Man what a day. I hope you get compensated enough. Do you have your own business ? If so let me know. Can pass the word around.
Wild surprise diving
5
Charter captains are keeping me busy diving. One snagged up anchor at bay bridge - put two jugs on rode for me. Went Monday - getting ready as slack neared. It would only be short window to dive - outgoing predicted at almost 2 knots. That is ripping.
Geared up and went over - followed rode to chain in 25 feet.
![May be an image of 1 person]()
![May be an image of 1 person and boat]()
Pulled myself slowly - finding chain wrapped around a 1 inch rebar. Cool , simple job - nope. Followed chain to anchor - it was wedged in solid on rebar plus a chain of old rusted up anchor. I twisted / pulled but no luck. Was able to lay on the concrete chunk and dig a hole to free anchor. Put lift bag on it and followed it to surface. Left it in my driveway for captain to pick up - with a note. lol
![May be an image of text that says 'Best Snagged Ancher Awatd']()
My crew and I tried for Spot - striking out. Did not matter as heard a very tough bite on the Rockfish.
Ran in about 2 pm - had another dive job. Charter captain was getting fuel and when he reversed - shaft broke. 24 inch prop laying on bottom - close to $3,000.00 to replace.
Met him at marina at 5 30 - after fuel dock was closed. Swam out to where he lost it and lowered a weight to use as descent line. Only about 10 feet - I slowly began a circle search in 18 inch increments. My light was not much use as I stirred up the mud but it did reflect off stainless steel.
Ah right - the shaft - nope , 10 inch knife , ****. I circled slowly - finding old bottles , small pieces of wood , a badmitten racket. I bumped into a piling from place I got into water. This meant I had searched large area. I surfaced - telling captain I would go back over area. Perhaps prop had sank into mud bottom.
Went round and round again - finding same odd items. No depression in bottom to indicate prop sinking. Surfaced to check my air - down to about 700 PSI. Start at 3,000 psi and good to surface around 500. I figured since so shallow - could take tank low. Around 200 PSI - it gets tight , you can tell PSI is low.
Captain guided me on surface out a ways - farther than I had searched. I dropped to bottom - planning to do a 180* +/- arc. Had gone about 20 feet and felt prop blade. Oh yeah. I got to work quickly - tying a short rope around prop. Learned hard way - nothing for lift bag clips to grab.
I could feel barnacles on prop blades but no shaft. Put lift bag on it and inflated - using up a lot of air left. Prop did not move - hmmm . Second bag - now air was getting low. Two bags and prop still suck in mud. I wrestled it free and up it went.
I surfaced with it - captain ready with extra rope. Swam it to dock - tying the prize and then coming up ladder to help pull it in. I thought captain was teasing me when he said - you found a prop but not my prop. WTF ????
Once on dock - I could see 4 blades and much larger than a 24 incher. This beast was about 40 inches - no wonder I had trouble with lift bags.
![May be an image of 1 person]()
![May be an image of 1 person]()
We both shook our heads at the crazy odds of another prop in a small search area. I was ready to go back in with second tank but he was already late for family event. Plan to go back Thursday evening and find his. I figure no need to root through mud if this big prop down there for some time was half way out. This will allow me to search much faster.
If the big prop checks out - worth some $$$$. Did not see any nicks at all - hopefully no pitting from electrolysis. Heard this size can be $8,000.00 new - I can only imagine what owner said after losing it.
Geared up and went over - followed rode to chain in 25 feet.
Pulled myself slowly - finding chain wrapped around a 1 inch rebar. Cool , simple job - nope. Followed chain to anchor - it was wedged in solid on rebar plus a chain of old rusted up anchor. I twisted / pulled but no luck. Was able to lay on the concrete chunk and dig a hole to free anchor. Put lift bag on it and followed it to surface. Left it in my driveway for captain to pick up - with a note. lol
My crew and I tried for Spot - striking out. Did not matter as heard a very tough bite on the Rockfish.
Ran in about 2 pm - had another dive job. Charter captain was getting fuel and when he reversed - shaft broke. 24 inch prop laying on bottom - close to $3,000.00 to replace.
Met him at marina at 5 30 - after fuel dock was closed. Swam out to where he lost it and lowered a weight to use as descent line. Only about 10 feet - I slowly began a circle search in 18 inch increments. My light was not much use as I stirred up the mud but it did reflect off stainless steel.
Ah right - the shaft - nope , 10 inch knife , ****. I circled slowly - finding old bottles , small pieces of wood , a badmitten racket. I bumped into a piling from place I got into water. This meant I had searched large area. I surfaced - telling captain I would go back over area. Perhaps prop had sank into mud bottom.
Went round and round again - finding same odd items. No depression in bottom to indicate prop sinking. Surfaced to check my air - down to about 700 PSI. Start at 3,000 psi and good to surface around 500. I figured since so shallow - could take tank low. Around 200 PSI - it gets tight , you can tell PSI is low.
