any shipwrecks experts on this site???

[shipwreck diver]

hello everyone at DB. This is my first participation at this site. I'm logging in because I'd like to stay in touch with int'l diving comunity.
I dive in the Mediterranean, but I've had some exp. in the red sea.
My main interest is shipwreck obviously and where I come from there's a lot of shipwrecks..
My condolences to your staff couple that passed away last month.
I'm sorry to never having the chance to meet them, but I'm sure they were something..

[BODKIN]

Hi there:

I just joined, and while I'm not an expert, I have been to Truk and Bikini. Those two venues are some of the best wreck diving in the world, but their ships are fading fast, and you really need to get out there sooner than later! The signature wreck at Bikini is the USS Saratoga CV3. Her flight deck is folding in on the hangar deck, and where there once were three or four really pristine aircraft, there is now just one. And that's sad... Truk is the same way, and the best way to describe the wrecks at Truk is to say that they are now more reef than wreck in some cases. Still some good penetrations, however. The engine room on the Fujikawa is awsome, and a really interesting tour. Likewise the surgery on the Shinkoko.

Enjoy.

[Marwan]

Shipwreck diver,
I guess if you've aready been to the red sea, you been to the following shipwrecks:
Thistlegorm (WW2)
Rosalie Moller
Abo Nahas (4 shipwrecks)
Salem Express
These are among the most famous wrecks we have, thistlegorm being the most popular of course for all the jeeps, motorcycles trucks etc... Rosalie moller is the newest one, also a world war 2 ship, but a bit deeper, starts at 30+ meters

[BODKIN]

Originally Posted by Marwan

Shipwreck diver,
I guess if you've aready been to the red sea, you been to the following shipwrecks:
Thistlegorm (WW2)
Rosalie Moller
Abo Nahas (4 shipwrecks)
Salem Express
These are among the most famous wrecks we have, thistlegorm being the most popular of course for all the jeeps, motorcycles trucks etc... Rosalie moller is the newest one, also a world war 2 ship, but a bit deeper, starts at 30+ meters

We want to go to the Red Sea, but I'm a bit concerned about being an American over there these days. Any thoughts?

[Jon]

I don't know that I would call myself an "expert"- whatever that means, but I have been a great lakes wreck diver for the past 25 years. We have some of the best wrecks in the world thanks to our cold fresh water that preserves things better than a museum.

I used to scuba on them, using anything from air to trimix, but now choose to freedive them. Since the zebra mussels invaded over a decade ago our vis, at least in Lake Michigan, has gone from 4'-8' to 50' in the summer and 80'+ in the winter time.

My father-in-law runs a charter boat out there that runs year round, yes we can break ice, and is quite active with his sidescan sonar unit looking for new ones all the time- 15 in the past year alone.
http://www.len-der.com/survey_salvage_about.htm

Welcome to Deeper blue.

Jon

[BODKIN]

I've read about the wrecks in the Great Lakes, and the preservation sounds terrific. I'm a warm-water diver, however, and I've never been able to justify a dry-suit. I can dive in Puget Sound, and Barkley Sound up in Canada when I need to, but the 48 degree water is not much fun. I sure get a lot of comments on the boat, however, as everyone else is getting into their woolies and drysuits...

[Jon]

Water temps are all over the place. Most of the time it's 39.6(F). Even if the surface is warm the bottom will be that temp. We do get some warmer periods in late summer- up to the mid 70's(F). When this happens you can wait for a storm to pass through and blow all the surface water in from across the lake- like a reverse upwelling. then we can get warm water down to 100' or so and dive in our swimsuits. This time of year it's drysuit for scuba diving and sub 40 degree temps. Add on an argon bottle to fill your suit up and your toasty warm for at least an hour. I know some guys will even use electicly heated underwear. I have an electric drysuit heater when they first came out, but it sucked. Your much better off with some DUI c4 underwear and the argon.

It is still pretty nice to drop down on a 130+ year old wooden wreck and still see the paint on her walls. This can still be done in Lake Superior, since there are no zebra mussels there, but not any more in the other great lakes.

Jon

[JPPLAY]

Thanks for the pictures. Also the side scan pictures in your link are great. Hopefully I can get to the east and freediving or scuba dives some of these wrecks. How is the spearfishing there?

[Marwan]

hey Bodkin,

[Marwan]

no need to be concerned, its a very safe country, there's no "target sign" on the americans despite how the media sometimes twists the facts. we have a lot of ex pats working here no issues take care

[land shark]

wow jon that side scan is really crisp!

jim