A "tongue-in-cheek" look at diving in the frightening depths of the "Mudhole" off the coast of New Jersey, south of New York Harbor. Based on Edgar Allen Poe's infamous "A Descent into the Maelstrom"

A Descent into the Mudhole

"Part I" of this piece originally appeared in the xx issue of Wreck Diving Magazine. Unfortunately, the magazine ceased publication during the 2020 pandemic. The article was originally intended to be published in one part, but an unfortunate production error split it into two parts, and only the first part was published; splitting it into two parts broke the continuity of the piece, which was its major intention. Posted here is the entire piece as it was intended.

In the Wake of Dreadnoughts...Part I

Part 1 of this article was originally published in issue 46 (2020) of Wreck Diving Magazine.

In the Wake of Dreadnoughts...Part II

In the Wake of Dreadnoughts...Part III

Over the past 30 years camera technology has progressed by leaps and bounds. Today's cameras are capable of taking incredible pictures in impossibly low light levels. I often dream of returning to shipwrecks I photographed in the days of film and re-shooting the wrecks with today's cameras--but while cameras have been progressing, the shipwrecks have been steadily deteriorating, making it nearly impossible to recreate those images.

Then and Now . . .

This article was originally published in issue 35 (2015) of Wreck Diving Magazine.

The battle of Guadalcanal was one of the most protracted and violent campaigns of World War II. So many ships are sunk in the waters surrounding these Pacific islands that the sailors named this body of water Iron Bottom Sound. I've written two different articles on diving these truly historic shipwrecks, and visited their sunken battlefields twice, in 2006 and 2009.

Ghostly Guns of Iron Bottom Sound

This article was originally published in the September/October 2011 issue of Scuba Diving.

Diving Iron Bottom Sound

This article was originally published in issue no. 12 of Wreck Diving Magazine.

A long sought German U-boat is finally found by the crew of the dive vessel Tenacious in 2012.

The Discovery of U-550

This article was originally published in issue 31 (2013) of Wreck Diving Magazine.

Many methods are often employed in identifying shipwrecks. While finding the ship's bell is perhaps the most iconic, sometimes it's as simple as swimming down and reading her name on the hull

Alphabet Soup in the North Atlantic

This article was originally published in issue 10 (2006) of Wreck Diving Magazine.

Battling the notorius North Sea to dive the wrecks of the greatyest naval battle in history

Twelve Rounds with the North Sea

This article was originally published in issue 6 (2005) of Wreck Diving Magazine.

The EM Clark has to be considered one of the best and most dramatic dives on the US East Coast. Located off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, it is bathed in the warm clear waters of the Gulf Stream, making it both a treat to dive as well as a challenge.

EM Clark Article

This article was originally published in the August 1992 issue of Discover Diving.

The Norness was the first ship sunk off the US East Coast during World War II, and thus holds a unique place in history. It is also a wreck that had never been dived before the introduction of mixed gas diving into the wreck diving community. I had always longed to dive the wreck, and that dream was turned into reality thanks to the efforts of John Chatterton and Dan Crowell, who ran the first ever expedition to the wreck site in the summer of 1993.

Norness Article

This article was originally published in the December 1994 issue of Sport Diver magazine.

The revenue cutter Mohawk was an obscure victim of collision outside New York harbor during the First World War. Later she would bear silent witness to 63 years of ocean dumping and the poisoning of a specially designated area of ocean bottom outside the harbor.

Mohawk Article

This article was originally published in the October 1993 issue of New York Outdoors, and later in the October 1995 issue of Sport Diver magazine.

The steam pipes decorating the ends of an old ship's boiler provide the perfect home for an amazing variety of marine creatures. Next time your diving your favorite shipwreck, check out the apartment complex you may have missed.

Boiler Tubes Article

This article was originally published in the August 1995 issue of Sport Diver magazine.

A wreck worthy of the warm, clear waters of Truk lagoon lies in the silty depths of New York's "Mudhole", providing local divers the rare treat of exploring an upright and intact shipwreck.

Ayuruoca Article

This article was originally published in the December 1994 issue of Discover Diving magazine.

Hey wreck diver: ever take a closer look at all those sea anemones covering your favorite shipwrecks? Bet there's some things you never noticed!

Patchwork Quilt Article

This article was originally published in the June 1994 issue of Discover Diving magazine.