What do you like about wreck diving?

[RevDoc]

Hello!

I'm a newbie diver and have a question. This has been a lifelong dream of mine and I love it. However, I live in the midwest, so barring significant travel the most opportunities I have to dive are on wrecks in the Great Lakes etc. I have yet to do my first wreck dive and I would love some input. What do you like about it? Thanks for any insight you might have!

Philip

[creggur]

I'll be watching this thread with you, and I hope we hear from some of the experienced wreck guys on this.

I can't wait to dive a wreck because I love ships, my goal is to dive the Oriskany off of Pensacola. Just the thought of hovering around an aircraft carrier, or any other military boat for that matter just fascinates me....Reading 3 books about wreck diving recently has also captured my fascination with it....

[Charles R]

Its peaceful and timeless there are alot of wildlife that live on the wreaks just don't get over excited an do a penetration without proper training. it can be very dangerous.

[Cheddarchick]

As you descend, light get dimmer, your imagination starts to go on overload. You think of the one moment that time stood still forever in. Thoughts of the lost affect the logical parts of your brain, you know there is no one there, but a cold finger traces down your back. Seriously, the wrecks in the Great Lakes are some of the most pristine in the world....You might never want to go to the sea after you see these....

[subsur]

1. it's a like going to a history museum;
2. there is something surreal about wrecks;
3. pure adventure;

[GrtLks]

In the Great Lakes, they are about the only thing to see, as there aren't reefs like in the tropics. The cold water is a major reason the wrecks are so well preserved. Many wrecks are from the 1800s and still in great shape. On the same day at the Straits for example, you can see ships from many eras - from wooden schooners to steam ships to a large container ship. They also attract marine life and unfortunately zebra mussels.

[coralcrazed]

honestly, Its deep, its cold, color rendition is not good. I'd rather be looking at some nice corals and fishies. but thats just me. I have yet to be at a wreak area and feel that I'v got to do that dive!

[Kidder]

I have only dove one wreck. It was cool to see a man made structure appear out of the murk. Once in it, it was cool to explore, swiming up stairs in a new one.

[Rascal1933]

Why dive wrecks?

There are many different reasons why someone may choose to dive on wrecks. For some, it could be the sea life that a wreck attracts that provides the incentive. A wreck will provide a perfect habitat for many fish and other marine creatures, concentrated in a small area, which is perfect for those with an interest in underwater ecology. Another reason that people may dive a wreck that is the opportunity that wrecks provide for underwater photography. As well as all the different types of fish to take photos of, the wreck itself can provide a distinctive and dramatic background for photographs. Some people dive a wreck out of an interest in it's history.Often divers will have researched the wreck and the circumstances of its sinking before diving on it. And others still dive wrecks just out of sheer curiosity,the tingling excitement of exploring somewhere that used to be an everyday part of life, but is now cut off and out of bounds to most humans. That exception to enter the world of a wreck is allowed to a scuba diver.
The large variety of locales, water conditions,and wreck types means that there is always a new wreck diving adventure just waiting for you out there somewhere.

[WV Diver]

I love them because it takes me back to when I was a kid, opens my imagination up and gives me that feeling of awe. I love wrecks because you never know what treasure or artifact you may find that no one has seen since its demise. An opportunity of discovery and history. I love learning and researching as much as I can before the dives, getting to know as much as possible about the ship and its crew, passengers and voyage. It's the unknown, the adventure and that eerie ghostly glow that all real wrecks have. Even if it is just an unknown cargo ship that was hauling a load of bricks.

Ships like the Spiegle Grove, Oriskany and other artificial reef wrecks just don't have the same allure for me. They are fun to dive but they are just cleaned up wrecks that offer no real mystery or excitment for me.