Posted: Aug 24, 2006 06:13 pm EDT
(TheOceans.net) Mike Bear is a tech support manager, with taste for the salty waters of the deep - and vintage fighter planes. A certified PADI Master and Rescue Diver, he’s been scuba diving for years just aching for a chance to dive a World War II plane wreck known as “P-38” off the coast of Southern California.

A few weeks ago he and his San Diego diving buddies got their big break.

The ‘once top secret’ GPS numbers revealing the location of the wreck that had been fiercely guarded by boat captains in the area for years were now in his posession.

Prying them out of a local diver, Mike and his friends were sworn to secrecy; they could tell no one else and had to promise to respect the wreck. “Needless to say, we didn't need to be told twice not to loot the plane in exchange for getting the location,” Mike said.

So on August 12, under sunny skies and calm waters, Mike and his diving buddies motored out from Mission Bay. As they prepared for the 130+ foot dive that would last nearly three-quarters of an hour, Mike’s anticipation grew.

“Our hopes were high, and we were not disappointed.” Here’s Mike’s debrief of the long awaited wreck dive:

The Strawberry wreck

“Upon arrival, the other dive team, experienced divers also: Dan and Jackie were kind enough to volunteer to be the first on the plane. Dan offered to make sure the anchor was placed properly and safely, near the plane, but not too near and he did a stellar job. He placed it close enough so that all we had to do was drop down the line and we were practically on the wreck. Barbara and I dropped down the anchor and from 20 ft. above the sand, could see the plane, so we knew the viz was going to be superb.”

“It was so cool to see it emerge into view as we dropped onto it.”

“We could see the entire length and breadth of it, from nose to tail and the ends of both wings. It is completely covered in bright pink and red Strawberry Anemones that practically glowed in the early morning light. I was ahead of my dive buddy, Barbara, on the line and descended down until I was in the sand, next to one of the wings. I immediately began heading towards where we had been told the Wolf Eel was, and sure enough, there he was, head poking out in curiosity at who was coming to visit this fine morning. I gestured for Barbara to come over and begin videoing the little guy, who even poked his head out a little further for the camera-- completely fearless, like, “Mmmm....visitors--how nice! "

Mike in wonderland

“While Barbara stayed to film him, I ascended a bit from the sand to have a look at the rest of the wreck. I felt like I had taken some Alice in Wonderland drug that magnified the size of all the local fish--even allowing for natural underwater magnification--all the fish here seemed at least twice their normal size: HUGE Sea Bass, Copper Rockfish, Lincod...an enormous male Sheephead who seemed almost as big as I was patrolled majestically around the plane, followed closely by a small harem of only slightly smaller females, eyeing us warily."

"I swam over to one of the largest Lincod I have ever seen and gestured for Barbara to come over to get him on video, which she did. He sat still for awhile, then bolted under the plane, out of sight. I then made my way over to the machine gun and ammo box, peering in to confirm that indeed, ammo was left in there, but it was completely overgrown with some kind of growth, but you could still make it out.”

“I then glided over the cockpit, trying to imagine what it must have been like for the pilot, just before he had to ditch it the plane. Huge Copper Rockfish and Sand Bass cruised about on either side, gazing at us quizzically, but completely unafraid. Then, it was over to the back of the plane and then forward over the wings again, to check out the marine life here.”

Buzzing head and burning cold hands

“We were careful not to touch any surface of the little craft, but just marvel at the brilliant colors of pink and blue that pulsated back at us in the superb visibility. Before long, our time was up and it was time to begin the long ascent back to the surface. My head was buzzing and my hands burning from the cold.”

“But, not before carefully moving the anchor so that it was well clear of the craft before heading up, so it wouldn't get damaged in the process of pulling it up. We did our two deep stops and deco and gas switching that seemed to take forever on the way up. We had spent 20 minutes on the wreck and taken nearly the same amount of time ascending, for a total dive time of 41 minutes.”

“It was just an absolutely gorgeous dive--what else can I say?”

Mike Bear

Find more on this dive - including a video - on diver Mike Bear's blog and Videographer Barbara Lloyd's website (links section below images).

The World War P-38 Lightning fighter plane was a single seat long-range fighter with a 52ft. (15.8 m) wingspan. The model did its first flight in January 27, 1939.

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