Deep Explorer, Virginia Beach, VA.
Wes Watlington is the owner and captain of the fiberglass 32 foot diesel powered Deep Explorer. The boat was built for diving by Wes and his father in 1995. The boat runs at about 17 knots and can go to most wrecks as far South as the North Carolina boarder to wrecks North of Cape Charles. There is lots of cabin room with four bunks and a head up forward. The club usually limits the boat to five divers. The boat is docked at the Lynnhaven Municipal Marina just off Shore Drive near the Lynnhaven inlet (See Directions).
Some of the many wrecks Wes takes us to are:
A number of unknown wooden wrecks
Brass spike wreck
Mexicana
U-111
U-240
For more detailed information, See The Ships We Dive
Or visit Mike Boring’s web site
Or visit John Conway’s web site listing of Virginia Beach wrecks
Margie II, Hatteras, NC.
Captain Art is the owner and Captain of the Margie II, a fiberglass 35 foot diesel powered dive boat that Captain Art had built to his requirements for diving in the Hatteras area. The boat is fast and carries up to 10 divers, although the club limits it to 8 divers for most trips. The cabin is roomy with a table and bench seats. Travel time to most wrecks is less than two hours. The Margie II is docked at Teach’s Lair Marina which is the last marina before the Ferry terminal. The boat can go to most of the known wrecks in the Cape Hatteras area. (See boat directions)
For a Map of the North Carolina Wrecks
Some of the wrecks Art takes us to are:
U.S.S. Tarpon (S-175),
S.S. Proteus
HMS Empire Gem
and many more
For more detailed information, See The Ships We Dive
Miss Lindsey, Virginia Beach, VA.
Captain Dave Bowden and Captain Mike Hillier run the Miss Lindsey as part of the Lynnhaven Dive Shop business. The boat is a large, fast and comfortable crew boat that normally holds up to 21 divers, although for the long overnight trips this is limited to 14 for bunk accommodations. There is a compressor on board for long trips and tanks are filled between dives. The club uses this boat because of the overnight comfort and the ability to go to. The boat is at the South side of Rudee Inlet (See Directions). For more details and a picture visit Lynnhaven Dive Center’s web page for the Miss Lindsey at:
Some of the many wrecks the Miss Lindsey goes to are:
A number of unknown wooden wrecks
Brass spike wreck
Mexicana
U-111
U-240
Benson and York
For more detailed Pictures, See The Ships We Dive
Or visit: Mike Boring’s web site
Or: John Conway’s web site listing of Virginia Beach wrecks
Roie Lee, Chincoteague, VA.
The Roie Lee is a wooden boat built for fishing in 1955. It is diesel powered with a roomy back cockpit for six divers and gear. Captain Billy Birch operates the boat for the owner, Doug Daisey. The club has used the boat since 1972 to dive the wrecks reachable from Chincoteague, Virginia where it is docked at the South end of the Island. Fishing is a frequent activity between dives and fish and lobsters are expected on most dives. (See Directions)
Some of the many wrecks that Captain Birch takes us to are:
S.S. Monroe - a passenger ship
"Sub Wreck" – an old steel freighter
Several wooden barges
"The steel sailing ship"
"The wooden sailing ship"
S.S. Atwater and S.S. Bone
Coral Beds (for lobsters)
For more detailed Pictures, See The Ships We Dive
Titan America, Ocean City, MD.
The Titan America is a twin diesel 42 foot crew boat that cruises at about 17 knots and is skippered by Captain Rick Younger. There is plenty of rear deck room with a ventilated cabin, dinette with microwave and two bunks. The boat is docked in West Ocean City, Maryland next to the municipal boat ramp and makes day trips and on Saturday night there is usually a night dive. (See Directions)
Some of the many wrecks that Captain Younger takes us to are:
SAETIA: Also known locally as one of the "twin wrecks". Freighter - Built: 1918. Sunk: November 9, 1918. Gross tonnage: 2,873. Dimensions: 322 feet long by 48 foot beam. This ship was sunk by a mine layed by the famous U-117. It lays near the upside bow section of what is believed to be the Oklahoma, a tanker, that is the other ship of the twin wrecks.
CHEROKEE: Also known locally as the "Gunboat" because of the deck gun mounted on the bow before it was established that she was the Cherokee . U.S. Navy tugboat that foundered in a summer storm. Built: 1891. Sank: 1918. Length: 120 ft. Depth: 100 ft. Sits upright in the sand. This wreck is best accessable from Indian River Inlet.
MOONSTONE: WWII patrol craft which sank due to collision with the USS Greer (DD-145) October 15, 1943. Built: 1929. Length: 171 ft. Depth: 130 ft. The Moonstone was orignially commissioned the Lone Star, a luxury steel-hulled motor yacht built in Germany and sold to the U.S. Navy in 1941. This is the most intact of the deeper wrecks out of Indian River and a very popular dive site. She sits upright in the sand and the engine room can be carefully accessed through the gash cleaved by the Greer. The 3-inch deck gun is the most awesome landmark and fell off in the winter of '97/'98 during a net dragging. Most of the depth charges still sit in their racks on the fantail.
