Posted By: 03svtsnakevert
From the depths... - 06/10/15 01:23 AM
Was out on the open water today just checking out new equipment. My crew notified me of something that was odd on our sonar. Captain! large reading off of our starboard side. Any returns? Negative Captain, but its big! I was looking at a return on the sonar that I could not fathom. Way down deep there was something, something large. I had to know. My crew marked the location and I radioed back to the mainland that we were going to need some assistance out here. Response came later...Message received...stop...Gathering volunteers...stop...can you advise further details...stop. My communications officer responded...Large return on sonar...stop...unknown item or origin...stop...will need as much help as you can send...stop.
As time passed while we waited for assistance, many of my crew speculated on what the object was as it had not moved. We were unable to obtain an accurate measurement on its length or girth due to the depth it was in.
Later the next day the USS Terrova pulled along side with much needed help. They brought their deep diving drones to be sent down as we dared not send any man to those depths. At 1300 hours, the drones were launched. What they returned was hard to believe. The cameras were not viewable due to the amount of silt down there, but they returned that the object was steel and over 800 feet long!
My science officer completed some calculations and the decision was made to have the drones place lift bags around the object to try and get it to the surface.
Bright and early next morning the plan was set in to action and the drones launched. As they neared the object, the drones began to work placing the lift bags around the object. The report was that it was buried 15 feet below the sea floor, but the drones were able to make short work of placing the bags. Dr Yamamoto stood by the air valve for the call to inflate the bags. We gave this item a wide berth!!
On my mark! 3-2-1 INFLATE THE BAGS!! A mighty rush of air was heard and a great disturbance in the attitude of our ship, the USS Fortrex. The object began to creak and groan under the pressure of the bags and its own weight being lodged in the floor. Captain! The object is beginning to move to the surface! All hands stand by!! Clear the fan tail for the drone recovery!
750 ft, 600 ft, 500 ft, 400 ft, 300 ft, 200 ft...Captain she's coming up quick now! 100 ft and then I saw it! Her large smoke stacks broke the surface of the sea and rose high in the air. The sun, once again, kissed the deck of the majestic ship. She rocked on the air bags as a new deer on its legs for the first time, but she held!
Could it be? No way, it couldn't be! IT WAS!! There she sat the USS Skunked!! Lost on a scouting mission many years ago! To this day no one knew where it sank or what happened to it. She had one large screw and upon inspecting her closer, the helm was still in gear! Amazing. You just never know what your going to find. Pictures below.
As time passed while we waited for assistance, many of my crew speculated on what the object was as it had not moved. We were unable to obtain an accurate measurement on its length or girth due to the depth it was in.
Later the next day the USS Terrova pulled along side with much needed help. They brought their deep diving drones to be sent down as we dared not send any man to those depths. At 1300 hours, the drones were launched. What they returned was hard to believe. The cameras were not viewable due to the amount of silt down there, but they returned that the object was steel and over 800 feet long!
My science officer completed some calculations and the decision was made to have the drones place lift bags around the object to try and get it to the surface.
Bright and early next morning the plan was set in to action and the drones launched. As they neared the object, the drones began to work placing the lift bags around the object. The report was that it was buried 15 feet below the sea floor, but the drones were able to make short work of placing the bags. Dr Yamamoto stood by the air valve for the call to inflate the bags. We gave this item a wide berth!!
On my mark! 3-2-1 INFLATE THE BAGS!! A mighty rush of air was heard and a great disturbance in the attitude of our ship, the USS Fortrex. The object began to creak and groan under the pressure of the bags and its own weight being lodged in the floor. Captain! The object is beginning to move to the surface! All hands stand by!! Clear the fan tail for the drone recovery!
750 ft, 600 ft, 500 ft, 400 ft, 300 ft, 200 ft...Captain she's coming up quick now! 100 ft and then I saw it! Her large smoke stacks broke the surface of the sea and rose high in the air. The sun, once again, kissed the deck of the majestic ship. She rocked on the air bags as a new deer on its legs for the first time, but she held!
Could it be? No way, it couldn't be! IT WAS!! There she sat the USS Skunked!! Lost on a scouting mission many years ago! To this day no one knew where it sank or what happened to it. She had one large screw and upon inspecting her closer, the helm was still in gear! Amazing. You just never know what your going to find. Pictures below.
