Hampton Roads Area Diver

[DrSteve]

So you heard about my dive on the Yancey wreckage....

Actually I didn't...what it really that bad? I have to say given the choice between an intact and a smashed to pieces wreck I prefer the latter. The Sea Star in the Bahamas was naff when I first dove it, then a few months later (after a hurricane) it had been split in two...much cooler dive.

 

[Don Burke]

Actually I didn't...what it really that bad? I have to say given the choice between an intact and a smashed to pieces wreck I prefer the latter. The Sea Star in the Bahamas was naff when I first dove it, then a few months later (after a hurricane) it had been split in two...much cooler dive.

I convinced a couple of hardy souls to dive the chunks of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that were knocked off by the Yancey (1970, I think. I will look the date up tomorrow.)

Zero viz on pieces of bridge decking. I was surprised by the lack of growth. Apparently strong currents and very little light are enough to keep the critters off.

The Yancey itself was sunk as a reef off North Carolina many years later. I will dig up a date for that as well.

 

[DrSteve]

I convinced a couple of hardy souls to dive the chunks of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel that were knocked off by the Yancey (1970, I think. I will look the date up tomorrow.)

Zero viz on pieces of bridge decking. I was surprised by the lack of growth. Apparently strong currents and very little light are enough to keep the critters off.

The Yancey itself was sunk as a reef off North Carolina many years later. I will dig up a date for that as well.

Ah, I used to dream of zero viz diving! If we get to dive together this year I'll be hitting you up to try your backplate rig before I take the plunge and get one for myself.

 

[Don Burke]

Ah, I used to dream of zero viz diving! If we get to dive together this year I'll be hitting you up to try your backplate rig before I take the plunge and get one for myself.

The Yancey hit the CBBT on 21 January 1970 and the ship itself was sunk as a reef off North Carolina in 1990. The best information I have is that she is intact at about 165 feet.

My first dive in a backplate was in the pool at Lynnhaven Dive Center with double AL80s. My initial impression was, "Where the hell has this been all my life?"

I expect you will like a backplate.

 

[tainosoldier]

If you go diving in VA or NC let know if you need another person, I am in the Wilmington, NC area, but I travel ALOT to Newport News VA, I was posted in Fort Eustis for 8 years, and still go to visit. Be back there again (Ft. Eustis) in July timeframe.

 

[DrSteve]

The Yancey hit the CBBT on 21 January 1970 and the ship itself was sunk as a reef off North Carolina in 1990. The best information I have is that she is intact at about 165 feet.

My first dive in a backplate was in the pool at Lynnhaven Dive Center with double AL80s. My initial impression was, "Where the hell has this been all my life?"

I expect you will like a backplate.

I think I will too. The big question I have is the difference between a std backplate like yours and my zeagle ranger. I already think back inflate is the way to go, it's just the backplate being less cumbersome?

Shame 165 feet is a touch too deep for any lengthy search missions, it would be cool though.

 

[Froggmaann]

Hey I am always looking for buddies in the area im new to saltwater and the ocean and am always up for a challenge limited vis dosnt bother me much considering im from ohio and am used to diving ponds and lakes. I would really like to get involved with a club or hook up with someone with there own boat. I also hear that there is great diving in the outerbanks some within shore distance. My buddy and i scouted sandbridge last weekend is there any thing out there to see besides sand and the pier pilings.

 

[DrSteve]

Hey I am always looking for buddies in the area im new to saltwater and the ocean and am always up for a challenge limited vis dosnt bother me much considering im from ohio and am used to diving ponds and lakes. I would really like to get involved with a club or hook up with someone with there own boat. I also hear that there is great diving in the outerbanks some within shore distance. My buddy and i scouted sandbridge last weekend is there any thing out there to see besides sand and the pier pilings.

You sooo need to talk to Don then! He loves mud puddles
As for dive clubs...they are all shop centered around here, which is something I hate. The one I am/used to be a member of is the Chsapeake Bay Barracudas "Club Aquarius" which is an SSI group
http://www.chesapeakebaydiving.com/
Their club has guest speakers each month and a pretty good bunch of people (mostly, but not all, into gucci diving) - tell them Doctor Steve sent you. Also the classes they run are excellent and have excellent instructors (and I know, I've been around a bit)

Dive trips around here are with Lynnhaven (nice fastish boat), Divers Unlimited (Don skippers for them - decent boat, not as nice as Lynnhaven, but it is much smaller and only takes 6? divers per trip), Wreckmasters (don't know about them) and the only independant is the Flying Fish. Yes there is some good diving off the Outer Banks (Kills Devil Hills), BUT you have to get good conditions otherwise you will dive in zero vis and have nothing to show for it but used up air and sand in every piece of equipment for the next year.

 

[Don Burke]

Hey I am always looking for buddies in the area im new to saltwater and the ocean and am always up for a challenge limited vis dosnt bother me much considering im from ohio and am used to diving ponds and lakes. I would really like to get involved with a club or hook up with someone with there own boat. I also hear that there is great diving in the outerbanks some within shore distance. My buddy and i scouted sandbridge last weekend is there any thing out there to see besides sand and the pier pilings.

I am going to be doing some shore diving off the Outer Banks this year. I made a road trip and scouted a few locations. Some are pretty easy to get to.

Diving off Sandbridge is something I would like to try. False Cape got it's name because ships would turn into the coast thinking that it was Cape Henry. The military has been losing stuff out there for centuries, in earnest for the last sixty years or so.

There have been some gold coins found on the beach at Sandbridge. They came from somewhere. It would be a long shot to find a wreck out there, but the trip price is right and three or four dives a day could cover quite a bit of ground.

 

[hdtran]

I'll be in Norfolk for a business trip in October 2005, and would enjoy sneaking in a dive, weather permitting...

Strictly easy, please!