CHINA WRECK: Name unknown. Wooden schooner designated the "China Wreck" because of the cargo of English chinaware she was carrying. Appears to have burned and sank between 1867 and 1878 from research in dating the china (Gary Gentile incorrectly states it circa 1876, a transposition typo'). Discovered in 1970 during routine hydrographic survey. Length: 135 ft. Depth: 45 ft. Has offered up literally thousands of pieces of china to avid recreational divers over the years. In spite of the shallow depth, this is not a novice dive due to the heavy current and usually low visibility. This wreck is best accessable from Indian River Inlet.
MANHATTAN: Passenger-freighter which sank in collision with the schooner Agnes Manning. Built: 1879. Sank: 1889. Length: 228 ft. Depth: 90 ft. Most of the wreck is flat to the bottom with the hull plates collapsed outward. Two big anchors remain at the bow with the engines and boilers obvious and squares of the cargo holds clearly discernible. A good digging wreck as well as a good lobster wreck. We've seen a ship's lantern, women's high top leather shoes, mantle clock and lots of other goodies come up in recent years.
NINA: Iron hulled U.S. Navy tug which foundered at sea. Built: 1865. Sunk: 1910. Length: 137 ft. Depth: 80 ft. A favorite digging wreck continuing to produce many artifacts for the diligent salvage hound. Good "bug" catchers can usually find a lobster if they try. The ribs of the bow are very apparent and are of good relief. Take care with the stern section, as a fishing trawler dropped its net over it in 1994.WASHINGTONIAN: Freighter carrying cargo of sugar from Honolulu. Sank in a collision with the Elizabeth Palmer. Built: 1914. Sank: 1915. Length: 407 ft. Depth: 100 ft. Highest relief is 20 ft., lies upside down, a mass of large broken hull plates. You can swim right through the bow section which is a hang out for large schools of fish. A favorite lobster wreck, especially on night dives.
ELIZABETH PALMER: Wooden five-masted schooner, one of the largest American sailing vessels of her time. Sank in collision with the Washingtonian. Built: 1903. Sank: 1915. Length: 300 ft. Depth: 90 ft. Long rows of low lying ribs with good hiding places for lobster and tautog.
JAKE'S: Unknown broken up wooden wreck. Depth: 70 ft. A favorite second dive site for many charters. The major underwater landmark is a large anchor and chainpile which frequently provide a hiding place for large lobsters. Home to many varieties of fish.
WENDY'S: Unknown wooden wreck with extensive ribs of varying size. A large spread out wreck. Depth: 105 ft. A favorite bug wreck.
H BUOY: Also known as "Sandy's Anchor Wreck" and "H Bar". Large broken up unidentified wooden wreck. The bow section lies low to the sand with the anchor and chain identifying it. The stern section has 10 ft.+ relief with lots of cubby holes for lobsters. Depth: 85 ft.
FENWICK SHOALS: Home to several broken up low lying wrecks with boilers present on both the inner and outer sites. Inner Fenwick depth: 35 ft. Outer Fenwick depth: 25 ft. The Thresham and the Brinkburn are rumored to be two of the overlapping wrecks on the shoals. Local instructors do open water check-out dives there. There can be a stiff current and there is virtually always a surge, sometimes quite strong. Most of the wreck is covered by bright yellow encrusting sponge and myriad starfish. On good visibility days, divers can be seen on the bottom from the surface. Among the many inhabitants of the shoals are stingrays, tautog, sea bass, trigger fish, butterfly fish, puffer fish and the occasional stargazer or turtle.
HVOSLEF: Freighter torpedoed by U-94 March 10, 1942. Built: 1927. Length: 255 ft. Depth: 140 ft. The Hvoslef was carrying sugar from Spain to Boston when she was struck by 2 torpedoes. The ship sank in 2 minutes. The bow is the most intact part of the wreck. The midships is open, exposing the engine and boilers, and the stern breaks down into the sand. Portholes and other nautical treasures are still being found by diligent salvage hounds. Lobster and tautog are among the inhabitants.
JACOB JONES: Destroyer torpedoed by the U- 578 on February 28, 1942. Built: 1919. Length: 314 ft. Depth: 120 ft. The Jacob Jones is basically plastered all over the sea-bed. There are several sections, the largest being the mid-ship section consisting of boilers, engine and associated stern wreckage. The mid-ship torpedo tubes lie atop the mass of debris with the torpedoes still inside. Gun shells are commonly recovered from the site.
NORTHERN PACIFIC: Passenger liner destroyed by fire February 8, 1992. Built: 1915. Length: 509 ft. Depth: 150 ft. The Northern Pacific's upside down hull is almost perfectly intact, although several broad breaks allow access to the interior including the engine room. The port side is ripped outward exposing portholes, many of which lie loose in the sand. Large lobsters are found in the debris field that extends out into the sand.
