Diving the Duane

June 13, 2011 Second dive of the day USCG Duane, sister ship to the Bibb which was the first dive today.  Same class of ship but two very different dives. The Bibb landed on it side, the Duane sits upright. Lots of sea life in the forward part of the ship. I want to do this one again, hoping we can use the bow or mid ship ball to drop on. Water temp 84. Viz +/-100 ft Depth avg 85 ft.

Double Dip on the Spiegel Grove

June 12 2011- Arrived in Tavernier, FL last night checked in with folks at Conch Republic Divers. Headed out this morning to dive the Spiegel Grove. Up until day before yesterday they are saying the weather was crappy. The winds changed and the sea laid down. Today it is beautiful. The ocean is as flat as a swimming pool. Water temp was 82 degrees. Could not ask for a better day to go diving.  There were two of us on the boat we opted to do both dives on the Spiegel. My dive buddy Jeff has at least 100 dives on the Spiegel and I was glad for it. Got to see things I would have miss with another buddy and  it was my first time down. Two great dives.  Only bummer was I did not change the memory card in by GO Pro between dives and I did not capture the last part of  dive two. That's okay there is no video proof I got turn around inside the boat, almost got stuck in a set of closets. It's all good.

Diving the Bibb June 13 2011

June 13 2011 - Dove the Bibb this morning. Water temp 84. Viz +/-100 ft Depth 104 ft no current. Good reef. Next up Bibbs sister ship Duane which is sitting upright. 

Diving the Vandenberg

Today I fulfilled a long time objective/dream. I have followed the story of the USS Vandenberg from the time I learn that it was in shipyard in Richmond Virginia being clean up to be used as an artifical reef off of Key West Flordia.  Following the up and down story through to the sinking. I even took of the morning of the sinking to watch it on the internet. (they should have used squarespace). My plan started that day I was going to dive the ship as soon as I could.   

The inital trip I had planned back in March fell through. I decied I would go anyway and make it up as I go. The week has been perfect. Could not have asked for better weather or dive conditions.  Sunny and warm on the surface. Glass flat see no current, great viz and warm water.  You could see the Vandenberg from the deck of the dive boat it was so clear and calm.

I had two cameras with me. A GO Pro HD on my head and a Canon in hand I have lots of video. We where tied to the midship ball. This short video is from the first dive where we covered the stren section. Yeah I need a red filter, I know.  I will post a link to the stills and other videos once I have them uploaded. 

Enjoy.

Keys Wreck-Trek in June

I have sign up for this dive trip in the Florida Keys. I have been looking for a trip like this for a while. A couple of years ago when I was at the Beneath the Sea dive show the year after the Vandenburg was sunk, I stopped by the The Monroe County Tourist Development Council booth (known on web as fla-keys.com) this booth is always huge and popular; staffed with several dive operations, this is where I learned about the Wreck Trek.

The Tourist Development Council had put together the Flordia Keys Wreck Trek to encourage divers to explore all the major/notable wrecks from Key Largo to Key West.  

Here is the information from their website. I spoke with them this past weekend and they have space available, if your a diver and need a cool trip, here it is...

June 11 - 17, 2011 Join the live aboard M/V Spree and Conch Republic Divers for a 6 night 5 day diving adventure. We have put together a package enabling you to dive all 9 wrecks associated with the Florida Keys Wreck Challenge. Package includes diving, airport transportation, lodging, nitrox, and most of your meals. Details and sign up at Wreck Trek Challenge