Photo Gallery
Conditions
Winds: East 5 knots
Seas: Less than 2ft
Air Temp: 89
Water Temp: 76 bottom, 79 surface
Current: Slight North
Visibility: 100ft
Dive 1: Sheri-Lyn
9:15 AM
S: Matt and Robert
A: Matt 32% backgas Robert 32% Stage
D: 100’ plan/max
D: 30” plan/bottom time, 40” run time
D: around the site
D: 70 deep, minimum deco
PSI: 3100/1800
Sheri-Lyn was a 237ft freighter sunk in June 1987. Andrew broke her into two and she was a perfect choice to dive as the visibility was excellent, the water was warm and there were surprises in store for us!
When you drop in the water, the bubbles clear and you see the wreck right below you waiting, you know it’s going to be a great dive. I got an “ok” from Robert and headed down while getting my camera out for some overview shots.
We started on the bow section; I never realized how many winches there were on the deck. I counted over 5 of them. The bow section doesn’t offer much penetration, but there were several good macro shots including this one of some Bluehead Wrasse.
I looked over the debris trail at the stern section of the wreck. Because of the list, all I could see was hull, but we swam over slowly to see what was waiting. Coming up over the top of the side we peered down to see to Goliath out swimming. One look and us and then headed into deep into the ship.
Our plan was to penetrate the engine room if we didn’t have any company. Fish were schooling all over the wreck and over my head a large Crevalle Jack cut right through to check us out. We swam over the stern and checked out the entrance near the prop shaft. Robert then headed over to the entrance right over the engine. He started down on the right side of the engine and on the left I saw the two large 200lb Goliath become agitated by a presence. One turned and left, the other looked right up at me and started to stare me down.
As Robert went further in the Goliath came towards me and opened his mouth. WOW, what a huge opening! My head would easily fit in there. I started to flash Robert and gave him the danger hand signal. I was waiting for the fish to blast a warning “boom”. Robert began to ascend backwards out of the hold and I went for my camera to get a pic of this fish’s gullet. The Goliath turned and departed. By entering the room, we would not have cornered the fish, but I’ve heard stories of divers getting hit in the chest and knocked out of the way of these unhappy fish.
We made another lap or two around the wreck site and then drifted off during our ascent.
Dive 2: Belzona Wreck Trek
11:40 AM
S: Matt and Robert
A: Matt 32% backgas Robert 32% Stage
D: 70’ plan 76’ max
D: 50” plan/ 53” bottom time, 62” run time
D: Follow the rebar to hit 8 sites
D: 40’ deep, minimum deco
PSI: 1800/400
Jody gave us simple direction, drop, and go west, northwest, east, northeast and you should hit 7 to seven wrecks. Or we could just follow the rebar breadcrumb trails. Below is a map of the site, I circled where we started and which way we ended. The first site is Belzona 1 and the last site of the map is the Spirit of Miami. The wreck in the upper left corner is the Lady Frei, a 90ft wooden schooner without much left to see. I’ll have to hit that one next time.
Belzona I
We could see the wreck from the boat. This 85ft tugboat sunk in May 1990 was a good place to start. The superstructure was gone, but it was interesting place to start. A large Southern Stingray was cuddled up under the sand on the side. After exploring the barge I glided over the side to see how close I could get for a photo. As soon as I landed in the sand the ray hand its wings up ready to take flight. I remained motionless until it settled down. Then I would kick a little closer and wait for it to settle. I did this about four times, make sure I didn’t breath when I moved and exhaled after it was relaxed. At 3 ft, I held my camera out with one hand and repeat the process.
After I got my shots, I lifted off from the sand the stingray took off as well and guided us to the next wreck. There was rebar heading west and north. The northern track leads to Schurgar’s Barge.
Belzona III
100ft steel tug sunk in June 1991 is the largest and most intact of all the tugs. There was anchor line all over the wreck. I followed it down into a 2ft diameter hole on the side of the wreck. Looks like someone made a bulls-eye with their Danforth and couldn’t get it out. I easily lifted the 8ft of chain and the anchor out of the hold. Robert wound up the rope and we shot it to the surface. The plan was to shoot a bag is we got lost. I wondered how long it would take the boat to realize it was an anchor and not our bag to drift with?
