, to check on Barbara. As we were passing one of the structures aft of the guns, Kathy came across one of the larger Lingods that live on the ship, with his head just poking out. He let us approach to within a couple feet and shine our lights in his eyes before becoming annoyed and zooming off. He was a ‘biggie,’ at least 3 ft. long.
When we arrived at the Radio Mast, Barbara was still there, videoing away. We did an air check and she indicated it was time for her to begin her ascent. Based on our remaining air, Kathy and I decided to go a quick jaunt down to the Mortar Bay, before turning around and joining Barbara, who had already begun her ascent.
After a deep stop half way up and a nice, leisurely ascent through the water column, we swam underwater until we were directly under the boat and surfaced just under the ladder, thinking we’d impress Dan and Allison with our underwater navigational skills, but they had seen it all before and, besides: could do the same thing themselves.
Excellent dive!
Dive #2 of Day/Dive #553
Time: Approx. 1:30 pm
Location: Wreck Alley/NOSC Tower
Mix: 30%
Viz: not as good as on Yukon: Best was: 12 ft. Worst was: 2- 4ft.
Max Depth: 60 ft.
Critters Seen: Blacksmith fish, Senoritas, Sheephead and of course, Strawberry anemones and Metridia.
After a bit of back and forth and: ‘where do you guys want to dive next….’ ‘No, where do YOU want to dive next?’ it was decided on the NOSC Tower.
So, we motored out there on calm seas, suited up as a group and rolled in, leaving the boat in the capable hands of Allison, who had wisely decided to pass on the second dive because she was feeling a bit off.
It was apparent from the beginning that viz was not going to be as good as it had been on the Yukon, but in the upper reaches of the tower, it was at least 12 ft, which wasn’t too bad. We all sort of broke up into ‘teams of one’ and circled the tower, admiring the tremendous amount of Rosy pink Club-tipped [Strawberry] anemones that covered absolutely every square inch of the structure, along with numerous white Metridia, along with schools of Senoritas and Blacksmith fish flitting in and around the tower.
I went to the bottom and decided to penetrate inside the structure, in order to look up through it towards the surface. I carefully maneuvered my way between the girders and leaned back to look up through the tower. I saw several sizable Sheephead, making their way in and out of the beams. But, then the current picked up and I found myself getting bounced around a bit inside, so a little voice in my head advised it was time to exit, which I did.
Upon ascending up towards the higher reaches of the tower, at around 40 ft., I stumbled up a cool Cabezon, about 8 inches long, sunning himself on a beam towards the outer part of the tower. I noticed Barbara a few feet away, videoing, so I went over and grabbed her and practically pulled her over to check him out. As soon as she saw him, she realized he’d make a great subject and got some excellent closeup video of him [check: www.divascuba.com Wens., or Thurs to see it--I'll send out a reminder].
Shortly after this, since I was the one with the short fill this time, it was time to begin ascending, so I signaled my intent to Barbara to let her know and began going up the line, where Dan kept me company for the safety stop.
Altogether, it was an excellent day of diving, combined with a fascinating look at the Navy training their hard hat divers. Please note that I did my part for the local marine environment by picking up a rusty Coke can I came across on the bottom, to deliver it to it’s rightful place at the recycling plant.
Mike Bear
Buddies: Barbara, Dan, Allison and Kathy.
