Posted by AADIVER on January 16, 2003 at 23:57:25:
In Reply to: Now how about a report... posted by seahunt on January 15, 2003 at 21:00:16:
Five of us intrepid CWD divers signed aboard the M.V. ODYSSEY, the Truk (Chuuk) Lagoon liveaboard for a week last November to dive the remains of the Japenese merchant fleet that was sunk there in February '44. We weren't disappointed: 10 wrecks in 5 days, 4 dives a day including night dives. The wrecks are deteriorating fast, thanks to Mer Madre and NOT by artifact collectors; all the collectibles remain but crumbling at an accelerated rate. 100 foot viz, 82 degree water, this is, indeed, the Mount Everest of wreck diving, especially on the ODYSSEY, the ONLY way to dive Truk. A few bucks more than the other two but twice the bang. Huge staterooms, gourmet meals, dynamite crew and DM's. We were free to dive any damn profile we wanted, either in teams or solo or with the DM's. Tanks were steel 104's, 31% membrane Nitrox included in the price. Depths ranged from 60 to 140, no current. But that meant super buoyancy control for interior penetrations since the slightest agitation created swirls of sediment. All the wood interior bulkheads have become a sludge of brown muck. Some of the MARU's, as the ships were designated, had Zero's in their cargo holds. And were they ever tiny! Couldn't even squeeze into one. Other stuff, tanks, shells, gear, tools, etc. The whole sunken fleet is a war grave and memorial for the Japanese. Couldn't get behind the reverential attitude, though. This was a fleet of merchant ships supplying an armed armada bent on destroying us and conquoring our country. My rationale for recovering artifacts ;-). But don't do it, 'cause if you're caught red handed...the Trukese would probably cut 'em off! Leave bubbles and come home with memories; memories rich enough for a return trip.