Here's the rough cuts of the NC Videos....
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
The Fantastico
Brian setup the trip WAY back at the end of January and I jumped at the chance to do some obscure wrecks, much less make my first foray out into the Gulf. We dove off the Nauti Gal which is operated by Headhunter Charters out of Ft. Meyers Beach; they are currently docked at Rick's Marina, the home port of the Ultimate Getaway. Along w/ Brian and myself, one of Brian's buddies Christos, E-Diver Terrence, James (Big Ass Money), Capt. Oliver and his GF Linda joined the trip.
Greg was the Captain for the day and treated us to an awesome day in the sun. The boat has a wide beam and gear is stowed at deck level on each side. A ice chest made for a decent gearing up station before giant-striding over the stern or for the more Cousteau inclined back roll off the side. We were looking at a full 12 hour day, 3 hours travel time ~53 miles offshore, 6 hours on site, and 3 hours back. The boat has two bunks in the main cabin and 4 v-berths up in the bow one of which I grabbed for most of the travel time.
A week prior to the trip, we started a weather watch as the winds were temperamental and the forecast was floating between 2-6', heading 50+ miles offshore, no one was pleasantly looking forward to a 3 hour elevator ride. The weather accommodated us and early Friday morning the call was made the trip was a officially a 'GO'. I drove out Friday night and grabbed a room at the La Quinta which was surprisingly affordable, Brian and Christos drove out early Sunday morning and kept us all waiting 30 minutes as he demanded a decent breakfast at the Waffle House and got lost in the process… Boat was quickly loaded and we headed out for the uneventful 3 hour run in 1-2' seas for most of the trip, which turned into 2-3' rollers as we approached the site. We planned for two 50 min BT dives with my runtime approaching 70mins, with a 2.5 hour SI between dives.
The Fantastico is a 200' Honduran freighter that was lost in the 'No Name Storm' of 1993. Out of a crew of 10, three were rescued, three bodies recovered, and four never found. The wreck sits in ~115' to the sand, and the top of the stern is about 85'. ADM has a nice three page spread in their archives, though everything fore of the main wheelhouse has flattened out with some structure at the bow still in place. The wreck is covered in arrow crabs and we were greeting by a few hundred amberjacks schooling amidships. The wheelhouse made for some twisting and turning penetration runs and a few small goliath groupers now called the wreck home. The shadows of a few larger goliaths were just beyond the limited visibility, which we estimated at 30'.
Greg was the Captain for the day and treated us to an awesome day in the sun. The boat has a wide beam and gear is stowed at deck level on each side. A ice chest made for a decent gearing up station before giant-striding over the stern or for the more Cousteau inclined back roll off the side. We were looking at a full 12 hour day, 3 hours travel time ~53 miles offshore, 6 hours on site, and 3 hours back. The boat has two bunks in the main cabin and 4 v-berths up in the bow one of which I grabbed for most of the travel time.
A week prior to the trip, we started a weather watch as the winds were temperamental and the forecast was floating between 2-6', heading 50+ miles offshore, no one was pleasantly looking forward to a 3 hour elevator ride. The weather accommodated us and early Friday morning the call was made the trip was a officially a 'GO'. I drove out Friday night and grabbed a room at the La Quinta which was surprisingly affordable, Brian and Christos drove out early Sunday morning and kept us all waiting 30 minutes as he demanded a decent breakfast at the Waffle House and got lost in the process… Boat was quickly loaded and we headed out for the uneventful 3 hour run in 1-2' seas for most of the trip, which turned into 2-3' rollers as we approached the site. We planned for two 50 min BT dives with my runtime approaching 70mins, with a 2.5 hour SI between dives.
