Diving the Potomac River?

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Fly Girl

Contributor
Messages
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Location
Alexandria, VA
# of dives
25 - 49
I was coming home today to Hunnington Station on the Metro Yellow Line and saw a dive boat next the the 14th Street Bridge as we crossed over the Potomac. It looked like it had an anchor/lead line going down next to one of the bridge supports. So, do people really dive in the Potomac River or was this just some sort of anomaly? If people do dive there, what is it like? I imagine there are some really big fish. What is it like? I would be totally up for diving there if it is within my dive experience limitations.
 
Not very politically correct for me to ask but did you see the divers and did they look Middle Eastern?
 
If I had to hazard a guess, I'd lean in the direction that it was a commercial diver doing an inspection of the bridge.

Every time they talk about dredging the washington Channel or the Anacostia River, it becomes a major environmental issue as distrubing the silt means stirring up all kinds of pollutants and heavy metals. The Potomac around DC would not be any better so it is not high on my list of places to dive.
 
I too would vote you saw a commercial venture doing a bridge inspection.

There is however a German Submarine U-1105 Black Panther - WWII war Prize that was intentionally sunk in the Potomac River but it is closer to Piney Point, MD.

Do a search here on U-1105.
 
I used to dive in the marinas around DC, really bad visibility
 
Thanks - I suspect the commercial diver guess is correct. I know they are doing major construction on the 14th St Bridge, I think starting this weekend, so it may be related. And no, the people on the dive boat did not look suspicious. They looked pretty much like any good ole' boy dive boat people I've come to love. I'll have to check out more about the U-1105. Sounds like fun. I always trust DA Aquamaster's sage advice, but I also kinda' figure that if the pollutants in the FSU, Central Asia, and Middle East haven't killed me yet, I might be able to hang in the Potomac River, at least for one or two dives. So, what do you think, Larry? Should we check it out?
 
Thanks - I suspect the commercial diver guess is correct. I know they are doing major construction on the 14th St Bridge, I think starting this weekend, so it may be related. And no, the people on the dive boat did not look suspicious. They looked pretty much like any good ole' boy dive boat people I've come to love. I'll have to check out more about the U-1105. Sounds like fun. I always trust DA Aquamaster's sage advice, but I also kinda' figure that if the pollutants in the FSU, Central Asia, and Middle East haven't killed me yet, I might be able to hang in the Potomac River, at least for one or two dives. So, what do you think, Larry? Should we check it out?
Yeah, I noted the road construction this weekend, the lanes were closed but on one was actually working. They did the same thing to me on 295 where only 1 lane was open and again no one was working. Grrrr...

I'd be up for a Potomac dive, I'll use my dry suit and will dust off the EXO-26. :D

We do have to go to Rawlings again soon.
 
I checked out the dive guidance for U-1105 - http://www.marylandhistoricaltrust.net/u1105saf.pdf, as well as previous scubaboard info about it. Sounds like a definitely doable for me. I think it would best be some done more toward the end of summer since it sounds like it has the potential to be pretty challenging, and I'd like to get some more diving in first as well as more desensitization to low and no vis diving. Speaking of which, Millbrook the weekend of 30-31 May? I sent you an email. Rawlings next month sounds good, as well as I still have a two tank dive with Lynnehaven for Va Beach, so I'm all up for getting ready for the NC Dives. Heck, if the dive boat in Cancun last month can make me throw up, I can only imagine how much fun I'll have getting to the dive sites in NC :) .
 
May 30-or 31 should work as it is not an NC weekend - I think Marci is working that weekend.

I would be up for a U-1105 dive I'll brush up on my Braille. :D
 
The buoy marking the sub is up. That's were you'll tie off to. It is easier to follow the diver ball, that's tied off to the attack periscope base. The bottom of the sub is in 83 to 85 feet of water. visibility is usually -5 to 0 feet but one time it cleared to about five feet, no lie! really!

The coning tower which has the most interesting stuff is about sixty five feet and there is usually some vis at that depth. Current is strong at surface, almost nothing at the bottom. If you dive the local quarry's (Millbrook) Temp shouldn't be an issue. I have a drysuit but I mostly dive wet in the potomac, just one thing less to worry about.

This is not a totally challenging dive, but you have to have your wits about you in any low vis enviorment. And beware of monofilament.

Some people think diving the potomac and the black panther (u-1105) is stupid. But I would ask when was the last time those people got to touch a piece of history that very few people have touched.

Ciao
Ef
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

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