Dive report; African Queen

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MaxBottomtime

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It was time to see how much money we could throw into the ocean today, so on our way to fill up our gas tanks we headed out to the wreck of the African Queen. The wreck is a steel hull sailboat now laying in ninty feet a few miles off Long Beach. Ocean Defenders Alliance recently removed most of the fishing nets from the site.
The upper thirty feet of water was a dirty green with only a few feet of visibility. We descended right over the deck and marvelled as the metridiums came into view. Visibility on the wreck was a decent twenty feet plus. Water pemperature was a toasty 50F.
My first shot of the huge propeller was an attempt at ambient light photography...actually, I forgot to turn on the strobes.
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It looks much nicer when lit.
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A small wolfeel has moved into the hole where a larger one used to reside.
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Bow of the African Queen
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Yellow crab living in crowded conditions
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Squid have recently visited the wreck as well
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Despite the lack of current, most of the metridiums were open.
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20ft of visibility on a deep wreck with Metridiums and Wolf eels.... Awesome! Wish I could have been there. The final shot of the wreck with the inverted Metridiums is gorgeous.
Is that Charlie in the photo?
 
Yep. We missed you. I told Charlie that I've never heard of anyone on their deathbed wishing they had spent more time at work. Hint...hint!
 
Yep. We missed you. I told Charlie that I've never heard of anyone on their deathbed wishing they had spent more time at work. Hint...hint!

I know, I know. :idk: April is always my busiest month at work. Between getting an early start on next weeks audits and my at home responsibilities, I just couldn't fit in a dive. Though looking at your photos and talking with Charlie about the amazing dive is beginning to feel like salt being rubbed into an open wound. Next time for sure:wink:

Did Merry also take photos?
 
She did, but she's reluctant to post them. She shot two mating Aegiris with eggs, but she doesn't think they're good enough. :(

I can relate. I've hesitated to post photos before, thinking that they weren't good enough to share. Charlie always says I'm too critical of my shots and I am beginning to think that's true for lots of photographers. I've seen what she's posted here and on the BBS forum and all her stuff is great.
 
I'm a little late on this one, but I just have to.

Thanks again Phil and Merry! It was an AWESOME dive ,I am still buzzin from it. I always learn from diving with you two.

The wreck was largely in tact and with the decent vis it was almost visible from bow to stern. The way the ocean reanimates the remnants of humanity is amazing. Marine life covered the entire wreck.

Look, admittedly I am a Palos Verdes shore diver....so when Phil anchored off in the middle of the vast ocean, with hills that tower over my home reefs barely a spec on the horizon, I knew this was the real deal. No kelp, no cliffs. Just the big blue, boat traffic, and a 90 foot descent to a wreck surrounded by endless fields of sand. Yea, I was stoked.

This is a dive that I will never forget.
 
Great shots...love to see wolf eels in our waters...thanks guys
 

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