The Fantastico is a 200' Honduran freighter that was lost in the 'No Name Storm' of 1993. Out of a crew of 10, three were rescued, three bodies recovered, and four never found. The wreck sits in ~115' to the sand, and the top of the stern is about 85'. ADM has a nice three page spread in their archives, though everything fore of the main wheelhouse has flattened out with some structure at the bow still in place. The wreck is covered in arrow crabs and we were greeting by a few hundred amberjacks schooling amidships. The wheelhouse made for some twisting and turning penetration runs and a few small goliath groupers now called the wreck home. The shadows of a few larger goliaths were just beyond the limited visibility, which we estimated at 30'.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Easter Weekend
Saturday Afternoon w/ Parrot Island aboard Fathoms O' Fun
The forecast was calling for 2-4' and we were treated w/ 2' or less for the day...
Wreck Dive: The Jim Atria, ~135 fsw
For some reason I mixed up the depth on this wreck w/ the Guy Harvey and thought I was in for 145'. I had FX mix me up a cocktail using equal parts of 21/35 trimix and 36 nitrox to end up with 28/22. It was all good, I had a crystal clear head for the entire dive. I buddied up w/ another e-diver Bob and we planned on 20-25 minutes on the wreck and I slung a bottle of 50% for a little marginal deco and general cleanup. We splashed down, got organzied and headed in. As the video shows, almost as soon as I went in the wreck I bumped my light and it went off. If made for a few good seconds of video with all the shadows and ambient light... A short minute or two later I restruck it and was good to go, poked my head around a few corners and went back to check on Bob. We then headed back in and Bob did a tour of the engine room.
Reef Dive: Sunkist, ~50-70 fsw
I buddied up again w/ Bob and Matt, another e-Diver for a leisurely reef dive. Lobster season is over, just pretty fishies. We did spot a turtle during the dive and a school of spadefish on ascent.
Post Dive Festivities, hung out w/ e-Divers Bob and Kim McKinney, Brian (Deepstops - who is out for 4 week due to teeth issues), Matt and his GF. Chowed down on wings and jello shots while Jerry's nameless band treated their massive family of friends to a dockside show. I was playing name that tune and the band kicked off riffs and cords between songs. I got antsy as I swore I heard the intro to Rush's Tom Sawyer more than once. But there was no-joy for this diehard fan.... I hear the party went on til 2am, but alas, I had a full day of diving ahead of me I departed around 10.
A few suggentions came up for possible band names: Hottie and the Blowmen & The Regulators
Sunday 3-Tanker w/ Lady Go Diver
An early start today, the yearly three tank dive trip to Tenneco capping off Wreck Week w/ Dixie-Divers... conditions topside were pristine for the long haul. LGD is moored up in Deerfield Beach. So, we headed south on the Intercoastal for 30 minutes, popped out of Hillsboro inlet and the cruised another hour plus south past Port Everglades. I noticed a familiar face, OneBrightGator, another regular on TheDecoStop and introduced myself.
Wreck Dive: Tenneco Towers, ~110 fsw
Huge oil drilling platform donated by the Tenneco Oil company. There are five in total. Three sections dropped in recreational depths, and another two sitting in technical depths. This was the deeper of the rec dives sitting in 100+ fsw. I used 32% w/ the leftover 50% from yesterday.
Wreck Dive: Jay Scutti and Tracy, ~70fsw
The original plan was to dive the Tracy. One of my favorite shallow wrecks due to its nive cavernous penetration opportunity. But alas, Oliver (Captain of the Avid Diver) was dropping folks there. So we opted for the Jay Scutti which lies about 400' south. The Scutti is a ocean tug which I didn't know much about. I strapped on my compass and followed the path of cinder bocks up to the Tracy. The current was quite heavy and going against us. I headed north and about 100' I was ready to give up. Next thing I know, this guy (we'll call him "Steve".... more below) who I was chatting w/ on the boat comes screaming by me is his set of doubles, doing the breaststroke underwater like an olympic swimmer. "Oh it's on".... there is no way I'm going to give up on this. I double my efforts, my normal frog kick isn't cutting it. I revert to a flutter and kick in full swing. I make it another 200' or so, and I can feel the CO2 accumulating, I drop down and grab a cinder block and catch my breath a bit and then kick in for the rest of the trip. Looks like I left the camera on for the entire time - I have great footage on the sand and seagrass. By the time I reach the Tracy, my batteries are dead. I do my dive, running around the wreck 3-4 times, and before I leave, I stick aft and look for signs of "Steve's" bubbles. Not seeing any, I drift off and let the current carry me south following the cinder blocks. I do another dive on the Scutti and surface. When I hit the top, Capt. Nick is standing watch asking "Is there anyone below you", "Nope". He heads up, and I think is chatting w/ Oliver making arrangments to pick up a diver. Mix was 33%
Here's the story I got from others on the boat.....
