ADM Issue 21 Book
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• Good Luck Comes in Threes • Jetsam Baby Gas Booster • Queen of Nassau Wreck • Bermuda High • USS Curb Wreck • Dive Rite O2ptima Rebreather • ADM Featured Photographer Jill Heinerth • Newfoundland’s Diving Diversity • Ouroboros Closed Circuit Rebreather • The Walls of Quadra Island • HIJMS Amagiri Wreck • Buford Sink & Little Gator Siphon • SS Metropole Wreck • Shipwrecks of Crimea Ukraine Black Sea Expedition • The Helmet Wreck / Palau • Doorway to Bloody Bay Wall Little Cayman Customized CCR Systems The only multi-mission, multi-tasking CCR in the world. Features: • Customized electronics and decompression systems • Custom CO2 scrubber assemblies • Custom breathing loop and counterlung systems • Modularized sub systems • Highly suitable for travel • Suitable for Science, commercial, and recreational diving www.customrebreathers.com Ph: 360-330-9018 [email protected] When only the highest quality counts… Double Cylinder Bands Stage Cylinder Bands Technical Harness Hardware Accessory Dive Hardware 8 Good Luck Comes in Threes SS Coolidge, Tui Tuata & Kathleen by Richard Harris 14 Baby Gas Booster by Gordon Smith and Curt Bowen 18 Queen of Nassau Wreck by Curt Bowen 21 Bermuda High by Jll Heinerth 26 USS Curb Wreck by Curt Bowen 31 Dive Rite O2ptima Rebreather by Jeff Gourley and Curt Bowen 36 ADM Featured Photographer Jill Heinerth 40 Newfoundland’s Diving Diversity by Bernie Chowdhury 45 Ouroboros Closed Circuit Rebreather by Leigh Bishop 51 The Walls of Quadra Island by John Rawlings 55 HIJMS Amagiri Wreck by Kevin Denlay 60 Buford Sink & Little Gator Siphon by Curt Bowen 64 SS Metropole Wreck by Jeff Moore, David Trotter, and Mickey Trotter 70 Shipwrecks of Crimea Ukraine Black Sea Expedition by Leigh Bishop 75 The Helmet Wreck by Jim Rozzi 78 Doorway to Bloody Bay Wall by John Rawlings Publisher Curt Bowen Co-Publisher Linda Bowen Editor / Writer Victoria Leigh Master Diaper Savannah Bowen Pacific NW Writer John Rawlings Web Master Jakub Rehacek Staff Writers / Photographers / Videographers Michael Barnette Bernie Chowdhury Vlada Dekina Kevin Denlay Rusty Farst Richard Harris Jill Heinerth Brett Hemphill Jitka Hyniova Dr. Thomas Iliffe Tom Isgar James Kelderman Brian Kakuk Cass Lawson T.R. O’Leary Eric Osking Jim Rozzi Wes Skiles Tamara Thomsen Dr. Bruce Wienke Contributors & Assistants Scott Austin • Sam Baker • Al Barefoot Navot Bornovski • Jack & Karen Bowen Photo by Jitka Hyniova Sparky Campbell • Rich & Doris Chupak Ernie George • Kevin Green • Chuck Gulick Getting out there and capturing that one great photograph can make Dale Hamilton • Lamar Hires • Barry Holland the difference between a successful expedition, and a not-so-colorful Gary Jenrette • Lana Kingston • Earl Lowe Gord Meeks • Jeff Moore • Andy Murrant editorial. On many occasions, I find myself stuffed in some small Mike Muscato • Eric Reintsma • Deb Seymour inhospitable hole, or clinging to the side of a wreck trying to capture Gordon & Kim Smith • David Trotter that one shot. Thank God for digital cameras, instant preview, a two- Mickey Trotter • Charley Tulip • Mark Zurl gigabyte memory card, and a bullet-proof Aquatica housing! Subscription Rates $25.00 (4 issues) • $50.00 (8 issues) • $75.00 (12 issues) One of the most difficult tasks I have here at ADM is gathering good ADM On-Line Membership $10.00 editorial from around the globe that I feel ADM readers will be happy Canada and Mexico add $25/yr with. Then taking all this information, photos, and illustrations and Other foreign add $35.00/yr s&h. presenting them in a unique format -- all the time trying to be YOU MUST NOTIFY ADM PERSONALLY IF YOU ARE CHANGING YOUR MAILING ADDRESS!!!! different from your run-of-the-mill magazine. A magazine that I would ADM is not responsible for missed issues due be happy to receive in my own mail box, or purchase off the news to failure to notify us about a change of address. stand. The staff of ADM and I appreciate all the divers from around Contact Information: the globe who have taken the time, and done the hard work and research to submit their own editorial. Keep up the good work. Write Advanced Diver Magazine 327 SnapDragon Loop Bradenton, FL 34212 USA ADM has many additional ideas for the upcoming year, including a Phone 941-748-3483 much-expanded web site with a video depot, instructor listings, E-Mail [email protected] calendar of events, etc. I am also planning to work on video produc- Advanced Diver Magazine On-Line tions, both for ADM readers and possibly television. www.AdvancedDiverMagazine.com Curt Bowen Publisher WARNING The reproduction in whole or in part of any of the Left: contents of Advanced Diver Magazine is expressly forbidden