Floating Torpedo off the coast of Maui

[river_sand_bar]

For those who haven't heard, Last week while heading out to Lanai off the coast of Maui with the Maui Dive shop, we came across a floating torpedo... YES, I did say a floating torpedo. A call was made to the Coast Guard. They ask us to mark it some how and they would be out to check it out. We dropped a half of a white boogie board near the torpedo.

After a day of diving, we contacted the Coast Guard on the way in for the status.... well, the Coast Guard was unable to located it and basicly called us liars. They were at the dock when we arrived and interviewed us and wanted to see pictures. This actually made the news and being that I was on board and in fact did see and photograph the torpedo, I can say "It was real"

Take a look!!!!

 

[do it easy]

And you didn't play chicken with it?

 

[Otter]

I am actually more concerned with the concentric waves being produced by it. Unless you touched it, something inside is obviously vibrating to create those waves. By the proximity of each wave, its at a relatively high frequency.....tick, tick, tick....

 

[Shaka Doug]

They marked it with half a white boogie board????

 

[Lopaka]

Not a torpedo. It is a target for training, as I understand it. No explosive, but could damage the boat if you rammed it.

 

[DA Aquamaster]

You dropped half of a white boogie board near it? And they could not find it? - go figure. That's right up there with finding a needle in a haystack.

The area toward the nose with no growth on it is about where the inflatable recovery float is located on some training torpedos. Most training torpedos are not what you would call inexpensive and most navies like to get them back.

 

[justleesa]

interesting find! looks like an oversized baseball bat....did the coast gaurd say sorry for the name calling?

 

[river_sand_bar]

Well, we thought it was really strange that the Coast Guard didn't want us to stay near it until they came out...so dropping a marker near it was all we could do.

Actually, I am not sure if its a live one or not, but what we did notice was there wasn't growth at the tail section, there for we think that part was buried in the sand, while the upper part was open to the elements and growth.

It was definitly vibrating and thats what really worried all of us, as to WHY would something that had that much growth on it, still be live like that??

 

[smitty71]

Approximately how long was it? how big around? hard to tell by the pictures. Doesn't appear to be a weapon. As for vibrating, not likely, it appears to be an exercise weapon (no explosives) or a mobile training target (no explosives). As a 20 year sub vet and weaponeer, i would say it look like an exercise torpedo, an old exercise torpedo. probably harmless the navy usually offers a reward if found.

 

[sharky60]

now that would be an interesting conversation piece to put in the backyard garden:11:

... we'll probably see it on the internet turned into a mailbox somewhere