I dove for years in the Mediterranean, mostly off the Riviera between Marseille & Nice. Limestone coastal mountains plunge directly into the sea, making some of the most beautiful underwater seascapes in the world. People do come from all over the world to dive there, but for some reason it's not a zoo like the Caribbean, especially out of Marseille bases - Marseille's a tough town that still doesn't attract too much tourism.

Dove with a small local club of old-school hard-core divers. These were the old guys who'd learned from doing. Lots of very very bad habits. A dive in the morning, then barbecued sardines and a bottle of wine for lunch (not me), then back out for an afternoon dive. Terrible. The dive boat was a Zodiac. No radio.

Nice 20-deg C water in summer, but I'd quit for the season when it hit ~13-deg C in ~November. That was some cold diving. Nice and clear at that temp, though.

 

I loved to dive the WWII Japanese ship wrecks in Truk, Micronesia, the viz was pretty good, not Carribean clear but good. Just love the history.

 

It would have been fantistic to have dove in the locations that you have. The only place that may be slightly comparable would have been Cozumel which the vis was 200 feet+ but otherwise I dove up and down the California coast. I can definitely relate regarding the "old timers" in that on one occasion there was a long-time diver who punctured his eardrum 6 times!

I do not know when you started but I had it made with the BC where the old "Lloyd Bridges" style without the BC must have been most difficult.

I did go on the same boat most times and the Dive Master and the Captain would allow me to jump in without resurfacing with the Ok signal which, as you well know, allowed me to carry less weights. Personally, I enjoy the Cold Water and usually wore a "shorty" at night and most thought I was CRAZY and I probably was but I did enjoy it except for the Thermoclynes. Burrrrrrrr!

Even though one of the most dangerous sports there is nothing in my view that even comes close to "a whole new world" in diving; agreed?

Happy Diving!

Mark

Postscript: Now that I live in the Mojave Desert my diving days are over; darn. Not too many Oceans out here. Ha ha!

 

Hello fellow diver!

I had always wanted to explore the old wrecks as you have but oh well. Did not have the privilege to dive in the Carribean but primarily up and down the California coast with the exception of Cancun and Cozumel with Cozumel the best that I personally experienced but a far cry from your sites. I concur with the history and there are some phenomenal sites all over the world!

Happy diving and remember the #1 rule; never stop breathing! Ha ha! Without question, the best sport that I have ever participated in as I stated in another reply it is a "whole new world" under the surface with Spectacular Colors and all types of some wild looking sea life. There was a group that would sit on the bottom for the Nitrogen "High" but sounds rather foolish and potentially very dangerous as well.

Take care and Godspeed!

Mark

Postscript: I must confess that I caught the illegal undersized Lobsters but shucks I had $3,000 invested in equipment so I thought I may as well get some return! Now do not report me to Fish & Game!

 

On September 8, 1923, 7 destroyers piled on the rocks during a heavy coastal fog at Devil's Jaw, off the Honda, west of Lompoc, north of Point Conception.

The area can only be reached from the ocean, as the beach is part of Vandenberg AFB, and only when the tide is slack, so it's a crap shoot.

Besides the remains of the destroyers, there's also the wreck of the coastal liner SS Harvard, which went on the rocks about the same time as the destroyers. Nearby is the remains of the Yankee Blade, a sailing ship that went on the rocks in the 1850's.

Off the coast of Kwajalein, is the WWII German Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen, which survived the A-Bomb blast at Bikini Atoll. It was towed to Kwajalein Atoll in 1946, but was leaking, and it capsized off the beach of Enubuh Island.

About 100 feet of the aft part of the ship is out of water. Several years ago divers from Germany removed one of the props, it's now on display in Hamburg.

 

Good job my fellow diver! Hey, any diving is great as long as the Vis is adequate. One time while living in Long Beach, CA I called a Dive Shop in Laguna Beach and asked what the Vis was and was told 60-80 so I drove there and discovered that is was only 15' so ABORT and wait for another day. Darn Dive Shop but at least the drive was nice.

