Category: Rebreather

Trip report: World-class wreck diving in Presque Isle, MI with Shipwreck Explorers

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Molly V

I will just start by saying it’s been a really busy summer and I haven’t updated this blog as much as I had hoped but I wanted to write a trip report as I just got back from 4 days of diving in Presque Isle, Michigan.  It was some of the best and well preserved wreck diving that I’ve ever done. Seriously the diving up in Presque Isle, MI and in Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary is so worth the trip that I’m already thinking of skipping a warm water vacation…

New York Central 14-II & Chester Poling with Daybreaker

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Matt on Chester Poling

I had two nice dives today on the Daybreaker.  We dove the Pug and the Chester Poling since Matt was doing a helitrox class with Sang and Eric on their rebreathers.  I think John may have been tagging along for Advanced Nitrox/Deco Procedures training as well. We had surprisingly decent visibility on the New York Central 14-II which tends to have crappier visibility in the summer.   The good thing about the New York Central 14-II aka Pug wreck is that the hull is largely intact so it’s an extremely…

Great day of lobstering and playing with seals at Dry Salvages!

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Me and Annie decided to jump on a charter with some friends on the Daybreaker (Cape Ann Charters).  The conditions and visibility were great.  Visibility was approximately 20-25ft+ with water temperatures in mid-50s at depth. We managed to hit our limit on lobsters (15..) very easily.   We also had a bunch of seal encounters. That is another reason I really like diving at Dry Salvages. The seals are always a lot more curious and friendly compared to Graves Light.

Rebreather surgery completed, kitten even tried helping..

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Because my rEvodream (secondary redundant ppO2 monitor) had died on me during my last dive I decided I would do the right thing and install a new one.  When I was in Florida in March I actually bought a brand new “used” rEvodream from AddHelium because I knew my current rEvodream was acting up.  It was basically brand new because someone had removed it to install a Shearwater NERD on their rEvo. It didn’t take very long to install. Hardest part was fishing cables through. Maybe 1 hour or hour…

Brenton Reef Lightship (LV39) or bust with Daybreaker..

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I had a great dive today on the Brenton Reef Lightship (LV39). Matt and Marissa nailed the shotline drop and we were right on it. Since Matt was having some slight technical difficulties I decided to join Josh and Nate on their dive.  Diving with them is always great because that means you’re almost guarantied entertainment and some good pictures especially with Nate 🙂  It’s like having your own personal photographer. Visibility was at least 25ft in some spots judging from horizontal distance from strobes. Brenton Reef Lightship (LV39) Max…

Of wrecks, ledges and botched mooring jobs: City of Salisbury, Jeffrey’s Ledge and the Nina T clusterfuck

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I started the weekend a little early by taking a half day on Friday to crew.  We were scheduled to dive Graves Light and the City of Salisbury wreck with a good group of divers from Maine that chartered the boat.    The weather was perfect and I believe this was the first charter that I’ve worked this season that we had a majority of people in wetsuits.  **Brr** Since I’m a “warm water wimp” I stuck to my drysuit. Capt. Chris was running the boat with me as crew…

A weekend of tech diving: From Alma Holmes to the USS Bass

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I had a great weekend of tech diving though I didn’t take a camera or GoPro since I just figured I would enjoy the dives without looking at life through a viewfinder.  The water temperatures are finally beginning to warm up into the 50s signaling to me that at least summer is finally here. On Saturday I went out with the Gauntlet (North Atlantic Dive Expeditions). It was literally a last minute split second decision since my car was loaded from the night before and I wanted to dive. I…

Trip Report: Halfway Rock & Brace Cove with Cape Ann Divers

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Dave on Cape Ann Diver II

On Sunday I went out with Sang on an afternoon charter with Cape Ann Divers.   Nate, Josh and a few other acquaintances were also scheduled on the same charter.  We had a good group of divers on board. We were originally scheduled to go to the New York Central 14-2 (Pug) but unfortunately the wind was howling out of the west at something like 20-25kts.  Not very fun although the seas we’re too bad at all. We quickly nixed going to the Pug and Capt. Steve decided to tuck behind…

Weekend report (CAD and Gauntlet)

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Last weekend I decided to forgo the camera and GoPro and just do a few days of diving.   With the wind and rain for most of the week I wasn’t really predicting good visibility. On Saturday I went out with Cape Ann Divers.  We dove the Burnham Rock and then decided to dive the Poling on the way back in.  A lot of regulars were on the boat, including a group from the Metrowest Dive Club. Great charter.  Conditions at Burnham Rock were surprisingly good. We had about 20-25ft of…

Diving the wreck of the SS Romance

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On Saturday we had great weather and managed to dive the wreck of S.S. Romance.   The S.S. Romance was a passenger steamship that sank in September 9, 1936 approximately a mile north of Graves Light after she was rammed by the vessel S.S. New York in heavy fog. Miraculously all aboard were saved thanks to the quick thinking and professionalism of the captains and crew of both vessels: Captain Adelbert Wickins of the Romance, and Captain Roland Litchfield of the New York (source). Today the S.S. Romance sits in approximately 80′…