Helena Faulbaum

[Ammers]

It's a bit boring being dead so I thought I'd share the details of a recent trip to the Sound of Mull.  Did 2 excellent dives on Helena Faulbaum, 65 metres. Stayed on Gemini Storm liveaboard, fantastic boat, very well equipped.  I jumped off the boat and hammered my way down the shotline as fast as I could while firing in diluent and clearing my ears and checking handsets etc.  Got onto the wreck within about 3 mins which was a slow descent.  Didn't reel off from the shotline, just noted it's position in relation to the hold.   What an amazing site greeted me as I reached the end of the shot and saw this majestic ship just sitting there on the sea bed. It looked truly amazing. She is quite intact and there are still portholes attached.  They are very difficult to get off even with lump hammers and crow bars.  Quite a lot of marine life on the wreck although I was more interested in brass and penetrating to see what I could find.   One lucky member of the team got some nice plates etc. I spent my time swimming around a few different sections until Erik The Viking became a bit twitchy about my dodgy wreck penetration without a line to the surface technique.   In return, I became a bit twitchy on the second dive when his handsets began to beep at 65m.  Sort your cells Erik if you're reading!  In return I will use my rusty reel to get back to the shot

And now for the tekkie details:

Max Depth: 65m
Bottom Time: 30 Mins at 65M
Dive Time: Just over 100 mins
Deco Schedule: Decoplanner (with extra time added to shallow stops)
Equipment:  Yellow Peril with two offboard 6l cheap fire brigade bailout bottles as Willo has adopted my sevens, one using 10/50 trimix plugged into the loop, the other containing weak Nx.  Onboard dil bottle kept for drysuit and bailout if necessary.

These dives taught me something crucial - when you leap off a boat and your feet come right out of the dry suit boots and then the fins get loose in a choppy current, it seems to make the swim to the buoy a tad more difficult.   Fix:  snoopy loops cut from car inner tube around the ankles work a treat.  

One other thing: while peeing into a TENA nappy underwater, the intense concentration and stillness required to control the flow results in open circuit divers swimming up and giving frantic OK signals.  Shouting "I'm having a piss" through the mouthpiece is generally taken as an affirmative OK.

Back to Helena next weekend.

[Gavin Yates]

Ammers,

Glad your demise has been overstated - but leave the brass where it is eh'

I never had you down for a sad "pot hunter"

[Ammers]

Nowt wrong wi' appreciating the fine crafmanship is there now!! I didn't say I personally had a lumphammer now did I!!

Brass is there to be collected  I await the flames.

[Gavin Yates]

No Ammers - brass should be left where it is. And you know that.

Only sad fucks go "pot hunting" or guys who are worried about their manhood.

[Ammers]

Brass is there to be lifted

Ever get the feeling you're being wound up Gav?

[Gavin Yates]

I thought you were beyond trolling ...

once a troll ...

[Ammers]

Lighten up old chap, Remember It's meant to be fun!

I'm off to Dotty now to see what brass I can find

[Gavin Yates]

Right-o if you see any portholes at Dotty you can get me one too.

[Mr T.]

Actually, there's a thought!!

Let's put a decent wreck IN Dotty so that divers can have a blast. Something the size of say, the Turpitz; let's slant it so that it's accessible from 20 metres down to 80!!

OK, I'm back on the Meds now. Ahem - Diving Dotty....are you mad?? ;)

[Ammers]

There are much more interesting things to see at Dotty at 80m like the end of the pipe that leads to that tantalising sump at around 105m.  I want that sump!  It's getting very close.   Almost managed at weekend but bottled out of the full depth due to massive nervous attack. The day I write my name on the deep visitor book at 100m I will drink champagne after the dive. By eck Gav I might even bring you one of the many portholes!!