EM CLARK

24-Aug-2008

Ever play tug of war with a 500 foot long, 9,647 ton oil tanker? I can now say I have. In fact, I was beginning to question my sanity (and the existence of a God) as I pulled myself against 1 knot of current down the anchor line that seemed to go forever. It was hard work but I took it slow, and as long as I was not winded I decided to power on knowing I would be rewarded at the other end with one of the most spectacular shipwrecks on the east coast.... the EM CLARK.

The CLARK was carrying a load of oil when she was torpedoed by the U-124 in March of 1942. The wreck now lies like a sleeping giant on its port side, perfectly intact in 240 feet of cobalt blue Gulf Stream waters. When my Jersey diving plans were canceled last minute, I managed to weasel my way onto Capt. JT Barker's Under Pressure. The weather was looking iffy and with Saturday already blown out I knew it would be a risk to drive down to Hatteras, but eagerly hopped in the car with Bedford for the opportunity to dive this world class wreck.

Saturday night I got the opportunity to meet the legendary Capt Artie Kirchner who's Margie II was docked along side the Under Pressure having just finished the 2008 MONITOR expedition. He was generous enough to offer up some tips on the CLARK as well as some other quality stories that I don't think are appropriate for this G-rated blog. Needless to say I was all ears and felt the effects of the late night Sunday morning. The wind had laid down as predicted and with confirmation that we were heading out my groggy head quickly cleared.

Which brings us back to the descent... The prayers echoing through my DSV were mercifully answered at around 150 feet when the current finally let up. That plus the realization that I was actually looking at hull stretching into the distance in all directions and not the sea floor, kicked my adrenaline into high gear and that last 50 feet went quick as I landed on the flat side of the wreck at 200 feet. I did a precautionary loop flush and picked up my camera for the first time to see how it had faired being dragged behind me like a sea anchor up to this point. I fired it up and with a setpoint change it was all systems go. I slowly crept over to the edge of the wreck on my knees and bent over to look down and was just awestruck. Words really can't describe it. It was like being perched on the ledge of a 5 story building, except this was an amazingly intact tanker from WWII towering nearly 50 feet above the seabed below. A big barracuda buzzed me as I took a "leap" off and free fell down to the sandy bottom.

I wanted to head aft and see the mighty props so off I went not knowing how far the stern might be. I soon came upon the dark gaping maw of what must have been the engine room skylight and could not resist the invitation to explore within. It didn't help that Capt Art telling me that a Jersey diver would go in and not be a Sea Pu... uh... kitty, was also fresh in my mind. I soon spotted the unmistakable white gleam of china poking through the silt but it was only a broken saucer with no markings so I left it behind. I worked my way through the engine room much to the chagrin of some large amberjacks who came blasting out from behind some machinery. I proceeded aft and popped back outside into open water right at the fantail. I rounded the stern expecting to come face to face with the prop and completely forgot the massive height of the ship and could just make out the shadow of it in the distance beyond the massive rudder.

Unfortunately it was time to head back. As I worked my way along the bottom to stay out of the current I was surprised how many lionfish were on the wreck. The bottom was literally crawling with these invasive critters. Eventually I arrived back at the grapnel and with a heavy heart pulled it free and began my long ascent. Deco was mostly relaxing since we were drifting with the current. The only excitement came when I heard the boat leaving and looked up to see my only worldly friend was an orange tuna ball. I was a little worried someone had a problem but later found out it was only "Drifting Bob" taking a tour of the mid Atlantic. Nearly a perfect day and I can't wait to get back!

My pictures don't nearly begin to do this wreck justice...

