February 2016
Great American Journey — Stewards for Local Waters Text and photos by Jennifer Idol 25 X-RAY MAG : 71 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO feature 50 States
Oil rig emerging from fog (above), Canyon MS Area, Louisiana; Workers (right) collect oil from beach, Perdido Key State Park, Florida. PREVIOUS PAGE: American flag on Sikorsky H-37 helicopter, Dutch Springs, Pennsylvania
Returning from the pristine I thought people would reefs of Tobago, I flew over the learn to value and pro- tect their waters if I creat- Deepwater Horizon oil spill in ed compelling imagery. 2010. Aghast, I set out on a jour- Despite my experience, I ney that would help me illumi- didn’t know what I would nate waters of the United States see and experience on my journey. In the United to help people better under- States, I had only previous- stand their national treasure. I ly dived Texas and Florida. became the first woman to dive I did expect to see a all 50 states at the end of last lot of green water filled with rocks, but beautiful and sobering. From the shores suspected I would discover much more. of Florida and Louisiana, I was remind- year. Though I found my share of sand and ed of my purpose at the outset. I saw rocks, I encountered beautiful and workers collecting oil remnants from When I set out on my journey, I was strange life all across the country on a the beach where I dived. They were already an experienced local diver that quest that would become a great protected by masks, gloves, hats and appreciated the diversity of my Texas American adventure. even booties, while my buddies and I diving. As an underwater photographer, The first states I visited were both wore only swimsuits and wetsuits as we Diver Ben Castro checks out Tubastrea sun corals on OCSGG1665 oil rig, Louisiana
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Where the wild things are.
Looking at tannic water in the eye (above), Ginnie Springs, Florida; Leopard toadfish (left) at stern of Navy tug, Alabama; Polka-dot batfish in sand, Navy tug, Alabama (below)
beyond recognition. Louisiana of red snapper swimming through waters are not an empty place for the wreck. us to mistakenly introduce harm- Between dives, I experienced ful chemicals. According to the my first encounter with wild bottle- Ocean Conservancy, more than nose dolphins. Their curiosity and 15,000 species inhabit the Gulf of intelligence were readily apparent Mexico. as they herded me away from the I marveled at odd findings in fish they were trying to catch. This Alabama at the stern of a Navy tug. Leopard prepared to enter the water from toadfish and What weird and wonderful things await you when you dive The Florida
which they protected themselves. polka-dot batfish O G R Keys & Key West? With the only living coral reef in North America A L Shortly thereafter, I dived on oil scowled at me Y E K
and thousands of different species of marine life, everything you
rigs within a couple miles of the from the sand.
very site of destruction I witnessed. These small fish can imagine. fla-keys.com/diving A AD OR M LA Underneath, sea life dominated rely on camou- IS
the rig structures. Tropical fish swam flage as they ON K ATH EY W MAR EST S circles around the structures, so hunt for food. BIG PINE KEY & THE LOWER KEY full with Tubastrea sun corals that On my ascent, I the metal structure was obscured observed schools
27 X-RAY MAG : 71 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Lake dive entrance at dawn, Yellowstone Lake, Wyoming; Diver Doug Harder (lower left) pre- pares to leave Yellowstone Lake; 50 States feature Open water class descending, Homestead Crater, Utah
greatest of our American land- scapes. In Yellowstone Lake, I explored geothermic forma- tions. Yellowstone National Park is a land of extremes, from 459ºF (237ºC) in springs that host ther- mophilic bacteria to 40ºF(4ºC) where bass live. I witnessed the effects of natu- ral events on the history of Glacier National Park. Uprooted trees like- ly slid into Lake McDonald near Sprague Creek during an historic mudslide, just as the trees found in Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park and in Fallen Leaf Lake in California. Historic tools lay at the bottom of the head of Lake McDonald, reminders of human activity during park con- struction 100 years ago.
