• A S S O C I A T I O N OF U N D E R W A T E R E X P L O R E R S •
•
A S S O C I A T I O N OF U N D E R W A T E R E X P L O R E R S
•
May 9-10: Identification of the Point Chicot, as well as shots of the suspected Millie R. Bohannon and "Fin Barge."
After loading up Endeavour
just after midnight, we headed out over 80 nautical miles into the Gulf of
Mexico to dive and identify a wreck known simply as the "Tug." I had
talked to a few spearfishermen who had already dived this deep wreck and gotten
a description from them. Checking my archival records, one vessel stuck
out: Point Chicot. The tug had sunk in 1973 while towing two
barges, although the entire crew managed to safely escape and board one of the
barges to be rescued later. The relative location fit the reported sinking
location of the Point Chicot. Based on observations during our
dives, we are fairly confident the wreck, resting in just over 260 feet of
water, is that of the tug Point Chicot. After our dives we checked
out some other numbers before turning east, eventually arriving over the wreck
of a former sailing vessel we believe to be the lumber schooner Millie R.
Bohannon. We anchored on the wreck overnight and watched a spectacular
blood-red full moon rise over the horizon -- a spectacular sight! We
finished up the trip doing a fun dive on the "Fin Barge," which appears to be
the inverted wreck of a former landing ship.
(l) diver in front of the tug's superstructure; (r)
archival image of the tug Point Chicot (Courtesy of Dan Owen).
a large red grouper ruled
the bow of the wreck....
(l) view of the tug's bridge, with single missing window; (r) a final parting
shot of the Point Chicot, with numerous hawser lines floating towards the
surface.
(l) cargo of lumber resting amidships; (r)
a shot of the assumed stern, with ballast pile of cut rock.
(l) diver between the fins (rudders) of the inverted "Fin Barge," hence the
local name; (r) diver swimming over one of the wreck's rudders.
(l) inverted bow of the "Fin Barge" revealing its former role as a landing ship;
(r) quarter view of the bow and ramp door.