USS Clamagore Artificial Reef Project for Palm Beach County,

[sportxlh]

I always heard Doubleday ordered the first shots but that actual person who fired was a young Citadel cadet whose name has been lost to history.

It is well worth a visit.... As is Ft Pulaski in Savannah and Ft Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas

 

[The Chairman]

@sportxlh I doubt he was ranked high enough to order the first shots. Mortars, as well as cannon were not a one person deal. The Ranger at Fort Sumter indicated that he was in charge of the mortar team and that they actually hit their target. The real take away is the shape of the Fort in regards to its connection with Doubleday. Not too many forts in that shape. At least none others that I have ever seen, though I haven't seen more than a couple of dozen.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

I could never understand how anyone could wage war in an iron coffin like that. My hat is off to the sailors that manned her, both in peacetime and especially in war.

The crazy thing is that the U.S. fleet subs like the Clamagore were considered luxury vessels in comparison to most of their WWII contemporaries. Given that they were always intended to deploy halfway across the Pacific to attack targets near Japan, they were relatively spacious and air conditioning was considered a necessity for operations in the South Pacific. The older S-boats (so called because they were only assigned S-_ designations instead of actual names) that served in the early part of WWII were smaller WWI-vintage designs lacking those amenities and were aptly termed "pig boats."

German U-boats (with the exception of the late-war Type XXI "Elektroboote" subs like the U-2513 now resting off the Dry Tortugas) by comparison were absolutely miserable for their crews. The U-96 portrayed in Das Boot was 89 ft shorter and half the surfaced tonnage of the Clamagore, although she also only had about 3/4 the crew. It was not uncommon for U-boat crews to convert the boat's head into extra storage space for provisions and rely on buckets as an alternative.

 

[wgw04024]

So I've only dove in this relative area once over a few days. With all the wrecks in that area, we assumed it would be grand. Getting any of the outfits we contacted to go to anything seemed relatively impossibly. Everyone wants to do drift reef dives...F That. Am I way off base with what I assume is sop for that area?

 

[scubadada]

Changed my mind, you should stay home

 

[sportxlh]

So I've only dove in this relative area once over a few days. With all the wrecks in that area, we assumed it would be grand. Getting any of the outfits we contacted to go to anything seemed relatively impossibly. Everyone wants to do drift reef dives...F That. Am I way off base with what I assume is sop for that area?

During Goliath grouper aggregation season, most dive operators visit wrecks frequently. The dive boats don't moor off to the wrecks: it's still a drift dive.

Many of the wrecks in Northern Palm Beach County are lined up with two or three in a row, so you can drift them. The Zion train in Jupiter is one of the best groupings for Goliaths and Lemon sharks.

In West Palm Beach, the wreck trek that includes the Amaryllis and Mizpah is also enjoyable during GG aggregation season.

The wrecks do have some fish life and an occasional visiting Bull or reef shark, but a lot of peopke think the wrecks are only so-so dives when the grouper aren't around. I did see my only Tiger shark on the Zion train a few years ago.

Some of the wrecks like the MG 111 and Princess Anne are tide dependent since they are close enough to inlets that out going tide brings nasty runoff water

Reefs are popular since they are easy to navigate and in most cases have plenty of fish, turtles, eels, etc. to keep most divers happy. Also, there isn't good lobstering around most of the wrecks: this time of year, locals like to hunt lobster.

This is a go pro screen shot from a dive on the Zion train. There were 30+ Goliath grouper in close proximity that day

 

[wgw04024]

Thanks for the clarification, I do appreciate it sportxlh. I have no idea what sportdada's post means, but it looks like he's kind of a wet blanket from reading in other posts....

 

[scubadada]

Thanks for the clarification, I do appreciate it sportxlh. I have no idea what sportdada's post means, but it looks like he's kind of a wet blanket from reading in other posts....

In another thread, where you made the same complaint, I offered that you try Boynton Beach and Jupiter. After reading this complaint, I decided it would be better is you stayed home and enjoyed your local diving, which I've heard can be quite good.