The Sea Gypsies Enjoy Flat Seas and 40 ft Viz on the Venturo Tug.

It doesn't get much better on the ocean, especially when diving an in-shore wreck like the G.A. Venturo. On Saturday, the NYC Sea Gypsies Intro to Wreck Diving trip was blessed with sunny skies, flat seas, no current, and incredible visibility. The Venturo, a 100 ft long tug sunk in 1996 as part of the NJ artificial reef program, sits upright on the sandy bottom at 75 fsw. The Venturo, running true to form, was teaming with fish and surrounded by sea stars, some of which were "cuddling" shells inhabited by hermit crabs. A dozen sea robins foraged through the sand while a lone flounder "hid" in plain view on the sand along the starboard side of the wreck. Some of the Sea Gypsies ventured out to the cluster of five armored personnel carriers (APC) that lie about 50 ft from the stern. It was a little chilly on the bottom, but with the thermocline only 10 ft above the tie-in, it was a cozy ascent back to the boat. The day ended with a leisurely lunch of ribs (generously provided by Bill Pfeiffer - LIDA), hot dogs, sauerkraut, beans, and fresh fruit - and then a quick ride back to the dock. For some of the Sea Gypsies, this was their first wreck dive in the North Altantic - what a way to start! Join us on our next adventure. We still have a boatload of open dates for wrecks at recreational depths. And for the tech crowd, we'll be headed to the Carolina (230 fsw) and Murphy (260 fsw) on August 21st.

Capt. Rich Benevento