MT No. 6

[Romer Treece]

A few of us went out to dive the MT 6 out in Elliot Bay (approx. 1600 feet from cove 1 if I remember correctly) on the Aluminator. On board was: Ron Akeson, Rob Wilson (rjw), Paul Hangartner (Bigsky), Josh Smith (aka Nailer/JoshuaSmith), BJ Nussbaum (Maverick), and myself Dan Warter.

We basically dropped the hook right by it, and prepared for two teams of 3. Myself, Josh, and Rob were team 1, with BJ, Paul, and Ron bringing up the rear. Our plan was for a 20-25 minute bottom time with Josh tying in the strobe, Rob on the reel, and me filming.

We dropped down, and visibility reminded me of the lake on a good vis day-a dirty 6-8 feet. We tied in the reel and proceeded to swim around the side of the wreck. Not only did the visibility remind me of the lake but so did the wreck. A lot of wood structure, BUT a fair amount of Metridium to remind you that it's the sound. We saw some Rockfish, some nudi's and A LOT of old cave line-annoying animal!! We poked around inside (if you want to call it inside) a bit, and continued to trace our way around the heap. This wreck is pretty trashed on, and it is hard to make ANYTHING out, let alone visualize the boat it was.

It is reported that some of the train boxs went down with the ship, if so there are no signs of them, or I couldn't make them out.

We headed back up at 25 minutes, while watching the other team just starting their dive.

Interesting wreck; it will make for a good scooter ride someday.

History here: http://dcsfilms.com/Site_4/DCS_Website_68.html

Video here: http://dcsfilms.com/Site_4/DCS_Website_70.html

[dsteding]

Who is putting cave line on these things? Richard, was there line on it when you and Nick videoed it a while back?

[Joshua Smith]

VERY cool, Dan! I really liked the job you did on the history, there. Too bad those guys you dive with are such clowns, or else you'd be able to get some decent video....

[rjw]

I have to agree with Josh. Nice write up on the history.
Now if you could just find some decent guys to do these dives with you...............................

[Maverick]

I wish i would have seen the pictures before the dive, i might have been able to tell where the hell we were on the wreck. It was a really fun day.

[Romer Treece]

I wish i would have seen the pictures before the dive, i might have been able to tell where the hell we were on the wreck. It was a really fun day.

I saw it and I had no fricken clue!
It was stripped down so it will look a lot different.

I saw a pic of the MT No. 7 and it was a man made barge similar to the Foss 75. But this one was just stripped down to the decks with one pilot house.

[Grateful Diver]

Nice video ... I'd like to dive it again sometime. When we did it last year we had pretty good vis on the barge ... and maybe 2-foot vis on our deco stops ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Romer Treece]

Yeah... too bad our dive was the exact opposite. ](*,)

[Joshua Smith]

Nice video ... I'd like to dive it again sometime. When we did it last year we had pretty good vis on the barge ... and maybe 2-foot vis on our deco stops ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

That was a funny day- we had easilly 20-30 feet of vis running down the line, and right about 100', we dropped into pea soup.........

[Maverick]

and right about 100', we dropped into pea soup.........

you mean we dropped into sea poop

[Romer Treece]

C'mon!! That's funny

[CaptnJack]

Who is putting cave line on these things? Richard, was there line on it when you and Nick videoed it a while back?

I have no idea when the line was laid. It was there last fall for us (you can see it on my left in places). We had crummy 5ft vis at depth after getting teased by 30-50ft shallow. Not much to see except our mugs up in the clear stuff.
http://www.nickambrose.com/diving/movie ... le-MT6.mov

The barge was long since out of railroad service by the time it was in Elliott Bay. I doubt there were railcars aboard since I imagine the tracks were removed when it was converted to general barge service. We certainly didn't recognize anything.

A wreck worth doing tho, with easy currents.

[Romer Treece]

The barge was long since out of railroad service by the time it was in Elliott Bay. I doubt there were railcars aboard since I imagine the tracks were removed when it was converted to general barge service. We certainly didn't recognize anything.

Hmmmm/strange... The research I did said it had rail cars aboard when it was hit. Where did you hear it had no cars? Even the pic (which I believe is the salvage) shows it.

