12 mile banks fuel barge

[DiveDocMD]

When did you last do this dive?

 

[cerich]

When did you last do this dive?

you make me feel old....

I lived in cayman 1995-2000, last did the dive in late summer fall of 99, did it twice which satisfied my need to do it.

 

[DiveDocMD]

You must have been a child diver!! I've heard variable reports about recent attempts to dive this site. Some have said that the wreck slid off the top of the bank during past hurricanes. Others are not particularly willing to give up GPS coordinates (although I think this is rather selfish). We're going with a willingness to do a little search work if needed.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[cerich]

You must have been a child diver!! I've heard variable reports about recent attempts to dive this site. Some have said that the wreck slid off the top of the bank during past hurricanes. Others are not particularly willing to give up GPS coordinates (although I think this is rather selfish). We're going with a willingness to do a little search work if needed.

Thanks again for your help.

lo, I was 28 when i moved to cayman in 1995 and had 10.5 years in the navy behind me.... but thanks.

I would be surprised if it slid off the bank, it's pretty low profile, flat on top and just shy of 100 ft deep, not right on the lip of the abyss.

I can most likely get the gps if I tried, let me know.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

Interesting to see this thread. I was just on the Island and was inquiring about whether 12 mile bank was diveable. Most of the locals seem to think I'm crazy.

Well... it's more along the lines of, "You want to do what? :dropmouth: "

 

[Cave Diver]

Well... it's more along the lines of, "You want to do what? :dropmouth: "

Well, the problem is that my family is from there and it seems that many Caymanians have a certain amount of "superstition" about the water. They tend to be very able seaman, but want nothing to do with being UNDER the water. They have similar reaction to diving places like Turtle Reef (There are sharks there! :shocked2 and a couple of others I've done.

 

[Drew Sailbum]

And the dive staff are thinking along the lines of, "We can set you up to do almost any dive - a 300ft tech dive with closed circuit rebreathers on a site that is swimming distance from shore is no problem. Why the heck would anyone want to take a boat all the way out to 12 miles banks to dive that old heap!?"

 

[Cave Diver]

Why the heck would anyone want to take a boat all the way out to 12 miles banks to dive that old heap!?"

Do you really want an answer to that?

 

[DiveDocMD]

Unfortunately, the weather conditions did not allow a dive on the barge while I was on island but other members of our group did go out when the water was flat. Here is the initial brief description:



"We swam in the general direction and I got distracted by a few nurse sharks a large coral head and large grouper—lost bearings and missed the wreck by 50 yds to the right—just out of sight (150 ft viz). We were all looking for an 8 foot tall x 240 ft hulk—when in actuality—it had collapsed and was no more than 2 feet high at most—easily missed—and broken up into pieces."

They were fortunate to have gps bearings and an experienced boat captain who stayed on the boat to follow the bubbles.