Ace wreck Dana Point from Partial Pressure Productions on Vimeo.

We pulled up yesterday at 8 a.m. The weatherman had called for warm temperatures and they couldn’t have been more correct in their assessment. It was 70 degrees outside at 8 a.m. and the water was like glass. Every few minutes you’d see a small swell slide under the boat; but other than that, it was smooth as glass.

I gathered up our team and went through our briefing. We had some work to do on this second dive. Our mooring lines needed attention and we decided that we should set up an Advanced Line for instructors visiting the wreck. As we decended into the depths, it was apparent that this second dive would be better than the first. At 82 feet, I could see the wreck clearly. She sits in 115 feet of water and rises to about 90 feet. But, here I was looking at the entire wreck!

I descended and cut the first line and started setting up the Advanced Line while Bobby worked on disconnecting the clevis from the original mooring line. The team swung over and enjoyed looking at the riggings and the beautiful metridiums that are decorated all over the A.C.E.

On the seafloor, Chob sat on the bottom on his knees and snapping picture after picture. I couldn’t wait to see those pictures! I knew that they would be good with the 30+ feet of visibility today.

Scott Marshutz was on my team and after we were done lowering the mooring rig (a feat that took about three minutes), we wandered over to the wheelhouse of the A.C.E. You see, Scott has been investigating the A.C.E. since her discovery. He has contacted numerous crew members and has probably forgotten more about this wreck than I’ve ever known. Our mission on this dive was to find a personal article to take back to the Captain.

Once Scott realized what I was pulling on, he started to help. We slowly pulled the jacket and started our ascent back to the surface. I could feel hard stuff in the pockets, so I hoped that it was a wallet or something that we could return to the rightful owner.

When we reached the surface, we searched the jacket to find nothing. But, now Scott has something to return to the Captain of the A.C.E. We made a deal that we would bring one thing from the wreck and that was it. Now, we have left everything on board and this wreck is sitting on the seafloor with everything she had on her when she sank.

Come down and see this wreck guys. You will be impressed.

Thanks to Chris T., Giovanni, Bobby K., Derek E., Chob V., Marty M., Steve A. and everyone that was on the boat along with everyone that has ever dived in Southern California with me! I will miss you guys!!!!

D.J. Mansfield

You know you’ve made it home when…..

We were boarding the plane in Texas in March of 2010 with the rest of our Beach Cities Scuba crew when I opened up the flyer to Bonaire. The pictures were amazing and I thought, “There’s no way it looks like this”…..

When we landed, it was early morning. Our guide was patiently awaiting our arrival in a few vans from Plaza Resort Bonaire. He drove us over the the resort and dropped us off in the front. At no times did we have to touch our bags! Now that was service!

He gave us a quick brief and handed the room packets to each of us. After that, we were escorted to our rooms. I walked into mine and was amazed at how well constructed and relaxing the atmosphere was. Then we walked outside to see our view.

We quickly fell in love! After a quick dive safety brief and a talk about the amenities of the resort, we were already headed back to the rooms for scuba gear and our first dive! At 4 p.m., Tiffany and I were geared up and walking off into the crystal clear and highly blue water. No waves, no surge whatsoever! 150 feet of visibility all around! We’ve made it home!

You know it’s fun when…

Everyday was an adventure. We would eat a light breakfast and hit the dive sites around Bonaire. At times the guys would dress up in character and walk around for fun! Each night, we went to dinner at a nice restaurant and even on a couple we went out and enjoyed the nightlife that Bonaire had to offer. There was never a dull moment. Ever. 

From the awesome diving to the great friends, Bonaire quickly became a favorite of everyone that went.

Each person that went that experienced this for the first time said they would definitely come back. Almost half the group were on their second, third and in one case seventh trip to Bonaire!

And the diving?

At every turn there was a photo opportunity! The dives ranged from 20 feet to 130 feet. There were no waves or surge. There wasn’t a bad day on that island! Every dive site we visited was spectacular! And the animal interaction? It was amazing. There were enough species there to keep a photographer busy for months. From Macro to Wide Angle, the choices were there and always available!

Bonaire has become a favorite of many of our customers, and for this guy, I will definitely visit Bonaire many more times in my life. The diving there was beyond easy, the facilities were excellent and the friendly staff were just some of the things that made this trip exciting and amazing!

In 2011, Beach Cities Scuba Centers has planned another trip to Bonaire and I’m sure that we may see many of the same faces on this trip, we would love to have more people join us and experience this unique dive spot! It’s beyond amazing and no diver’s logbook is complete without seeing Bonaire!

Bonaire hosts every type of diving you can think of. From Wreck to Deep to Drift, this island was aptly named the Diver’s Paradise. I had the time of my life going there in 2010 and if I wasn’t on my way overseas, I would definitely take advantage of going again! It’s simply one of the best places on earth to dive. It’s easy and you can’t ask for a better experience from the crew at Beach Cities Scuba!

When Tiffany and I started talking about our next dive adventure in 2010, the most affordable choice was Bonaire. 

Over Thanksgiving we discussed our next dive trip for 2011 and 2012 and guess what island came up? Bonaire is easily our first choice and we hope that you can make it yours. Join us in 2011 for some excellent diving, relaxing atmospheres and many more experiences that you will never forget (just like us).

D.J. Mansfield

Training Manager

Beach Cities Scuba Centers