Project: UB-88
Project UB-88 has finally come! There is excitement and anticipation circulating amongst the team. Years of training, commitment, hard work, and fun dives have lead our divers to this mission. A year of preparation has lead the team to this moment. This mission was so big it required 2 boats and a minimum of 3 surface support personnel each day. UB-88 brings a unique challenge. She sits in 200 feet of seawater in the mouth of the San Pedro Harbor. This dive is a deep technical dive and requires a high level of training and experience. In addition to the challenge presented by the depth of the wreck, it sits in the middle of an active shipping channel. When you are anchored by the UB-88, you can see the Catalina Express zip across the channel, large freighters waiting to enter the port, and various smaller vessels coming and going like cars on a highway. This presents a unique challenge for divers for several reasons. First, being in the middle of the channel, there’s no structure to protect the area from conditions such as currents or swells. Next, if divers surface away from the wreck or away from the dive boat, there are several safety concerns. Larger vessels can’t see them, if the current is strong they may need assistance getting back to the boat, or they can become disoriented and struggle to find the dive boat because of conditions below the surface. For all of these reasons, we give a very special thanks to Captain Jim Simmerman of the Giant Stride and Captain Kevin Bell of the Bottom Scratcher and their crews for working collaboratively with our surface support crews, and ensuring the safety of our divers.
Day 1 - 12/16/2024
Divers:
Net handling divers: Jim Babor, Michael Gasbarro, Karim Hamza, Norbert Lee, Symeon Manias, David Watson, Curtis Wolfslau
Safety divers: Shane McWilliams, Daniel Pio
Surface support: Angie Biggs, Jamie Mitchell, Katie Papac
Surface documentation: Kian Farin
The objectives for day 1 were to complete an assessment of the net to ensure it matched our notes from the last survey and place lift bags. Norbert, Director of Scientific Studies, focused on taking baseline data for his study that examines the impact of the net on the wildlife that lives around the wreck.
Day 1 was a success! Given the logistical requirements of the divers due to the depth, the volume of net, and the significant attention to detail required for this site, the divers placing lift bags and updating survey notes is a significant step. By updating survey notes, divers can give the Day 2 teams a thorough and accurate briefing for the next day. By placing the lift bags the teams are able to return and start cutting the nets.
Day 2 - 12/17/2024
Divers:
Net handling divers: Jim Babor, Michael Gasbarro, Karim Hamza, Norbert Lee, Mark Self, David Watson, Curtis Wolfslau
Safety divers: Jamie Mitchell, Rene Tetter
Surface support: Angie Biggs, Shane McWilliams, Katie Papac
Surface documentation: Kian Farin, Zachary Rich
Day 2 came with new objectives. These objectives included rehoming some metridiums (a type of anemone) off of the net and to a safe area for them to grow, the placing of more lift bags, and teams were to begin cutting nets.
Day 2 was a success! Divers were able to remove approximately 500 pounds of net! More excitingly, they were able to save some fish and crabs that were trapped in the nets in the sand. Divers left some lift bags for the Day 3 teams to allow for efficient workflow the following day.
A very special thank you to Leanne Suter of ABC 7 News who ran a story about the project that aired today. You can find the story here.
Day 3 - 12/18/2024
Divers:
Net handling divers: Jim Babor, Michael Gasbarro, Karim Hamza, Norbert Lee, Tianyi Lu, Symeon Manias, Curtis Wolfslau
Safety divers: Shane McWilliams, Daniel Pio
Surface support: Angie Biggs, Laurie Dickson, Jamie Mitchell, Juan Torres
Day 3, half way through the project! The goal today was to clear the torpedo tube of all the of the nets that are entangled on it. In doing this, the wreck of the UB-88 will be free of the nets that have haunted her. There will still be nets in the sand surrounding the net but this will be a significant and exciting accomplishment for the team if they are able to meet the objective.
Our team not only met the objective, they absolutely smashed it! Not only did the team free the UB-88 of the nets, the team was able to remove 1,500 pounds of net!
This is significant for a number of reasons. First, this is 1,500 pounds of net that can no longer ensnare and kill marine life. Next, the net will no longer have the opportunity to destroy the artificial reef the UB-88 has become. Finally, this is the largest net haul in GDUSA history!
Well done to the team! A special shout out to the surface support and safety diving teams that worked together to secure the 1,500 pounds of net to the Giant Stride!
Day 4 - 12/19/2024
Divers:
Net handling divers: Jim Babor, Kian Farin, Jung Hseih, Norbert Lee, Tianyi Lu, Symeon Manias, David Watson
Safety divers: Jamie Mitchell, Rene Tetter
Surface support: Angie Biggs, Laurie Dickson, Shane McWilliams
Special guests: Courtney Griffith (conservation artist), Erin Stone (journalist, LAist)
Day 4 finds our team excited to dive back in after a massively successful Day 3! Today’s objectives include a final survey and cleaning of the torpedo tube and address any additional pieces of net that could actively fish. The next objective is to evaluate the net that is in the sand and what will need to be done to remove it. Then, there are steel cables that the team needs to evaluate and determine what they need to do to appropriately remove the cables.
Another successful day for the team! They were able to get the net in the sand collected into one area which will facilitate efficient removal. The team does still need to find the correct tool to address the steel cables but they were able to gather good information to support an informed decision about strategies. There was a hint of disappointment when the team realized and accepted that the clean up will not be completed in 5 days. Rather than being upset or chalking it up as a loss, the team walked away happy to have made a significant dent in major project.
A very special thank you to our special guests Courtney and Erin. By spreading the word about our work and why it matters, you not only support GDUSA, but you empower the community to choose the health of the ocean.
Courtney is a conservation artist that uses marine debris to discuss conservation and the human connection to the environment. From the net she was given, she created an installation called Cruel Immorality. You can learn more about it and the rest of Courtney’s work here.
Erin is a Climate Emergency Reporter with LAist. Erin’s passion lies in educating the public about the shifting climate and helping the public to understand how and why this shift is happening. Erin joined us today and spoke with some of the members of our team to prepare a story about the UB-88 project and our work in general. You can learn more about Erin here and read her story of the UB-88 project here.
Day 5 - 12/20/2024
Divers:
Net handling divers: Kian Farin, Jung Hseih, Norbert Lee, Tianyi Lu, Nir Maimon, Mark Self, Curtis Wolfslau
Safety divers: Daniel Pio, Yury Velikanau
Surface support: Jim Babor, Angie Biggs, Laurie Dickson, Shane McWilliams, Jamie Mitchell
Team Ghost Diving USA made it to the final day of the project! Today’s objectives include the scientific team (Norbert and Jung) taking baseline data after net removal and the other net handling teams are to clean up and remove any other miscellaneous pieces of net and continue working on strategies for the steel cables.
The teams completed all objectives and celebrated leaving the wreck at peace with the remaining net accounted for and prepared for efficient removal.
After returning to the dock, the team members had lunch at a local restaurant. The pride and accomplishment is palpable around the table. The team celebrated the teamwork and perseverance that made this project possible. It is truly humbling to sit at a table with a group of people who just completed 5 days of very challenging diving and rigorous surface work. The truly inspiring part of looking around this table is that not only are they a team, they are a team of volunteers driven by passion. They are friends that support each other and push each other to rise to the occasion.
As with any project there are successes, there are things that could have gone better or simply differently. As a whole, this project is a win for team Ghost Diving USA and a large success in our pursuit of the ghost nets.
Congratulations to the entire team! You’ve made an incredible impact!