BAREG Update – Early Autumn 2026 - BAREG - Battle of the Atlantic Research & Expedition Group

Pressing Call for U-853 Video & Stills

Aaron Hamilton is requesting dive photos and video of the U-853 Electric Motor Room. Aaron is looking for images to support his research on Type IX U-boats and how they operated in the latter part of WWII. Given that BAREG has been diving U-853 annually since about 2016, it’s possible that some of you all have images/video that Aaron could use to support his research. If you have any photos or video of the U-853’s Electric Motor Room, please contact Aaron at: ashamilton2009 AT gmail.com

Kriegsmarine officer’s cap recovered after the 5&6 May 1945 attack on and sinking of the U-853

U-1105 Dive – 13 SEP 2026

Four BAREG divers dove the U-1105 on Sunday morning, 13 SEP. Since our last U-1105 dives in July, the diver floats and line disappeared from their station and we had to use a shot line to locate the U-boat. Thanks to our seasoned boat crew, Aaron H., and experienced U-1105 finder Kevin M., and using the down scan sonar on D/V My Purpose Holds, we found the U-boat on the first shot. Two new BAREG members, Doug B. and Gerald C., made their first U-1105 dives and they benefited from the good viz, 3-5 feet on the tower, that comes with late summer diving on the U-boat. Water T was 79 degrees F and conditions topside were fair with a moderate surface current.

The missing diver float line was found cut at the tower and a large fishing lure impaled the remaining line at the cut. As it is getting late in the dive season we have decided not to replace the diver float line and any U-1105 dives between now and the spring buoy ops will be made via the shot line.

U-1105

Patuxent River and Chesapeake Bay Dives – 18-20 SEP

In mid-September we moved D/V My Purpose Holds up Chesapeake Bay to dive several wrecks in the Bay and the Patuxent River. We operated out of Harbor Island Marina on Solomon’s Island. Our objective was to collect information on the wrecks and provide notes and photos/video to the Maryland Historical Trust (MHT). For the next three wrecks discussed, we were asked by MHT not to disclose details about the sites as jurisdiction over the wrecks has yet to be determined. The text below intentionally lacks details.

On 18 SEP we dove the first of our three targets and confirmed that it was a particular type of vessel. We used a shot line and Kevin M. entered first to locate the wreck. After Kevin reported back we anchored over the wreck by dropping the hook up current and veering enough rode to place the boat on site. The dive teams took video and photos of the wreck and made measurements of major features that will be used to produce a sketch map of the wreck site.

We moved to the next dive site, and by now we were between tides and the current was ripping. We made several attempts to locate the second wreck, but the strong current and resulting turbidity on the bottom created conditions in which productive diving would not be possible. We planned to return to the site the next morning at high tide, but by then there were six fishing boats on the wreck. We determined that diving the site with so many fishing boats close by was too risky, and we moved to the site of our third target.

There is no record of anyone having dove the third wreck and we were asked to look for features that could be used to identify, or at least determine the age of the vessel. Viz was one foot at best, and we put five divers on the wreck over a four-hour period. We found worm-eaten deck planking and other wooden features, but no identifying features.

Brian ready to dive an unidentified wreck via our shot line.

On the third dive day of the trip we focused on the S-49 (SS-160), a decommissioned U.S. Navy submarine that sank in the Patuxent River in 1941. S-49 is a 240-foot long S-class submarine built in Bridgeport, CT, at Simon Lake’s shipyard. The submarine was launched in 1921 and served in the western Atlantic until decommissioned in 1931 and sold for scrapping. The stripped-down boat (submarines have always been called boats in the U.S. Submarine Force) was later purchased by the Navy for use as “equipment” to support testing at the Naval Mine Warfare Proving Ground at Solomons, Md. (Source: https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/s-49.html).

USS S-49 (Source: NHHC)

Down-scan image of the S-49. Note the submarine’s bilge keel.

