The "Ashkhabad" is a dive with the inner superstructure ribbing spralled out on the ocean floor. It has two identifiable boilers and metal debris that resembles the remains of an engine, two sets of bow spits, and alot of ladders with the bow wreckage twisted and jutting up towards the surface. It sits on the east side of the shoals and is a good ride from the Beaufort docks. The visibility comes and goes, but at times can be as good as 100 feet. This year I've been to the wreck a few times. Chris ended up taking first in Discovery Diving's spear fishing contest with a grouper he picked off the "Ashkhabad". Me and Tommy had a few real good dives, and returned a week later. When Paul and myself were diving, I found this pile of rubble that had a distinct shape to it. It resembled a pressure valve on the one side, so I took out my knife and gave it a few taps. I saw brass underneath and that's all I needed to see. I will post the pictures I took as I bring 60+ years of build up to a head and bring back the brass to what it resembled years ago (hopefully).

...The Ashkhabad is at a depth of 55 to 61 feet. It is approximately a 400 plus foot wreck that is scattered along the bottom in almost an oblong "S" shape. The Ashkhabad, a.k.a. the "Dneprostroi", Kutais, Misty Hall, Aldersgate, Milazzo, & the "War Hostage" was built in 1917 and sunk by a torpedo from the U-402 on April 29, 1942. The interesting thing about this ship is that first it was Soviet. Second, it may have been salvaged if not for a series of military blunders. At 1000 the morning after the crew abonded ship, a boarding party from the HMS Hertfordshire, a British trawler, went onboard and pilfered her. They took valuable navigation equipment and considerable amounts of clothing. The next day the Soviet Captain and some her crew caught the Hertfordshire in the act, tied up to the tanker. They then found out salvage tugs were on the way, so they returned what they had taken. Well the word never got around to the U.S. Destroyer "SEMMES" (DD-189) that she was awaiting salvage. On May the 3rd, the Semmes fired three rounds from her 3-inch gun "in accordance with standing orders to sink all wrecks which might be menaces to navigation". Next, the HMS St. Zeno proceeded to the Ashkhabad and fired a shell into her after orders from the C.O. of the Hertfordshire, who was in command of all British trawlers at Morehead City. Pay backs a bitch, huh?

Photos taken by Diverlars!

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