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 Graveyard of the Atlantic
Morehead City, NC
Hosted by Matt Hahn
June 9-15, 2012
Right on our front door step, just miles off the East Coast, as WW II raged in Europe, the general public wondered why the eastern sky was lit with fire and the beaches covered with oil. Our parents and grandparents used to talk about never seeing anything in the papers about these weird fires on the water at night on the East Coast. We now know what really happened….
Shortly after Pearl Harbor, the German Navy launched the largest naval assault ever against our merchant marine shipping. The Operation was called "Paukenschlag," or Operation Drumbeat, a continuous stream of U-boat attacks (like the beat of a drum) against any and all merchant vessels. It was an attempt to shut down the supply route to our Allies in Europe. Without public knowledge, it almost succeeded! Merchant Marines had the highest casualty rate of any service in WWII with an average of 1 in 26 killed in action! We now have the opportunity to dive many of the ships sunk by the attack and even a few of the attack U-boats.
We'll be diving the North Atlantic in an area called The Graveyard of the Atlantic. The wrecks are all in 60-130' of water with a few of them being a little deeper to the sand. Visibility runs from 20-30' around west of Cape Lookout to over 100' on the far offshore wrecks. Water temperature is in the upper 70's with an occasional dip into the lower 70's west of Cape Lookout. The area is washed with the gulf stream which keeps the water relatively warm and clear. Most divers are quite comfortable in a 5mm with a few sporty souls jumping in with shorties (not recommended).
Prerequisites:
Note this is a Rec-Tec Trip. The trip is not for beginner divers. The wrecks are 30-40 miles offshore and conditions can range from millpond to hammering in the course of a week.
You mut be an Advanced Diver, Enriched Air and Deep Diver certified or equivalent experience. Boat Diving and Wreck Diving experience, although not essential are very helpful for enjoying the trip. 30 logged dives, beyond training dives. ur new Self-Reliant Diver course is highly recommended as is being a Wreck Diver. If you’re friends consider you a “Just Add Water” diver, this trip is for you!
Some wrecks we've dove in the past and that we'll probably try to dive again include:
Aeolus – A Cable Layer that was sunk as an artificial reef in 1988. Hurricane Fran tore her into pieces in 1996. Considered by some to be a “Dark Wreck”. Easy to get lost on, but, very nice wild life and Sand Tiger opportunities!
Spar - A artificial reef which lays 100 yards from the Aeolus. Perfect for Sand Tigers and a literal playground for penetration! Hurricane Irene has moved this wreck so anything goes next year.
 USS Schurz: The USS Schurz is a 295 foot long World War I cruiser that is in 110 feet of water with the highest part, the boilers, rising to about 100 feet. About 28 miles south of the Beaufort Inlet, it usually takes about an hour and thirty minutes to reach this dive site after leaving the inlet.
It is sometimes called the "World War I wreck". The wreck is spread out on the sandy bottom. If you look under the deck plates, you can still see rifle ammunition in clips of five. There is a deck gun lying in the sand. Some of the sighting mechanisms have already been recovered.
U-352 - A German U-boat with a terrible reputation for bad aim. On numerous patrols it peppered merchant ships with torpedoes but never managed to hit a thing! In June of 1942, it shot (and missed) the wrong ship... it happened to be the Coast Guard Cutter Icarus. After 5 depth charges, we have a wreck to dive! Hurricane Irene, as has been reported, tore a whole in the side of this wreck so penetration may be possible where it was not before.
 Atlas - Now this is a cool wreck! It was a gasoline transport sunk by the U-552 in April of 1942. Its a pile of wreckage and is frequented by HUGE Sand Tiger Sharks... They're harmless as Nurse Sharks (well almost) but they sure look like they got a business end to them! They like cloaking themselves in schools of silver sides and will swim within feet of you just minding their own business.
Caribsea – Typically done with the Atlas as its up around Cape Lookout. Also, loaded with Sand Tigers.
USS Tarpon – It’s a push to do this, but, if we end up with a great weather window we’ve been trying to get on this WWII Sub for years. If we get the right day we’re going!
Neaco - Ocean spelled backwards. One of the deeper wrecks in the area with the sand at 150'. It's been cable dragged but still sections of good structure and the debris field is still full of artifacts as this wreck is rarely dived.
Live Bottom: The only non-wreck dive we do.
We call it “Live Bottom” because it is covered with lobster that have no idea what we are! It’s a 20 fathom bug hunt which has always produced a huge feast for the group!
Here's a web site with a lot of info about all the wreck possibilities!
http://www.nc-wreckdiving.com/shipwrecks.html
Trip Dates: June 9-15, 2012. Dive days will be June 11, 12, 13 14, 15th. We'll head out on June 9th arrive in Morehead City on Sunday and dive on Mon.-Fri. It has become a tradition of many of us to arrive a day early (leave Friday and arrive Saturday) to relax for a day and work the kinks out from the 15 hour drive.
Transportation:
We generally drive out together and share expenses on the road. It’s approximately a 15 hour drive from St. Louis and we depart in the evening of June 9th and arrive mid-morning on the 10th. On the last day of diving we shower and drive home, with people stopping as necessary to rest.
Dive Cost:
$650 for 5 days of charter, plus tank and tank fill costs (Approx. cost. We may have a fuel surcharge ($10) depending on what happens to prices.)
Lodging Costs:
$250 approx. (5 nights double occupancy @ $50/night)
Meals:
We typically BBQ many of the nights on the Marina dock at the harbor. We either buy food at a local store or purchase fresh fish directly off the boats.
This trip is being put together by Matt Hahn.
Contact him to sign-up: 314-276-1687 or email him.
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