Diving the submarine USS H-1

[rksmith]

Does anyone have any information concerning the submarine USS H-1? According to gooddive.com, this wreck is divable and is off the coast of Mexico in the Sea of Cortez somewhere near the San Carlos/Guaymas area. I am unable to find any other information concerning this supposed dive site and was hoping someone out there might know something. Thanks!!

 

[DandyDon]

Sounds interesting. According to USS H-1 (SS-28) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia she sunk in 50 ft deep water off of Santa Margarita Island off the South West coast of Baja California Sur, at the entrance of Magdalena Bay. If that is correct, it is not in the Sea of Cortez and besides - why would a US sub go in there en route from Panama to San Pedro, California?

Click the pic for a better idea of where she lies. I got to wonder if any dive operators are around there?

 

[Gilldiver]

Sounds interesting. According to USS H-1 (SS-28) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia she sunk in 50 ft deep water off of Santa Margarita Island off the South West coast of Baja California Sur, at the entrance of Magdalena Bay. If that is correct, it is not in the Sea of Cortez and besides - why would a US sub go in there en route from Panama to San Pedro, California?

Click the pic for a better idea of where she lies. I got to wonder if any dive operators are around there?

The US Navy had a lease on Magdalena Bay in the late 1800's and into the early 1900's just like with Gitmo. The bay was used extensively for gunnery practice, coaling of ships, and other maneuvers. Teddy Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet did a lot of work there on the circumnavigation. They also used the area as a harbor of refuge when the Pacific storms got bad. At one time it was advicated that the US should anex all of Baha just so we had control of the bay.

I did a good bit of research on the H-1 a number of years ago. The wreck was sold for salvaged but that never tells you if it was salvaged or to what extent. But I did look at the bottom and there is a lot of deep sand in the area, so the wreck could be buried like the U-701 is. No one can tell unless you go looking. But Mexico can be protective of their coastal waters as far as wrecks go and even though the wreck was sold for salvage, that doesn’t mean that the US Navy would not try to claim the wreck as US property like they did with the US San Diego off of Long Island NY which was also sold for salvage.

 

[rksmith]

Thanks fellas. gooddive.com mentioned it in a blurb about the San Carlos/Guaymas area. That's why I assumed it was there. Yeah, I know, "when you assume".........thanks again.