Tragedy of the S.S. Miraflores - Able Bodied Seaman Robert Bing

Tragedy of the S.S. Miraflores

Able Bodied Seaman Robert Bing

Robert Bing took the last job opening on the ill-fated fruit freighter Miraflores. Tiring of his routine job in New Orleans as a barrel maker, Robert joined the Merchant Marine service.  He and his brother-in-law applied for jobs as an able-bodied seaman on the ship.  There was only one position left and for whatever reason his unlucky or lucky brother-in-law was turned away.  Robert’s luck ended shortly after he signed on for his first ocean voyage.  On February 15, 1942, the Standard Fruit vessel S.S. Miraflores was lost without a trace and Robert Bing was never seen again.

Robert Jr. (Bob) was four years old when his father sailed off to work on the banana ship.  Bob has few memories of his father.  He remembers his young father’s smile as related to him by his mom. His mother Hazel was left alone to raise Bob and his four-month-old sister Elaine. She would have to wait seven long years until Robert was declared legally deceased, before she would be able to remarry to begin a new life. The mystery of the missing ship went unanswered for Hazel.  She married twice after Robert’s disappearance and lived well into her seventies.  Hazel confided in her son Bob that she often wondered about the situation resulting in the loss of her first love.  That unknown would consume Robert Bing Jr.’s life.   There was never any official report or notice confirming the final demise of his lost father or the other 33 crewmembers on the S.S. Miraflores.   For the families of the ship only rumors of her final fate.  The stories ranged from an alleged Bermuda Triangle disappearance, torpedo sinking to capture and imprisonment by the Japanese in the Pacific. One of these theories would prove valid.  Yet without concrete evidence, the mystery would go on for 66 more years.

 In 2007, I was nursing a back injury.  In order to occupy my time, I began researching a number of unidentified shipwrecks I had dived.   One of the mystery wrecks was an offshore shipwreck known as the Freighter.  Nearly fifteen years earlier with my friends John Moyer, Lynn DelCorio and Gary Gentile, we had recovered a mechanical helm from the wreck.  After the discovery of the site, I made numerous dives there and had found no additional evidence which could help identify the wreck.  The obvious artifacts that would conclusively identify the ship are hull letters, the bell, builder’s plaque or a boiler plate. Despite dozens of dives none of these valued artifacts were discovered and the position of the wreck left much speculation.  Many other unique artifacts were unearthed on the wreck.  A broken piece of china with no marks was picked up by Gary on the discovery trip.  On one dive I recovered a large 2 by 3-foot brass plaque laying in the sand.  I was elated, thinking that I had extracted the builder’s plaque.  After cleaning off the detailed lettering I was thwarted, when I realized this was an instruction plaque for transferring fuel.  A nice and unique artifact but no name was listed nor any serial numbers which could identify the wreck. Numerous portholes and assorted pieces of brass were also recovered over the years but none revealed any notable information.  

Only one artifact was recovered that might link a name of this unknown freighter.  That was the brass helm manufactured by John Hastie and Sons.   I began searching the internet further trying to find if any records were kept by the helm manufacturer.  John Hastie and Sons was no longer operating. Glasgow University Archives in Scotland managed the records of the dissolved manufacturer.  After submitting a request regarding the purchase of a helm with the serial number 2705, I received an email from Glasgow which listed three ships whom had purchased helms with that serial number.  I eliminated two ships by the circumstance of their demise and by the type of helm.

Only one ship fit the criteria of the lost freighter…the S.S. Miraflores.  Further research credited the German U-432 with a claim of sinking a freighter in the same area as the position of the S.S. Miraflores.  This is a simple explanation of the numerous hours of weighing voluminous facts.  Rather than rehashing previous accounts of this endeavor, I prefer to move on to the latest development in the S.S. Miraflores story.

Bob Bing grew up without knowing the events which led to the death of his father.   In the late 1950s, he made a trip to the Federal Administration building in New Orleans.  There he checked with the Coast Guard to find out if there were any records or conclusions drawn about the loss of the ship.  The Navy and Coast Guard records of the war for the Merchant Marine Service at that time still were not fully updated.  This was nearly 15 years after the war.  In fact, one record ascertained Robert Bing was still on active duty.  This was soon dismissed when Bob and the officer on duty found that the picture in his files was from the sinking story in the New Orleans Item newspaper. The most conclusive fact in the face of this matter was that his mother still had in her possession Robert Bing’s death certificate.  After years of silence the Coast Guard finally recognized Robert Bing for his service to our country.  In 1991, Bob received an official report of casualty from the U.S. Coast Guard and a certificate of Honorable Service.  It was curious to note that within a year, the wreck was also discovered and dived for the first time.   

The casualty report states that:

“Veteran was a member of the crew of the Freighter SS Miraflores, Official Number 207820, owned and operated by the Standard Fruit and Steamship Company of New Orleans, Louisiana.  Vessel was overdue and presumed lost due to enemy action on or about 17 February 1942.  In addition, the cause of death is presumed to have been in the performance of his duties.”

Years went by, Bob found little more about the tragedy which left his mom heartbroken and he himself bewildered by the lack of closure.   Decades past and now Bob, his wife Annette, daughter Ginger and son Matt would occasionally check the internet for any updates or new information on the sinking of the ship labeled as “Lost without a trace”.

