West Coast divers now have a new fantastic dive site even though the
sinking did not go exactly according to plan. The 366 foot long
Canadian destroyer escort Yukon quietly slipped beneath the surface
in the dark at 12:30 a.m. the morning of Friday, July 14, some 30+
hours ahead of schedule. The planned sinking time was to have been
Saturday, July 15 at approximately 9 a.m. when explosives were to
have been detonated just below the waterline.
The Yukon was towed to the planned sinking position on Wednesday, July 12. On Thursday night at about 11 p.m. she began taking on water. The pump aboard could not keep up and the three care takers on board had to abandon ship. The ship now sits on her port side in 100 feet of water off Mission Beach. The shallowest part of the wreck is 55 feet down.
The ship underwent extensive preparations in the previous months which included the cutting over 100 holes in the ship to allow for safe diver explorations. Some of these large holes were close to waterline but its unclear how they contributed to the premature sinking.
The unspent explosives were removed from the ship and then plans proceeded as normal in spite of the early sinking. Hundreds of divers participated in the "First to Dive" (sponsored by the local dive charter boats) and "First to Night Dive" (sponsored by NiteRider) benefit dives that took place Saturday, July 15. Superlatives such as "fantastic" and "incredible" were common comments from divers.
The Yukon is the latest artificial reef to be added to San Diego's famous "Wreck Alley" off Mission Beach. Other wrecks nearby include the Ruby E and El Rey. As the largest ship ever sunk as an artificial reef off the West Coast of the U.S., the Yukon is expected to provide a habitat for thousands of fish and other marine life. Hundreds of divers are expected to visit her weekly, making her one of the most popular dive sites on the West Coast.
Funding for the acquisition, preparation and sinking of the ship was provided by the non-profit San Diego Oceans Foundation as well as from contributions from many individuals and companies. Much of the preparation was done by volunteer labor. Funds are still needed to offset the cost of the sinking. For more information call (619) 523-1903.
A full underwater report on the Yukon will appear in the September issue of California Diving News.