Foss 125

[ifukuda]

Does any have the GPS coordinates of the Foss 125 (aka Cleo Street Barge) in Laguna Beach?

 

[ChrisM]

I know it's not exactly what you asked for, but here's directions how to "triangulate" yourself in to the wreck

Cleo Street Barge

 

[ifukuda]

ChrisM,

Thanks. But, I'm already on Rich Parker's mailing list and frequent his web-site.

We've tried his advice on how to find the wreck last weekend and wasn't successful. We searched the area from the boat with sonar and still could not find the wreck. The problem was, none of us on the boat were able to agree on what bearings were "right in line with the (brown) house".

Have you been successful in locating the wreck? At what compass bearing did you head out from the beach? We saw a few small decent reefs in the area, but not much else. What condition is the wreck is in now? Is it recognizable? Perhaps it has already deteriorated to a point where we could not tell it apart from any other reef in the area.

 

[RichLockyer]

ifukuda once bubbled...
Have you been successful in locating the wreck? At what compass bearing did you head out from the beach? We saw a few small decent reefs in the area, but not much else. What condition is the wreck is in now? Is it recognizable? Perhaps it has already deteriorated to a point where we could not tell it apart from any other reef in the area.

You aren't going to find it with sonar... it would look like a pile of rocks. It is pretty flat, with only a couple of posts left near the corners.
My wreck class found it first try... swam out, dropped down to about 40ft, and we were only about 15ft away from it.

I think the bearing was 230 from the base of the stairs, but I don't remember for sure.
In May 2001 it looked pretty much the same as the photos on the CWD site.

 

[ifukuda]

Thanks Rich.

It took several tries but we finally found it. Actually, I'd given up on it and was out to get a few bugs, but, my buddy spotted it and signaled me.

There have been a few days in the last several weeks when the viz at Laguna was just amazing. I don't recall the name, but there is a reef further down south from where the Foss is located (where the rocks break the surface at 2 points). The viz here was so good 2 weekends ago that I was able to clearly see the entire reef and the anchor of our boat at 40ft. I've only seen viz this good at Catalina.

 

[RichP]

First, thanks Chris for the link to my web page on this. The guys here are right, sonar won't due, I should know, I find it 'Every time' off the beach and I'm 1 for 5 from my own boat. The "Key to finding" the barge is to be directly in front of the Brown House that says "Waters Edge" on it, directly in front of the sign. Supposedly, I've heard rumors that this place is owned by "Hobie" as in Hobie Cat, if anyone knows if that is true, interesting trivia for this. Anyway, head straight out staying in front of the sign. Then when your compass is pointing nearly due north at the "Bell Tower" at Hotel Laguna, this is where you drop down, but before you do drop, take a compass reading directly back to the waters edge. Use this reading u/w and go about another 20-30 yards and you will run right into it. It is really flat as the others say, but the key to running into it is to stay perpendicular to the reefs that are just in front of the wreck. This is the best way to find it, I know that CA Wreck divers have the GPS coords, but you still can easily miss the wreck. Good luck.

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

UH, this is the NORTHERN California Forum.

 

[widebody50]

best check again Chuck.....

 

[headhunter]

best check again Chuck.....

Actually, Chuck was right when he wrote that. It was moved later that day.

Christian

 

[MaxBottomtime]

33 32.16 N
117 46.96 W