RED DEVIL SCUBA SUPPLIES

With my "real" job being agriculture based, there are certain times of the year that things get a bit busy so it is always nice when I get a chance to experience some underwater nirvana.

This was exactly the case on July 24th - wheat harvest had been in full swing for over a week and it was close to wrapping up. Gary had planned for a charter on Lake Erie for the 24th and with the inital plan to visit the "Little Wissihickon" I was one of the first to sign up. As the date got closer, Gary started to waffle on diving the "Little Wissihickon" and suggested instead to dive the "Willis". The idea of diving this wreck definitely caught my attention as it has been on my bucket list of must dives for the last 3 years. The Willis sank in 1874 (I think) and was less then year old when it sank (due to a collision). This was sure to be a beautiful wooden sailing ship to dive.

A few weeks prior, a buoy had been installed on this wreck and with the exact GPS numbers we headed out 20 miles from Erieau. Upon arriving at the numbers, it was apparent that the buoy no longer existed. However, Gary was able to locate what he felt was a pretty good target using his depth finder and had me gear up to ensure it was and to set up a down line for the rest of the group. I did a quick back roll into the water and began swimming down into Lake Erie not sure what to expect. At 50' I started to slow my descent incase Gary was off on the numbers and I did a face plant into the lake bottom. I should have known better then to doubt him ... at 60' I ran into the port railing and 3 "dead-eyes". I assure you - having never dove this wreck before, and doing a free descent ... it was uber cool to come across that part of the wreck that way.

After securring the down line and returning for my dive buddy, I got to explore this wreck fully including several block and tackles, more dead eyes, a bow sprit and some additional machinery on deck. During my safety stop, I was thinking what a great dive this had been and what would the second dive have in store to top this one.

The reason I wasn't sure what the second dive would be like was all I knew for sure, was we were going to a different wreck. In Gary's warped sense of adventure he had insisted on keeping the second destination a secret. No matter how much begging, pleading, or trickery I attempted - he refused to let me in on the secret (btw - I will get even for the torture I went through trying to figure it out).

We left the Willis and headed to the second site. When we finally got there, Gary fessed up ... we were going to dive the "F A Meyer". A massive wooden steamer that is mostly intact. I had never even heard of this wreck and it had been at least 10 years since Gary had dove it last.

No buoy on this wreck either so it was Brian "Fester" Marchand's turn to go wreck hunting and secure the down line. After his 3rd plunge, he was successful and while I extended my surface interval, Gary and Brian did a dive as well as Paul Steele and Dennis O'Neil.

Finally it was my turn (and my buddy - Mike Jack) to go check out this wreck. Gary was right - it was huge, and everything about it was huge. The boilers, the deck, the length, the planks on the deck ... simply massive. Even with my extended surface interval, I didn't have near enough time to fully explore this Lake Erie gem and while doing my safety stop I was kicking myself for a) not having nitrox in my tank and b) realizing that there must be a lot more wrecks in Lake Erie that I haven't even heard of that I am going to have to research more of.

Thanks to Captain Gary for a great Sunday of diving and I can't wait for the next mystery boat ride (although, I'd prefer if he'd let me in on the destination).