Texas Clipper Dive Report

[Bev'sBoy]

Made two dives on the Texas Clipper July18. Viz ~ 15', moderate current. Swells were up. Dive Master told me if the sea was any rougher he would not put people in the water because of the dive ladder's ups and downs. I appreciate that. I came home with a bruised rib from my combat with the ladder. At least 7 of the 21 divers were lined up at the rail at one point losing our cookies. The forecast was for a great day: calm seas and super viz. That was the forecast. Sad to see the ship leaning so badly. I came away appreciating the compression effects on my Nx and my dive time. I dove 32% nitrox and my dive time came out to 18 minutes for 100', although sadly, I did not make it that far. Maxed out at 92'. American Divers did a great job. Good briefing before we got on the Diver I and another good briefing by Rob before we hit the water. If I am in swells like that again, I think I will try to plant a foot on the ladder before I reach across it to grab the handrail. I exposed my puny chest to the ladder steps as the they came up and whopped me. Not my best diving experience, but I sure have war stories that I can embellish.

 

[drrich2]

Appreciate the report. What sort of things do you mainly look for diving that site? Is it mainly the wreck itself, or growth on it, or larger animals clustering around it?

Richard.

 

[Lefty Writer]

Lookin' forward to diving the Clipper in September during Dive Week. Hopefully the weather will cooperate. Last year our trip got scrubbed due to the weather.

 

[Bev'sBoy]

My first objective was to see what was growing in and on the Clipper. I had seen photos taken with quality lights of very colorful growth and while I could not replicate the technology, I was anxious to see what my dive light would illuminate. I was not disappointed. Then there was the ship. I had not seen anything to match the size of the ship in this environment. It was big. By current standards it isn't really big, but 475' for this landlubber was impressive. We did not explore far from the descent line because of gas consumption (on my first dive, one of my buddies used 2/3 of his air getting down to the ship). A human interest item that I took with me for the dives was that the president of the Waco diving club, "Bottom Time Dive Club," served a year on the vessel as part of his training in the Texas A&M marine careers program. He gave me directions to his quarters, but I'm not a penetration diver. While we were at the ship, I saw a barracuda and then below us a sting ray. It was when I thought "O wow," that I began thinking about other area sea life in the sea. I don't think I saw a fish until we got to the ship either time I descended.

---------- Post added July 26th, 2015 at 06:02 PM ----------

Hope weather cooperates for you. Weather is finicky.

 

[DENFSEA]

Sounds like a great dive have any you dove in
January through May be March or do they run
during that time. There's a possibility I'll
be down in Texas at that time .
Thanks

 

[James R]

You should have put this in the conditions thread stuck at the top of this forum so it's easy for people to find the info....

 

[diver 85]

Sounds like a great dive have any you dove in
January through May be March or do they run
during that time. There's a possibility I'll
be down in Texas at that time .
Thanks

Should be rougher then-----depending on US cold fronts.....

 

[Bev'sBoy]

My understanding is that American Divers will go out when they have enough divers to make it profitable IF the weather and seas permit. The July dive was my only time to make a dive on the Texas Clipper.