The Search for the USS Johnston - Full Dive Video - Part Two

This video chronicles the full, second and "survey" dive of the USS Johnston with mission specialist and historian Parks Stephenson. Mission Specialist Shane Eigler and I discovered the major part of the shipwreck in Part One, but had almost exhausted our battery power so we had to ascend after just an initial pass at the wreck. On this second dive, we would attempt to get closer, make multiple passes, and learn as much as we could with the power available.
Because of relatively strong currents, we didn't land as close to the wreck as we would have liked, so it took some time in the beginning to re-acquire the wreck. As I have often stated, it is very, very difficult to locate things on the very deep seafloor. A comment here and there on Part One remarked that such searches can be like "watching paint dry" but that is part of my point in sharing these extended videos - as requested - with the community. Real exploration takes a lot of time, patience, and resources - and often you come up empty-handed. Real exploration is not an action movie but a slow, deliberate, careful process that requires a lot of persistence.
But with a lot of work and if you're lucky, you get to locate and survey (at that time) the deepest shipwreck ever located.

[@caladanoceanic3432]

By the way, if you want to skip to the re-finding of the ship, go to 1 hour 17 minutes and just give it a few minutes . . . It is pretty cool how it very slowly appears out of the gloom - the bright white lettering of "557." And yes, if you watch the whole thing, you will see that it takes a lot of patience to locate (small) shipwrecks in the very deep ocean.

[@huskydogg7536]

My dad, who was turning the rudder manually in aft steerage after the power loss, would have been captivated by this. He passed in 2014 and loved anything I could scrape off the internet. This added footage makes one really appreciate how finding these ships is like a needle in a haystack; I'm amazed at your patience! The pristine shape of the ship, battle scars included, is amazing!

[@marvinmarlin9655]

Absolutely loved every moment of this uncut footage. Its not until you take the time to see what goes into such discoveries that you can fully appreciate all of the work and effort that goes into them. I am happy to deny editors work any time. More please as soon as you are ready.

[@victorvescovo5773]

Thank you for the kind words. I added the videos with some trepidation, because I didn't want people to be bored watching them. But as I have repeatedly described, if you are interested in *true* exploration, you will see there is a -lot- of methodical, sometimes mind-numbering activity over very long stretches of time to get to the few, short, particularly exciting moments. Next up: The long-form videos of the search and discovery of the (now) deepest shipwreck, the USS Samuel B Roberts. Merry Christmas.

[@techboy9153]

Thanks for sharing the full video! It may not be thrilling to watch, but it's so valuable for posterity to have high def video of the full survey online. Keep up the good work!

[@GuentherVanRaven]

I would love to see a dive to the Bismarck. The last dive might have been by Ballard, time to see her again.

[@sarahaqua6084]

Thank you for this video. It's important to show people how difficult it is to find a ship deep in the ocean, the patience you need too. Caladan Oceanic is very interresting. Hello from France.

[@ijnfleetadmiral]

Hope you guys get to go after other wrecks in 2024!

[@LBTennis]

I thought he sold his rig to Have Newell

[@3693G]

Massive vid, mate! Thank you!

[@johnacep4939]

Incredible, nice work, thanks

[@pete.theeggbox]

remarkable footage - easily see why it takes so much concentration which in itself is exhausting work, let alone fighting to position yourself while balancing against any current and with visibility being at its minimum - i take my hat off to you and your years of skill and patients and i assume the driving position is not that clever, while we can see from the camera out front, clearly your piloting position is some way back, looking down to a small porthole in front of you at arms length, those odds are pretty well stacked against you but if there be one thing i'd suggest, if it were me, when you get on sight so close to the bow, does it make sense to survey the ground immediately around the hull, (not the debris field) but go down one side towards the wrecked end, than back to the bow and round the other side, just so you know while hovering around the gunnel and above you know roughly what is below you in case you need to reverse and sit down not surprised she went down with most of her rear end blown away, so badly damaged and torn away, its a hell of a sight, god bless those that perished, the carnage is unthinkable until you actually see the aftermath, its an eerie chilling sight for sure my dad might say, being there would certainly ruin your day

[@victorvescovo5773]

Yep. It is a lot harder than it looks. Especially when there is live ordnance on the wreck you are trying to get close to for a better look . . .

[@VFRSTREETFIGHTER]

Even in death she's a proud ship.

[@mikedunn8658]

Thank you for sharing. Really enjoyed it.

[@VitaminC440]

Bravo men! Amazing footage! God Bless all the Souls lost on the Johnston.. She fought like a Lion!

[@michaelchamberlain4405]

Are they gunna start searching for the uss gambier bay again

[@Muonium1]

Do you have any interest in potentially diving any nuclear wreck sites, or do you feel the fission product contamination risks aren't worth it?

[@victorvescovo5773]

Well . . . the issue is not really the contamination risk, water is a great insulator, but the comfort level of governments letting a private vessel (with a manipulator arm capable of interacting with a wreck) near the sites. Let's just say most are not comfortable with that scenario. At all.

[@bane1]

Pee pee poo poo

[@2dheethbar]

Change your diaper, youngin.

[@engir63]

I would be angry too.

[@dimasgirl2749]

She looks like she's still fighting.

[@DavidWBIII]

It is so nice to see you guys at work and the amazing footage of all of this. AMAZING!!

[@jorgemoreira2406]

Boas tudo bom, deve dar medo estar ai na escuridao ,e derrepente dar de caras com esses monstros,são barcos realmente muito muito grandes,na imagem não se tem a real precisão do tamaho desses barcos,so quem ja esteve perto de um sabe realmente a noção do seu tamanho. Fico imaginando esses corajosos no meio da escuridão dar de caras com esses barcos. Um abraço de portugal ❤❤❤

[@associatedblacksheepandmisfits]

Why no slave rov for Close work ?⚓

[@victorvescovo5773]

That would add an immense level of complexity to the sub. Simpler is more reliable. Plus, we could get pretty darn close with the submersible.

[@leaveme3559]

really wish there face wasn't plastered at half the screen while we were looking at the ship

[@MesumRaza-bl9uw]

So hunted this deepest plz save any guy😢

[@MesumRaza-bl9uw]

How much deep inside this un lucky ship😢

[@MesumRaza-bl9uw]

I so sadness for this ship sad lone as😢