 In February 2013, the Bing family stumbled upon Atlantic Divers website.  Finally, seventy-one years after the Miraflores’ disappearance Bob found the complete story of the ship and the circumstances of his father’s death.    In early March of 2013, I received a phone call from Ginger Bing of Houston, Texas.  Ginger with her mother and father were planning on coming to New Jersey to visit her brother Matt.  She also suggested that her father and mother would like to meet me and discuss how I had dived and identified the wreck.  I was honored that they had considered this.  I immediately offered to show them the artifacts from the site and in a later discussion I invited them to dinner at my house.  There we could relax and casually share and discuss the effect of the discovery together.  On April 17, the Bings completed their journey.  It was not just a trip by plane, train and auto from Houston, Texas to New Jersey.  It was the highlight of a life long journey made by Bob Bing.  A small four year old boy who lost his father unexpectedly found a conclusion for his efforts at the age of seventy-five.  Bob was able to touch the helm that steered his father on that mortal voyage.  Bob had finished a lifelong task and paid great homage to his father.   

Robert Lloyd Bing was one of the thousands of Merchant Marine heroes.  We should never forget the sacrifices these sailors made and make to insure our freedom.  Bob Bing honored his father by tirelessly searching for the truth and circumstances leading to his father’s detriment.  He and his family have finally found closure and secured their pride knowing now that others also can appreciate his valor by knowing Robert Bing’s story.

How to Catch a Porthole

Life would be pretty boring if we were relegated to walk only the same path...

fortuna juvat.

PORTHOLES

How to Capture a Porthole

by Gene Peterson

Artifacts recovered and properly restored by wreck divers generate great enthusiasm for wreck diving. Self-regulated activities need to promote safe procedures and accepted methods to maintain our wreck diving freedom.

The number of portholes that are recovered from the vast variety of shipwrecks throughout our waters would certainly overwhelm most museums. Such objects displayed in homes, private museums or in public areas will have little effect changing the history of our nation. In fact, such displays encourage enthusiasm, further curiosity and inspire others to our maritime past. Properly restored, labeled and displayed objects ensure the wreck divers place supporting the welfare of shipwreck history. One might argue that few get to see private home collections, or these items will be sold for personal gain. That may be but, it is better to be rescued, restored and privately displayed, than to end up crated in some government archive, due to the lack of museum space or lost forever destroyed by nature and man.

Reflect on the curious disposition of the U.S.S. Monitor, where the dive sight was destroyed by N.O.A.A. to recover the anchor, turret, prop and other assorted key components. A gutted skeleton is all that remains of a once exciting intact underwater monument. The American people paid millions for the salvage by the Navy. American citizens continue to pay to maintain the recoveries and for further decimation of the site. If you want to see it, you must pay a fee each time you go to dive the exploited wreck or to visit the hulk’s bones in a museum. Non-divers are wowed by the recoveries, but it is ironic that only the government knows what is best for the people? There is no virtue in government, only a cloaked carpetbagger selling snake oil.

Portholes remain the most meritorious reward among dedicated wreck divers. Portholes are simply windows made for ships. Windows are designed to endure great effects of wind, wave and most importantly remain watertight under tremendous force. Most portholes are numbered and cut to fit in specific locations. When put in place, they are bonded with a watertight sealant, a rubber gasket and/or caulk. They may be attached with steel or brass bolts, which may be square, hexagon, rounded or riveted. They can be located above the waterline for cabins, galleys, or are attached to the wheelhouse or deck houses above the deck. Most are round, yet many are oval, rectangular, square or custom shaped to fit in specific areas. Experienced porthole collectors can identify the specific design characteristic of various wrecks.

There are few human experiences that parallel the sensation of sending up a fifty-pound brass porthole on a lift bag. Hundreds of portholes are just waiting to be recovered off the Jersey coast. A porthole enthusiast will find no better hunting grounds than the North Atlantic coastal waters, where thousands of ships terminated their voyages. Victims of winter Gales, collisions, wars, poor decisions and fate, these shipwrecks remain testimony to man’s vulnerability to nature and him. What remains of these noble, stalwart vessels will soon be but memories or written notations. The caustic effect of salt water, combined with the devastating effect of ship worms, the plowing by draggers and the voracity of storms will leave little reminders of these lost time capsules.

To appreciate the art of porthole recovery, one must first know the basic parts of the typical round porthole. A circle is cut into the ship’s hull plate at a designated location. There, the backing plate which is the inner ring of the porthole is attached directly to the ship’s hull. It is fastened to the hull with eleven or more bolted nuts and sealed with watertight gasket and sealer.

Dogs are round or oval shaped nuts attached with bolts pinned and able to swivel on the backing plate. There may be one to five of these which lock down the glass window or swing plate. The swing plate holds the thick glass hinged to the backing plate with a brass pin locked in with cotter pins or pin with a head and one pin. An additional storm cover may be hinged over top of the swing plate to further protect the swing plate in severe conditions. All these parts may be brass or steel depending on the cost of metals at the time of manufacturing. Toward the end of World War II many liberty ships, tankers and colliers were fitted with steel portholes, covers or metal frames sealing the glass call dome ports. Brass and copper were being conserved for munitions. In other case’s portholes from more luxurious ships or yachts may be coated with chrome.

