OC/LA wrecks

[Jake]

Hello all-

I've been trying to hunt down information on some wrecks and reefs in Orange County and parts of LA county region that I've come across in various places on the web. I thought I'd put up what I have come to learn so that others might read up, but also to see if anyone else had more information to post. I'd be interested in pictures, dive, depth, and location notes, points of interest, hazards, etc. Anything that anyone has would be great!

Have any other unknown or little-known wrecks or reefs you want more information on? Post it here!

Note that any coordinates listed are not mine, but have been gleaned from various sources (provided when possible).

Without further ado, here's my list:

Sunset Wreck
33-40-29N, 118-06-59W
Source: http://www.charkbait.com/cb/fspots.htm

All the dots that say "Huntington Beach" are where the pier is in the image below. I'm still new to Google Earth, so I'm not sure what the scale is.

More information?

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Gary's Barge

No information. Anyone?


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Savino's Wreck
Located in the Huntington Flat's area?
Coordinates?

More information and pics:
http://diver.net/bbs/posts001/59233.shtml
http://diver.net/bbs/posts001/58082.shtml
http://diver.net/bbs/posts001/58085.shtml

I note that MaxBottomTime and Claudette both posted or were mentioned. The name Ross Overstreet sounds familiar.... Perhaps you cats have more information?


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Bolsa Chica Artificial Reef
33-39-32N, 118-6-2W (varies) (220 acres)
Concrete, steel, pier pilings, and barge reef structure.
Various coordinates I've come across put the reef near shore and up to 4 miles from shore. See the pdf below for detailed site info.

Sources and more information:
http://mysite.verizon.net/jeffspira/hp_wrec.html
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/MRD/artificialreef.pdf

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Barge Rock
33-38-58N, 118-02-35W

Is this the same as Rock Barge (maybe incorrectly noted)?

Source: http://www.charkbait.com/cb/fspots.htm

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Rock Barge
33-37-31N, 118-_-_W

Is this the same as Barge Rock (perhaps incorrectly noted)?

Source: http://www.charkbait.com/cb/fspots.htm


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Margaret F

No information.


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Corsair F4-U

Relatively well-known dive site. I can't find coordinates or lineup information on this locale. According to one map I have, it looks like it's straight out from Scotchman's Cove and Split Rock (in Crystal Cove State Park). Anyone have more detailed information on finding this site?

According to CA Wreckdivers, it's listed as sitting in 70fsw.

Sources and more info:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=23871
http://www.cawreckdivers.org/Wrecks/F4U1.htm


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HB Trolley Car
33-37-35N, 118-00-21W

No other info available

Source: http://www.charkbait.com/cb/fspots.htm

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Foss 125 aka Cleo Street Barge
33 32.16 N, 117 46.96 W
Source: MaxBottomTime in
http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=39868&highlight=foss+125

Approximately 45-60fsw

Yeah, I know this is no big deal and is well documented, but I thought i'd list it anyways so that coordinates, links, and a map, can all be in one place.

More information:
http://www.cawreckdivers.org/Wrecks/Foss125.htm
http://www.lagunaseasports.com/divesite/cleo/cleo.asp
http://www.pacificwilderness.com/Dive Sites/Orange County/Laguna Beach/Cleo Street/Cleo Street.htm

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Malaga Crane
33 48.301N, 118 24.534W
55.0 fsw

Source: MaxBottomTime

Link to video MaxBottomTime shot on the site:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5U6qfBsIw_E

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[MaxBottomtime]

http://www.spirainternational.com/books/

 

[Sam Miller III]

Jake,

Outstanding! You have and will do a great job of documenting.

I am very familar with OC diving-dove there all my life and in the 1950s was the third Underwater Instructor in OC, but that was a long time ago even prior to the use of the term SCUBA.

In 1970 I was a co-author of the OC section of the first Southern California Dive guide titled "Diving west" which as been long out of print--might still be avaliable in used books stores in So Cal.

In that book we idenified for first time to the general public "Dead Mans reef" and the "Barge" aka Foss. In 1970 divers were better trained but ill equiped so the area was seldom visited. Now with the late model tube sucking bubble blowers have made the areas like the Sana Ana free way at rush hour.

Until retirement about 10 years ago I presented a program for Dale Shecklers SCUBA Show on OC diving. If I can locate some of my documents from that even they are yours!

With out my knowledge or permission Dale included "Millers reef" as it was known to the veteran divers of OC which is located off Moss steet in his guide book. It, as he stated, it is just too far for the modern diver to swim-often wonder how I discovered it?

There were several diving news papers prior to CDN. An especially great one was Pacific Underwater news, published in the mid to late 1960s. It also contained a number of articles on OC reefs and wrecks. Might want to search for copies

Both Eric Hanauer and I wrote articles on the WW11 Corsair. I think Erics appeared in Skin Diver Magazine and mine about 15 years or so in my "The way it was" column in Discover Diving . Both contain pictures-My article also has some historical data of when it crashed, when it was rediscovered in 1961 by a US Marine etc. After it's initial discovery it became a "secret spot" for the in crowd of OC diving. After Erics and my articles appeared in print there have been a number of late model tube sucking bubble blowing experts rediscovering it and diving it from their boats.

There are several other areas as you work your way south that you may want to investigate--another airplane and at least one more barge. So keep on with the good work! You are doing great!

SDM