From: tjfeue@bb1t.monsanto.com
Newsgroups: rec.scuba
Subject: Re: Info on wreck divers
Date: 3 Nov 92 14:14:20 CST
Distribution: usa
Organization: Monsanto Company, St. Louis, MO

[This document has been certified free of flame bait by network censors]  ;-)

In article <1992Oct29.192021.25138@cbfsb.cb.att.com>, mvm@cbnewsb.cb.att.com 
(michael.v.murphy) writes:
>    All this talk of plundering the Titanic wreck has a caught the interest
> of this newly certified diver. How are most of the wrecks that you folks dive
> located in the first place? 

Various ways.  Some were actually seen sinking by another ship (often
the one that it collided with) and hence, a navigational fix could be
obtained or seen from shore as they went down.  Others are found by 
lengthy searchs, usually starting in libraries and archives.  Once 
all the eyewitness reports, reports of debris washing ashore, last 
known location, currents, point of origion and destination are evaluated, 
a search area is plotted and the actual search begins.  Some combination
of sonar (side scan is best), a magnetometer (for metal ships) and towed 
video may be used in a search pattern.  All this is *VERY* time consuming
and *EXTREMELY* boring.  When a possible hit is made, the searchers
will attempt to snag the wreck with a grappling hook and divers are
sent down for a look.  More often than not, it isn't the ship that they
were actually searching for!  Loran coordinates are recorded and
sometimes the wreck is bouyed.  To return, just set your loran for the
coordinates and go there.  This puts you close, so then you just
cruse around and look for a big bump on your sonar screen.

> Do any of the subscribers to this group actively
> search for new wrecks? 

I don't, but people that I know do.  I'm not patient enough, so I just
use what they found :-).

> (Details of experiences and equipment would be great)

As far as individual divers equipment, on the last wreck dive that I
did in the Great Lakes,  I used a steel 104 with an overfill of
*censored* %, a pony bottle with its own regulator, *TWO* dive
knives, flashlight (torch for all you Limeys and Aussies ;-).
We dove to a max depth of *censored* ft for a total bottom time
of *censored* minutes.  Some of my buddies dive with doubles
and sometimes triples (with triple redundant regulators)
to as deep as *CENSORED* FEET!!!!!  And they do extensive 
penetration.  I don't penetrate any deeper than I can see
out of, such as the pilot house and cargo holds.  Even then,
one carless flap of a flipper will turn the best visibility
into ZIP when the sediment gets disturbed.  Thus, a line is 
highly recommended for even short penetrations.  The deeper 
the wreck the more intact it is.  I can't wait to try 
my new double 80's out on a wreck.  Also, if it is on a steep
slope and was a long and tall ship, the deck of one end could be
in say <45 feet and the keel of the other end in >200 feet.
Many a wreck diver has gotten into trouble by crusing down 
the deck and not paying attention to the depth that they were
attaining.

The Great Lakes are a real good place to learn to wreck dive.
The water us fairly clear (extremely so in L. Superior) and
the wrecks are very intact due to the cold, fresh water,
the lack of encrusting and boring organisms (as in terrido 
worms, not dull talkative ones ;-) and the fact that divers
in Michigan have gotten laws passed to protect most of the
wrecks through a system of "bottomland preserves".
It's a felony to remove anything from a wreck in a preserve
and even your buddies would turn you in if you did.  Get the
book: Michigan Diving.  It lists hundreds of known wrecks, 
dive shops, charter operators, etc.  Start slow and shallow,
there are plenty of wrecks there too and it's safer that way. 

Hope this helps.

Ted Feuerbach - Scientific Systems Consultant
Disclaimer:  Monsanto didn't say this, I did!
Newsgroups: rec.scuba