Portholes open inwards. The swing plate and storm cover are found on the inside of the hull. To recover these on an intact wreck, you need to penetrate the wreck. On scattered, broken up wrecks, portholes may be found loose in the sand or attached to the hull plates facing upwards as the hull opens up. They may be exposed or buried under twisted metal or sand. The unique circumstances of each recovery offer an unlimited opportunity to capture the brass ring or the possibility of failure.

I once witnessed a diver work feverishly attempting to recover a porthole stuck under a titanic, teetering boulder. The more the diver pried, the more unstable the boulder became. Eventually the exhausted diver abandoned the project to avoid being crushed by the behemoth pebble. The following year when he returned, the porthole and the rock were both gone. Either the Jolly Green Giant got the porthole, or a storm washed it down the rocky cliff, uncovering it for some lucky diver.

Other similar hindrances may complicate the recovery. Divers have discovered loose portholes with steel I beams through the center. These rogue porthole puzzles have become legendary. In this case the porthole remained for more than twenty years until a magician’s touch captured the find. Numerous portholes lie just out of the diver’s reach on a large upside-down wreck. Frequently visited, creative divers have fashioned special hooks tethered to plumber's snakes and have retrieved the prizes much to the chagrin of others who found their arms too short.

Happening upon an exposed porthole on a deeper wreck, two divers worked as a team to remove it. Narcosis hindered the recovery, when they broke it free and finally shot the lift bag to the surface. After they filled the bag, they were so excited about their perceived handy work, they drunkenly shook hands and ascended. Neither realized they had failed to tie the porthole to the lift bag. Fortunately for them, another, more sober comrade completed the task. This benevolent diver sent it to the surface for them with no questions asked.

Without complications, some lucky divers have done little more than unknowingly land on a loose trophy. Having found a loose porthole, I observed two divers digging feverishly at the bottom of a washed-out area below me. I could not resist rolling the porthole down through the wreckage like a wheel just above them. As they rummaged through the silt, I rolled the brass wheel stealthily into their hole, when they were distracted. As the silt cleared, you could see the two celebrating their find.

Diving on a virgin wreck gives one a greater opportunity to score. When opportunity beckons, don’t hesitate. Take advantage of the moment and the environment. I once unbolted a porthole using the tools I luckily found from a toolbox inside a recently sunken tugboat. They were better tools than what I went down with. I remember tossing out my rusty bag of worn wrenches and quickly upgrading to a sleek set of Snap-ons ratchets and a generous number of sockets.

Recognition is your best tool. Marine life camouflages the wreck with coral, anemones, mussels, kelp and other growth leaving hunters confused and bewildered. Look beyond this proliferation of tissue and understanding ship construction can help guide you to your treasures.

Locating a porthole

Locating an intact porthole can be a difficult task. The easy finds are already cleaned and polished. Often discouraged divers happen upon an attainable find but fail because they are unprepared. Those who seek will find. Sand shifts, structures break apart and growth cycles change to unveil virgin areas open to discovery. Pay your dues. Luck is on your side if you are properly equipped and dive often.

Once discovering that elusive porthole, anxiety may reduce your potential. If you have planned for this moment, the probability of success is great. First analyze the situation and the territory surrounding the goal. Safety is your primary consideration. Check you gas, decompression debt and any possible obstacles that may cause a hazard. I once found a loose porthole on a deep wreck. When I wiggled it free, I also pulled down a wire fence which rolled over top of me and snared my tanks. If not for the assistance of two other divers, I would not be writing this. I did not make the recovery. More importantly nor was I recovered. Again, be wary of your surroundings. No piece of brass is worth getting hurt for.

The right tools will increase the potential. A five to an eight-pound hammer, a heavy-duty coal chisel and two foot plus crowbar will get the hunter started. Additional tools include channel locks, a drift pin, breaker bar, various sockets from 3/4 inch on up and don’t forget your plumbers snake and your car jack. Creativity and thinking beyond the curve will increase your prosperity. In most cases a crowbar may be all that is needed . . . If it is tangled in wreckage or buried under a boiler you may have to get creative. Look at all the possibilities first. You may not need any tools at all to procure your porthole.

On a steel-hulled ship, gently tap open the dogs and turn them counterclockwise until swing plate and/or the storm cover can be opened. You may have to carefully pry open them with a chisel or with a crowbar. Next pull the cotter pins with vise grips and drive out the hinge pins with a drift pin. It will move easier if you rock the plate and cover as you drive out the pins. Once the pin is removed, you can lift the outer plates from the backing plate. That sounds pretty straight forward but be aware that you may be hindered by coral growth, poor visibility, narcosis and increased air consumption. Dropping tools can ruin your plans. I spray all my tools’ florescent orange to help find them quickly in low visibility. Keep focused, stay organized and keep calm.

