Imported post
Bank Holiday Weekend - 23rd & 24th August 2003.
I've absolutely no idea why we haven't thought of this before now (so you're all in detention!), but I've just snagged Hayhurst's copy of 'Dive North East', by Dave Shaw & Barry Winfield, and alighted on the wrecks of the 'Oslofjord' and the 'Eugenia Chandris' - which 'straddle' each other - 'wreck sex' anyone??
Quick heads-up on the 'Oslofjord': a 'two-stack' trans-Atlantic passenger liner, she sank in 1940 after hitting an acoustic mine, just outside the mouth of the Tyne (that's Newcastle-upon, for any non-notherners reading this); she is 590 feet long, bow to stern; has a beam of 73 feet; a draught of 27 feet and displaced 20,000 tonnes, gross register - 18,673 tonnes. She carried 860 passengers: first class 152; tourist class 307; third class 401 and a crew of 310 (so not small). And, and here's the good bit, she's in only 15 metres (!) of water!! Happy Days for a mixed group
Divers are still bringing crockery, pewter tableware and silver cutlery offer her - as she has no known (as per the above named book - printed in 1988) 'Salvors in Possession'. Far be it from me to say 'Lift-bags at the ready!'
She also has the ignominy of having the wreck of the 'Eugenia Chandris' lying across her (and she's still got assorted ammunition and all sorts of general cargo on her) - there is actually evidence of a third wreck in the debris field but, from what I can gather, there's little info on her (Ron Young, can you help here??)
So, the gig is this: meet on the Friday night (or Saturday AM) in the general environs (accom, RV times etc. TBA) for a couple of polite liveners (keep it quiet though, John Gulliver might be reading ) and then have a least two dives on the leviathan and either pick an alternative set of dives for the Sunday, or take two more on the Oslofjord/Chandris - after all, there's more than enough to keep us occupied....and then some.
This is where you North East chappies with experience of the manor come in. We will need a read on the local charter boats and Skippers who can be recommended; info on bunk-houses, B&B's, camping, static caravans etc. The usual stuff. Even if you just provide me with the info on Skippers and RIBs, I can do the homework regarding booking, pricing etc.
Can I also please ask for any one with actual experience of diving the beast to post a 1st-hand account of what it was like - what to expect, conditions, tides, viz, good and bad points, Skippers used for the gig, do's and don'ts etc? Thanks in advance.
Have a wee swatch at this URL for a ruck of info her and the Chandris:
http://www.google.com/search?....+Search
Righty then, let's be having your names down for this top wreck-diving weekend:
1 * Bren Tierney
2 * Andy2Tanx
3 * Wetlettuce
4 * Chris Hall
5 * Liz Rimer
6 * ..........??
Divers = 6
Possibles:
?
?
Times and place for RV TBA soon, just need names at the moment.