On the other side of the wreck Robert pulled and folding chair out of the sand and set it up for grins. I could have counted fish on this wreck, but we were touring so we headed NW to the last tug.
Belzona II
90ft steel tug sunk in February of 1991. This tug looks like a hollow shell of its former self. I tried to ask Robert to go inside the bridge and pose, but I settled for an outside shot. A brown eel hide under a winch for cover.
Belcher Barge
195 steel deck barge sunk in November of 1985. In the Dive Miami book by Joel Auerbach he talked about the Miami bomb squad blowing holes in the barge to sink it. The holes are obvious, but it still landed upside down, ops. However, this is beautiful site with some of the largest soft corals I’ve ever seen. The barge is completely covered on top and there are plums sticking six feet out from the side.
There is also some debris of the south side of the barge that makes for good fish structure. At the west end, the deck has collapsed and you could penetrate the barge. I wasn’t interested in swimming in a big square box with only one way in and out. Next we followed the rebar east to find to mare barges.
H.A.V Parker III Barge
120ft steel deck barge sunk in August of 1998. Besides some pink rope sponge and a few surgeonfish, this barge is not very interesting to look at. This barge dead ends into the next one, which is at a 90-degree angle forming an “L” shape.
Between all the sites in the sand were Yellow Garden Eels. There were patches of 20 plus just at the edge of visual range. These mirages in the sand are actually creatures that duck down in their holes before you get close enough to really get a look at them. I zoomed in with my camera to get this shot.
Schurgar’s Barge
90ft steel deck barge sunk in October of 1996 had some concrete culverts with it that made it more interesting. There were fish on this barge around the culvert at the south end and in the sand further south. Here I found the rebar that would lead us back to the starting point, but why swim against the current on a drift dive. There was a small boat anchored on the site with 4 people free diving in the water looking down at us. Not knowing where to go from here, we went with the flow.
It was time to shoot the lift bag, but wait, look at this rope that leads to chain and another Danforth anchor buried in the sand. This one had stainless steel shackles on it, but they wouldn’t budge with just my fingers. Robert pulled out his secondary cutting device, a 10-12 inch blade from a sheath in his pocket. Easy they’re Crocodile Dundee! The handle of the blade had a slit in it big enough to get the bolt into and turn with the leverage of the blade. We left and anchor and blade and send the shackles and chain up with our liftbag for drifting. I thumbed the dive, as we were two minutes past our plan.
Ultra Quiz Houseboat Barge
While ascending, we did an extra long deep stop of this 30ft steel houseboat sunk in October of 1998. It was a big square underwater and reminded me of a miniature version of Tenneco Towers. There were a lot of fish around the site. There was a large Danforth inside the barge, but we were at our bag limit already.
Spirit of Miami
While at our 20ft stop we drifted over this Boeing 727 aircraft sunk in September of 1993. All that’s left is the wing. I had been to this site before and wasn’t impressed. The passenger fuselage is all gone. They just don’t build planes like boats.
When the boat picked us up, Robert told me to look down. We were directly over the Princess Britney. There were 20-40 barracudas underneath us focused on the mast sticking up to 40ft from the surface. If we can dive this many wrecks with a slight north current, imagine what we could do with scooters?
Within a couple of minutes, we were underway for Jody and Andrea to enjoy the same dive!
–Matt
Photo Gallery
Conditions
Winds: South East 15 knots
Seas: 2-4 ft
Air Temp: 79
Water Temp: 76
Current: n/a
Visibility: 50ft
I missed the maiden voyage of the new boat “Depreciation” last Saturday, but couldn’t wait for the Monday night dive! There is still ample deck space for 4-6 divers. After piloting her out of the marina, Jody let me take the helm. Before throttling up he warned me, “be careful, she’s throaty!” I checked the gear and got the go ahead to cruise. The boat jumped up on plain in seconds as I slid back in the seat and the people standing about came off their feet. Wow!
Dive 1: Princess Britney
8:52 PM
S: Matt and Robert
A: 32%
D: 80’ plan 76’ max
D: 50” plan, 40” bottom time, 47” run time
D: around the site
D: 40/1 30/1 20/3 10/3
PSI: 3100/900
The cable from the transducer to the depth finder is still missing in action, so we were diving by GPS only. We choose a big target with good numbers; the Princess Britney, a 165 freighter sized by customs and sunk a year ago in April 2003. Jody and Ralph dove first.