Removing the backing plate is much more difficult. You may have to drive out the bolts, unbolt or crack nuts, chisel pins, or torque the plate to break it free. If you have trouble loosening nuts, a good technique is to turn the wrench, or breaker bar clockwise tightening the bolt until it breaks. If this doesn’t work, a sharp chisel and heavy hammer may be needed to cut the bolts. Once the bolts are removed, you can now pry around the lip with a large crowbar in alternating areas to manipulate and break lose the remaining plate. A crowbar will give you greater leverage, if you slide the hooked end under the lip. Be careful not to crack or break the plate. Continue manipulating the plate until you see the corroded metal smoke around the ring. Soon the entire backing plate will pop out.

To assure recovery, use the proper lifting equipment. A minimum 100-pound lift bag, an up-line reel with sisal line and 10 foot a lifting strap should be used. When you inflate the bag, make sure that all is bagged or tied up, then secure the sisal line directly to the porthole before you release it to the surface. Secure the line to the wreck, so that it won’t drift away when you make your ascent and decompression stop. Sending a bag to the surface without tying it off will insure a loss. Take care to position yourself up current of the lift bag, in case it drops back down from wave action, current or a chafed line.

When you get to the boat, run a chase line out to the bag as soon as possible. Lift bags are designed to temporarily float. Tie the chase line directly to the porthole and cut your sisal line from the wreck.

Get some muscle on the boat to help you lift your treasure onto the boat. One person should lift the top of the bag as the other lifts the porthole connected to a heavy nylon line. Get some pictures and enjoy your grab. Portholes make great memories and sharing your recovery will fodder future diver’s passion for wreck diving. It is important to document your find to authenticate it’s recovery. If you decide to donate it to a museum, pass it down as a family heirloom or sell it to a collector, a picture will add to its historic and monetary value.

Begin restoring your rescue by soaking it in freshwater as soon as possible. Change the water frequently and soak for a few months. The marine growth will brush off with as it dies in the fresh water. To encourage the process, drop your porthole in a 50/50 solution of muriatic acid. Within a few minutes to a few hours most of the light coral concretion will start to bubble off. Handle the bath with care, avoid the fumes, wear safety goggles, latex gloves and use a heavy line to lower the brass port into the acid. After the growth dissolves, remove it from the acid bath and neutralize it in fresh water. Then brush with baking soda. Continue to soak in fresh water for another month or more. This helps to release the chlorides that remain saturated into the metals.

After this second soaking, dry the porthole and begin the cleaning and polishing process. You can brush with a wire wheel checking various stiffness of wheels. The stiffer the wheel the hotter and greater change to the surface metal. Be careful not use too stiff a wheel that may scratch the metal. Proceed with different wheels and switch over to a buffing wheel with jewelers’ rouge polishing to the desired shine level. Some divers prefer to buff their porthole to glitter like gold. I like to keep my artifacts in a preserved state, clean but with a low luster. I like to leave barnacles and other concretions which indicate it is an ocean-recovered artifact. Patina also adds an element of age and beauty to certain recoveries. Your desired level of restoration will add to the uniqueness of your discovery.

Portholes can be taken to a new level by adding pictures of the wreck, your favorite underwater vista or diving friends. They can be artistically displayed in gardens, turned into clocks, lights, barometers, mirrors, display cases or tables. Use your imagination but share your passion with future porthole captures.

Whether or not you every recover a porthole will depend on many things. Research and become familiar with wreck structure. Being prepared and attentive will increase your recognition skills. Luck also plays a part, but you create your own luck. Dive, Dive, Dive often on a variety of wrecks. 

Keep your eyes open and always bring a lift bag...

Good Wreck Diving!

Atlantic Diver

Tribute Dive on Jacob Jones

Whale of a Tale Series.

A Diving Tribute to Joseph Paul Tidwell on the destroyer Jacob Jones

By Gene Peterson

Eric Tidwell on left decompressing after diving the Jacob Jones
photo by Steve Gatto

On May 3rd, 2011, I received the following email from Commander Eric Tidwell. 

Greetings,

My grandfather (now 92) was one of the 11 survivors of the Jacob Jones (DD-130). I'm very interested in trying to schedule a dive trip to the site in the next 6 months.

I have had my Advanced SCUBA qualification for several years (but would need a refresher) and have always wondered if there is a specific dive shop that "services" that wreck?  I don't know how far off coast the wreck is or when the best time of the year would be to make the trip. 

Thanks for any info you might be able to provide.

CDR Eric Tidwell

I contacted Commander Tidwell and after a phone discussion, I set out to plan the dive for Eric and initiate considerations for his family.  Eric’s main goal was to pay tribute to his grandfather by diving the Jacob Jones.

Joseph Paul Tidwell was one of only eleven sailors that survived the torpedoing and sinking of the U.S. Navy destroyer Jacob Jones. The USS Jacob Jones was commissioned in October of 1918. She was 314 feet long and had a thirty-two-foot beam. This four-stack warship displaced 1,090 tons and could reach a top speed of 35 knots. Armed with four four-inch guns, two three-inch machine guns and twelve twenty-one-inch torpedo tubes, the Jones was a formidable attack ship despite her age.

Under the command of Fregattenkapitän Ernst-August Rehwinkel the U-578 prowled the coast of New Jersey and succeeded in sinking the tanker R.P. Resor off Barnegat Light on February 27, 1942.  Operation Drumbeat, the code name for the German U-boat battles off the American coast was in full rage.