CITY OF GEORGETOWN: Four-masted schooner which sank in a collison with the USS Prinz Oskar on February 2, 1913. Built: 1902. Length: 168 ft. Depth: 110 ft. Largely sanded in, with wooden beams and ribs sticking out five feet or less from the bottom.
CITY OF ATHENS: Passenger-freighter which sank in a collision with the French cruiser La Gloire in the wee hours of the morning on May 1, 1918 with 67 lives lost. Built: 1911. Length: 309 ft. Depth: 110 ft. Also known as the "Ammo Wreck" because of the vast quantities of 8 mm LaBelle cartridges recovered regularly by divers. These were part of the cargo. This is a fantastic digging wreck with not only thousands of bullets recovered, mostly from cases broken up on the port side near the bow, but also large quantities of pharmaceutical bottles, some still with contents and corks intact. The nicest piece we've seen come up was a sterling silver gentleman's pocket watch. Just forward of the engines is the place to dig for assorted glassware and china. This wreck is best accessable from Indian River Inlet.
CLEOPATRA: Passenger-freighter carrying a cargo of cotton which sank in a collision with the Crystal Wave on October 29, 1889. Built: 1865. Length: 184 ft. Depth: 100 ft. Generally dived in conjunction with the City of Athens on the way back to the dock. This wreck is best accessable from Indian River Inlet.
CRYSTAL WAVE: Sidewheel excursion steamer sunk in a collision with the Cleopatra on October 29, 1889. Built: 1874. Gross tonnage: 777. Length: 203 ft. Beam: 22. Depth: 100 ft.
SAN GIL: A freighter carrying bananas which was torpedoed to her watery grave by the U-103 on February 4, 1942. Built: 1920. Length: 325 ft. Depth: 140 ft. Although some sections are broken up, the main wreckage is pretty much in one piece with a list to the starboard side.
DRY DOCKS: Five different large sets of dry-docks were scuttled at different locations and depths to the sand of 130-140 ft. The top of the docks can usually be reached at 100-110 ft. They are home to large pelagic schools, huge starfish, anemones, mussels and lobsters. They are located in the general vicinity of the Moonstone and other wrecks out of Indian River.
POSEIDON: Freighter which sank in a collision with the SS Somerset July 31, 1918. Built: 1914. Length: 295 ft. Depth: 90 ft. Also known as the "Little Oiler". The bow is recognizable, a good hide-out for large lobsters, but most of the wreck consists of overlapping steel hull plates which lie flat to the sand.
JENNIFER'S: Unknown wooden wreck, mostly large ribs. Depth: 80 ft. A favorite site for lobster. Also known as the "Bingo" wreck.
KING COBRA: Steel-hulled tug which foundered in a winter storm. Built: 1887. Sank: 1979. Length: 67 ft. Depth: 45 ft. Intact and upright in the sand near the mouth of the Delaware Bay. Home to some large tautog. Ripping current. Usually dived in conjunction with the China Wreck. This wreck is best accessable from Indian River Inlet.
PATTY'S PITCHER: Unidentified wooden wreck generally thought of as a good lobster wreck. Depth: 105 ft.
and many more.
For more detailed Pictures, See The Ships We Dive
Wreck Master, Virginia Beach, VA.
Captain John Conway owns and operates the Wreck Master out of Virginia Beach. The boat is a 55 foot, fast and comfortable crew boat that normally holds up to 10 divers or more, although for the long overnight trips this is limited to 6 for bunk accommodations. For more details on the boat, visit John’s Boat page
The boat is docked at the marina on the west side of Great Neck road. (See Directions).
Some of the many wrecks the Wreck Master goes to are:
A number of unknown wooden wrecks
Brass spike wreck
Mexicana
U-111
U-240
Benson and York
For more detailed information, See The Ships We Dive
Or visit John Conway’s web site listing of Virginia Beach wrecks
Also see "Charter Boats" for pictures in the Photo Album section.
**********************************************
Directions to boats:
Deep Explorer, Virginia Beach, VA.
The boat is docked at Lynnhaven Inlet municipal harbor. It is at the end of the road which exits Shore Drive on the East side of the Lynnhaven Bridge.
Margie II, Hatteras, NC
The boat is docked at Teach’s Lair in Hatteras. It is the last marina on the right, before the ferry terminal.
Miss Lindsey, Virginia Beach, VA.
The boat is docked at the south side of Rudee Inlet on the Ocean side. There is plenty of dockside parking.
Roie Lee, Chincoteague, VA.
The boat is docked at Merritt harbor at the south end of Chincoteague. Go South to the end of the road, as just before the campground entrance, turn left. The Roie Lee is about the fifth one on the left.
Titan America, Ocean City, MD.
The boat is docked at West Ocean City, next to the municipal boat ramp.
Wreck Master, Virginia Beach, VA
The boat is currently docked at the marina on the west side of Great Neck Road just before the bridge a couple blocks south of Shore drive and just East of Lynnhaven Inlet. The boat is near the fuel dock.