Robert McCusker tagged posts

Using the SMB – not exactly your average blob! Lots of barracuda, grey reef sharks at a distanc. Another lionfish with plenty of angelfish and glassfish.

Aladin Pro giving problems after service,

Down with Hero leading, Alain helping Paula overcome her problems. Clouds of small fish, Alain stops to feed them (Crossed swords later) Slight current running, Cliff getting better, Julian improving fast. Alain succesfull with Paula, rejoins us just in time to point out a stonefish. Remarkably ugly creatures. Another two Morays, absolute clouds of fish, small and large. On descent, Cliffs weight belt nearly decapitates me. Aladin playing up again, watch shows 36 minute dive, Aladin shows 64. Some repair that was by Aladin!

Deepest dive yet! Trawler sank in 1969 in Sound of Hoxa while under tow, lying upright on seabed,almost intact and 16m proud of 43m at high water slack. superstructure and bridge in good condition, though np glass or fittings.

Down shot line to starboard side, then down hull to seabed. Visibility incredibly clear. Only 53m long and 666 tons, so didn’t take long to get around. Did not try to penetrate, although perfectly possible

Three deco stops on ascent.

Excellent!

Dresden was a 5531-ton German light cruiser, built 1917. 510ft x 47ft. iwth 31000hp coal/oil-fired turbines. Scuttled 1919 by crew.

Note from map the coordinates (from Diver Mag) not precise enough. Appear to be diving on land!

She is argely intact, lying on her port side with a fair amount of marine growth covering the bow. Foremast lying on the seabed. On starboard side of intact bridge is a 5.9in gun turret, gun facing forward. Stern intact with gun turrets in place.

Down shot line to onto superstructure at for’rd, then down to sea bed, finning aft. Steve reeled off and went inside,i stayed out. Lost sight of him in silt kick, but came back on reel line.

Little marine lifr, free ascent to surface as shot too far for air balnce

One of the blockships in burra Sound. Approaching the wreck another blockship, the Inverlayne, is clearly visible, bows up, on the surface. Gobernador Dories was 2,332 ton iron steamer built 1882, sunk 1815 to block access to the channel.Down 10 m to top of wreck, great viz due to tidal rip. Big prop! Kelp forest, but foond way back to shot line. Enormous wrasse. End of slacl water and tide pulling strongly at end of the dive

25,388 ton battleship – huge! Lies on its back, weight of its guns caused it to turn turtle when it sank in 1919. Able to get through holein bow and pose for photos. (haven’t seen them! Not much marine life, but caught a crab! Missed a lobster when finning after steve. Dropped onto top of wreck at 18m. then down to lowest point at 38.4 m Fast running out of air as stab jacket had blown a seal at crack bottle joint. Came up sooner than wanted with very slow ascent rate, steve too bouyant and bobbed up early. Great dive, cold on top, too short! Some evidence of Horse mussel and crawfish

Just Johann and me. Cave dive in cliff wall but after big storm, so very little to see in the way of marine life. A few crayfish and the odd clam.

Lucy and Mike on board. First dive with Phil as buddy. Approx 6nm out from launch at Shoreham. Down shot line and reeled off, Phil following. Extremely low vis, less than 2m. Fast current when not in lee of wreck. Wreck lying at 20m, approx 7m high. Ships sides blown apart, stern section remains, cargo coal. Still looks ship-like

Oops! Pigs ear of a dive. Dropped late into the water with two others, missed the reef. Current too strong so aborted the planned dive and swam with some turtles.

Still, the sun was shining.

Do not have dive coordinates.

First Dive with Aladin Pro computer. Buddied with two Americans. Joe’s Tug – A harbor tug that sank pier-side in Key West Harbor in 1986. It was raised and prepared for sinking as an artificial reef off Miami. The night before it was scheduled to be taken north, local divers surreptitiously towed the tug out of the harbor; it sank in 65 feet of water before reaching its intended resting place. Originally a classic-looking wreck, Joe’s Tug was subsequent to this dive, severely damaged by hurricanes in 1998 and 1999. A large moray eel makes its home under the bow and many large fish frequent the wreck. Jeff was breathless on the surface, using a lot of air before going down the shot line. Dennis at 600lb early into the dive, so quite short...