Dive 1: Deep Freeze

With its super structure removed. The Deep Freeze is a hull with three huge cargo holds with two floors in each hold. The max depth is about 135ft, but the average is about 120ft. The current was running north so we relaxed in the holds and pulled ourselves to the bow.

Besides a few schools of Tomtates, there were few fish on the wreck. Up at the bow we looked over to find a few Blue Tang and Ocean Surgeon fish feeding. We drifted back over the cargo holds to the stern section about 2/3 the way back where the wreck is twisted and collapsed.

A Black Grouper shot off under the wreck for cover. We swam through some of the debris and I ended up face to face with a Greater Soapfish. After 30 minutes we drifted off the stern for a smooth clean ascent.

 

Dive 2: Schoolmaster Ledge

Time to bust out the scooter again. This is my first boat dive with my Gavin. Its been in the pool and off Datura for a shore dive. Jody was taking Andrea for her first scooter dive. I tagged along and practice the drills while I adjusted the tow cord. After the drills, Jody wanted to look for a hole in the reef rumored to be dug out by a large ship whose anchor had drug.

After the drills we took off over the reef. Andrea had practiced the OOA scooter drill with Jody. At one point we stopped to look around and Andrea was a ways off from me. I looked over and gave her an OOA. Her eyes widened, she let go of the scooter and tried to swim to me. The scooter stopped her like an anchor and she couldn’t make it in time. I pointed to my scooter indicating she should use it to get to me. I had to take another breath in the mean time. She got the scooter in front of her and came charging over to save me. I had to give her the slip like a raging bull as she motored right up to me to donate the long hose. Toro, Toro, I had gas again. Time to relearn and practice all the basic skills again.

We motored further and I was falling behind Jody and Andrea. Listening to my scooter, the motor didn’t sound right. I would pause, pull the trigger and it would take of and then moan as the rpm on the prop slowed. I thought, “Dam, the battery is dying!” But I charged it between dives? Logic aside, the reality was she didn’t have any more juice and running this battery to 0 is just as bad as the canister lights. I signaled my team my battery was done by pointing to the mid section and giving the “slow down” signal. Jody picked right up on it.

I let Andrea and Jody tow me along on their scooters. We also did some OOA towing. We came up on huge, dense school of fish. Jody charged in through the heart and a 10-15ft hole opened up below him as the fish moved out of the way.

On one side we could see the trench from the drag, but I could see how an anchor could dig out of 75ft diameter round hole in the reef? There was a ton of fish in the site, Green moray eel, and other friends.

We drifted further and found another curious section of reef that was completely flat. Like a steamroller flatted it out. Looking back I could see the v-shape patter and realized it was a large grounding site. We thumbed the dive and came home.

At home, I had to solve the mystery of my scooter. I purchased a current meter months ago so it was time to put it to work. The batteries were at 23.8, which is less than 12V each so there were drained. Why didn’t they charge? The meter reading was bouncing all over the place on the Mako charger’s plug. On a wild guess, I looked at the back to the charger. The switch was set to 220V instead of 110V. I plugged the batteries in, the red “fast charging” light came on. The batteries and charger heated up as the juice flowed. My Gavin wasn’t charged after the pool session or the shore dive. She was dead, but would live to dive again.

I emailed Trey about my issue and resolution and he wrote me back saying it was good I knew how to use a meter. “Parker Turner almost killed himself that way!” Trey and Parker were going on a big dive and Parker’s tow scooter wasn’t charged because his switch was on 220V.

–Matt