Where's the Sea Emperor

[megnin]

My wife and I plan to take the DiveYak out tomorrow and dive on the Sea Emperor off Hillsborough Beach.

I've searched the internet for directions to the wreck, but haven't found the slightest hint other than that it's off Hillsborough Beach.

Does anyone know the visual reference points to locate the wreck?

Thank you!

 

[USAF Diver]

I don't know if you could reach it from shore. I have been there several times off charter boats and the shore was far away. I found some GPS coordinates on a website but I can't be sure they are accurate...

33010073 Sea Emperor (Boca Raton) 26 19.46 80 03.69


http://www.soflawrecks.com/GPS/gps-all-florida.htm

 

[megnin]

I found some GPS coordinates on a website but I can't be sure they are accurate...

33010073 Sea Emperor (Boca Raton) 26 19.46 80 03.69


http://www.soflawrecks.com/GPS/gps-all-florida.htm

We have a DiveYak (inflatable dive kayak) and were planning to paddle out to the wreck if it's not too far. I think we could do a mile. That looks pretty far offshore, but I believe it's doable in a diveyak.

Thanks. I'll check out the web site. I too found the GPS coordinates, but I don't have a GPS so they don't do me a lot of good. I was hopeing for some visual coordinates or reference points to look for.

 

[newdiverAZ]

if i recall correctly, it is due east from the embassy suites hotel, approximately 3/4 mile offshore.

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

If you get a chance this week stop by a dive shop and look through diving locations booklets that a number of the shops sell. The book has photos with landmarks from near shore that you can line up with over the dive site.

Marc

 

[JRScuba]

I was hopeing for some visual coordinates or reference points to look for.

Visual coordnates are: some where out in the ocean. I doubt you will be able to find it with out a GPS and a fish finder.
Lots of luck.


Dive safe

Joe

 

[Scubaguy62]

I'd be cautious. The wreck is in 72 fsw and if you're going to paddle one mile, at an average speed of say 2 knots, that's 30 minutes of just paddling, assuming you know where you're going. Then, a 30 min dive, plus a safety stop, plus get back on the diveyak, to then paddle back? Who's got the number for Parrot Island Scuba????

 

[FredT]

BUY THE BOOK!

Not only does Ray appreciate the $, you'll suddenly have about 30 sites close enough to paddle to that don't require electronics to find. I've helped Ray work on the book. It's not easy to produce and keep current. The praise authors appreciate most jungles in a pocket.

There are hundreds of sites within easy reach of an ocean kayak. Most of the dive sites north of Hillsborrough inlet are less than mile offshore until you pass Riveria Beach. The Emperor is just south of Boca Inlet. If the current is slack and you don't mind swimming a bit it's possible to hit 3 wrecks in one dive there. The Sea Emperor, the Carribean Explorer, and across the reef crown the Nola Express.

FT

If you get a chance this week stop by a dive shop and look through diving locations booklets that a number of the shops sell. The book has photos with landmarks from near shore that you can line up with over the dive site.

Marc

 

[megnin]

BUY THE BOOK!

...you'll suddenly have about 30 sites close enough to paddle to that don't require electronics to find. ...
FT

Visual coordnates are: some where out in the ocean. I doubt you will be able to find it with out a GPS and a fish finder.
Lots of luck.

f i recall correctly, it is due east from the embassy suites hotel, approximately 3/4 mile offshore.

Thanks for all your suggestions. I have the Beach Diving Locations book, but now that I have the kayak I plan to buy the other book too. I'm considering getting a GPS now too. Can anyone recommend a good, inexpensive model? I've seen them at Radio Shack and at North West Marine for as little as about $170.00.

Thanks again everyone.
David

 

[FredT]

Visual coordnates are: some where out in the ocean. I doubt you will be able to find it with out a GPS and a fish finder.
Lots of luck.

With proper use of good visual co-ordinates it's possible to repeatedly drop an anchor inside a bathtub over a mile from the beach! GPS isn't anywhere near that precise.

When I was diving off Boca in the 70s there was one favorite site off Highland Beach with a storm damaged fish trap about 40' west of the inshore ledge of the third reef. Dropping anchor at that location we would invariably be between the trap and the wall.

Not all sites have two or more good marks. With one mark and a sounder I consistantly dropped anchor in a fissure in the top of third reef about 10' long and 5' wide. That fissure regularly easily yielded up limits of lobster. The holes in the undercut just look deep.

The triangulaiton method was good enough for land surveying for centuries. Once you find a good spot within easy sight of land it's VERY easy to return to it with visuals alone if you know how to pick good visual marks. It's even easier if you have a good camera. It even works in inland lakes to return to places picked out from an old topo map from before the lake was flooded. Simply line that hill up with that water tower for one mark and put the church steeple behind the west window edge of the barn on that other hill. The skill involved is being able to see. No sounder or gps is requred for most locations off the Fla east coast. Every time a new condo, water tower, cell tower, or antenna tower went up on the beach to about 5 miles inland a new range of visual marks were created.

FT