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Diving the Chikuzen #218493
02/23/2020 12:22 PM
02/23/2020 12:22 PM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 14
ATLANTA
A
Artifactual Offline OP
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Artifactual  Offline OP
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ATLANTA
Have been diving in the BVI for over 10 years and have yet to dive this site. We are always on our own and have always wanted to do this. Last July we were down and I made it a point to make sure our path back to Jost from Anegada was a direct pass over the site. It was a clear day and we circled with the sun directly overhead and I was able to actually see the dark shadow that it directly below us. There are no balls in the location to mark it or to moor to for the dive. We contemplated dropping the anchor to the northeast and pay out enough scope to drift back on top of it but I was with a group that was not comfortable in the situation staying on the boat while we dive in open water. Short of going on a group commercial dive which I abhor, I’m a dive master of 25 years so forgive me, I prefer not doing commercial dives.

Have any of you all ever made this dive and what was your method?

Three of us in our group heading down in April really want to explore this opportunity but want to do it on our own.
Obviously weather permitting.

Any thoughts?

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Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218497
02/23/2020 12:32 PM
02/23/2020 12:32 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,492
Grenada
Zanshin Offline
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Zanshin  Offline
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Grenada
I've done 2 dives on the Chikuzen and it is a great dive. In settled conditions there is no current and there has always been an abundance of fish life around the wreck. I haven't been back since Irma, but I haven't heard anything about the site being changed by the hurricane. There is one mooring ball there, but if a commercial dive vessel shows up you will need to relinquish it immediately. This means having someone on board who can operate the boat while the others dive.


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Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Zanshin] #218498
02/23/2020 01:01 PM
02/23/2020 01:01 PM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 14
ATLANTA
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ATLANTA
Great to hear it’s a good dive. I will say though the mooring ball is gone :-((

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218503
02/23/2020 01:12 PM
02/23/2020 01:12 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,492
Grenada
Zanshin Offline
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Grenada
I think it is still there, just submerged a bit (that keeps others from using it). If you have GPS coordinates you might be able to find it.


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Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Zanshin] #218504
02/23/2020 01:17 PM
02/23/2020 01:17 PM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 14
ATLANTA
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ATLANTA
Cool thanks for the info, I’ll look very closely in April. Any other info is greatly appreciated, perhaps someone may have the coordinates for the ball or at least location in relation to the wreck as in north south east or west of the wreck itself....

Thanks!

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218507
02/23/2020 02:09 PM
02/23/2020 02:09 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,492
Grenada
Zanshin Offline
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Grenada
N 18 deg 37.130' W 64 deg 30.969' (WGS84). I remembe then mooring to be to the east of the wreck, but am not sure if that is correct.

Last edited by Zanshin; 02/23/2020 02:09 PM.

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Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Zanshin] #218513
02/23/2020 02:30 PM
02/23/2020 02:30 PM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 14
ATLANTA
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ATLANTA
Thanks again. Have those coordinates and will explore to the East when I’m down in April and report back!

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218516
02/23/2020 02:37 PM
02/23/2020 02:37 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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GA/NC
The mooring ball was back as of yesterday.
G

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: GeorgeC1] #218518
02/23/2020 02:55 PM
02/23/2020 02:55 PM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 14
ATLANTA
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ATLANTA
Nice!

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: GeorgeC1] #218544
02/23/2020 06:58 PM
02/23/2020 06:58 PM
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 933
Georgia & South Carolina
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Deepcut Offline
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Georgia & South Carolina
Originally Posted by GeorgeC1
The mooring ball was back as of yesterday.
G


Submerged or on surface?


Wes
s/v Sea Tiger (2022 Lagoon 46)
www.BareBoatBVI.com

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Zanshin] #218545
02/23/2020 07:04 PM
02/23/2020 07:04 PM
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 1,421
New Jersey, USA
DanS Offline
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Quote
There is one mooring ball there, but if a commercial dive vessel shows up you will need to relinquish it immediately. This means having someone on board who can operate the boat while the others dive.


That sounds like a dangerous situation. Relinquish the mooring, and what, set an anchor? So there will be two boats maneuvering around under power, with divers in the water? I think I'd want to stay away from that.

Dan cheers

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218546
02/23/2020 07:08 PM
02/23/2020 07:08 PM
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 57
S
Scubacat Offline
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Unfortunately the mooring sometimes disappears. Once reported it is replaced as soon as possible. The Chikuzen was hit hard by Irma, the bow section and the holds are now just twisted metal, the stern section survived because of the engines. It still attracts a lot of marine life. Also note that the section of the wreck that survived it about a four minute swim from the mooring. Always use the mooring, at the bottom follow the rope, which takes you too the anchor line, which takes you too the wreck. Remember to play it safe as you are a long way from land and do note it can have a strong current occasional.