S-49’s position is shown as a wreck on NOAA Chart 12284 and thus easy to locate with down and side scan sonar. However, it is a challenge to place divers on the wreck due to strong river and tidal currents, water depth greater than 120 fsw, and viz less than one-foot. After two unsuccessful attempts to put a diver on the wreck, we found approaching the submarine from its beam to be the most effective way to place the shot line close to the wreck. Topside, weekend boat traffic on the river required almost constant maneuvering of the dive boat to fend off oblivious or curious boaters when divers were searching for the wreck. Once securely tied into the wreck we placed four divers on the S-49.

S-49 lies in the Patuxent River channel between Thomas and Patience Points. The slope from Point Patience is seen in the above down scan and chart plotter display.

The river gods and the S-49 resisted our dive efforts. A regulator malfunction required an in-water repair at the swim platform. Once down, the divers found conditions on the wreck were as expected, near zero viz and a stiff current. When the dives were completed the S-49 refused to release the dive boat and it took two additional dives to clear the mooring line from the wreck (thank you Team Dragon – Brian and Alex).

S-49 Dive – In-water reg repair by Team Dragon.

The four divers were some of the most experienced and proficient wreck divers in BAREG: Fred A., Alex K., Kevin M., and Brian W. Diving S-49 requires advanced wreck diving skills, Bravo Zulu to the two dive teams for their successful dives on the submarine. Sans pareil!

Upcoming Activities

NAS Training and U-1105 Buoy Ops

We will conduct NAS training over the three-day period, 13-15NOV. The cost for the in-water skills training is $100.00 USD. On-line training is provided via NAS and should be completed before the skills training.

Fall 2026 Business Meeting – 21 NOV 2026

As we did last year, and as part of our ongoing effort to reduce operating expenses, we will hold this year’s business meeting via Zoom. The agenda will be sent out in advance of the business meeting.

BAREG 2027 Symposium – Call for Presentations

We plan to hold a live, in-person symposium early in the new year. We have several topics for the agenda and we’d like to have more topics from the membership. Please let us know if you have a topic you’d like to propose for presentation at the symposium.

Past Activities:

31 JAN & 1 FEB: U-1105 & Potomac Wrecks – canx due to WX
7 FEB: BAREG Symposium – Location TBD – canx due to WX
11 & 12 APR: U-1105 Buoy Ops – complete
25 MAY: U-1105 Mooring buoy chain close inspection & U-boat dives – complete
31 MAY: U-1105 & Potomac Wrecks – complete
5 JUL: U-1105 Mooring Buoy Chain Temporary Repairs – complete
3-5 JUL: Pax River & Chesapeake Bay Wreck Dives – resked to 18-20 SEP
11 & 12 JUL: U-853, Point Judith, RI – complete
25 & 26 JUL: U-853, Point Judith, RI – complete
23-29 AUG: Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, UK – complete
12 & 13 SEP: U-1105 & Potomac Wrecks – Blown out 12 SEP, completed 13 SEP
18-20 SEP: Pax River & Chesapeake Bay Wreck Dives – complete

Upcoming:

13-15 NOV: NAS Training & Buoy Ops
21 NOV: Business Meeting –Via Zoom

Looking ahead to 2027 and beyond:

Five BAREG divers will be traveling to the South Pacific in late May/early June 2027 to dive Truk. There may still be openings, if interested, let us know soonest and we’ll see if we can get you on the trip.
In 2028, we will return to Scapa Flow to dive the remaining battleships and cruisers of the Imperial German High Seas Fleet. We are booked with Huskayan for 10-16 SEP, with five days of diving during that period. We have space for ten divers, AN/DP certification is required. I’m not issuing the formal call for divers and deposits yet, but I am making a list of divers interested in the trip, so, let me know. Our deposit will be due later in 2027.
As we’ve done since 2016, we’ll be making one or two trips to U-853 in summer 2027, we will put out a call for divers and dates later this year.
We have unfinished business in the Patuxent River and an interest in returning to dive S-49. This will happen in the spring, before the Truk trip.
Buoy ops and familiarization dives on the U-1105 will be scheduled.
We may schedule dives off the OBX, Eastern Gulf of Mexico (USS Oriskany), and/or New Jersey depending on member interests, would like to hear your thoughts on that, and looking for qualified members to lead these trips.

Fred Engle
Ops Coordinator
BAREG