without the written permission of the ADM Cover Photo Publisher. Opinions expressed herein are those of by Leigh Bishop the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the Publisher. Advanced Diver Magazine and the authors respectively accept no responsibility or Right: liability for any errors, omissions or alterations, or for Unable to dive while flying any consequences ensuing upon the use of, or reliance upon, any information contained herein. Apache Attack Helicopters Diving involves increased risk of injury or death if not over Bagdad, Chief carried out by suitably qualified divers who have undertaken the proper training via an authorized Warrant Officer 2 Joe training agency. Walker takes some time out of his busy schedule to catch up on reading his Issue 21 • Pg 7 favorite magazine. Text & Photography by: Richard “Harry” Harris ver had a week where everything just goes right? Well, it happened to me just last week here in EVanuatu. Three new and fascinating dives in quick succession, all in areas or sites well known to me. The first was on the magnificent SS Coolidge, the second on another historic wreck nearby called the Tui Tuate, the third on the wreck of the lost coastal trader Kathleen near Port Vila. Read on to see how events unfolded… The week started with one of my frequent trips to Espiritu Santo to dive the famous wreck of the SS Coolidge. (As most readers will be aware, the Coolidge was a luxury American passenger ship that was con- verted for wartime use. On her approach to Luganville in 1944, she sank after striking two “friendly” mines.) Living in the small capital of Port Vila, I have been Pg 8 • Issue 21 fortunate to travel north to dive this wreck many times over the last 18 months. Barry Holland, the manager of Aquamarine in Luganville on Santo, is a fellow tech diver who has helped me explore the wreck on many occasions. He had some exciting news for me on my arrival. The letters of the ship’s name and home port were now visible on the stern starting at around 60m, and he was keen to take me down to photograph them! It seems an Australian diver, Andy Andrews, had earlier discov- ered the letters, and news of the exciting find was now spread- ing! How the letters had gone unnoticed for so many years since the sinking of the great ship in 1944 was anyone’s guess. Photos of the stern in Peter Stone’s book “The Lady and the President,” taken whilst the ship sank, show no evidence of the letters. Perhaps they were covered or otherwise disguised in an attempt to obscure the ship’s identity during the war? Anyway, they were on view now, and I couldn’t wait to see them. A quick trip to the general store for three wire brushes, then Barry, Kevin Green (another well known local diver) and I set off for the dive. Barry and Kevin would perform the dive on open circuit trimix, whilst I was diving my KISS CCR. The dive involves a 200m surface swim out to a midships mooring, followed by a diagonal descent down to the stern area. The Coolidge lies on her port side; as you approach the stern, the naked starboard prop shaft comes into view — the prop having been salvaged many years earlier. Over the stern rail, the 30cm high letters “President Coolidge” become apparent. Under- neath in smaller letters, the home port of “San Francisco” could just be made out. For the next 10 minutes, at depths between about 62 and 68m, we scrubbed the letters with the wire brushes. To allow time for the dust to settle, we swam off to inspect the wrecked lifeboat and some other debris on the sand behind the ship, then came back to take the photos shown here. Well worth the effort, I believe! I’m sure you will agree, this adds yet another attraction to a world-class wreck site for advanced divers to enjoy. Issue 21 • Pg 9 Pg 10 • Issue 21 That same afternoon came exciting new dive Kathleen was scuttled as a dive site near Hideaway number two! The wreck of the Tui Tuate, a tug used by Island for tourist divers. In 1987, the full fury of cyclone Ian Lockley during the salvage of 650 tons of bunker oil Uma was unleashed on Port Vila causing massive de- from the Coolidge in the 70’s, was scuttled in the struction, in the process washing the poor Kathleen off western end of the Segond Channel in about 1990. She the top of the reef into deeper water. For a few years started life in the 1940’s in an Aberdeen shipyard as the she was dived by locals in 40-50m, but after another big Empire Shirley, 105 feet long and 232 tons. She under- storm she disappeared into even deeper water. Since went a number of name changes, becoming the Tapuhi then a couple of divers have claimed that they have (1947-1973), then the Tui Tuwate, and finally the Tui caught glimpses of her (including the ubiquitous Kevin Tuate.