Conditions

Winds: East 5 knots

Seas: Less than 1ft

Air Temp: 90

Water Temp: 76 bottom

Current: Slight North, strong mid-water current 20-100ft

Visibility: 70ft

Dive 1: Ultra Freeze

9:16 AM

S: Jody and Matt

A: 21/35 and 50%

D: 120’ plan, 126’max

D: 30” plan, 28” bottom time, 45” run time

D: around the site

D: 90 deep, 70/3 60/1 50/1 40/1 30/2 20/5 10/3

PSI: 3300/1800

The Ultra Freeze is a 194ft refrigeration ship sunk in July 1984 in 120ft of water. We had a 20-minute run around Cape Florida and headed south to the RJ Diving Ventures Site off Dade County.

Our ball was straight up in the calm water, but at 30 ft it revealed a stiff current running North and colder green water. However we had a good purchase on the wreck.

Inside the stern section there are many penetration opportunities. This wreck was not as sterile as others I’ve been in. Large cables hang from the ceiling making it look more suitable for the monkey exhibit at the local zoo. We swam down a staircase to the bottom of the ship. The walls were crushed in so we exited from a crease in the bottom of the ship. From there we swam up the site to the crack.

The ship was broken into a L-shape in hurricane Andrew. At the crack we swam into the cargo hold. Three decks of open space now filled with grunts. I was peaking in all the shadows looking for Mr. Big, but no Goliath to be on this wreck.

Jody and I exited on the deck and headed for the bow. There was a lot of equipment left up on the deck. We peered out over the wreck and left the current drift us back over it. Robert and Charlie had already freed the Bruce anchor and started knotting up the line.

There was some confusion between the teams in Robert looking like he was ready to rope up the anchor and ascend. Jody was hugging the bottom drifting at the hard bottom relief. I gave Jody the thumb and we headed up with the other team. I enjoy drifting with the ball over shooting lift bags, but knotting up the line is a hassle and requires a lot of work and gas.

Back on the boat we brainstormed about just shooting the anchor on a bag and line. Then at the crest of the line, switch over to the float ball side to finish our deco.

Dive 2: Tarpoon Wreck and Reef

11:14 AM

S: Jody and Matt

A: 32% Stage

D: 60’ plan 71’ max

D: 60” plan/ 50” bottom time, 53” run time

D: Around the wreck, drift over reed on liftbag

D: 40’ deep, minimum deco

PSI: 310000/900

This 165ft steel ship was sunk in May 1988. It was a ways off the reef when it was put down. Andrew did a number on it crunching it up like a piece of paper and slamming it into the base of the reef. Now its an incredible site full of fish life.

We dropped on the reef with a slight swim over to the wreck. Huge schools of grunts, waves of yellow tail goatfish in the sand, grouper darting in and out and pale Gray and Lane snapper hunt for food.

Halfway down the wreckage, a Goliath darted in to his protective ledge. We locked eyes and stared at each other. I snuck up behind a piece of wreckage and stuck my camera out in his face attempting a close up shot. After a couple seconds he disappeared into the wreckage with a puff of sand.

We kept working our way down and I found a large crab entangled in monofilament. His large claw was all wrapped up and attached at three points. Wow, he had to work to get this messed up. But he was still alive. I got out the sea snips and knife to go to work on him. I should have free the wraps around the claw before cutting the mono holding him in place. I cut off as much as I could and once free the crab took off for the shelter of the wreckage.

At the stern I found parts of the drive shaft and props. This was the most identifiable part of the wreckage.

From there we drifted over the reef at about 70ft. There were a couple Black Grouper and lots of baby Hogfish. I chased a Rock Beauty around and snapped an interesting photo in though the focus isn’t’ quite perfect.

The Tarpoon is an excellent reef wreck combo site that is rare and unique to South Florida Diving.

–Matt