Posted by bartman on 4/13/2014, 7:48 pm Moonsnail Master
Today was an incredible dive day! It was just me, Howard and just back from Florida, Jack, who headed out from Shark River Inlet to go to one of my Favorite wrecks. I could not believe it was flat, sunny and warm on our way south. The wreck we were headed to has the same name as one of the states that borders N.J., if you don’t know what it is, then you need to pack your car and head back to your Spring in Amish Country. We were headed to the Delaware, just south of Manasquan inlet, site of lost gold and more importantly, the site where Harry “the Kid” found the Bell a few years ago. They actually call him the _-EN Kid, but it would be inappropriate to post that here. As everyone knows I saw the Bell first but I had more important things to look for that day lololol, sorry I had to say that - anyway -I was more than eager to hit the water, and Jack had not be on the Delaware in over ten years, was just as excited. My job was to drop the shot line, tied in, Jack was to follow and when I got back Howard would dive and pull.. Brian, Capt Stan, Bob and Harry, I was thinking man yous guys are missing it
Now the Delaware in my mind is a superior wreck when compared to most in Jersey waters. It is old, it is partly built of wood and it sticks up a lot. The fact that it sticks up off the bottom for so long shows how superior it is when compared to most.. Now I know most of you are like this is total crap. That’s fine, go write you own post, I don’t care. The thing I find most attractive about the Delaware is that it’s relatively easy to find old stuff on the bottom. Almost every time I go, after digging around for a while, I come up with all sorts of old stuff or junk. I don’t know why I like rooting around on the bottom looking for little bits of brass, lead and glass but I do. Maybe it’s because I am not so great at shooting fish or grabbing lobster, or maybe it’s because finding junk is easier than finding scallops, I don’t know, but I love it, and just like a blind squirrel that finds an acorn once in a while, every so often the Delaware gives up something that’s not brass, lead or glass, but SILVER and old. Well today would be one of those days…. Ok, as I hit the water it was cold, like 40 degrees cold, but this was an improvement over the 36 degrees it was all winter. The vis on the surface was like 2 foot with a layer of brown algae, but as I past the 10 foot mark it opened up to a glorious 15 foot and when I got to the bottom I could see exactly where I was on the wreck – we were forward of the boilers on the starboard side. I quickly moved the hook to one of my favorite tie in spots and headed off to a new spot I had eyes on last year. I had told Jack if I found a decent lobster I would get it for him. I got my ebay dive light out and noticed it was acting like a strobe more than an actual light and yes it is the same one that gives the user an electric shock every once in a while – lololol, you got to love it. Well after 2 minutes of flashing lights and no lobster, I gave up and put it away, my head was starting to hurt. I got to my new spot and started digging – and nothing - no biggy, move to the next and very little there. At the 30 minute mark I had found just enough to cover the bottom of my bag and I knew most of it was gravel - well it was still a great dive – I did a quick swim around saw where Jack had cornered a little lobster and headed up the line – it was cold but I was warm and relatively dry, everything was working ( I didn’t get shocked by the light so I consider that a win situation) and nothing got lost – Howard was waiting ,I got out and he went. Jack came back and we traded info on what we found and saw, I could see Howard had stopped in one spot and I figured he had a lobster trapped in a hole or something – 40 minutes later he is back and as I am pulling up the shot line I noticed it was very heavy. Howard was like, oh my bag is on there with my lift bag – I am like hmmmmm seems pretty heavy for a lobster – Howard sits down takes off his mask and is like oh I found some stuff – I am like What!!!!!! – You were digging? – hes like yeah, I found some old stuff and a fork… I am now absorbing this info and pulling up the bag even faster lol… Like a nine year old lololol like a stupid kid lolololol – Howards like - yeah its silver – I am like WWWWWWWWWWWWWHAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT The silver ones I found all had the Clydes line name on them – but I didn’t find a single one last year – Howards like hold on I will give you a hand its heavy – I lift the bag into the boat and it is full, I mean really full of all kinds of cool stuff!!!!! Now let me say this - I hate when people dig in my bag before I even have a chance to see what I got, I mean I really hate that, but in this case I was told there was a silver fork in there and I needed to see it lololololol – I am such a dope… lolololololol Howard is like putting things away and putting up the ladder and I am crawling around on the deck with my head in a bag of goodies looking at all the brass screws, bolts , big nuts , brass pipes and a brass hinge like delicate off a broach or something and fishing sinkers of all shapes and sizes, one with letters on it and in the middle of everything a SILVER FORK WITH THE CLYDE LINE NAME IMPRINTED BY THE HANDLE!!!!!! I am holding it up to the sun and I realize this is the real deal!!!!!! – Howard is like no biggy and of course I am like, uuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmm where did you find this Fork? – he is like, by the tie in – I am like exactly, if we were tied in like this, using my hand like a map - where exactly ? and he explained he went to were this big hole was and started digging it in, actually most of the stuff was laying out in the open - I realize he most likely he was in my old hole – I am like WWWWWWWWWWHHHHOOAAAA – lololol I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE GONE THERE - lololol - Howards like - Hey you want that old sinker with the letters, I know you collect them…. I was like no, thats ok, but I did look at it real hard lolololol – I am laughing like a mentally ill individual – it was a new one for sure ….. That is all I remain – the bartman - Seeker of Silver, and digger in others goody bags
Once he started loading up on his real stuff the vis went to crap and he didn't realize what he had or it would have gotten thrown out of the way. Capt. Bill
I hope you're threw them back who wants that stuff when you're really just looking for sinkers. Somebody should go and get that stuff cleaned up so it doesn't get in your way anymore. Capt. Bill
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