Bob Herpen + Navy Ship

Senter Cove Guy · 10-11-2008, 08:11 PM

There have been a few attempts to get in touch with Bob Herpen but to no avail. Did you do any scans for this in 2008? If not, perhaps you might have better luck in 2009. I know 88 feet is deep for exploratory diving but it might be fun to get a group of divers together and give it a go. Who's in?

Here's a link to the original thread in the Forum Archive if you're interested:
http://www.winnipesaukeeforum.com/ar...mes;read=59146

Grant · 10-15-2008, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senter Cove Guy

There have been a few attempts to get in touch with Bob Herpen but to no avail. Did you do any scans for this in 2008? If not, perhaps you might have better luck in 2009. I know 88 feet is deep for exploratory diving but it might be fun to get a group of divers together and give it a go. Who's in?

Here's a link to the original thread in the Forum Archive if you're interested:
http://www.winnipesaukeeforum.com/ar...mes;read=59146

You know I'm in. And next year won't be nearly as "dry" as this one was!

Rattlesnake Gal · 10-16-2008, 04:20 PM

Next year is the year, I can feel it. With this many of you searching for this Navy Ship, it won't be lost for long.

Good luck!

sa meredith · 10-16-2008, 05:18 PM

This is a fascinating thread...I never imagined that there was so much stuff at the bottom of the lake. However....I find this very strange: I just clicked onto the original thread from 2003 (I think). Bob Herpen posts several times about the site, and diving it a few times, and talks about his pictures, and is about to post them, but is asked by the Navy to hold off. And then BANG, the thread ends. What? No follow up, to a Navy ship being discovered, and becoming Bob's private dive site? And several people ask for the exact location, but get no response. And noone ever asks him what became of the photos.
How could such a truly fascinating subject just drop? Someone must have stayed interested, and followed up with Bob Herpen. I can't imagine that back in 2003 people just thought "oh well" and got on to something else.
What became of this situation back then?

Rob · 10-16-2008, 06:17 PM

I love a good story, and I love history, so I’d be happy if this turns out to be true. However, this whole thing seems very fishy to me, and it has ever since it was posted. I’ve often thought about it over the years, and the lack of any follow up since then makes me even more certain.

Here are my thoughts:

His first post was at 2 AM. I just find that odd. It’s a little late for most people.

He said they discovered the wreck because their anchor pulled up mysterious cords which made him and his brother decide to dive to check this out. Since he said the ship he found is in 80’ of water, it’s reasonable to assume that he must have been anchored in around 80’ to start with. Why would he anchor that deep? But he’s a diver, you say. Ok, but why was he diving in the middle of the Broads in 80’ of water in the first place?

It seems like quite a coincidence if he and his brother decided to dive in the middle of the Broads for the heck of it, and they just happen to stumble on this mysterious ship that no one else (including the regular divers here) have seen, and no one seems to have even heard of.

My next question is, why did he feel a need to send his photos to the Navy? Just because it had "legible Navy markings"? If I found a Sea Ray on the bottom of the lake, I wouldn’t go sending pictures to Sea Ray. Or Irwin Marine, for that matter. Why not just go into the local dive shop where he fills his tanks and ask if anyone had heard about this wreck? Or ask the forum members first? Instead, he waits “a couple of weeks”(I’m assuming he dove shortly after finding the mysterious cords in his anchor) without telling anyone, then sends his pictures off to the Navy, and follows that up with a post on the forum at 2 AM.

After piquing everyone’s interest by posting about this mysterious ship, he says that he doesn’t want to “create a scene by giving the exact location”. Even here, he’s acting like it’s some big secret. Why?

He does give us a location- 80’ of water, E to NE of Diamond Island. Looking at my Duncan Press map from 1981(I’m at home), that gives a triangle from Diamond Island to Middle Ground Shoal to Wolfeboro Neck and back to Diamond Island. Given the number and length of 80’ contour lines in that area, it’s too large to easily search to verify his claim. How convenient. For him. Not us, obviously.

He’s also unable to figure out how to post photos, even after two people, including the webmaster, tell him how to do it. Personally, I’d think if you can read decompression tables and operate a camera underwater, I’d think one would be able to figure out how to upload a photograph.

In his final post, he’s finally figured out how to post photos since he tells us that he was “all set to post”. But no, just as he was about to hit the upload button, he was contacted by the Navy and told not to say anything while the Navy “looks into things themselves”. Rats. We were so close. Who says the government is slow?

Why does the Navy need to look into anything? What’s the big secret?

Also, there’s no information indicating who or where in the Navy he sent the photos to, or who in the Navy contacted him. If he’s going to post to kindly inform us not to hold our collective breath, you’d think he’d at least bother to tell us who it was that contacted him. Like, the office of such and such in Washington, DC.

Another thing to consider is logistics. Assuming that the boat was in fact 120 feet long, how did it get up to Winnipesaukee in the first place? A boat that size would have to have had at least some assembly on site.

That would have required space, labor, and time. Some sort of boatyard would have to have been built, or an existing one used. Someone would surely have noticed such a large boat being built. Even if the lake was a lot less crowded back then, and thus people were less likely to notice stuff, I just don’t see how would the Navy could bring a 120’ ship up to the lake(in whole or in part) without anyone noticing.

