We lucked out and got the Island Diver both days. She is old and cantankerous but she is big and wide and a very fine ride. Our chauffeurs were Rambo and Paul.
Folks voted unanimously for the Accokeek for the deep dive so we headed out with anxious anticipation. We went directly to the sand and as we rounded the bow there was a small Jewfish, only about 175 pounds. He checked us out with big google eyes but kept his distance. We continued along the port side to the stern. This is one of the only wrecks out here with a propeller. We rounded to the starboard side and up onto the aft deck. Another larger jewfish came sauntering by. This one was at least 250 pounds. We looked up and could see the silhouette of the Island Diver with about a six-foot Barracuda ten or twenty feet above us. There were huge schools of Atlantic Spadefish swimming in close, their silver sides glistening.
Visibility was really good but there was a lot of particulate stuff in the water. We usually call it snot because of its resemblance. I went through one of the cabins and the sheet metal is really beginning to crumble. Something towing a steel cable has just about cut the stack clean off the wreck. Beside the stack I found an empty Deer Cowry shell in great condition. Went back to the top of the wheelhouse and watched two juvenile Angelfish playing, fluttering to and fro.
We reluctantly started up and on the safety stop we watched the surface red and ablaze with the setting sun. Back on the boat we watched the great ball in the sky slowly disappear into the sea.
Our second dive was Bridge Span 14. Weve done hundreds of dives on this site and see something fantastically new on every dive. When we splashed the water blazed with bioluminescence. We knew then that the dive would be something special.
We rounded the end of the roadway and found a large flounder about 15 inches long. Not shy at all, he hung around and was as curious about us as we were about him. We saw a huge ugly crab that looked like an overgrown and barnacle encrusted spider. The over onto the roadway we found about a five-inch Cowry with his mantle fully out.
We spent a long time on the anchor line swing our arms and legs like madmen, watching the gentle green sparks. Other divers cast a ghostly glow as them swam along.
The sea was smooth and we watched the reflection of lights cast across the water as we cruised past them. Dinner at Billys rounded out a perfect end to a wonderful diving day.
The USS Strength proved to be an outstanding first site on Sunday. We anchored just aft of the split. The schools of baitfish were so thick that you could hardly see the wreck. We hung out on or near the anchor line until the new divers all made it to the bottom. Then we went down the starboard side to the stern. As usual the marine life here is fantastic. We rounded the stern and back up the port side to the split. Then we cruised around the bow counterclockwise. The entrance to the magazine beneath the gun port is open now and I looked around inside. Then we went to the top of the wreck and through the corridor back to the split. Once I followed a rope to a hole and when I I shined my light inside all I could see was a giant mouth of a Jewfish. The conning tower debris is almost covered with sand. There are still a couple of nets hanging that cast an eerie but quaint image. We still had plenty of gas and bottom time but cut the dive and started up at 45 minutes.
We dove again on Bridge Span One. This site is obviously not used often by the amount of sand dollars and lead weights lying around. I found a nice turban shell and an olive cone that were uninhabited. I spent a lot of time picking up lead weights. My cache got so heavy that I had to use the lift bag. I found one really nice tennis-ball shaped weight that is about six-pounds. We went back to the top of the span and found the usual crabs and blennies. There are not very many blennies now. I dont know where they go when the water starts to cool.
Our trip back in was on a trailing sea where all lifes journeys need to be and we sat with sadness that our weekend was ending but smiling as we thought of coming back.
Folks voted unanimously for the Accokeek for the deep dive so we headed out with anxious anticipation. We went directly to the sand and as we rounded the bow there was a small Jewfish, only about 175 pounds. He checked us out with big google eyes but kept his distance. We continued along the port side to the stern. This is one of the only wrecks out here with a propeller. We rounded to the starboard side and up onto the aft deck. Another larger jewfish came sauntering by. This one was at least 250 pounds. We looked up and could see the silhouette of the Island Diver with about a six-foot Barracuda ten or twenty feet above us. There were huge schools of Atlantic Spadefish swimming in close, their silver sides glistening.
Visibility was really good but there was a lot of particulate stuff in the water. We usually call it snot because of its resemblance. I went through one of the cabins and the sheet metal is really beginning to crumble. Something towing a steel cable has just about cut the stack clean off the wreck. Beside the stack I found an empty Deer Cowry shell in great condition. Went back to the top of the wheelhouse and watched two juvenile Angelfish playing, fluttering to and fro.
We reluctantly started up and on the safety stop we watched the surface red and ablaze with the setting sun. Back on the boat we watched the great ball in the sky slowly disappear into the sea.
Our second dive was Bridge Span 14. Weve done hundreds of dives on this site and see something fantastically new on every dive. When we splashed the water blazed with bioluminescence. We knew then that the dive would be something special.
We rounded the end of the roadway and found a large flounder about 15 inches long. Not shy at all, he hung around and was as curious about us as we were about him. We saw a huge ugly crab that looked like an overgrown and barnacle encrusted spider. The over onto the roadway we found about a five-inch Cowry with his mantle fully out.
We spent a long time on the anchor line swing our arms and legs like madmen, watching the gentle green sparks. Other divers cast a ghostly glow as them swam along.
The sea was smooth and we watched the reflection of lights cast across the water as we cruised past them. Dinner at Billys rounded out a perfect end to a wonderful diving day.
The USS Strength proved to be an outstanding first site on Sunday. We anchored just aft of the split. The schools of baitfish were so thick that you could hardly see the wreck. We hung out on or near the anchor line until the new divers all made it to the bottom. Then we went down the starboard side to the stern. As usual the marine life here is fantastic. We rounded the stern and back up the port side to the split. Then we cruised around the bow counterclockwise. The entrance to the magazine beneath the gun port is open now and I looked around inside. Then we went to the top of the wreck and through the corridor back to the split. Once I followed a rope to a hole and when I I shined my light inside all I could see was a giant mouth of a Jewfish. The conning tower debris is almost covered with sand. There are still a couple of nets hanging that cast an eerie but quaint image. We still had plenty of gas and bottom time but cut the dive and started up at 45 minutes.
We dove again on Bridge Span One. This site is obviously not used often by the amount of sand dollars and lead weights lying around. I found a nice turban shell and an olive cone that were uninhabited. I spent a lot of time picking up lead weights. My cache got so heavy that I had to use the lift bag. I found one really nice tennis-ball shaped weight that is about six-pounds. We went back to the top of the span and found the usual crabs and blennies. There are not very many blennies now. I dont know where they go when the water starts to cool.
Our trip back in was on a trailing sea where all lifes journeys need to be and we sat with sadness that our weekend was ending but smiling as we thought of coming back.
