This Week
Note: I'm currently FULL on Saturday to the Delaware but could use a few more to make the Stolt trip on Sunday work
Saturday the 12th – OPEN – SS Delaware 80’ - FULL
Sunday the 13th – OPEN – Stolt Dagali 130’ - Visibility is usually good, sometimes good enough to see the top of the wreck from the surface and the sight of this huge wreck when it first looms into view as you descend the anchor line is extraordinary. There is something awesome about this shipwreck that is somehow lacking in the nearby planned artificial reefs. There are four spots open for Sunday.
Next Week
The following dives are tentatively scheduled to be run out of Kammerman’s Marina in Atlantic City however if the weather is marginal or if the dives are under-subscribed we will be running out of Brielle as usual to alternate destinations. Please see the Update following the dive descriptions
Wednesday 16th through Saturday 20th
Wednesday the 16th – OPEN - The Astra - the Astra sits in 85 ft of water on a sandy bottom. Her stern is intact and lists to port. The rest of the ship sits upright, her midsection collapsed. She can be easily penetrated, and is a great photography, artifact and food wreck. The stern has the greatest relief, coming 25 ft or so off the sand. We visited her back in May and although not a “sister” ship to the Tolten she could be described as a “cousin” as both ships were built in Denmark to a similar deck plan. Artifacts can be found simply by hand fanning.
Thursday the 17th – OPEN - The Almirante - The Almirante was a United Fruit Company steamship bound from New York City to Colon, Panama with a full cargo hold. On Friday September 6, 1918 at 2:00 a.m. The 15,000-ton Navy tanker USS Hisko rammed the Almirante in heavy seas and fog. She sits in 70’ of water on a clean sand bottom. This was the wreck we recovered the auxiliary helm from this past spring and the literally thousands of ceramic tiles from the previous year. A lot more waits to be found on her.
Friday the 18th - OPEN - San Jose’ – Built in 1904 in Ireland this massive 330’ ship sank in a collision with the Santa Elisa January 17th 1942 and was reported to have been torpedoed after the collision by the U-123. She now lies in 100’ of water. Her wreckage is spread over a wide area, with the main portion of the hull on its port side, pretty much intact. She can be penetrated and divers can enter long corridors with adjoining rooms.
Saturday the 19th – OPEN - Mason’ Paddlewheeler – Much like the RC Mohawk this wreck suffered from a “lack of environmental awareness” Originally known as the $25. dollar wreck it was in an area of dirty water. The source of this dirty water has long since been capped and the wreck has cleaned up nicely. Atlantic Divers rechristen the wreck Mason's Paddle Wheeler after a barrel of china marked “Mason’s” was found. Dave Keller recovered a large brass steam vent with a thermometer enclosed. Several bottles, and more pieces of china have been uncovered since that time and numerous copper pipe lay ambiguously in the debris. Today she sits in 85’ of clear water with a healthy abundance of marine life. This is the wreck that we recovered several hundred pounds of brass off of in the spring.
Sunday the 20th – OPEN - Lemuel Burrows - This large 437 foot coal carrier (collier) was torpedoed while en route to New York then to Boston. The German sub U-404, Kapitan Otto Von Bullo, the same sub that sank the Tolten sighted the silhouette of the hull in the bright lights of Atlantic City. Today the Lemuel Burrows remains one of the largest vessels sunk off the coast. The bow section rises off the sand forming a passage way where divers can follow anchor winch back to a higher relief area where engine parts, boilers and gigantic machinery creates holes to explore. Much destruction from the torpedoes is evident, but the vastness of this wreck allows great traversing over hull plates and recognizable structure in the stern. The shaft alley runs the length of the stern allowing easy navigation. Reports of an auxiliary helm that has yet to be recovered persist.
Gene Peterson’s site SITE
http://www.njwreckdivers.com/p/shipwrecks.html also has some good information on all of the Atlantic City wrecks
Special late season trip Update
SPECIAL NOTE: I need divers to sign up NOW, don’t wait to see if the weather forecast looks good before deciding. If you’ve already expressed interest now is the time to sign up for the individual dives you intend to dive.
If you’re interested in this trip contact me ASAP at 973-887-DEEP or on my cell 201-401-4608 you can either call or text me.
Captain Al
SEA LION
We are always looking to put together weekday trips. If you’re interested in diving during the week, let me know which day/days work for you and we will try to put a boat together.
We have established a diver’s e-mail list and if you’d like to be included send the message “please add me to the SEA LION diver list” to sealion@atlantic-wreckdivers.com
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