Sugar/Mollasses Barge report w/pics

[Badger Matt]

Took the family to the beach so Chad, my son, and I could dive the Sugar Barge. Got directions from SeaTrek Divers across the street and ran into a guy who was guiding a few folks out to the barge and didn't mind us following along -- a good thing or we'd have never found it.

Had my son hold onto my arm as vis was pretty low...but it was a light green pretty sort of vis . Current/surge(?) was evident but not too awful... It took a little while but we (the guide) found it. I think it was the boiler.

Here are a few pics.

Now where is that wreck?

Sand Dollars all over the place.

Pretty sea thingy growing on the wreck.

The wreck.

My son enjoyed the dive but preferred the Key's trip http://scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=198356

Hope you liked the trip report.

 

[ReddogMP]

But my question is...is the dive worth it? I been wanting to dive the sugar barge, but have been told that there is nothing left, and not worth it. What is your opinion on the condition of the wreck?

 

[Badger Matt]

ReddogMP -- For us it was worth it, but...we're only an hour away...the missus and daughter wanted to visit the beach anyway...and a gent helped us find a portion of the wreck. Unless the vis were greatly improved, I doubt we'd dive it again -- too likely we'd be unable to find it in the murky water.

 

[ReddogMP]

Have you tried the Spanish Rocks just north of the barge? Did it on Monday...what a nice dive.

 

[Sh@rkW@tcher]

Spanish rocks is a nice dive, when the viz is decent. I have dove it a couple of times. Another spot on the Bradenton beach area is "third pier" which is suposed to be a ledge system like spanish rocks, but is 50 yrds past the end of the third pier coming from SeaTrek, on the north side of the pier. I haven't dove it yet, but Ned Deloach discribes it in his book.

 

[ReddogMP]

Yeah I have heard about that one also...someone posted a few weeks ago that they could not find the ledge though.

 

[K Mejean]

Sugar Barge is worth doing once. The vis is usually much better than in those pictures. The Spanish Rocks of course are a much better dive but any dive is worth doing once.

 

[Mmm Scuba]

I was told "third peir" is reef balls. I know one person who has snorkeled there. He said "there's a lot of stuff".

I'm going to give it a shot as soon as I get a free day.

This is a shot of it from the air.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Bradenton,+FL,+USA&ie=UTF8&ll=27.457169,-82.696844&spn=0.002904,0.005804&t=h&z=18&iwloc=addr&om=1

 

[K Mejean]

I was told "third peir" is reef balls. I know one person who has snorkeled there. He said "there's a lot of stuff".

I'm going to give it a shot as soon as I get a free day.

This is a shot of it from the air.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Bradenton,+FL,+USA&ie=UTF8&ll=27.457169,-82.696844&spn=0.002904,0.005804&t=h&z=18&iwloc=addr&om=1

I want to do that one as well. I tried once but I never found it. Gonna have to set something up with somone that has been there to guide everyone to it.

 

[divedude1962]

Where, exactly, is the entrance and parking for Spanish Rocks?