Captain guided me on surface out a ways - farther than I had searched. I dropped to bottom - planning to do a 180* +/- arc. Had gone about 20 feet and felt prop blade. Oh yeah. I got to work quickly - tying a short rope around prop. Learned hard way - nothing for lift bag clips to grab.
I could feel barnacles on prop blades but no shaft. Put lift bag on it and inflated - using up a lot of air left. Prop did not move - hmmm . Second bag - now air was getting low. Two bags and prop still suck in mud. I wrestled it free and up it went.
I surfaced with it - captain ready with extra rope. Swam it to dock - tying the prize and then coming up ladder to help pull it in. I thought captain was teasing me when he said - you found a prop but not my prop. WTF ????
Once on dock - I could see 4 blades and much larger than a 24 incher. This beast was about 40 inches - no wonder I had trouble with lift bags.
We both shook our heads at the crazy odds of another prop in a small search area. I was ready to go back in with second tank but he was already late for family event. Plan to go back Thursday evening and find his. I figure no need to root through mud if this big prop down there for some time was half way out. This will allow me to search much faster.
If the big prop checks out - worth some $$$$. Did not see any nicks at all - hopefully no pitting from electrolysis. Heard this size can be $8,000.00 new - I can only imagine what owner said after losing it.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
Break out another THOUSAND!!! Hold my beer!!!Charter captains are keeping me busy diving. One snagged up anchor at bay bridge - put two jugs on rode for me. Went Monday - getting ready as slack neared. It would only be short window to dive - outgoing predicted at almost 2 knots. That is ripping.
Geared up and went over - followed rode to chain in 25 feet.
![May be an image of 1 person]()
![May be an image of 1 person and boat]()
Pulled myself slowly - finding chain wrapped around a 1 inch rebar. Cool , simple job - nope. Followed chain to anchor - it was wedged in solid on rebar plus a chain of old rusted up anchor. I twisted / pulled but no luck. Was able to lay on the concrete chunk and dig a hole to free anchor. Put lift bag on it and followed it to surface. Left it in my driveway for captain to pick up - with a note. lol
![May be an image of text that says 'Best Snagged Ancher Awatd''Best Snagged Ancher Awatd']()
My crew and I tried for Spot - striking out. Did not matter as heard a very tough bite on the Rockfish.
Ran in about 2 pm - had another dive job. Charter captain was getting fuel and when he reversed - shaft broke. 24 inch prop laying on bottom - close to $3,000.00 to replace.
Met him at marina at 5 30 - after fuel dock was closed. Swam out to where he lost it and lowered a weight to use as descent line. Only about 10 feet - I slowly began a circle search in 18 inch increments. My light was not much use as I stirred up the mud but it did reflect off stainless steel.
Ah right - the shaft - nope , 10 inch knife , ****. I circled slowly - finding old bottles , small pieces of wood , a badmitten racket. I bumped into a piling from place I got into water. This meant I had searched large area. I surfaced - telling captain I would go back over area. Perhaps prop had sank into mud bottom.
Went round and round again - finding same odd items. No depression in bottom to indicate prop sinking. Surfaced to check my air - down to about 700 PSI. Start at 3,000 psi and good to surface around 500. I figured since so shallow - could take tank low. Around 200 PSI - it gets tight , you can tell PSI is low.
Captain guided me on surface out a ways - farther than I had searched. I dropped to bottom - planning to do a 180* +/- arc. Had gone about 20 feet and felt prop blade. Oh yeah. I got to work quickly - tying a short rope around prop. Learned hard way - nothing for lift bag clips to grab.
I could feel barnacles on prop blades but no shaft. Put lift bag on it and inflated - using up a lot of air left. Prop did not move - hmmm . Second bag - now air was getting low. Two bags and prop still suck in mud. I wrestled it free and up it went.
I surfaced with it - captain ready with extra rope. Swam it to dock - tying the prize and then coming up ladder to help pull it in. I thought captain was teasing me when he said - you found a prop but not my prop. WTF ????
Once on dock - I could see 4 blades and much larger than a 24 incher. This beast was about 40 inches - no wonder I had trouble with lift bags.
![May be an image of 1 person]()
![May be an image of 1 person]()
We both shook our heads at the crazy odds of another prop in a small search area. I was ready to go back in with second tank but he was already late for family event. Plan to go back Thursday evening and find his. I figure no need to root through mud if this big prop down there for some time was half way out. This will allow me to search much faster.
If the big prop checks out - worth some $$$$. Did not see any nicks at all - hopefully no pitting from electrolysis. Heard this size can be $8,000.00 new - I can only imagine what owner said after losing it.
1 - 20 of 20 Posts