It appears in the haste of his swimming, "Steve" forgot about, or didn't notice the Cinder Blocks, so he drifted and missed the Scutti on the return trip. He surfaced a bit down current and popped a massive SMB. It seems this is when he got the urge to use the restroom... we're talking #2 here... Thinking he's going to be floating for a while, he peels out of his doubles, and pulls his shorty off a bit and well "drops the kids off at the pool".... Next thing you know - here comes a boat circling right after he's "takin the browns to the super-bowl"... and he's squirming to kick the "refuse" away and simulateously give a big "OK" signal to Oliver as what seems like the ENTIRE staff of Fill Express aboard the Avid Diver looking on trying to offer assistance to the floating diver.....
Wreck Dive: Peter B. McAllister, ~70 fsw
Didn't know much about this wreck, other that it's an Ocean going tugboat. Great, 14 divers on a tugboat, this is going to get crowded. Luckily, there is a VERY nice penetration run trough the engine room marked w/ heavy rope, easily 40' straight thru. There is also a nice curcuit around the engine block, this would be tight w/ doubles, but on a single tank I was able to shimmy around the pipes easily enough. I made 3-4 trips through here and I believe a few others did as well, it got a little grainy, nothing too bad. Ended up w/ 45 minutes in stiff current and headed to the surface. Mix was 36%.
Hit the dock around 4pm and had dinner w/ OBG and two of his friends at "The Whale's Rib" a little fish place and raw bar just next to the Flannigan's in the tourist district of Deerfield Beach.
Headed home and crashed..., Wiped out I hit the bed around 7pm and slept intil 8am.
The forecast was calling for 2-4' and we were treated w/ 2' or less for the day...
Wreck Dive: The Jim Atria, ~135 fsw
For some reason I mixed up the depth on this wreck w/ the Guy Harvey and thought I was in for 145'. I had FX mix me up a cocktail using equal parts of 21/35 trimix and 36 nitrox to end up with 28/22. It was all good, I had a crystal clear head for the entire dive. I buddied up w/ another e-diver Bob and we planned on 20-25 minutes on the wreck and I slung a bottle of 50% for a little marginal deco and general cleanup. We splashed down, got organzied and headed in. As the video shows, almost as soon as I went in the wreck I bumped my light and it went off. If made for a few good seconds of video with all the shadows and ambient light... A short minute or two later I restruck it and was good to go, poked my head around a few corners and went back to check on Bob. We then headed back in and Bob did a tour of the engine room.
Reef Dive: Sunkist, ~50-70 fsw
I buddied up again w/ Bob and Matt, another e-Diver for a leisurely reef dive. Lobster season is over, just pretty fishies. We did spot a turtle during the dive and a school of spadefish on ascent.
Post Dive Festivities, hung out w/ e-Divers Bob and Kim McKinney, Brian (Deepstops - who is out for 4 week due to teeth issues), Matt and his GF. Chowed down on wings and jello shots while Jerry's nameless band treated their massive family of friends to a dockside show. I was playing name that tune and the band kicked off riffs and cords between songs. I got antsy as I swore I heard the intro to Rush's Tom Sawyer more than once. But there was no-joy for this diehard fan.... I hear the party went on til 2am, but alas, I had a full day of diving ahead of me I departed around 10.