Amberjack in the engine room

The stern of the EM CLARK

A couple lionfish (they were all over)

Cape Hatteras report

June 20-22

This past weekend the gang headed down to Cape Hatteras for three days of diving on some great wrecks in the clear warm Gulf Stream waters with Capt JT on the Under Pressure. Friday we hit the Proteus. This 390' passenger freighter sank in 130 fsw in 1918. Hitting the water the visibility was incredible and continued down to the wreck. I was greeted by large numbers of sand tiger sharks and a sleepy green sea turtle who didn't seem too impressed by my intrusion. Large schools of baitfish swarmed the wreck making wide angle shots difficult and I found myself cursing at them repeatedly into my DSV throughout the dive. I headed off to the stern and found a huge school(?) of sand tigers congregating aft of the majestic rudder and propeller. I crossed paths with Danny who pointed out a porthole and although a little bent up had enough sand blasted shiny brass poking through the growth to seduce us into a second date. Back by the boilers schools of baitfish were swarming between them with schools of hungry jacks on their tails.

After some surface interval fishing Danny and I headed back in to try and get the porthole. It posed a tougher challenge than we originally thought but after 30 minutes of pounding we had it on a bag.

Saturday and Sunday the plan was to dive the E.M Clark. A tanker torpedoed in WWII and (allegedly) one of the best dives off the East coast. Alas as is often the case in Hatteras plans didn't play out as well as they did on paper. Saturday we had good seas and even hooked into the wreck but you could have heard a pin drop as JT announced it was undivable. To prove it to us he dropped a 15 lb weight over the side which was promptly waterskiing horizontally off the stern in the 3kt current. With heavy hearts we headed in to the paddlewheeler where we found the current "better" but still kicking at around 2kts. Eventually we ended up on the Keshena. This small wreck was an ocean going tug that sank during rescue of the torpedoed J.A. Mowinckel during WWII. As the wreck is in only 90 feet of water the open circuit guys weren't too thrilled about blowing an expensive Clark mix (a nice advantage of the rebreather), but JT and Bill were nice enough to lend some doubles so everyone could get a dive in.

The vis on the Keshena wasn't as good as the Proteus but still a nice 30 feet or so. The wreck is pretty broken down except for the bow which rises about 20 feet off the bottom. It is still continuous so navigation is easy. Sand tigers were also present here along with lots of trigger fish.

Sunday the wind was still blowing out of the south and with rougher seas we went with JT's judgment that the current over the Clark would probably still be kicking and decided not to risk being in an area with not many other options and headed for the USS Tarpon.

The Tarpon was a US submarine that sunk in 140 fsw while under tow to the scrapyard in 1957. The seas were a little bouncy on the ride out and we were given the option of stopping at the Dixie Arrow, but we opted to soldier on and give it a go. On site the conditions were again spectacular and most of the sub could be seen laid out before you around 70 feet. We were tied in near the conning tower which has fallen/been pulled into the sand. I wanted to give a go at making a panoramic composite image of the sub and spent most of my dive snapping shots down the hull. Many sand tigers surrounding the wreck along with lots of other life which made for an incredible dive.

We pulled hook and trolled over to the Dixie Arrow for dive 2. Must not have been my day because "I trolled for 2 hours and all I caught was this sunburn". Oh well, it was fun. On the Dixie Arrow the visibility was around 40 feet and i nearly crashed into a sand tiger descending the line which terminated between the boilers and huge engine. Danny and I swam forward towards the bow passing some large barracuda and BIG sand tigers. Most of the mid section is pretty flattened out until you get to the bow which still stands high off the bottom. A great dive and a great way to end out the trip. Can't wait to get back!

Proteus

Keshena

Tarpon

Dixie Arrow

Overdue Hatteras report

11-May-2007

We booked a couple days of diving a couple months in advance to get a couple familiarization dives in with Capt JT Barker and his boat the Under Pressure out of Cape Hatteras, NC. Originally we were booked to do the Manuela (160fsw) followed by an overnight trip of strictly recreational type dives. Well the weather had other plans (this is Hatteras in May we are talking about). Early in the week we were supposed to head down 25' swells were rolling through and the area was getting hammered by a big storm so it looked like the trip would be a wash. We talked with Capt JT who was very accommodating in trying to get us early word of a blow out to save us the 8 hour drive if he could. Finally the decision was made to cancel Thursday but still dive the Manuela on Friday so that at least if we drove down for one day we would get the main wreck we wanted to dive.

