The plan was to meet in South Haven at 4pm, load the boat and be over the wreck at 5:30pm. We knew we had to hook the wreck as there was no buoy on it yet. I was then going to go down with a wrench, chain and the end of a 600 line to place a buoy on the bow of the wreck (supplied by the SWMUP). Followed by three other divers with a 20 minute planned BT and 68 minute RT at a depth of 230.
Well as we all know things never go as planned! We all meet at 4pm and were over the wreck at 6pm. We were marking it with no problem right where it was supposed to be. However, hooking it was proving to be difficult if not imposable. The captain (Tim) and his first mate (Tim Jr.) tried and tried but to no avail. I have seen them hook many wrecks even hard ones like the Ann Arbor No.5 with little or no problem. From looking at pictures and renderings of the Hennepin, I thought it would be a breeze. We tried for two and a half hours without so much as a tug on the hook. Tim then called a friend who dives for the MSRA and had been on the wreck many times, he mentioned they had problems in the past and suggested dropping the hook over the numbers and going down to tie in. We decided to give it a try but Tim also wanted to drop the main anchor. It was now about 8:45 and the sun was going down. After dropping the hook and the anchor we drifted and did not see the wreck on the depth finder. At this point we decided to call the dive. With the sun going down and the wreck not on the depth finder we thought it best to pack it in and go home. We pulled the hook and Tim went up front to pull the anchor. He then yelled that it would not come up and it felt like it was hooked on some rigging or a cable.
After verifying we were not drifting and that we were within 260 of the numbers, three of us decided we would do the dive. It was the fourth divers first dive in months and he decided to forgo a 230 night dive (probably I wise decision at this point). The new plan was for me to go first and shoot a bag in five minutes if the wreck was not there. I cut some ten minute tables just in case I had to bail with no wreck in site.
I hit the water at 9:06pm with the sun very low and the darkness creeping in. After 90 it really got dark, at 170 I was thinking I might see the A frame if that was what we snagged. I passed 170 with a real spooking feeling as my 21watt Salvo was hitting nothing but black water and I had no idea what the bottom would bring. At 200 the wreck just lit up, the HID now had a huge beautiful wreck to bounce off. I was at the Port side of the Hennepin just aft the cap stand looking at the anchor hooked on a steel cable at 211. It was bobbing up and down and did not look very secure. I continued down and grabbed the anchor while holding down the inflator button on my 55lb OxyCheq Wing until the deck came back into view. I then hooked the anchor securely under some machinery just aft the cap stand.
Now it was time to enjoy the dive. I swam aft along the port side and the massive A Frame came into view. It looked very eerie back lit with just the tiny bit of sunlight that was making it down. I then passed over the smoke stack lying on the deck. Next I continued on passing the cabin, then crossing over the debris field at the stern. Now going forward along the starboard side I again swam past the A frame that was now completely black except for the light coming from my Salvo. At this point I was expecting to see Kirk and Jeff coming down the line but could see no lights. Being a little concerned by not seeing them, I swam over to the anchor line to make sure it was still there (it was). My BT was now 14 minutes and I decided to bail on my 15 minute tables. At my 100 stop 20 minutes in, I was relieved to see two lights coming down the line. I gave Kirk a big thumbs up and a smile as he passed. I came out of the water at 48 minutes to a huge red moon coming over the horizon. It was one of the coolest and scariest dives I have ever done.
Jeff and Kirk did their planned 20 minute dive and came out of the water around 10:30 pm putting us back on the dock around 11:45 pm. All in all, it made for a very strange night with many highs and lows. This is an awesome wreck and I cannot wait to dive it again! Hopefully, this time with a buoy on it!
Well as we all know things never go as planned! We all meet at 4pm and were over the wreck at 6pm. We were marking it with no problem right where it was supposed to be. However, hooking it was proving to be difficult if not imposable. The captain (Tim) and his first mate (Tim Jr.) tried and tried but to no avail. I have seen them hook many wrecks even hard ones like the Ann Arbor No.5 with little or no problem. From looking at pictures and renderings of the Hennepin, I thought it would be a breeze. We tried for two and a half hours without so much as a tug on the hook. Tim then called a friend who dives for the MSRA and had been on the wreck many times, he mentioned they had problems in the past and suggested dropping the hook over the numbers and going down to tie in. We decided to give it a try but Tim also wanted to drop the main anchor. It was now about 8:45 and the sun was going down. After dropping the hook and the anchor we drifted and did not see the wreck on the depth finder. At this point we decided to call the dive. With the sun going down and the wreck not on the depth finder we thought it best to pack it in and go home. We pulled the hook and Tim went up front to pull the anchor. He then yelled that it would not come up and it felt like it was hooked on some rigging or a cable.
After verifying we were not drifting and that we were within 260 of the numbers, three of us decided we would do the dive. It was the fourth divers first dive in months and he decided to forgo a 230 night dive (probably I wise decision at this point). The new plan was for me to go first and shoot a bag in five minutes if the wreck was not there. I cut some ten minute tables just in case I had to bail with no wreck in site.
I hit the water at 9:06pm with the sun very low and the darkness creeping in. After 90 it really got dark, at 170 I was thinking I might see the A frame if that was what we snagged. I passed 170 with a real spooking feeling as my 21watt Salvo was hitting nothing but black water and I had no idea what the bottom would bring. At 200 the wreck just lit up, the HID now had a huge beautiful wreck to bounce off. I was at the Port side of the Hennepin just aft the cap stand looking at the anchor hooked on a steel cable at 211. It was bobbing up and down and did not look very secure. I continued down and grabbed the anchor while holding down the inflator button on my 55lb OxyCheq Wing until the deck came back into view. I then hooked the anchor securely under some machinery just aft the cap stand.
Now it was time to enjoy the dive. I swam aft along the port side and the massive A Frame came into view. It looked very eerie back lit with just the tiny bit of sunlight that was making it down. I then passed over the smoke stack lying on the deck. Next I continued on passing the cabin, then crossing over the debris field at the stern. Now going forward along the starboard side I again swam past the A frame that was now completely black except for the light coming from my Salvo. At this point I was expecting to see Kirk and Jeff coming down the line but could see no lights. Being a little concerned by not seeing them, I swam over to the anchor line to make sure it was still there (it was). My BT was now 14 minutes and I decided to bail on my 15 minute tables. At my 100 stop 20 minutes in, I was relieved to see two lights coming down the line. I gave Kirk a big thumbs up and a smile as he passed. I came out of the water at 48 minutes to a huge red moon coming over the horizon. It was one of the coolest and scariest dives I have ever done.
Jeff and Kirk did their planned 20 minute dive and came out of the water around 10:30 pm putting us back on the dock around 11:45 pm. All in all, it made for a very strange night with many highs and lows. This is an awesome wreck and I cannot wait to dive it again! Hopefully, this time with a buoy on it!
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