ing groundwater and frozen water, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Therefore, much of my journey was spent driving across vast land- scapes. I observed the transformation in our country from wet- Greatest sites North Dakota would be the lon- lands, mountains and of the journey gest of the trips at nearly 3,800 plains to tundra and Traveling across miles (6,116km). purposely sought to 3,805,927 square This challenging and quanti- reveal this diversity. miles (9,857,306 fiable goal was defined by rich remarkable beginning influenced I explored 2,500 feet (762m) into sq km) is no small experiences. The richest of these my five-year journey as I trans- caves, dived in oceans, visited feat. Simply cov- included the warmest dive in Utah formed from an underwater pho- quarries, sought out ice diving ering the distance and the coldest in New Jersey tographer into a conservation art- and explored wrecks. I wanted in itself could be and Ohio. While it snowed out- ist dedicated to our local waters. to showcase unique underwater great. I drove more side, I enjoyed 93ºF (34ºC) waters landscapes like the tannic water than 72,000 miles in Homestead Crater. Open Truly diverse mixing with fresh water in Ginnie (115,872km) and Water students learned to dive in Water only covers seven per- Springs. took 80 flights to comfortable blue water. cent of the United States, includ- Our national parks protect the complete the quest. The water bubbles through Historic tools remain from park construction, Lake McDonald, Glacier National Park, Montana
28 X-RAY MAG : 71 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Diver Patrix Heschel (left) inspects ice ceiling, White Star feature Quarry, Ohio; Kelp bass (below) 50 States at Casino Point, Catalina Island, California; Garibaldi (lower left) at Casino Point, Catalina Island, California
through the hole my hands. Having the right in the ceiling, equipment makes these dives but an easi- enjoyable. I later purchased ly accessible dry gloves to help even entrance has more. Swimming through this since been cre- Norwegian tanker felt like float- ated in the side ing through history, from when of the dome. I it sank in 1964 to the more dived the cra- recent history of divers who ter in February make this a destination. wearing only Snow and ice were foreign to a swimsuit, me at the start of my journey. with two feet As a Texan, I had little experi- (0.6m) of snow ence with either, so naturally accumulating sought out an ice diving cer- during my dive. tification. Ice diving in Ohio Calcite particles was also the coldest of my filled the water, American diving experiences making it too at 38ºF (3ºC), more so than small vents in the bottom of appear snowy but very blue. even Alaska. It was such a fun the cavern and is kept warm My first and coldest dive on experience that I also sought all year-round by geothermic the Stolt Dagali wreck in New ice diving in Minnesota. This activity. The first divers in the Jersey taught me to wear suf- unique overhead environment crater lowered themselves ficient thermal protection for is unlike any other kind of div- Diver Ben Castro swims through the port side of the Stolt Dagali wreck, New Jersey
29 X-RAY MAG : 71 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Whitemouth moray eel (left) pro- trudes from hole, Kona, Hawaii; Thornback cowfish (lower left) looks for food along reef, Kona, Hawaii; 50 States feature Plumose anemones (right) cover a wreck, Puget Sound, Washington; Male horseshoe crab (lower right) attached to female, Beavertail State Park, Rhode Island
process. Despite appearances, they are not actually crustaceans. Instead, they are more closely related to arachnids. I saw the strangest fish in Tennessee—a paddlefish. My buddy, Ben Castro, and I explored the Loch Low-Minn quarry where these fish lived. Paddlefish are a prehistoric filter feeder, little changed from their fossilized ancestors. I observed paddlefish each maintaining their own personal space and turning away when encountering anoth- er. In this dive site stocked with attractions, we also explored plas- ter sharks, buoyancy courses, and a statue of David. Before I set out on this adven-