He claims that he dove on the wreck 4 times, but was able to take photographs, determine that it was at least 120 feet long, and some other info. He couldn’t have had much bottom time, or a whole lot of visibility. To be diving on a shipwreck in open water (the Broads) at that depth (80'), he and his brother would have to have been fairly experienced divers.

Does anyone in the local dive community know of a “Bob Herpen”? I’m assuming that’s the poster’s real name. In and of itself that’s unusual, not a lot of people post with their real names. (well, I do, but only my first name) The only Bob Herpen I can find using Google is a sports reporter in the PA area. I don’t know if he scuba dives, I suppose someone could call him up and ask him.

Taken individually, the things I mention above sound like nitpicking, and I’m willing to give the poster the benefit of the doubt on a few of them, but taken as a whole, it just doesn’t add up.

I say it’s a hoax.

PS-

Also, if he really wanted to be discreet about his discovery, but still get information from knowlegable people on the forum, he could have made a very different post, for example:

“several years ago, I heard a story about a big Navy ship that sunk way out in the middle of the Broads a long time ago. Not the experimental platform off of Diamond Island, but a real ship. Has anyone else ever heard about such a thing?"

sa meredith · 10-16-2008, 06:42 PM

Rob...great post! Well stated.
I thought the same thing...hoax...but stopped short of saying it, as I have taken some heat in the past for being a "negative poster".
But, without rehashing your whole post, let me say...we thought exactly alike on several topics.
1. This is a pretty smart guy (dive wise anyway) to not know how to post a photo on the internet...even after two members explain how to do it.
2. Anchored in 80 feet of water???? Well, maybe, but....
3. And unwillingness to share the exact location. More or less writing "the Navy asked me not to disclose any info". Uuuuuuummmmm, again, maybe, but I don't think so.

I hope we're wrong, and someone posts a story explaining why this is true.
It would be a pretty good find.
Maybe the reason the thread just dropped off was Bob discovered some top secrect Navy experiment, and they kidnapped him, and had him killed????

Rattlesnake Gal · 10-17-2008, 09:51 AM

A White Pages People search found a Robert Herpen in Pennsylvania.

If this is in fact a hoax the worst thing that will happen is that a bunch of divers waste a bunch of time having fun exploring the lake.
If it isn’t a hoax… maybe we should say good-bye to all you divers now. Once the Navy finds out that you’re on the hunt, you may never be heard from again.

10-11-2008, 08:11 PM	#1
Senter Cove Guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 614 Thanks: 307 Thanked 436 Times in 146 Posts	This Is Still Of Great Interest To Me There have been a few attempts to get in touch with Bob Herpen but to no avail. Did you do any scans for this in 2008? If not, perhaps you might have better luck in 2009. I know 88 feet is deep for exploratory diving but it might be fun to get a group of divers together and give it a go. Who's in? Here's a link to the original thread in the Forum Archive if you're interested: http://www.winnipesaukeeforum.com/ar...mes;read=59146 __________________ Lake Winni - The only place I want to be during the summer. Last edited by Senter Cove Guy; 10-11-2008 at 11:03 PM. Reason: Added link to Forum Archive thread

10-16-2008, 04:20 PM	#3
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,253 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,455 Thanked 1,357 Times in 476 Posts	Glad This Topic Has Resurfaced Next year is the year, I can feel it. With this many of you searching for this Navy Ship, it won't be lost for long. Good luck!

10-16-2008, 05:18 PM	#4
sa meredith Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 986 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 32 Thanked 352 Times in 137 Posts	strange This is a fascinating thread...I never imagined that there was so much stuff at the bottom of the lake. However....I find this very strange: I just clicked onto the original thread from 2003 (I think). Bob Herpen posts several times about the site, and diving it a few times, and talks about his pictures, and is about to post them, but is asked by the Navy to hold off. And then BANG, the thread ends. What? No follow up, to a Navy ship being discovered, and becoming Bob's private dive site? And several people ask for the exact location, but get no response. And noone ever asks him what became of the photos. How could such a truly fascinating subject just drop? Someone must have stayed interested, and followed up with Bob Herpen. I can't imagine that back in 2003 people just thought "oh well" and got on to something else. What became of this situation back then?