"She was rumored to have been carrying 19 sealed railcars, of these six broke loose and floated to shore."
"Later the 6 rail-cars were recovered by another rail-barge, using cranes from the Foss Company who had the salvage contract. "

[CaptnJack]

Ok I think I might have misunderstood "car" (rail vs. a Ford) in the Tacoma Public library database which references Gordon Newell.

http://search.tpl.lib.wa.us/ships/shipfulld.asp?16-7076 (link may not work)

The Tacoma, originally operated across the Columbia River at Kalama, was taken over by the Milwaukee Railroad and placed in service as the car barge Big Six.Gordon Newell, "Maritime Events of 1943-1944," H. W. McCurdy Marine History of the Pacific Northwest.Seattle: Superior Publishing Company, 1966 p. 518.

So where did the other 13 railcars go?? The vis on our dive was so bad they could have hit us in the face and we wouldn't have noticed.

[Pez7378]

"She was rumored to have been carrying 19 sealed railcars, of these six broke loose and floated to shore."
"Later the 6 rail-cars were recovered by another rail-barge, using cranes from the Foss Company who had the salvage contract. "

I've been working real hard on my Scuba math, and according to Dans Research, there should be 7 rail cars somewhere near the wreck. But then again, it's only rumor.

[Grateful Diver]

"She was rumored to have been carrying 19 sealed railcars, of these six broke loose and floated to shore."
"Later the 6 rail-cars were recovered by another rail-barge, using cranes from the Foss Company who had the salvage contract. "

I've been working real hard on my Scuba math, and according to Dans Research, there should be 7 rail cars somewhere near the wreck. But then again, it's only rumor.

Given the vis ... how do you know they weren't sitting right next to the barge? (Well, OK ... I can tell ya they're not within 20 feet or so, or we'd have seen 'em when I was there) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Pez7378]

The research indicates they were sealed right? Would they have taken longer to sink, and floated a good distance away before they flooded enough to keep em down?

[Romer Treece]

"She was rumored to have been carrying 19 sealed railcars, of these six broke loose and floated to shore."
"Later the 6 rail-cars were recovered by another rail-barge, using cranes from the Foss Company who had the salvage contract. "

I've been working real hard on my Scuba math, and according to Dans Research, there should be 7 rail cars somewhere near the wreck. But then again, it's only rumor.

Sorry... you might need more schooling (19-6=13)

It is a mystery where they went-maybe they didn't have 19?? I gots no idea on that one. Unless it flipped over and is on top of them.

[Romer Treece]

The research indicates they were sealed right? Would they have taken longer to sink, and floated a good distance away before they flooded enough to keep em down?

Possibly.
I have seen bathymetric maps (although edited) of the barge, side scan, and I've never seen the cars.

The newspaper articles only speculated.

[Pez7378]

Oh I thought it was six broke loose and floated to shore. And another six were recovered by the rail barge. I guess I've been hanging out with Joe too much. I misread the sentance.

[Romer Treece]

Joe can do that to ya!!

[Joshua Smith]

Yeah- first time I dove it was my first class dive for Trimix- we had 30, maybe 40 feet of vis- it was one of those rare days- it felt like you could see forever. There were no rail cars anywhere.....

"She was rumored to have been carrying 19 sealed railcars, of these six broke loose and floated to shore."
"Later the 6 rail-cars were recovered by another rail-barge, using cranes from the Foss Company who had the salvage contract. "

I've been working real hard on my Scuba math, and according to Dans Research, there should be 7 rail cars somewhere near the wreck. But then again, it's only rumor.

Given the vis ... how do you know they weren't sitting right next to the barge? (Well, OK ... I can tell ya they're not within 20 feet or so, or we'd have seen 'em when I was there) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

[Maverick]

Yeah- first time I dove it was my first class dive for Trimix- we had 30, maybe 40 feet of vis- it was one of those rare days- it felt like you could see forever. There were no rail cars anywhere.....

"She was rumored to have been carrying 19 sealed railcars, of these six broke loose and floated to shore."
"Later the 6 rail-cars were recovered by another rail-barge, using cranes from the Foss Company who had the salvage contract. "

I've been working real hard on my Scuba math, and according to Dans Research, there should be 7 rail cars somewhere near the wreck. But then again, it's only rumor.

Given the vis ... how do you know they weren't sitting right next to the barge? (Well, OK ... I can tell ya they're not within 20 feet or so, or we'd have seen 'em when I was there) ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

josh what if it was 45 feet away, would you have seen it?

[Joshua Smith]

Yes.

[Maverick]

Maverick on left Joshua Smith (Nailer99) on right.