RP Resor sinking off Barnegat Light 

Numerous U-boats were deployed to sink allied ships transporting supplies to England. After the sinking, the Jones was quickly dispatched from New York. The destroyer was assigned to patrol the area from Barnegat to Cape May hunting for German invaders. In the early morning of February 28th, 1942, the U-578 attacked the Jones.  Two or three torpedoes struck midship killing most of the crew and officers.  As the stern sank to depth, the detonation of the ship's own depth charges killed nearly all the crew on the surface. 

Escaping the ship, Joseph Tidwell and ten other crew members survived the bitter February night miraculously in an open life raft. Joe reflected upon his survival after the sinking. A few minutes before the U-578 attacked, Joseph was ordered from his post to bring back some sugar for the officers on the bridge. He was fortunate to be in the galley during the attack. His assignment to get sugar saved his life, a torpedo struck the bridge where he had been, and the main magazine exploded near his post. All but five officers perished from the blast including the captain.  He and a few other crew members in the galley were knocked down to the deck by the blast.  Their section remained afloat for nearly forty-five minutes allowing them to add a layer of underwear. Joe said he took a gulp from a ladle of hot coffee and jumped into the icy cold water. He then pulled himself aboard an open life raft. He and eleven others lay in the frigid seawater for several hours before being picked up by the patrol boat Eagle 56 as a winter storm ensued. One of the remaining twelve men died from his injuries and the hypothermic conditions while being transported to Cape May. 

Tribute to last living survivor Joseph Paul Tidwell

torpedo on the Jacob Jones
photo by Steve Gatto

Eric's day job is protecting our country.

It is interesting to note, the Eagle 56, was later sunk by the German submarine U-853. Only 13 of the 62-crew survived on the Eagle 56, lost on April 23, 1945. The cause of loss was initially classified as a boiler explosion. In 2001 research evidence provided to the Navy reclassified the sinking and determined it was lost due to enemy aggression.  The ship's wreckage was discovered in June 2018, by a team of New England divers. Their historical evidence proved the sinking as a combat loss. A video taken by the divers showed the boilers to be intact proving the sinking was due to enemy action. 

 In 2011, Joseph Paul Tidwell was the only crewmember left out of the eleven and his frail health was of concern. The window of opportunity was very limited, so we had to act quickly to honor him. This was Eric’s main goal as his grandson.  

On Thursday, July 21, 2011, I met with Eric Tidwell at the Atlantic Divers shop. From there, we drove to Bainbridge Quarry in Pennsylvania to do a preparation dive. In the placid water, Eric would be able try out the equipment he would be using for the Jacob Jones dive in a more sedentary setting. The owners of the quarry, Steve and Sue graciously opened the lake for us to do our dives. My son Sam came along to meet Eric, and to keep me company on the long ride to Bainbridge, Pennsylvania.

Eric adjusted to the new cold-water equipment with ease. His Super-Hornet aptitude made him a quick learner. We dropped down to the brisk 42-degree thermocline, and he handled it well. During our surface interval, we talked about how his grandfather must have felt jumping into the 39-degree water on that cold February night in 1942. Joseph Tidwell had no thermal protection, except an extra layer of cotton underwear, when he swam to the open raft.  In the icy water he and the others barely clung to life waiting to be rescued for more than 5 hours.  Incapacitated by the horrid cold, Joe later recalled in our discussion, he could hear calls for help in the darkness. The cries faded as less fortunate sailors succumb to the elements. 

That day, we did a few more practice descents, made some adjustments and trimmed gear until Eric felt prepared. Eric proved to me that he had the right mindset and the skills necessary to safely dive to 120 feet on the Jacob Jones.  We packed up, discussed our dive plan for the Jones and I pledged my full support to make his dive quest a reality.  

Leaving the quarry, Eric had to go to Philadelphia to pick up his dad. His father is a long-time musician from Jacksonville, Florida. He was good friends with Ronnie Van Zant and jammed with him in a little band called the One Percent. Some of those band members later formed the renowned rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd. When I told John Copeland, the safety diver scheduled for the trip, he remarked that this adventure just kept getting better and better... 

After Eric departed to pick up his dad Sam and I went diving. The last time Sam was in the water was when he was fourteen. At twenty-one, he was still a natural and we had a great time. Sam was impressed by Commander Tidwell’s ability to quickly adapt to the techniques used in deep cold-water diving. 

Sam Peterson 

Meeting a real super hornet commander pilot was indeed a cherished thrill. On the way back from the quarry, Sam and I got caught in traffic just outside Philadelphia for a few hours.

We had some time to discuss the day and what an honor it was to spend time with Eric.

Joseph Paul Tidwell at Observation Tower in Cape May with his family, a true legacy.

This day remains an unforgettable memory for both of us. It was nice for Sam to participate. Giving Eric the opportunity to pay tribute to his heroic grandfather was an honor for all that partook in the event. That week, I deliberated over the weather with Rusty Cassway and Brian Sullivan, owners of the RV Explorer. We were trying to select the best prospective day to dive. We corresponded frequently and made the decision that Friday would be ideal for a trip to Jacob Jones. A light southwest wind was predicted; the rest of the weekend was questionable. We needed practical conditions for a safe dive considering all the factors. We were under pressure to pay tribute safely and honorably to a living icon. Joseph Tidwell’s family was counting on this event. The local region understood this dedication was taking place and the media would be analyzing the event. There were many risks involved to make this dedication a success. I had planned the details to safely execute this event with a veteran team of first-class wreck divers devoted to accomplishing the task.  Everyone was eager and supportive, moving the event date on short notice was anticipated.