I desired to train for Dive Master and then Underwater Welder; BIG BUCKS! No time as I was working full-time and a full load at College there was no extra time but oh well. I almost drowned on one dive as I was paired with an inexperienced Diver who was very overweight and was breathing like an old Locomotive and when we surfaced he immediately panicked and before I knew it he grabbed me and I was kicking as hard as ever to keep us both up and had to immediately jettison his weight belt and did the old backward tow back to the boat. This was his first and last dive as the Dive Master said NO! I never paired again and dove alone at night off the shore which was considerably more fun and no more "close calls." I had approximately 200 dives so I felt comfortable enough to dive alone. Obviously, this is not "by the book" but it was a personal choice.

Keep up the good work and go for as many Certs as you want as long as you enjoy it which is all that matters!

Mark

 

I am jealous!

We took off to the Destroyer destination one time but rough seas came up after about five miles from leaving the dock so we had to abort; damn.

I cannot remember his name but he has found millions in old treasure chests from shipwrecks from the 1800's and earlier I believe but I do not remember. Perhaps you know his name as he has found several and I watched a couple of Programs showing his discoveries.

My favorite along with several others is Jacques Cousteau who invented the regulator if I am correct but I forget what he named it but when I got out of diving it was still the best regulator ever made up to that point. It was a "front" breather, all chrome plated with no side vents and large; perhaps you know what model it is? I used all U.S Divers Gear and had Custom Suits made only because they fit like a glove but they were quite expensive but well worth it to me at least. I used a 3mm Shorty and a 7.5mm lined complete with fitted lined booties. You probably were a PADI member as was I and we always joked, "Put Another Dollar In." Ha ha!

I used the Dolphin 90's as they had a negative full weight of about 2-3 pounds; no Aluminum Tanks for me! I listened to the experienced divers when I started and they informed me that you had to work harder with the extra weights and of course they were correct.

Take care and have fun!

Mark

Take care and happy diving!!!

Mark

 

When filled with beer I bet you used a Straw instead of a Snorkel! I better retract this as a Snorkel would pull more beer. When you were done diving did you surface or go deep for more?

Take care!

Mark

 

I used to dive a lot. Then I got certified and have only went once since then.....

 

By viewing the replies we have a lot of diving buddies! Fords and Diving; definitely a good combination.

Have fun and remember the bubbles always rise. Just kidding as obviously you know! Ha ha.

The best I did was Cozumel and Cancun but these are pale in comparison to the other replies but it was a lot of fun!

Mark

 

I could pull out the Caterpillar D1, aka a Shovel and dig a pond but I am 54 so I would "run out of gas" after a few feet! Perhaps I could at least last long enough for a soaking pool?

By the way I enjoy your Posts/Replies!

Mark

 

Skin divers in the early 1950's were called fish-men! During WWII, Cousteau was a French Naval officer and UDT diver, as I recall.

I sold his son Philippe a 1931 Model A back in the 1970's, then had to teach him how to drive it (double clutching was not his forte). Philippe later died when the converted US Navy seaplane (a PBY-5A) flipped over while he was landing...drowning him.

Well known treasure hunters: Robert Marx, prolly the most prolific treasure hunter/diver in the world. Mel Fisher, who found the Atocha, and my all time favorite wreck (not treasure) diver: Clive Cussler, the writer and historian, who has found many famous ships including the CSN Hunley, the first submarine to sink a ship....the USS Housatonic in Charleston Harbor in 1864.

Cussler worked at a SoCal dive shop in the 1950's. During slack times he wrote his first book.

Cussler has written two books on his discoveries: The Sea Hunters, and The Sea Hunters II. The National Geographic Channel had a show several years ago called the Sea Hunters, based on Cussler's discoveries.

 

I see it just takes some one to get the ball rolling. Thanks for all the replies. Keep them coming and keep us posted on your latest diving adventures.

 

Here's another one. I dive mainly in local lakes and rivers so the vis ain't that great, but like someone else said there is no other sport that comes close.

 

Mel Fisher was the name I could not remember. How sad about Philippe but as least he was able to work with his father and probably enjoyed the car.

I had thought that Fisher made additional discoveries so I was off on that one.

If correct I believe that the Calypso was Cousteau's first well-known ship and then the team had the ship with the revolutionary Sails, you know which one, and was it the Halcyon?

Personally, I feel that Jacques was a wonderful man and contributed so very much to Marine Biology and Diving and that crew including Jacques would dive in the most "frigid" water; huge huevos! I would have loved to have been onboard with Cousteau and would have done anything for the Crew or Ship for free just for the pure enjoyment.

Thanks for the excellent information!

Mark