This medium-sized crane barge sank under tow in March 2004. The barge is upside-down, but propped up at a 30-degree angle by the crane, rising 30 feet off the bottom at the highest point. The crane is a large rotating affair that is permanently mounted on the barge. It is not the crumpled arm of the crane that supports the hull, but the central cab, so the wreck is stable, and it is safe to explore the cavernous dark space below. The bottom is coarse sand and pea gravel. Eventually, the wreck will crush flat, but that will probably take several years, and until then this is a fun and interesting site. Big eels, Sea Bass, and even one or two lobsters can be found here.
Daghestan is a region in southern Russia, adjoining Chechnya and the Caspian Sea.
Built:
1900, England
Specs:
( 353 x 45 ft ) 3466 gross tons, 28 crew
Sunk:
Friday December 18, 1908 collision with freighter Catalone - no casualties
Depth:
70 ft
This wreck was named "Evergreen" for the large amount of green brass artifacts once recovered from it. The Daghestan was thoroughly demolished since it lay directly in the shipping lane and was a great danger to navigation.
I doubt this is a good place to dive. Even without the river pollution, the bottom is muddy and the water is full of silt. If anyone knows anything different, let me know.
Lake Hydra, formerly Dutch Springs, has re-opened. However, it is strictly for certification classes, and all the land-side facilities are gone. Still, much better than nothing!