A few suggentions came up for possible band names: Hottie and the Blowmen & The Regulators
Sunday 3-Tanker w/ Lady Go Diver
An early start today, the yearly three tank dive trip to Tenneco capping off Wreck Week w/ Dixie-Divers... conditions topside were pristine for the long haul. LGD is moored up in Deerfield Beach. So, we headed south on the Intercoastal for 30 minutes, popped out of Hillsboro inlet and the cruised another hour plus south past Port Everglades. I noticed a familiar face, OneBrightGator, another regular on TheDecoStop and introduced myself.
Wreck Dive: Tenneco Towers, ~110 fsw
Huge oil drilling platform donated by the Tenneco Oil company. There are five in total. Three sections dropped in recreational depths, and another two sitting in technical depths. This was the deeper of the rec dives sitting in 100+ fsw. I used 32% w/ the leftover 50% from yesterday.
Wreck Dive: Jay Scutti and Tracy, ~70fsw
The original plan was to dive the Tracy. One of my favorite shallow wrecks due to its nive cavernous penetration opportunity. But alas, Oliver (Captain of the Avid Diver) was dropping folks there. So we opted for the Jay Scutti which lies about 400' south. The Scutti is a ocean tug which I didn't know much about. I strapped on my compass and followed the path of cinder bocks up to the Tracy. The current was quite heavy and going against us. I headed north and about 100' I was ready to give up. Next thing I know, this guy (we'll call him "Steve".... more below) who I was chatting w/ on the boat comes screaming by me is his set of doubles, doing the breaststroke underwater like an olympic swimmer. "Oh it's on".... there is no way I'm going to give up on this. I double my efforts, my normal frog kick isn't cutting it. I revert to a flutter and kick in full swing. I make it another 200' or so, and I can feel the CO2 accumulating, I drop down and grab a cinder block and catch my breath a bit and then kick in for the rest of the trip. Looks like I left the camera on for the entire time - I have great footage on the sand and seagrass. By the time I reach the Tracy, my batteries are dead. I do my dive, running around the wreck 3-4 times, and before I leave, I stick aft and look for signs of "Steve's" bubbles. Not seeing any, I drift off and let the current carry me south following the cinder blocks. I do another dive on the Scutti and surface. When I hit the top, Capt. Nick is standing watch asking "Is there anyone below you", "Nope". He heads up, and I think is chatting w/ Oliver making arrangments to pick up a diver. Mix was 33%
Here's the story I got from others on the boat.....
It appears in the haste of his swimming, "Steve" forgot about, or didn't notice the Cinder Blocks, so he drifted and missed the Scutti on the return trip. He surfaced a bit down current and popped a massive SMB. It seems this is when he got the urge to use the restroom... we're talking #2 here... Thinking he's going to be floating for a while, he peels out of his doubles, and pulls his shorty off a bit and well "drops the kids off at the pool".... Next thing you know - here comes a boat circling right after he's "takin the browns to the super-bowl"... and he's squirming to kick the "refuse" away and simulateously give a big "OK" signal to Oliver as what seems like the ENTIRE staff of Fill Express aboard the Avid Diver looking on trying to offer assistance to the floating diver.....
Wreck Dive: Peter B. McAllister, ~70 fsw
Didn't know much about this wreck, other that it's an Ocean going tugboat. Great, 14 divers on a tugboat, this is going to get crowded. Luckily, there is a VERY nice penetration run trough the engine room marked w/ heavy rope, easily 40' straight thru. There is also a nice curcuit around the engine block, this would be tight w/ doubles, but on a single tank I was able to shimmy around the pipes easily enough. I made 3-4 trips through here and I believe a few others did as well, it got a little grainy, nothing too bad. Ended up w/ 45 minutes in stiff current and headed to the surface. Mix was 36%.
Hit the dock around 4pm and had dinner w/ OBG and two of his friends at "The Whale's Rib" a little fish place and raw bar just next to the Flannigan's in the tourist district of Deerfield Beach.
Headed home and crashed..., Wiped out I hit the bed around 7pm and slept intil 8am.
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