Diving the Straits

[Thunder Bay Minnow]

Yea, it was a bit chilly 41f.

We did our 20 minutes on the the Grecian, 20 minutes on the Montana then stopped at the Rend to finish of the day.

The day before we did the Middle Island Sinkhole for close to 30 minutes at the same 41f and that was about it for me. We then did Rockport Springs, and that felt like a hot tub compared to the sinkhole!

Yea, wetsuit and a fourteen and a half foot boat on the Grecian. Only a local!?!?!? Although I have been known to go out in two to three footers with it.

But what a morning!!! We should have done the Allen and then the Grecian.

Jeff

 

[ComputerJoe]

A friend came up from Oscoda and three of us (ALL IN WETSUITS), after doing the Montana, did a 20 minute Labor Day Dive on the Grecian...great 60' viz! The price? 45 degree water! No one complained about being overly cold.

I'm concerned with the continuing deteriation of the Grecian. About a decade ago a sheet of decking started collapsing by the engine. On Monday I saw that the plate had continued to collaspe right back to the capstain. Now the capstain in sitting on a 30 degree angle. I hope to get back again this fall and really study it. It's hard to believe that the rivets are rusting through or that the wave action is that severe at 75'.

 

[Oldpirate]

Yeah, all that talk about our cold water preserving these wrecks forever, etc....it's all from people with a very short term perspective. I've seen the Ironsides (Grand Haven) deteriotate so much in the past 20 years that the only things that will be left in another 20 years are the engines and boilers.

I'm sorry to predict that all of our wooden wrecks -- especially those from the 1800s -- will be gone in the next 50 years. That's what makes documentation and survey work so important. We need to compile and maintain a record of these historical assets before they are gone. I just wish the state would realize that "A wreck found is a wreck lost" is simply a stupid thing to say. Frankly, they are lost -- forever -- if we DON'T locate and document them. What we and others are doing today in documenting and presenting our finding to others, will be the only record of these ships gone missing (at least the wood ones) for future generations.

BTW, I had a real nasty leak in my drysuit on the Montana so I know how you feel! I think my soft hood liner was stuck in my neck seal was allowing water to seep in.

 

[CMAN]

We ended our week of diving by taking the boat up to Port Sanilac late Friday evening. We (my son and I) left the boat in the parking lot (down the street from the launch). On Saturday morning we launched the boat and headed out for the first dive which was the New York (112 ft. for 31 min. 46 degrees). Viz was low (10-15 ft) so the pic's didn't turn out to good. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49569&stc=1&d=1220619969 After we dove the New York we went over to the Col. A.B.Williams and there was an dive boat tied off so we hung back for about 40-50 mins but the diver(s) were still down so we decided to go to the F.B.Gardner. When we got there the mooring bouy was missing so we decided to go over to the Northstar. When we got there we found there was only one bouy and a dive boat was already tied off and the divers were just entering soooo we went over to the Mary Alice B. and had the wreck to our selfs. We did our second dive there (89 ft. 39 min. 46 degrees) with viz about 15-20 ft. Sunday morning our first dive was on the Regina (76 ft. 47 min. 48 degrees) viz was much better (20-30 FT.) and we spent alot of time checking out the debris field which was fascinating with old bottles and rusted out cans in wooden creates. I didn't take the camera with me and I regret it. Our next dive was back on the Mary Alice B. (81 ft. 28 min. 46 degrees) and the viz was about 30 ft. This was my son's 100th logged dive so I had him bring down a sign and I took some pic's of him with it http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49570&stc=1&d=1220621621 then I went over to the galley and took some shots of the the stove http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=49571&stc=1&d=1220621843 All in all the weather was great for a great week of diving!

 

[Riverrat Dave]

congrats Jared

100 Dives that's great!

 

[Oldpirate]

Congrats to your son on the occasion of his 100th dive. I wish him a lifetime of exploration and awe in the Great Lakes!

 

[CMAN]

Here is a link to some video that I took from our dive on the Sandusky. I took it with my Olympus C-5050 shooting in video mode so the quality isn't too good. http:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ox5MBpFls4

 

[CMAN]

If the link doesn't work just go to Youtube and search video for "Diving the Sandusky"