Sunken Ships

[bburns24]

I just recieved this email:

> > Subject: RE: Weight belt - Valle - Nitrox Deep
> > Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 14:58:16 -0500
> >
> >
> > Hi Bryan, I just called to Catalina Rosas secretary, she told me that Mrs.
> Catalina was at charge of Comision de Pesca de Michoacán when the ship in La
> Caleta was sunk.
> >
> > In fact there are two sunk boats: “Quetzalcoatl” and “El Valle”: the one
> you mentioned is Quetzalcoatl (she is at 25-40 mts): El Valle rests at 120
> mts!!
> >
> > Check this pages:
> >
> > http://region-lc.blogspot.com/2006/11/hunden-barco-frente-caleta.html
> >
> > www.compesca.michoacan.gob.mx, it has a link: hundimiento del ex-buque
> “Quetzalcoatl”
> >
> > I tried to get contact with Benito Mendoza, but not successfully.
> >
> > I hope those people can give me position of those ships.
> >
> > Regards.
> >
> > Alberto.
EDIT
-----Mensaje original-----
De: Bryan Burns [mailto:bburns24@hotmail.com]
Enviado el: Miércoles, 10 de Septiembre de 2008 10:04 p.m.
Para: Alberto Ruiz Gaytan
Asunto: Quetzalcoatl Valle

I think I figured out the mystery - On Monday June 5, 2006 the plan was to sink the Valle - this is the plan I received from the Navy. As the article states because of impending weather the ship was sunk without fanfare. And what I didn't know was it was not off the beach at La Caleta but in 120msw. Then November 24, 2006 they sunk the Quetzalcoatl at La Caleta - this time with the Governor present and the media, this is the sinking the locals remember.

Blog Translated:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 24
SINK SHIP SET AGAINST COVE Will Serve as artificial reef to favor the production fishing ground. LAZARUS CARDONEZ, MICH., November 24, 2006.-
The governing one Lazarus Cardenez Batel presided the ceremony of sinking of the Ship Former Armada Mexican Republic Quetzalcóatl AND-10, donated to the government of Michoacán for to be poured to the sea and to form an artificial reef for the benefit of the fishermen of the region and of the tourist sector. To a distance of 900 Fields Cove meters and to 27 meters of depth, remained the ship that from this date, as explained Catalina Roses Monge, holder of the Commission of Fishing of the State, will be able been utilized for the agregación of agencies, action that results in the generation of food for fish that are commercial, such as the pargo, the saw and the huachinango, that itself In coastal zones or rivers dwellers and that find there a refuge and an area of reproduction. The sinking, said, is a measure that was adopted in answer to a demand of diverse organizations of fishermen of the municipality, recalled that for it to favor the deep water species production sank another ship in March passed. It added that the tourist activity will be seen extensively favored, every time that will be able to utilize the zone for the enjoyment of divers amateur. The ship was built in the United States and was standard bearer like the Mexican February 24, 1982, according to data of the rear Admiral Víctor Uribe Arévalo, Commander of sixth Naval Zone, who said good-bye formally to the embarkation. The ship of 110 meters of length and 12meters of wide, served during its useful life for the battle to the illegal fishing, the marine contamination, the gun-running and the drug trafficking. It was center of instruction for the group of training of the Pacific, carried out operations of military transportation, of rescue and rescue, and was considered flagship of the Naval Force of the Pacific. Also it was granted honorable mention to its crew in recognition to its successful participation during the rescue of the Mexican Petroleums tank ship "Bacab" that was set on fire to 10 nautical miles of Tip Maldonado Oaxaca, June 13, 1995. It PUBLISHED BY REGION LC - MICHOACAN IN 15:15

I'll post video from the other LINK on youtube ASAP

 

[bburns24]

Youtube Video of the Quetzalcóatl sinking -

http://www.youtube.com/v/spcHJ3Kte94

 

[bburns24]

No information regarding the "Sinoloa" - No information regarding exact location of the "Valle"

I did find, and this is a well known dive destination near Acapulco, that the RMS Restigouche is located in 230 fsw (70msw).

Acapulco is a little more the 6 hours from Caleta de Campos.

Wikipedia's info about the HMS Restigouche:
HMCS Restigouche (DDE 257) was a Restigouche-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from 1958-1994.
She was the lead ship of her class and the second Canadian warship to carry the name HMCS Restigouche.
Restigouche was laid down on 17 July 1953 at Canadian Vickers Ltd., Montreal and launched on 22 November 1954. She was commissioned into the RCN on 7 June 1958 carrying the pennant number 257.
Restigouche was selected by the Canadian Forces for the Improved Restigouche (IRE) program and completed this refit in 1972. She was also selected as one of 10 destroyers in the Destroyer Life Extension (DELEX) program and completed this refit on 29 November 1985.
Restigouche was to be deployed on Operation FRICTION, the CF contribution to Operation DESERT STORM (the Gulf War) to relieve HMCS Terra Nova (DDE 259) in early 1991. She was refitted at CFB Esquimalt however the war ended before her refit was completed. She had her Mk.112 ASROC octuple launcher and her Mk NC 10 Limbo ASW mortars removed and was fitted with 8 X Harpoon anti-ship missles and a (CIWS) Close In Weapons System.
Restigouche arrived in the Persian Gulf region after the war and instead saw service with the Multinational Interception Force (MIF) in the northern Red Sea in 1992. During the MIF deployment Restigouche completed an Eastbound circumnavigation of the globe sailing from Esquimalt to Esquimalt via the Pacific Ocean, Panama Canal, Atlantic Ocean, Suez Canal, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean
She was decommissioned from active service in the CF on 31 August 1994.
She was sunk as an artificial reef off Acapulco, Mexico in 2001.

A group of divers dove this in 2001 and reported that it is a location for technical diving.

 

[bburns24]

Dove the Quetzalcoatl in Caleta de Campos, Michoacan, Mexico this weekend. I'll post more on this later. The maximum depth is 90fsw. Condition is excellent. Some small 1-2 inch metal struts are rusted through, 4-12inch coral fans, lots of life. I did not do any penetration dives, but a member of the team, Alberto, using a Megaladon did and mentioned it was dangerous, small windows that one could not fit through if needed.

Definitely worth the visit. Now I'm looking to dive the "Llave" near Vera Cruz Mexico some time next year and will be returning to the Quetzalcoatl to map it and complete the survey. I do have notes on the site but haven't had time to put the notes together once I do so I'll post what I have.

 

[bburns24]

This is the Dive Guidelines and Emergency Evacuation Plan (Edited for size, Pic and Marine first aid are omitted) -
Some may recognize the format and some items from the "Panther" Dive Guidelines.

See attachment.

 

[bburns24]

Video of the Quetzalcoatl. Shot Dec 20 & 21st, 2008. Shot and edited by Alfonso.

YouTube - Buceando el Quetzalcoatl