be like. I was often surprised by seeing animals that local divers thought were normal and abun- dant, but to me were remarkable and odd. Garibaldi and opales- cent nudibranchs thrilled me on Catalina Island in California. In Hawaii, I learned about thorn- back cowfish and whitemouth moray eels. The most surprising locations were Puget Sound in Washington and Beavertail State Park in Rhode Island. Life in the north is ing. I used sealed regulators so unexpectedly prolific and large. they would not free flow from In Seattle, giant plumose anem- freezing and dived with a side- ones seem to sprout from every mount configuration for redun- hold they can find footing. While dancy. the water was green, the water ture, I wanted to define at 888 feet (271m) in length. This So much of my experiences became clearer after the first myself as a wreck diver. dive to 220 feet (67m) was also across the country was filled with 20 feet (6m). In Rhode Island, I On this quest, I dived 21 my deepest dive of the journey. surprises. Though I researched the hoped to see a horseshoe crab. notable wrecks, including Though sunk in 2006, I saw only logistics for the dive sites, I did Not only did I get to see many of the world’s largest wreck urchins, sea cucumbers and not know what creatures I would these living fossils, but I saw them sunk to create an artificial thorny oysters growing on the out- see or what the conditions would in pairs as part of their mating reef, the USS Oriskany, side. Orange plumose anemones group together, Puget Sound, Washington
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Diver Terry Mitchell (above) explores the John J. Boland wreck, Lake Erie, New York; Diver Ben Castro (left) kisses a plaster shark, Loch Low-Minn, Tennessee
is hard to identify because each of the glacier and waited while I watched it outstanding destinations was so differ- calve into the ocean. Standing near ent from the next. From the remark- this activity, I felt nature’s vastness. able historic diving equipment shared by the Northeast Diving Equipment Group (NEDEG) to America’s last great wilderness in Alaska, it is nearly impossible to decide which is best. In the northeast, I visited the USS I dived Alaska, the 49th state Arthur W. Radford, 529 feet (161m) to become part of the United in length. This wreck was smothered States, for my 49th state. There, by clams and decorated by anemo- I admired lion’s mane jellyfish nes. So notable were the wrecks, that and fulfilled a dream to see my 50th state featured wrecks of the salmon during their spawn- Great Lakes. I explored the William ing season. These remarkable Young, Cedarville and Eber Ward in fish have been immortalized Michigan. Most of the wrecks I visited through stories of their repro- were steel hull, but in the Great Lakes, ductive journey. Unexpectedly, I saw wooden ships preserved in the I also saw harbor seals, Steller fresh water. sea lions, puffins and sea The greatest destination in my quest otters. On a tour, I visited a Paddlefish, Loch Low-Minn, Tennessee Eber Ward wreck, a wooden cargo ship that sank in 1909, Michigan
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Diver in a Swindell helmet from the 1960s, Dutch Springs, Pennsylvania Humpy salmon (above) return from migration, Facing challenges Divers by Robert Kurson Resurrection Bay, Alaska From hurricanes to limited visibility, that John Chatterton vis- nature challenged me every step ited this U-boat, and also mile (4,286km) long quest of the journey. I rescheduled my we were planning to dive from British Columbia to trip to the U-352 due to Hurricane the U-352. Having never the border of Mexico. They Irene, which made landfall in seen a U-boat, this seemed reminded me of when I set North Carolina the week of my a good way to familiarize out on my quest to dive trip and is cited by Weather ourselves with the wreck. the 50 states. I left inspired Underground as the seventh-cost- Limited time and finan- by this dive and full of the liest hurricane in United States his- cial resources constrained sense of wonder I hoped tory. I detoured to Lake Mead in each of the trips. I visited scheduled my next dive to bring others. Nevada. 106 dive sites in five years. in Portland, where I was Another weather-driven detour, My photography was often amazed at the clearest Gatekeepers to I was unable to dive my planned limited to one or two dives water of my quest in Little the underwater world site in Lake Michigan due to set between days of travel. Crater Lake. The tall pine Divers are stewards of local dive extraordinary waves. I instead Yet, I succeeded in com- trees around and in the sites because we are experts of dived the deepest inland lake in pleting the quest and was water beautifully decorated what lives underwater. We see a Wisconsin, Lake Wazee. I brought enriched by all that I saw. this spring-fed lake at the world hidden from most people. a group of Texans on this dive, By the fourth year of my top of a mountain. Without sharing our stories, others so we made the most of our journey, I became tired The Pacific Crest Trail might not know to value these trip and also visited the U-505 in from the work to create intersects with this dive site. places. Chicago’s Museum of Science the best images in too I observed hikers beginning Fortunately, divers across the and Industry. We read in Shadow few dives. At this time, I their journey on this 2,663 country are eager to share local Lions mane (above) and moon jellyfish (right) proliferate, Resurrection Bay, Alaska
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Giant kelp floats from the surface, Catalina Island, California
