High Times on the High Seas

The John Jack was locked and loaded as we left the marina at 4AM Monday with the group of top-notch divers assembled by Mark "Sharky" Alexander. The predawn glow in the eastern sky combined with the wind tousling my hair stirred the same strong emotions that seagoing men have felt for thousands of years. The John Jack waited out the weather by tacking slowly to our first destination, the wreck of the cruise ship SS Carolina. The Carolina is a WWI casualty sunk by U-151 on June 2, 1918, known in maritime lore as Black Sunday (http://njscuba.net/sites/site_black_sunday.html#Carolina). As predicted by NOAA, the seas improved, but as we drew close to the dive site, the ocean grew angry and we were forced to retreat. Plan B, the Resor, was a long haul, but we arrived in time to put divers Dan Wright and Sherwood Probeck in the water for a dusk/night dive. A night dive on the Resor; the food virtually crawls into your goodie bag. Dan and Sherwood collected enough scallops to make a nice lunch for all on board - thanks guys. With the off-shore seas still raging, we abandoned plans to reach the wreck of the destroyer Murphy and instead headed further in-shore to the Stolt. Two nice dives, but not what we planned. As sailors, divers, and wise men know, you take what the ocean offers - and nothing more. Indeed, some of the wrecks we dive are a testament to the enthusiasm of foolish sailors. With Hurricane Irene huffing and puffing its way up the coast, we're busy checking the buoys and the NOAA forecast to determine if we can put Sharky's group on the U-869, aka Hitler's lost sub.

Captain Rich Benevento

Comments

[Dan Wright]

Hey Rich:
Thanks for the effort on the SS Carolina/USS Murphy trip. We made the best of it, important thing was we all came back safe and no damaged equipment, to the boat or personal. Wild tung was we were out during the earthquake, and Avery rare night dive on the RP Resor. Excellent conditions on the wreck, 50' + visibility, mid fifties water temps, no current and scallops galore. The lobster was out walking around in the open, as it was night... Making for easy target!
See you guys soon,
-Dan