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Scubacat] #218552
02/23/2020 08:07 PM
02/23/2020 08:07 PM
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 14
ATLANTA
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ATLANTA
Great info! This is what I was looking for. Any details are always important details when it comes to diving!

🙏

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: DanS] #218557
02/23/2020 09:35 PM
02/23/2020 09:35 PM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GA/NC
Originally Posted by DanS
Quote
There is one mooring ball there, but if a commercial dive vessel shows up you will need to relinquish it immediately. This means having someone on board who can operate the boat while the others dive.


That sounds like a dangerous situation. Relinquish the mooring, and what, set an anchor? So there will be two boats maneuvering around under power, with divers in the water? I think I'd want to stay away from that.

Dan cheers


No dive boat expects you to vacate the ball if you have divers in the water. The ball is often white anyway which is for any boat that is diving to use. To vacate the ball with divers in the water would be very unsafe. If you ever have a dive company demand you do so politely refuse and ask the skippers name. Call the dive company ASAP if that ever happens.
G

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218566
02/23/2020 10:38 PM
02/23/2020 10:38 PM
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 241
Southern Maryland
ohstate Offline
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Southern Maryland
We are land based, but my husband has gone out with DiveBVI there. I know they will pick up divers at their boats. He’s already booked 2 half day trips with them in early March, weather permitting of course. He has had a few trips canceled over the years (20+ years at this point) due to swells.

Last edited by ohstate; 02/23/2020 10:38 PM.

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Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218584
02/24/2020 09:07 AM
02/24/2020 09:07 AM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 4,266
Vero Beach, Fl and South Sound...
tpcook Offline
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Posts: 4,266
Vero Beach, Fl and South Sound...
A couple of years ago this dive almost killed me. Dropped our anchor to the bottom. No problem . Scuba divers went off and went down. So it was me a 2 small children on board. Decided to snorkel the spot, so off I go. Did not realize there was like a 4 knot current. Could not see much while snorkeling so decided to go back to the boat. Really hard swimming against 4 knot current. Got to about 50 ft from the dinghy and one of my flippers blew off. So now I am going around in circles with one flipper. Finally got to the dinghy. So tired, I pulled myself to the bow of the dinghy and now had to swim another 15 ft to the yacht. Really tired. Got onto my yacht. A few minutes later the scuba divers signal to pick them up , so untied the dinghy and picked them (4) with the bow line of the dinghy and put the dinghy in reverse. The poor engine could hardly pull the 4 divers and going in reverse.
After I got on the dinghy and all the divers were on board. I told the crew what an incredible risk we took. If the dinghy engine had died, all of us would have been drifting in the open water. No one knew where we had gone.
I also said I would NEVER go back to this dive site. Bad Karma.


tpcook
Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218592
02/24/2020 10:56 AM
02/24/2020 10:56 AM
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 6,993
GA/NC
GeorgeC1 Offline
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GeorgeC1  Offline
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GA/NC
Always drop a weighted line to use as a current check when open water diving. Generally you get a pretty good idea when picking up the mooring. We tried to dive Santa Monica rock this morning. Probably a 2 knot current picking up the ball so dived Angelfish reef instead..
G

Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #218666
02/24/2020 08:31 PM
02/24/2020 08:31 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 2,151
Ontario, Canada
warren460 Offline
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Ontario, Canada
At the start of the dive, the current could be nominal, yet it can change during the dive. It can also change during the dive with the bottom topography.


Warren S/V Scuba Doo
Lagoon 50 (winner of best crewed yacht under 55 feet at the St. Thomas crewed yacht boat show).

https://www.cyabrochure.com/ebn/2307/pdyrX/6642/4///
Re: Diving the Chikuzen [Re: Artifactual] #219259
03/01/2020 11:38 AM
03/01/2020 11:38 AM
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 386
Virgin Gorda, BVI
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Virgin Gorda, BVI
Originally Posted by Artifactual
Great info! This is what I was looking for. Any details are always important details when it comes to diving!

🙏


Hi Artifactual. I would reach out to Sunchaser Scuba based out of the Bitter End Yacht Club on Virgin Gorda. They dive the Chikuzen almost whenever conditions allow, and I know they very recently (since the start of 2020) actually went out and replaced the mooring ball for the dive site. Ben and Kay who run the shop, would definitely be great sources of advice for you.


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