AnAmericanImmersion.com Coming sites. This helped me dive and my book An American in March with more than 74 buddies. Immersion. To be released in Local divers across the coun- March, my book showcases the An American try enriched my knowledge of photography and gives insight American diving, helping me into how an oil spill inspired me find the most notable areas of to undertake this quest. Immersion each site. Through the story, I hope to Discover how an oil spill inspired a woman to Detailed information about inspire people to love and care undertake a quest to become the first woman to sites was surprisingly sparse. for our waters across the coun- dive all 50 states and explore vivid underwater While I could find a site, it took try. Our natural resources are a landscapes in this revealing book. research to determine when I treasure to protect. I intersperse could dive and by what rules I big topics like invasive species, needed to follow. I now carry runoff from fertilizers into lakes a dive flag to shore dives and overfishing throughout because this is the most com- the journey. Unfortunately, I mon requirement. Now that encountered all these in my I know what can be experi- journey, especially the zebra enced, there are a number of and quagga mussels that over- sites I would like to return to. take our fresh water. Sharing the story Five years of change For me to be a steward of the In the course of five years, more greatest diving in the United changed than my perspective States, I share the story through on diving in America. A number PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN my photography, articles, of dive sites and stores I visited uwDesigner.com Diver Micah Reese explores the springs, Little Crater Lake, Oregon
33 X-RAY MAG : 71 : 2016 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Explorer Sam Meacham (left) swims through Cabomba, Spring Lake, Texas; American lobster (right) defends its feature domain, Ram Island, Maine 50 States
The ADM Exploration Foundation helped restore the spring to its original state. Unusual in Utah, tropical fish inhabit Bonneville Seabase, where I saw two nurse sharks that have since died at 25 years of age. I revisit many of the dive sites, but each trip is a moment in its his- tory. How we see the underwa- ter world is like a still photo in a motion picture. I am encouraged by the bigger story through the work of scientists like Dr Donna Shaver on North Padre Island. She has spent more than 30 years studying the endan- gered Kemp’s Ridley turtles and successfully managed a hatchling program that is rebuilding their population in Texas. More oppor- tunities like these abound for us to be stewards for our local waters. my expectations. As I traveled es I would like to dive but could The Underwater Designer. To see The next adventure across the country, I filled my not visit during this quest. When I more of her work, please visit: Diving all 50 states exceeded dive list with dozens of new plac- share these moments in presenta- uwDesigner.com. tions at dive shows and events, I hope to inspire REFERENCES: you to undertake your HURRICANE AND TROPICAL CYCLONES. next diving adventure. WEATHER UNDERGROUND. HTTP://WWW. I also plan to continue WUNDERGROUND.COM/HURRICANE/ finding places full of the DAMAGE.ASP?MR=1. surprise and wonder I found in American HOW MUCH WATER IS ON EARTH? U.S. waters. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. JULY 24, 2015. HTTP://WATER.USGS.GOV/EDU/GALLERY/ Jennifer Idol is the first GLOBAL-WATER-VOLUME.HTML. woman to dive 50 closed or changed ownership. fish exhibiting their reproduc- states and author of An RESTORING THE GULF BEYOND THE SHORE. Maine Divers Scuba Center took tive behavior. This too changed American Immersion. OCEAN CONSERVANCY. PAGE 1. HTTP:// me to see the American lobsters hands, and Lake Rawlings closed, She’s earned more WWW.OCEANCONSERVANCY.ORG/ crawling in the bay in Portland, reopening as Lake Phoenix. than 26 certifications PLACES/GULF-OF-MEXICO/RESTORING- Maine. They have since closed Other businesses like Pennyroyal and has been diving THE-GULF-BEYOND-THE.PDF. their store and operate seasonally Scuba Center Blue Springs Resort for 20 years. Her under- as a charter. expanded. Sites change in other water photography MARTINEZ, ANDREW J. MARINE LIFE OF I was fortunate to see bluegill ways, such as with Santa Rosa’s and articles are widely THE NORTH ATLANTIC. AQUA QUEST sunfish nesting in Lake Rawlings in Blue Hole in New Mexico. The published. A native PUBLICATIONS. 2010. THIRD EDITION. PAGE Virginia. While the Blackhawk heli- sculptures I photographed were Texan, she creates 162. copter is the premiere attraction, taken from this site, but wonderful design and photogra- I was excited by these colorful changes are also taking place. phy for her company, Male bluegill sunfish circle nests, Lake Rawlings, Virginia
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