Activities

USS Oriskany (CV-34) Dive Trip, 23 & 24 September

BAREG made a second trip to the Oriskany this year. Two divers made the trip to Florida’s Gulf Coast to explore the world’s largest artificial reef and one of the few sunken aircraft carriers that can be reached on SCUBA. Conditions topside and on the wreck were good and the divers explored the ship’s island and took photos of the two remaining propellors.

Port outboard screw, USS Oriskany (CV-34) (Engle)

Port outboard screw, USS Oriskany (CV-34) (Engle)

U-1105 Dives, Lower Potomac River, 30 September & 1 October

Five BAREG divers dove our backyard U-boat in good conditions topside and poor on the bottom (viz<one foot) to fair (viz >/= one foot). The diver floats were missing and so we dove the site using a shot line. This is the second time this year our floats have gone missing. In July, our float line was cut by a propellor based on the mangled remaining line. However, this latest cut was deliberate as there was a clean cut on the bowline where the floats were attached to the line. We do not plan to place another diver float line on the U-boat this year. Our dive boat, M/V My Purpose Holds, has a new chart plotter with side and down scan sonar and this makes placing the shot line close to the U-boat much easier. We had great UAV support from Ross B. and acquired video of the boat transiting too and from the dive site. It was a learning experience for the boat captain and crew to operate while launching and recovering the UAV.

MPH underway 1OCT2023

M/V My Purpose Holds underway on the lower Potomac heading to the U-1105 dive site.

NAS Training, Lower Potomac River & Tributary, 14 & 15 October

For the second time in 2023, BAREG offered NAS training to its members. Two members took the training and received NAS Underwater Recorder and Surveyor certifications. The course was taught by Troy Nowak, professional archaeologist, BAREG member, and NAS instructor. The weather was marginal, but the training was successfully executed. BAREG will offer NAS training in the fall of 2024.

NAS Training, Lower Potomac River & Tributary

NAS Training, Lower Potomac River & Tributary

Looking Ahead for the remainder of 2023 and early 2024

28 October 2023, U-1105 Dive (showtime 1200)
Tall Timbers Marina
Tall Timbers, MD 20690

4 November 2023, BAREG Business Meeting (also via Zoom, showtime 0930, agenda below)
Mantua Swim & Tennis Club, 9330 Pentland Pl, Fairfax, VA, 22031

Agenda:

1. Summary of BAREG’s 2023 events and activities
2. Report on membership status
3. Special election: Deputy Operations Coordinator
4. Report on BAREG finances & resources
5. BAREG plan for 2024 activities
6. Q&A/Discussion
7. FINEX

2&3 December 2023, U-1105 Buoy Ops (showtimes TBD, working technical dives, divers selected by Ops Coordinator and Deputy Ops Coordinator)
Tall Timbers Marina, Tall Timbers, MD 20690

27 January 2024, BAREG 2024 Symposium (also via Zoom, time TBD)
Mantua Swim & Tennis Club, 9330 Pentland Pl, Fairfax, VA, 22031

BAREG Reading and Film List

In 2019, the BAREG board put out a list of recommended books related to the Battles of the Atlantic history and archaeology (see attached pdf). We’d like to post a similar list on our web site, but before doing that we looking for updates from the membership. Additionally, we’d like to include a list of Battle of the Atlantic related films and so we’re looking for membership input on this too. Please email your input to me at your earliest convenience.

WBA

Follow Us

Related Posts

  • 1. BAREG divers basking in the warmth of the 20-foot deco stop on ascent from the U-869. Photo Source: Fred Engle/BAREG

BAREG Update II – Late Summer 2024

By |October 7, 2024|

U-869 – 25 AUG Five BAREG divers made our group’s first dive on the U-869, the wreck made famous in the book Shadow Divers.  The U-869 lies 56 miles offshore from Manasquan Inlet, New Jersey, [...]

  • Source: Library of Congress Bow view of the USS Katahdin, note the ships boats are resting on curved beams and the high relief bridge, with searchlight, with the cylindrical armored conn below

BAREG Update – Late Summer 2024

By |August 20, 2024|

U-853 – 13&14 JUL The first of two planned trips to the U-853 was partially impacted by weather (WX). Saturday was blown out, but the four BAREG divers squeezed in two dives late Sunday afternoon. [...]

BAREG 2024 Summer Update

By |July 15, 2024|

1. U-1105 Dives On Saturday, 29 June 2024, six BAREG divers dove the U-1105 in the lower Potomac River from the M/V My Purpose Holds. Conditions topside were good, much better than the NWS forecast [...]