Posted by Chris on August 13, 2002 at 22:27:42:
Last Sunday, August 11, 2002, I went to the wreck of the Moody and the Oil Rig Eureka with the Sea Divers on the Great Escape.
I have been on several trips before to the Moody but they were all aborted because of near zero visibility, however this time was different!
When we arrived at the Moody, I was ready to go with my twin 75s, and so was Kevin Rottner with his giant crowbar strapped to his twin 104s.
The plan was I was to go down, check out the vis, and release a styrofoam plate if it was good.
However when we got to the site, Kevin had to be the first one down with his crowbar.
When I got to the bottom I found the anchor draped across the bow section, and about 35 foot visibility.
I released the plate, but I thing because of the half knot current, no one on the boat saw it.
While on the wreck I saw about 10 very large lingcod, which are protected there because of the depth.
The biggest one was about 16 lbs.
I also saw one spot with four very large metridium anemones.
The temperature at 144 ft. was 53°F.
My dive was about 22 minutes of bottom time, and 23 minutes of deco.
I elected to sit out the second dive there for several reasons.
First, I like to have at least 2 hours of SIT after a deco dive.
Second, I wanted some bottom time for the Eureka oil rig.
While watching other people dive I observed Phil Bergeron doing the rebreather prayer, and a dive computer do a dive without the diver.
We then headed for Eureka, and I was the first one in.
This rig is a no take zone, as designated by the oil company that owns it.
It was lush and beautiful, covered with large scallops, especially in the 80 to 140 ft. range.
The vis here was near 100 ft.
There were thousands of blacksmith, and a school of anchovies, but no large game fish.
I saw many sheepshead, but they were all small.
I did see one very large Garibaldi, with his nest in the open end of a large pipe.
To me the life on the oil rig made it a much better dive than the Moody.
I might go back to the Moody, but I will always go on a rig dive!
Pictures from the trip can be found at http://CaliforniaDiveBoats.com/GreatEscape/2002.08.11/ including the officers of the California Wreck Divers.
John Walker was the DM for this trip.
He was very low key and did a very professional job!