While topside, I rearranged the deck to figure out the best plan for stages, doubles, gear to allow for back roll entries and re-boarding by the new steel ladder. Then I took some pretty photos of the sunset. When Jody came back we learned the anchor was 50ft from the wreck and tied in with a spool. There were 50 plus barracudas waiting for us, good vis, warm water, and no current.
Robert wanted to get practice with bottles, so he geared up his 104s, AL80 stage, and two AL 40 stages for the dive. Ralph and Jody both tended him while I waited all geared up. Robert almost fell on his back on the deck, but they were there with save. Then he jumped in the water to finish attaching bottles. When he was ready, I dropped in and we headed for the line.
We descended down and found the wreck. At the stern, Robert signaled he was having a problem. After tracing the mess of clips on his left side D ring, I found his SPG buried under his dry suit argon inflation system. After getting that pulled out, we settled and started exploring the wreck. There is a narrow passageway under the bridge that still has cable in it. I stuck my head in to look around and got flashed in the corner on my eye. I backed out and tilted up enough to bang my head on the railing. By the time I was out, Robert was ok. We passed a strange creature that has become a favorite of mine. I looks like a sea fan, but it moves and reacts to the light of the HID by retreating to the underside of the ledge and recoils its outstretched limbs. After 5 minutes with Reef Creature Identification I learned I was looking at a Giant Basket Star, which are common to South Florida.
We dropped down into the cargo hold and headed back for the engine on the starboard side. The entrance was open, but either we had to turn around, or squeeze up by the engine to get to the next deck. I saw the stairs, rotated and slid up past the engine. I turned and knew Robert would have to get through as well with all the bottles. He freed the bottom clip and pushed the bottles ahead of him over the engine. As he ascended, he didn’t hug the stairs and got his tanks blocked by the exhaust tube. As he worked, the silt flowed out and I started having visions of his ripping his suit. As the clouds enveloped me, I had visions of him getting stuck well. Then I started flashing for attention to tell him to turn around and I’d meet him on the outside.
Then Robert saw the exhaust ended by the stairs and he could get up. There was one piece of electrical cable looped out and Robert caught it with his isolator. He dropped down and I freed it and he popped up with all the bottles past the engine. Wow, I was impressed!
After our narrow experience, we swam over the cargo hold covered in concrete for the bow. There were several anchor lines fouled in the upright mast along with a long cylindrical fishing weight attached to lots of line. Several surgeonfish were asleep in dark colors nestled against the side of the ship.
Being only a year old, there wasn’t a lot of life of the wreck yet. The one this that really caught my attention were the numbers of sea urchins on the wreck. I counted over 7 of them, mostly this lighter variety and a few of the dark black kind of used to seeing.
At the chain locker at the bow was a juvenile Spiny Lobster. We swam back and decided to explore the bridge a little. Entering from the port side there wasn’t anything left inside except of a box of small cubbies holes. I’m guessing it used to hold maps, we know it holds lobsters.
Inside, there was a narrow passageway down to the next level from the bridge. I asked Robert if he wanted to go down and got a no. I guess he was tired of playing follow-the-leader-from-hell. As I exited the bridge from the starboard side I found the cool orange crab crawling around the doorframe. I don’t have a macro lens, so this is the best I could do with what I had.
I swum out and watched Robert exit making a good “stage bottle” 90 degree roll to clear the door way. We were both covers in rust orange, it must have been a good dive! I wound up the spool and we ascended up the anchor line. Robert does a great job keeping time, trim, and buoyancy with the task loading of the wing and dry suit. And yes, that is an AL 40 behind him, between his legs, on a leash, the way it’s supposed to be. But I’m not going to make a DIR joke.
We packed up and headed in. Ralph had the wheel and paused as what appeared to be a coastguard helicopter was in perfect hover of the water. The searchlights showed the waves of salt spray getting blown up and sucked into the turbine. On the way by we saw one person getting winched up into the copter. In the distance, there was a second helicopter behind us. We do not know if this was a drill or rescue, but it was interesting to watch.