Friday July 22, 2011

Eric on the bottom

The decision to step-up the dive was made.  These seasoned wreck divers were accustomed to weather issues and understood the magnitude of this dive.  At nine that morning, we met Eric, and his dad Jim at Utch’s Marina in Cape May. Loaded and already on board the RV Explorer were the diving team including Rusty Cassway, Brian Sullivan, John Copeland, Steve LaGreca, Bart Malone, and underwater photographer Steve Gatto. Additionally, local newspaper writers were onboard and at the dock to document the event. Departing the inlet with the Tidwell’s and a loaded boat of crew, cameras, and gear, we sailed to the Jones followed by a light southwest breeze. As predicted, the weather was cooperating, and our plans were falling into place.  Excited to be a part of such a historic dive, each of us shared our convictions with Eric and Jim.

On the way out, I laid out a strategy for the dive. Brian Sullivan and John Copeland would tie us to the wreck, assuring a fixed tether to the hull. Then they would run a navigation line so that Eric and I could easily traverse the site without any preoccupation.  This way I could fully focus on Eric, guiding him throughout the dive. After a predetermined signal from John and Brian that all was secured and the navigation lines were set, Eric and I would enter. Steve Gatto would follow to record the dive. Steve LaGreca, Bart Malone, and Rusty Cassway would help prepare Eric on the boat.  After Eric’s tribute dive, they would recover the navigation lines and pull the hook.

Some good story telling was made on the way out to the site. We listened attentively, as Eric explained what is like to land a supersonic jet on a moving aircraft carrier. We gathered around the table as Jim Tidwell told us how he was an eyewitness to Jimmy Hendrix's first time playing of the national anthem in a small Jacksonville night club. Our time spent together was too short to get the full appreciation of this fascinating family. They had unique and remarkable life stories of a World War II shipwreck survivor, a rock n roll insider, and a super hornet Pacific fleet pilot / commander. 

As Rusty coaxed the RV Explorer over the stern of Jacob Jones, we pondered the morning of February 28, 1942.  

Nearly seventy years earlier unspoken suffering took place over this site.  This day the surface of the sea was calm and warm in retrospect to that fateful day. A feeling of reverence occupied our emotions as we prepared for our descents. This was a sanctified site. Over 130 sailors perished here, and now only one crewmember, Joseph Paul Tidwell remained, representing their sacrifice. It was with great resolve that we succeeded in paying this final tribute.   

John Copeland and Brian Sullivan set the hook and lines as Eric, and I waited. Steve Gatto entered with his camera to test his lighting.  Bart, Steve LaGreca, and Rusty went through the safety checks with Eric and away we went. Surface visibility was a good forty feet, but as we got down to the bottom it diminished to a dark twenty. We did a lengthy tour around the mid-section and then to the engine and boilers. We then stopped by a disintegrated torpedo. Here Steve Gatto took several pictures of Eric as he hovered above the explosive mechanism. We moved to a collapsed boiler where a lobster was tucked back in the hole.  I signaled to Eric to look where my light shone on its large orange crusher and carapace. We followed the guidelines circumnavigating around the wreck. Steve snapped photos throughout the tour. At the final minutes of the dive, I tossed a small lobster in front of Eric. He reached for the little bug as it quickly darted back into a crevice. It was time to call the dive.  I signaled to Eric, and we ascended. Reaching our first stop, we shook hands to the success of our visit. The sun glimmered down on us as we ascended to the warmer water to decompress. 

Emotions peaked onboard as we realized the achievement. A grand tribute was earned by all the crew, safely satisfying the vision of the grandson of this remarkable World War II survivor.  Eric Tidwell had fulfilled his dream by returning to this site honoring his heroic grandfather and the lost sailors of the U.S. Navy destroyer Jacob Jones.

Back on the RV Explorer, Brian grilled some lobster and burgers as we enjoyed a nice ride back to Cape May. Our discussions ranged from war to music and dive stories. It was a good end to a fine day.  Eric had paid tribute to his grandfather, his entire family and to those lost sailors. Joseph Paul Tidwell’s survival enabled his descendants to endure and to flourish. 

After that epic dive on the Jacob Jones, Eric invited the divers and their families to meet his grandfather that following Sunday at the Cape May World War II Memorial Tower. We met “Gramps”, Joseph Paul Tidwell, and his family. Some other World War II veterans were in attendance, and they also shared many insightful tales. That ephemeral meeting was an emotional tribute to a diminishing generation of men that battled for our freedom and their lives during a terrible war. I was glad my family and friends were at the event to share that time with those veterans.

After the short gathering ended due to the threat of an impending storm. I joined Eric as he walked out to his car with his grandad. Helping Eric get Joseph in the front seat, I was able to lean through the door and say farewell to this heroic sailor. I thanked him for serving our country and for the suffering he endured after the sinking of the Jacob Jones.