10-16-2008, 06:17 PM	#5
Rob Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 64 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	I think it's a hoax I love a good story, and I love history, so I’d be happy if this turns out to be true. However, this whole thing seems very fishy to me, and it has ever since it was posted. I’ve often thought about it over the years, and the lack of any follow up since then makes me even more certain. Here are my thoughts: His first post was at 2 AM. I just find that odd. It’s a little late for most people. He said they discovered the wreck because their anchor pulled up mysterious cords which made him and his brother decide to dive to check this out. Since he said the ship he found is in 80’ of water, it’s reasonable to assume that he must have been anchored in around 80’ to start with. Why would he anchor that deep? But he’s a diver, you say. Ok, but why was he diving in the middle of the Broads in 80’ of water in the first place? It seems like quite a coincidence if he and his brother decided to dive in the middle of the Broads for the heck of it, and they just happen to stumble on this mysterious ship that no one else (including the regular divers here) have seen, and no one seems to have even heard of. My next question is, why did he feel a need to send his photos to the Navy? Just because it had "legible Navy markings"? If I found a Sea Ray on the bottom of the lake, I wouldn’t go sending pictures to Sea Ray. Or Irwin Marine, for that matter. Why not just go into the local dive shop where he fills his tanks and ask if anyone had heard about this wreck? Or ask the forum members first? Instead, he waits “a couple of weeks”(I’m assuming he dove shortly after finding the mysterious cords in his anchor) without telling anyone, then sends his pictures off to the Navy, and follows that up with a post on the forum at 2 AM. After piquing everyone’s interest by posting about this mysterious ship, he says that he doesn’t want to “create a scene by giving the exact location”. Even here, he’s acting like it’s some big secret. Why? He does give us a location- 80’ of water, E to NE of Diamond Island. Looking at my Duncan Press map from 1981(I’m at home), that gives a triangle from Diamond Island to Middle Ground Shoal to Wolfeboro Neck and back to Diamond Island. Given the number and length of 80’ contour lines in that area, it’s too large to easily search to verify his claim. How convenient. For him. Not us, obviously. He’s also unable to figure out how to post photos, even after two people, including the webmaster, tell him how to do it. Personally, I’d think if you can read decompression tables and operate a camera underwater, I’d think one would be able to figure out how to upload a photograph. In his final post, he’s finally figured out how to post photos since he tells us that he was “all set to post”. But no, just as he was about to hit the upload button, he was contacted by the Navy and told not to say anything while the Navy “looks into things themselves”. Rats. We were so close. Who says the government is slow? Why does the Navy need to look into anything? What’s the big secret? Also, there’s no information indicating who or where in the Navy he sent the photos to, or who in the Navy contacted him. If he’s going to post to kindly inform us not to hold our collective breath, you’d think he’d at least bother to tell us who it was that contacted him. Like, the office of such and such in Washington, DC. Another thing to consider is logistics. Assuming that the boat was in fact 120 feet long, how did it get up to Winnipesaukee in the first place? A boat that size would have to have had at least some assembly on site. That would have required space, labor, and time. Some sort of boatyard would have to have been built, or an existing one used. Someone would surely have noticed such a large boat being built. Even if the lake was a lot less crowded back then, and thus people were less likely to notice stuff, I just don’t see how would the Navy could bring a 120’ ship up to the lake(in whole or in part) without anyone noticing. He claims that he dove on the wreck 4 times, but was able to take photographs, determine that it was at least 120 feet long, and some other info. He couldn’t have had much bottom time, or a whole lot of visibility. To be diving on a shipwreck in open water (the Broads) at that depth (80'), he and his brother would have to have been fairly experienced divers. Does anyone in the local dive community know of a “Bob Herpen”? I’m assuming that’s the poster’s real name. In and of itself that’s unusual, not a lot of people post with their real names. (well, I do, but only my first name) The only Bob Herpen I can find using Google is a sports reporter in the PA area. I don’t know if he scuba dives, I suppose someone could call him up and ask him. Taken individually, the things I mention above sound like nitpicking, and I’m willing to give the poster the benefit of the doubt on a few of them, but taken as a whole, it just doesn’t add up. I say it’s a hoax. PS- Also, if he really wanted to be discreet about his discovery, but still get information from knowlegable people on the forum, he could have made a very different post, for example: “several years ago, I heard a story about a big Navy ship that sunk way out in the middle of the Broads a long time ago. Not the experimental platform off of Diamond Island, but a real ship. Has anyone else ever heard about such a thing?" Last edited by Rob; 10-16-2008 at 06:37 PM. Reason: typos and a postscript

10-16-2008, 06:42 PM	#6
sa meredith Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 986 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 32 Thanked 352 Times in 137 Posts	good job Rob...great post! Well stated. I thought the same thing...hoax...but stopped short of saying it, as I have taken some heat in the past for being a "negative poster". But, without rehashing your whole post, let me say...we thought exactly alike on several topics. 1. This is a pretty smart guy (dive wise anyway) to not know how to post a photo on the internet...even after two members explain how to do it. 2. Anchored in 80 feet of water???? Well, maybe, but.... 3. And unwillingness to share the exact location. More or less writing "the Navy asked me not to disclose any info". Uuuuuuummmmm, again, maybe, but I don't think so. I hope we're wrong, and someone posts a story explaining why this is true. It would be a pretty good find. Maybe the reason the thread just dropped off was Bob discovered some top secrect Navy experiment, and they kidnapped him, and had him killed????

10-17-2008, 09:51 AM	#7
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,253 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,455 Thanked 1,357 Times in 476 Posts	Hoax Or Not - Treasure Hunting Is Fun! A White Pages People search found a Robert Herpen in Pennsylvania. If this is in fact a hoax the worst thing that will happen is that a bunch of divers waste a bunch of time having fun exploring the lake. If it isn’t a hoax… maybe we should say good-bye to all you divers now. Once the Navy finds out that you’re on the hunt, you may never be heard from again.