Bottomless diving on the Riviera
June 23, 2011Don’t know if you guys have seen this or not. It’s a video that was put on YouTube last year about Bottomless diving. They took the Riviera out and it was a beautiful day! Enjoy the eerie looking creatures!
ACE VIDEO and News Clip from California Diving News!
March 10, 2011CLICK HERE TO READ ABOUT THE ACE WRECK!
A.C.E. Wreck Dive Report
December 15, 2010
Ace wreck Dana Point from Partial Pressure Productions on Vimeo.
We pulled up yesterday at 8 a.m. The weatherman had called for warm temperatures and they couldn’t have been more correct in their assessment. It was 70 degrees outside at 8 a.m. and the water was like glass. Every few minutes you’d see a small swell slide under the boat; but other than that, it was smooth as glass.
I gathered up our team and went through our briefing. We had some work to do on this second dive. Our mooring lines needed attention and we decided that we should set up an Advanced Line for instructors visiting the wreck. As we decended into the depths, it was apparent that this second dive would be better than the first. At 82 feet, I could see the wreck clearly. She sits in 115 feet of water and rises to about 90 feet. But, here I was looking at the entire wreck!
I descended and cut the first line and started setting up the Advanced Line while Bobby worked on disconnecting the clevis from the original mooring line. The team swung over and enjoyed looking at the riggings and the beautiful metridiums that are decorated all over the A.C.E.
On the seafloor, Chob sat on the bottom on his knees and snapping picture after picture. I couldn’t wait to see those pictures! I knew that they would be good with the 30+ feet of visibility today.
Scott Marshutz was on my team and after we were done lowering the mooring rig (a feat that took about three minutes), we wandered over to the wheelhouse of the A.C.E. You see, Scott has been investigating the A.C.E. since her discovery. He has contacted numerous crew members and has probably forgotten more about this wreck than I’ve ever known. Our mission on this dive was to find a personal article to take back to the Captain.
Once Scott realized what I was pulling on, he started to help. We slowly pulled the jacket and started our ascent back to the surface. I could feel hard stuff in the pockets, so I hoped that it was a wallet or something that we could return to the rightful owner.
When we reached the surface, we searched the jacket to find nothing. But, now Scott has something to return to the Captain of the A.C.E. We made a deal that we would bring one thing from the wreck and that was it. Now, we have left everything on board and this wreck is sitting on the seafloor with everything she had on her when she sank.
Come down and see this wreck guys. You will be impressed.
Thanks to Chris T., Giovanni, Bobby K., Derek E., Chob V., Marty M., Steve A. and everyone that was on the boat along with everyone that has ever dived in Southern California with me! I will miss you guys!!!!
D.J. Mansfield