 In a soft-spoken voice, he thanked me for making the arrangements for Eric’s dive. He then said. “Live a long life and enjoy it." This experience, diving with Eric and getting the chance to speak with Joseph Paul Tidwell and hearing of his sacrifices, made me better understand his words.

The following is an excerpt of Eric’s reflections and desire for his grandfather’s tribute. 

My 92-yo grandfather is part of a slowly withering treasure trove of historical WWII National Assets and has a unique tie to Cape May, although he never even lived there. He is one of 11 survivors of the USS JACOB JONES (DD-130), which was torpedoed by a German U-Boat off the coast of Cape May on the morning of 28 February 1942. I am not sure, but he may also be the sole remaining survivor of this tragedy and after being picked up following several hours in a lifeboat, was brought to Cape May to recover.

It occurred to me (and my wife) that when my grandfather dies, I will miss a tremendous asset that I can never thank enough for his service and dedication to this country. I also came to the realization that every day we lose more and more of these National Assets, and I felt it important to ensure my grandfather’s story didn’t die with him. 

Thank you, 

James "T-Bone" Tidwell

CDR, U.S. Navy

Joseph Paul Tidwell, at the age of 93, passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, March 3, 2013, at home surrounded by his family. 

We as Americans should never forget the sacrifices made for our way of life and freedom by those few that have given so selflessly.

Joseph Paul Tidwell

How to Capture a Lobster

THE ART OF LOBSTER HUNTING!

Chris Jazmin

By Gene Peterson

The Atlantic Lobster, Homarus Americanus is the most sought-after diver delicacy found on the shipwrecks of New Jersey.  The wreck diver’s seafood shopping list can vary from a wide range of fish to scallops, mussels, crabs, and clams, but the claws and tail of the Atlantic lobster remain the most desirable entree.  

The New Jersey coastal waters are a natural flat sandy bottom free of relief, except for a few rare projections of rocks offshore.  All other objects of relief are the result of manmade error or purposefully placed in specific locations to create artificial habitats or reefs.  These unnatural obstructions stimulate habitation of marine life.   Here is where crustaceans and fish seek shelter in these shipwrecks and infinite structures forming an oasis from predation by larger species.  In the shadows of these structures, the lobster can molt and mate in a relatively protected environment seeking safety in innumerable crevices.  In the first year of a lobster’s life cycle only a tenth of their larvae survive floating among other plankton forms.  When they finally sink to the sand, the features of these artificial reefs make a welcome habitat for these juvenile crustaceans.   There they feed on the small mollusks, fish, less formidable crustaceans, and even other lobster.

Rick Jason on Offshore Paddle wheeler 

This awesome prehistoric armored animal inspires the imagination.  Soft tissue humans’ wince at the mere thought of their bone crushing mandibles snapping and crimping down on a misplaced digit.  The final taradiddle is legendary.  The tale is of the boastful and loquacious grandstanding diver whose dockside yarn of his hunting prowess was painfully interrupted.  As he stood in front of the dive boat holding up a ten pounder for the gathering crowd, he failed to respect its steadily encroaching crusher claw.  As the crowd watched in horror, he dropped to his knees in silence with the pincer attached to his thumb.  Fortunately, the instinct of the crustacean is to escape.  When the diver let go in wordless pain, so did the lobster.  I restate these incidents are rare but notable.

It is important to have the proper tools prior to your first hunt.  Good light is the most important tool.  Lobsters hide in the darkened crevices and away from the sunlight.  Their bright reddish orange color contrasts with the rusting and deteriorating wreckage.  The preference is the bright hot white HID or Eled handheld lantern lights.  These provide a wider view and allow unrestricted movement.  Red lens lights are rarely used and offer limited advantages.  You only need to see the location of a potential home briefly and a bright wide beam will allow you to see a greater hunting area.  Don’t flash the light directly into the lobsters’ eyes.  This will force them back into the wreck and out of reach.   Attach the light to your harness D-ring and you can let go to work with two hands underwater.  A large mesh bag will allow you to bag your bug easily.  Serious hunters choose the half nylon- half mesh bags to reduce drag and to ease the sliding of the bug into the bag.  A current legal gauge should be attached to the bag for easy reference.   These can be made by cutting out a length aluminum or plastic.  

 Dive clean.  Eliminate wearing canister lights with a hand mount.  Arm slates, compasses and computers also cramp your lobster draw reducing your ability to plunge your hand deep into a hole.  Being nimble is important and your ability to react without resistance increases your potential. Finally, dive within your comfort level, have the proper safety gear and redundancy for your dive.  Adequate gas is a must.  You will breathe a lot of gas during the heat of the hunt.





Chuck Wine with a 26 lb. lobster caught on the Chaparra.



Over a short period of time new bug divers can develop lobster hunting techniques that will ensure dinner and a healthy matrimony.  After your first success, you will be surprised how popular you are.  Your neighbor may hand deliver your newspaper, return your ladder, wave as you drive by etc...  In-laws will call or drop a card on your birthday.  Your teenagers will acknowledge your existence and soon you will be sitting at the head of the table again.  You will be remembered at those family reunions even if you don’t attend.  Just send a cooler with a few lobsters.  You now have the ultimate excuse for any unwanted social outing.

