Submerged Secrets: The Montgomery River Dive

The Alabama sun burned weakly through thick clouds over Montgomery, casting a gray light on the Alabama River as Jeremy Sides tightened the straps on his scuba gear. The city’s skyline reflected faintly on the calm water, but Jeremy knew better than to be distracted by appearances—rivers often hid their secrets beneath placid surfaces.

“You see that?” Adam Brown asked, scanning the water with the sonar from their small boat. “There’s something right down there… could be a car.”

Jeremy squinted through the rising wind. “Yeah, it’s upside down. Looks old. Tires still visible. I’d bet it’s been here for a long time.”

They had been to Montgomery before, combing ponds and other shallow water for submerged vehicles, but the river remained largely unchecked. Their previous dives had uncovered four cars in a pond outside town, likely used for training or abandoned decades ago. Now, with storms moving in, Jeremy and Adam were chasing a new mystery—an upside-down vehicle reported by a fisherman at Powder Magazine Park.

Montgomery was a city steeped in history, and the Alabama River flowed through it, winding past parks, bridges, and old military installations. Jeremy scanned the map in his hand. “We don’t know how old this one is, but if it’s been here 10, 20 years… could be tricky.”

Adam nodded. “Let’s hope it’s not another Cadillac we can’t identify. The last missing car case—Jimmy Lee Green—was a nightmare. Missing since 2004, a dark 1989 Cadillac Broham. We searched everywhere, never touched the river. Maybe that’s today’s twist.”

A Storm Approaches

By late morning, the storm clouds thickened, turning the river gray and restless. Jeremy adjusted his aluminum tank and looked nervously at the sky. “Thunderstorm moving fast. Not going to risk diving if lightning hits. Aluminum tank, river water—bad combo.”

“Yeah,” Adam replied. “People have been struck diving. It’s instant knockout.”

They continued scanning from the boat, passing under the 31 Bridge South Memorial Drive. Old wooden docks, discarded ladders, and debris littered the riverbanks. Every opening seemed like a potential dumping spot. “Could be clear here, could be deep enough for a dive,” Jeremy muttered, noting a channel beneath the bridge. Visibility was key. Sandy bottoms reflected light well; rocky or mucky areas could hide a car completely.

The river, despite the incoming storm, held still pockets, some reaching twenty-three feet deep. They checked under old bridge remnants, abandoned roads, and near what appeared to be the remains of a small barge. Jeremy’s sonar pinged faintly, then grew consistent. “Adam… look at this. That’s a car.”

Adam peered over the side. “Upside down, huh? Weird spot, but that explains the tires showing. Probably old… decades old.”

The Dive

Jeremy prepared for the dive carefully. “We can’t stay down long—storm’s moving in, water’s 25 feet deep here. I’ll mark it with a magnet first, then go down.”

The water was colder than expected. Visibility barely extended a foot before sediment stirred, clouding the water. The upside-down car loomed above him, half-covered in algae and rust. Jeremy maneuvered carefully, scanning for identification marks, a license plate, or even a taillight.

“The structure it fell from looks newer than the surrounding bars,” he muttered to himself underwater. “These must have been added after the fact. Whoever put this car here… it’s been a long time.”

Suddenly, something darted past—a turtle or fish startled by his movement. It struck his mask hard enough to jolt him, sending a pulse of adrenaline through his body. “Whoa!” Jeremy whispered. “Okay, that was freaky, but safe.”

He resumed scanning, finding a tail light partially embedded in mud. “Ford,” he said to Adam over the radio. “Looks like an older model, 80s… maybe 1984, a Mark VII or VIII. Big fat center cap, old wheel style.”

Adam’s voice crackled. “That’s way older than I thought. Could be linked to a forgotten case—or just some car dumped decades ago.”

Jeremy cataloged the parts, careful not to stir more sediment. Once surfaced, they compared notes. “Visibility was maybe a foot. Stirred a lot of crap, had to wait for it to settle. Magnet helped mark location, but the tree branches kept getting in the way.”

Adam laughed nervously. “Yeah… anyone else would have panicked.”

Jeremy grinned, exhausted. “Exactly. But we got it—Ford, 1980s, upside down, all intact.”

Surveying the Riverfront

The following morning, after the storm passed, visibility in the river improved. Jeremy and Adam returned to the site. The water was calmer, murky but navigable. They tied the boat to nearby bars, ensuring stability before diving again.

“This car’s been here a long time,” Jeremy said, scanning around the submerged vehicle. “Can’t imagine anyone saw it when it went in. Trees, old roads… probably dumped.”

They noted nearby access points—abandoned roads, old agricultural buildings, and small fishing paths. “People could launch a car from here easily,” Adam said. “Not ideal, but feasible.”

Their attention turned to scanning other sections of the river near River Front Park. Debris, old boat remnants, even a dead dog skeleton reminded them of how many secrets rivers hold. Every object was cataloged, every lead noted.

Identification and Reflection

Back at the surface, Jeremy pulled out his phone. “Let’s Google the tail light. Ford, 1984, big fat center cap wheels… yeah, there it is. Ford Mark VIII. Late 1980s, definitely not the Cadillac Jimmy Lee Green drove. But still, decades old.”

Adam nodded. “At least we know it’s not a current missing person case. Just a forgotten car. Still, imagine the story it could tell.”

They documented the site meticulously. Plates, parts, and mud-caked interior were photographed. The upside-down Ford would be reported to local authorities for retrieval. Though it wasn’t linked to an ongoing investigation, it still added to Montgomery’s catalog of submerged mysteries, a piece of history finally revealed.

Community Impact

Jeremy and Adam knew their work went beyond adventure—it preserved history and sometimes provided closure. Even a decades-old car could answer questions, or at least remove hazards from public waterways.

Local police were grateful for their diligence. Captain Jason Pups from Montgomery Fire Rescue had inspected the site, ensuring no one was trapped inside. The car had not been stolen, nor were there signs of criminal activity. It was simply abandoned, an artifact of a forgotten time.

Jeremy smiled at the thought. “Every car, every dive… someone’s life intersected with this. Even if we don’t know the story, we document it. We preserve it. That’s enough sometimes.”

Adam nodded. “And it keeps us on our toes. You never know what’s down there, whether it’s a car, a lost pet, or some forgotten artifact. The river doesn’t give up its secrets easily.”

Epilogue: Lessons from the Depths

Weeks later, Jeremy reviewed old city maps and records to see if they could trace the origin of the Ford. It appeared to have been driven off an old road near the barge dock, abandoned decades ago. While no missing persons were linked, the discovery confirmed a longstanding theory: Montgomery’s waterways were littered with forgotten vehicles, each with a silent story.

Jeremy and Adam reflected on the dive while watching the Alabama River glow in the late afternoon sun. “Safety first, always,” Jeremy said, thinking back to the storm, the turtle, and the precarious dive. “But we got another car. Another mystery preserved. That’s why we do it.”

Adam added, “And it’s not just about finding cars. It’s about documenting history, helping authorities, and sometimes… just witnessing the stories the river keeps secret. One dive at a time.”

The storm had passed, the river was calm, and the upside-down Ford was safely reported and marked for retrieval. Another piece of Montgomery’s hidden past had been uncovered, yet the river continued to hold secrets—quietly, patiently, waiting for those willing to explore its depths.

And Jeremy and Adam, as always, were ready.