Trip Report - Texas Tower
It was one of those days that could go either way. The forecast was for calm seas with a possibility of building. Every updated forecast was the same, except they kept changing the time when it would start to build. We were scheduled to go to the Texas tower. A sunken radar tower 80 miles off shore. It can be a beautiful dive when the conditions are right, It can be the ride from HELL if you get “caught” out there and it blows. To add to the dilemma, most wrecks this far offshore are deep, and generally your clientele are seasoned veterans. The Texas tower, while 180' to the bottom, rises up to about 120', this allows more intermediate, less seasoned divers to sign up for the trip as well. Now, no one, likes a rough ride home, the veterans realize it comes with the territory (that territory being deep offshore diving) The intermediate type diver, doesn’t sign on for such nonsense. His trips are usual much closer to the dock, run in more idealist conditions.

Here’s my dilemma, the trip today was for RJ. From treasure cove. He had a mixed bag of divers leaning more to the double tank “scuppy” intermediate diver. In fact, we were only doing one dive on the tower, then moving inshore to a 100' site. Being the reasonable, and thoughtful boat Captain I am, I tried to talk RJ. OUT of going to the tower. I tried to reason with him, “why drag these guys 80 miles offshore for one 15-20 Min. Dive”. Lets stay inshore, and get in two longer dives. Makes sense, right, wrong !! RJ. Had blinders on and was focused on getting to the TOWER. So off we go, to the tower.

For this trip we leave the night before and strike a leisurely pace, arriving refreshed in the AM. As we sailed on thru the darkness, the seas would build, ad then lay down. It repeated this cycle several times. When we arrived on site, the seas were calm, and the weather sunny. RJ. Was grinning ear to ear. See I told you so, was written all over his face. I wished for a rouge wave, to smack him in the head.

The mate jumped in and quickly set the hook, and we began the business of diving. In truth the conditions were great. Every one was able to get in and have a good dive. A few bugs came up, promising a succulent dinner. The tower never fails to impress divers, just by the sheer size, and the amount of fish life. Eventually we take our leave of the tower, and head in.

The twin cats spook up, turbo chargers whistling as we head in. The weather remains nice, if not nicer as we go. I decided to bring them to the immaculata. A nice wreck in 100 ft. of water. This wreck was a wooden schooner about 200 Ft. Long. It is low lying with a distinctive bow, and chain pile, the stern is less distinct, but is there.

The mate sets the hook, and we are dropping divers in in no time. I take notice that the tie in diver is making a long dive. This tells me that either he got lost down there, or the bottom conditions are good. Some of the customers surface before the mate. They are all smiles as they climb back on the boat. Conditions were good, and their goody bags clink, with the sound of bottles. Bottles of every kind come up . Ink bottles to platters. Many of them with writing on them very cool!! It seems that a recent storm had blown thru, moving sand, exposing the bottles. The dive ends much too soon for these guys.

Eventually every one piles back on board. The deck is abuzz with activity. RJ. Has brought up a beautiful, intact, cut glass decanter. He shoots me a shit eating grin, I look around in vain, for that rouge wave. I think of a snappy line “See RJ. You should lt me pick your wrecks more often” I was two for two with this group after the Macedoine dive.

The ride in was uneventful, as the divers ate, snoozed, and swapped bottle stories. We had a boatload of happy divers when we got back. So what started off as a dilemma, worked out just fine. Though a nice Seagull dump on RJ.’s gear box would be nice.