Lobster habitat any low sandy or muddy area with a roof.   They dig in and mark their home with debris they bulldoze out of these homes.    An alert hunter will look for burrowing areas marked with darker mud, discarded mollusk shells and bones littering the hole.  These crustaceans can migrate or may remain in that home year-round if there is an abundance of food.  A home in a paint can be compared to a summer home, whereas a shipwreck with thick mussel growth will be a more permanent fortress.   Their behavior is instinctual to make the march offshore in the fall where they can dig into the deeper shelf-waters and return in the late spring to re-find a summer habitat.  It is there that they can feed, molt and mate in a protected environment.  

One can understand that timing the hunt season is important when the diver plans to capture his dinner.  If you hunt too early, you will find lots of ling cod and ocean pouts occupying those holes.  If you go too late, the lobster may have moved off or have already been bagged. Lobsters are known to occupy holes with alternate escape routes.  They continually scan with their sensitive antenna underwater movement and motion.  They are wary of predators while tirelessly searching for food.   Waiting for the right moment they are surprisingly quick clutching at unsuspecting fish or scurrying back into their holes as an adversary approach.  Dive hunters should be aware of unnecessary movement and practice control of their underwater advances.  This is where lobstering becomes an art.  Successful lobster divers command a stealthy approach fully focused on their own movements, anticipating the prey, and foraging continuously from hole to hole.  Little time is wasted over examining suspected homes.  Some divers reach in crevices without hesitation, sometimes pulling out sleepy eel pouts or red hake lounging in previously occupied homes.  The less warning, the more likely you are to pull out the bug without any challenges.  Over analyzing can lead to escapes or a tug of war battle where the lobster pins its powerful tail unmovable into the hole.  When this happens, the diver then may get grabbed himself or the lobster may give up a claw and escape. 

Two 18 pounders from the S.S. Northern Pacific

Knowing the terrain is advantageous.  Lobster habitually returns to the same spot.  After one lobster is caught during migration, another will soon take its place.  Returning to the same area lobsters will replace themselves year after year and be of similar size.  They tend to replenish the offshore side of the wreck, where they return on their march back from the depths.  Divers that have caught lobster on a wreck will find by returning to the same spots they will enjoy equal fortune. When you make the move to grab a lobster don’t hesitate and move with full intent.  Missing or making a false grab will result in a quick escape or a pinched finger.  The lobster will likely retreat deep in a hole or long pipe, where it will remain the balance of your dive time.  Move on.  There are others to catch.  Spending the balance of your dive trying to out fox a veteran foe is fruitless.  At the end of your dive try that spot again but next time do not hesitate to reach far and quickly.   I have watched divers sit outside a deep pipe or boiler peering into the abyss of a black hole waiting for a monster to shuffle a few feet teasingly out of reach.  Waving your light, banging on the wreck, and tossing a smaller hostage lobster into the hole are vain endeavors.  The big one will back further away, you will get a headache, or you will get the sick thrill of pulling wings off flies watching a cannibalistic struggle. They don’t get that big by rolling on their back begging uncle.  You must surprise them to catch them. Stealth and speed.... Stealth and speed...

Reach in.  Go ahead.  Getting the courage to stick your hand into a dark hole with two snapping claws is an adrenalin pumping rush.  Reach high above the claws and grab the carapace.  Once you get your hand on your first lobster twist and pull.  If there is any snag let go for a second, regain your grip and continue to pull.  It’s out and in your hand.  Keep it away from vital parts and equipment like your mask and regulator hose. Know the difference between male and female.  The female has a broader tail with soft appendages to hold eggs.  If there are eggs (purple reddish berries) under the tail, carefully put her back in her home.  If it has no berries or a V notch cut out of the tail, measure the length of the carapace.  Check with current laws to measure the minimum and maximum length allowed for your area.  There are federal and state laws that affect your measurement.  If the bug is legal, open your bag and slip the bug in tail first.  Lobsters swim backward and will try to slip out if you open the bag too far.  Keep hunting, when you reach your maximum limit, you can always exchange the small ones for bigger ones.  Be aware the bigger bugs will crush the little ones. Serious divers carry two bags to keep them separated.  During the early summer months lobsters will be molting and are the most vulnerable.  If you capture one of these softies, you should put them back safely in their home where they will not become a fish meal.

Lobster rides

When you get on the boat, check your measurements again.  It is easy to make a mistake underwater and you will do little damage if you get the short lobster back in the water right away.  Eggs may be damaged by the pressure change and that is irresponsible hunting.    Bug hunting is exciting and a long-time diving pastime.  Properly equip yourself, follow the current laws and successful bugging will provide you with many dinners.  If all else fails, dive at night.  Lobsters are nocturnal feeders.  They wander around in the dark hunting for prey and a new home.  Your cooler could be that home too.

Bug Hunting Tips.

Know the laws, limits and have proper permits.

Only two claws are allowed per lobster body.

Measure and re-measure to be sure.

No gigs, spears, gaffs, or mechanical devices are legal for capture.

Keep your lobster on ice or submerged at depth below the thermocline to keep them fresh.

Band your lobster to protect yourself, other lobsters, and the cook.

Breaking out!