Greetings,
Many moons ago in another life I was working as a commercial oilfield diver on a semi-submersible drilling rig operating in the Hibernia field offshore Newfoundland.
The rig had moved into progressively deeper waters as the company explored for oil reserves. We dove as necessary to assist in the subsea drilling process. When we weren't required on bottom, we spent our days maintaining our 1000' capability saturation diving system, while making regular "practice dives" out of the diving bell in shallow water, practicing unresponsive diver recovery drills.
One day we asked the Rig Superintendent if we might "go a bit deeper" to practice our drills. We regularly practiced at 40', this day we wanted to go to 200'! He gave his blessing.
So there I was, poised on the edge of the hatch leading to the open sea, awaiting the order for "blowdown". You see, the bell leaves the rig & enters the water all buttoned up @ atmospheric pressure, & is then lowered to "lockout" depth. Once at depth, the "Bellman" stands ready to open a spring-loaded valve that will allow l.p. air into the bell to pressurize it. When internal bell atmosphere pressure = external abmbient water pressure, the hatch to the ocean swings silently open to the cold, North Atlantic waters.
3,2,1,...BLOWDOWN!
We both watch the primary bell depth gauge as it records our decent to depth. As we approach 200', I don my diving helmet, connect my hot water supply to my suit & slip into the waiting arms of mother ocean. I made my way to one of four "guide wires" that run from the drill floor to the subsea "blowout preventer", some 730' down. I hang off the wire ( you had to hold tight as the North Atlantic current kept the water moving at a couple of knots! ) & await the Diving Supervisor's order to "play dead", thus initiating the rescue drill.
This particular day, visibility was unlike any I'd seen before: looking up, I could see the giant transverse pontoons of the rig 200' above me, looking down, I could see well into the abyss below. I had a significant N2 buzz going & was enjoying my view of the surroundings when all of a sudden, I noticed something very odd materializing far below me. The object appeared to be the size & colour of a volley ball & was quickly ascending towards me, growing ever larger as it climbed from the depths. "****e - what the dickens is that?" I asked no one in particular. "Say again Diver" responded the Supervisor. " K-rist, theres a freakin' UFO below me!" I cried. "O.K. Diver, just relax, enjoy the buzz & cut with the sea monster stories, I want to start the drill" he ordered.
I stared in awestruck fascination as the world's biggest jelly fish cruised by me not 100' away, drifting majestically along in the current. I estimated the bowl of the creature to be more than 20' across! I watched as it faded from view, scarcely believing my eyes. "Diver - do you read?! Are you ready?!" snapped the boss. "Er, ya, let's get on with it!" I acknowledged, & waited in my best unconcious position for my hero to save me.
To this day I've doubted my eyes, then I found the accompanying picture. It seems to verify that despite the density of my inspired gas, I did indeed have an encounter of the "grossly gelatinous kind" that day.
It remains the single-most dramatic moment of my life in the deeps thus far. To get an idea of what I was looking at, go here:
http://freepressinternational.com/gallery/nfpicturepro/
Then click on "Most Viewed" - you'll know the one...
Regards,
DSD
Many moons ago in another life I was working as a commercial oilfield diver on a semi-submersible drilling rig operating in the Hibernia field offshore Newfoundland.
The rig had moved into progressively deeper waters as the company explored for oil reserves. We dove as necessary to assist in the subsea drilling process. When we weren't required on bottom, we spent our days maintaining our 1000' capability saturation diving system, while making regular "practice dives" out of the diving bell in shallow water, practicing unresponsive diver recovery drills.
One day we asked the Rig Superintendent if we might "go a bit deeper" to practice our drills. We regularly practiced at 40', this day we wanted to go to 200'! He gave his blessing.
So there I was, poised on the edge of the hatch leading to the open sea, awaiting the order for "blowdown". You see, the bell leaves the rig & enters the water all buttoned up @ atmospheric pressure, & is then lowered to "lockout" depth. Once at depth, the "Bellman" stands ready to open a spring-loaded valve that will allow l.p. air into the bell to pressurize it. When internal bell atmosphere pressure = external abmbient water pressure, the hatch to the ocean swings silently open to the cold, North Atlantic waters.
3,2,1,...BLOWDOWN!
We both watch the primary bell depth gauge as it records our decent to depth. As we approach 200', I don my diving helmet, connect my hot water supply to my suit & slip into the waiting arms of mother ocean. I made my way to one of four "guide wires" that run from the drill floor to the subsea "blowout preventer", some 730' down. I hang off the wire ( you had to hold tight as the North Atlantic current kept the water moving at a couple of knots! ) & await the Diving Supervisor's order to "play dead", thus initiating the rescue drill.
This particular day, visibility was unlike any I'd seen before: looking up, I could see the giant transverse pontoons of the rig 200' above me, looking down, I could see well into the abyss below. I had a significant N2 buzz going & was enjoying my view of the surroundings when all of a sudden, I noticed something very odd materializing far below me. The object appeared to be the size & colour of a volley ball & was quickly ascending towards me, growing ever larger as it climbed from the depths. "****e - what the dickens is that?" I asked no one in particular. "Say again Diver" responded the Supervisor. " K-rist, theres a freakin' UFO below me!" I cried. "O.K. Diver, just relax, enjoy the buzz & cut with the sea monster stories, I want to start the drill" he ordered.
I stared in awestruck fascination as the world's biggest jelly fish cruised by me not 100' away, drifting majestically along in the current. I estimated the bowl of the creature to be more than 20' across! I watched as it faded from view, scarcely believing my eyes. "Diver - do you read?! Are you ready?!" snapped the boss. "Er, ya, let's get on with it!" I acknowledged, & waited in my best unconcious position for my hero to save me.
To this day I've doubted my eyes, then I found the accompanying picture. It seems to verify that despite the density of my inspired gas, I did indeed have an encounter of the "grossly gelatinous kind" that day.
It remains the single-most dramatic moment of my life in the deeps thus far. To get an idea of what I was looking at, go here:
http://freepressinternational.com/gallery/nfpicturepro/
Then click on "Most Viewed" - you'll know the one...
Regards,
DSD