We made the leisurely drive down on Thursday and arrived with plenty of time to BS with the Capt and get familiarized with the boat (which is set up very nicely), cut some tables, and also take note of the fact that it was a beautiful day and we could have gone diving. After a good nights rest we woke up ready to dive and headed out to the Manuela a freighter torpedoed by the U-404 on 6/25/1942.

Dolphin and Danny cut tables

Bedford and Dolphin cut tables

We arrived on the site and it was immediately obvious that the current was ripping along at about 1.5kts. Also since the plan was changed to dive the Manuela there was a change up in the crew and Danny and I were asked to tie in which we agreed to do. It was questionable whether we would be able to dive at this site, but it was decided that we would try it and if we could get down it was a go, otherwise don't be a hero and if the current is too rough call it. Danny jumped in and could not get past 20' because of some allergy related sinus issues, but said the current was manageable. He was going to give it another shot getting down and I splashed right behind him. I hauled my way up the granny line to the anchor line where I met up with Danny. He said his ears were still a no go and he was heading up so I was going to go down and tie in by myself. I was fighting to get down but it wasn't that bad. I got to 50-60' and the current still wasn't letting up and I was about to turn when a school of BIG amberjacks came flying up from the bottom and gave me some reassurance that the wreck was near. Visibility was about 40' and the wreck came into view just past 100' and I saw a great upturned steel hull. The hook had snagged the very lip near the sand of the turtled hull and when I got to it there wasn't much to wrap the chain around. With the current pulling hard against it I got a little wrap around a plate and figured it wasn't going anywhere.

Swimming down the edge of the hull you could see up and in the wreck, and I was surrounded by some very large amberjacks as well as some barracuda. I got to the end of the section we were on and it was a break in the ship and it was very easy to get inside. I didn't want to go to far since I was planning on cutting my dive short so I wasn't hanging in the current, but I took a quick peek inside. I saw back in the dark some white "tentacles" waving at me and I thought they were lobsters but upon closer inspection I found 2 large lionfish huddled together in a deep recess of the wreck.

For dive 2 we were going to hit the Proteus but another boat was already there and lying on the wreck such a way that we couldn't hook it. We did snag something and Dolphin went in to dive but found we were on a small piece of junk away from the wreck. The decision was made to head in to the Dixie Arrow. I has happy to hit this wreck since I hope to be diving her sister ship the India Arrow at the end of June. The Dixie Arrow was another U-boat casualty of the second great war. Capt JT was gracious enough to divulge some intel with on on the whereabouts of 2 portholes. I went in armed for the mission and found the grapple secured to one of the massive links of the ships anchor chain which made my orientation with the wreck easy. We were at the very bow, which is partially intact and rises a good bit off the bottom. I had no trouble locating the first porthole but it wasn't near as ready to come off as I hoped. I instead opted to check out this wreck which is pretty outstanding. I saw more amberjacks (which if you haven't figured out I really like) and even shared some time with a large turtle. I got back to the bow ahead of time and decided to whack on the porthole a little bit. No dice. Getting back to the tie-in (I had run my reel) I was a bit dumbfounded to find the anchor line missing. I was already running a bit late at this point and didn't want to waste any time. I took a quick spin around the area to see if I somehow missed it, then shot my SMB and tied it off. I did my ascent and got on the boat and everyone was looking at me funny and asking if I was ok. I thought they must have known the boat pulled out but they said it didn't. ??? So long story short it turns out there was a very "helpful" diver on the boat who thought he would get in the Capt's good graces by saving us all some time and pulling the hook at the end of his dive. WTF?!?! Anyway it all worked out and I had 2 really good dives.

Seas were beautiful

Capt JT does have the Under Pressure set up real nice. It is only a 6 pack and there is plenty of space. He even has individual headsets for each bunk and grills during the surface interval.

http://www.capt-jt.com/