New Jersey Scuba Diving

Atlantus

Shipwreck Atlantus

Type:: shipwreck, freighter, USA
Built:: 1918, Liberty Shipbuilding, Brunswick GA USA
Specs:: ( 260 x 43 ft ) 2000 gross tons, no crew
Sunk:: Tuesday June 8, 1926
dragged anchor and grounded in storm while awaiting final disposition
Depth:: 25 ft

Shipwreck Atlantus

Atlantus was one of a class of experimental concrete ships built during World War I. The hull was constructed of reinforced concrete rather than steel, which had become scarce during the war. While this design offered a number of advantages, including lower noise and vibration, and a dryer cargo space, it was not economically competitive with steel hulls when peacetime resumed.

Shipwreck Atlantus

Shipwreck Atlantus

Shipwreck Atlantus — The breakdown of the wreck over time

Shipwreck Atlantus — The broken concrete remains of the Atlantus. The left piece looks like a hull section leaning over about 80 degrees on its side. Note all the rusty rebar jutting out of the right section.

Shipwreck Atlantus — The strong currents that swirl around the wreckage are evident here.

The Cape May - Lewes Ferry is crossing in the distance, while people on the beach look for "Cape May diamonds" - pretty quartz stones found on the beach. I wouldn't dive this spot, but it's a nice place to stop for lunch. The Cape May lighthouse and the ferry terminal are a short drive away.

Atlantus

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Lift Bag

lift bag

lift bag

Lift bags are commonly used for recovering heavy objects from the bottom. The bag is simply tied on, inflated from a regulator, and shot to the surface. An often-overlooked use for a lift bag is to get yourself to the surface in a safe manner when you have become lost and can't find the anchor, or if the anchor has pulled out of the wreck. Using your reel as described above, you can shoot a bag directly to the surface and then ascend on the line.

However, under such circumstances, I prefer to get myself off the bottom and up to my decompression or safety stop depth as quickly as possible, and then deploy a bag to the surface using a short length of line attached to the bag for just that purpose. Either way, the bag marks your position for the crew of the dive boat. You should write your name in bold letters on your bag, so you can be identified before you surface. The bag will also keep you from being sucked down to the bottom if there is a strong current. Most lift bags have open bottoms. A bag like this can hit the surface, tip over, and deflate. For self-rescue, as described, you should use a bag with a self-closing bottom.

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