Shadow Divers: John Chatterton's Interview with ScubaBoard

[shakespear]

My copy arrived today. I will read Exposed after I finish it.

 

[Mr. Bubble]

No, I'm thinking a few feet away would suffice. If I recall, his Dad was not anywhere near him and did'nt attempt to assist until well into the dive, which sent them into the heavy deco obligations that they could not complete.

.02 psi

 

[fairybasslet]

and I thought it was going to be a picture of Moonie

Talk about John being gracious. That photo was taken at a book reading and signing at, I think, the New Canaan Library in CT. I know it was CT but not sure of the town. Anyway, I had missed getting my book signed at Beneath the Sea, I think it was in 2005. So I emailed John and asked him when he would be around again. He contacted his publisher and got a list of dates and locations that he and Richie and Rob would be at. I kept pestering him and he was always gracious with a response. I mentioned in one of my emails that I gave my mom SD to read, (making it clear to her that I do not dive like they do.) Anyway, she loved the book and I mentioned to John that I would be bringing her to the book reading. After their talk and during the signing, he said to me, pointing to my mom who was off to the side "Oh, that must be your mother." I found it totally amazing that he would remember that when he was so busy traveling and filming Deep Sea Detectives. I've been "accused" of being John's friend when I've come to his defense during various bashings of him and Richie that take place here occasionally, just because of that photo. I wish I could honestly call John a friend, but as it stands, I am just one of many fans of this gracious, honest and passionate diver. I truly think that all of the dissing of him comes from professional jealousy. Plain and simple.

 

[ReefHound]

Has anyone read Kurson's latest book, "Crashing Through - A True Story of Risk, Adventure, and the Man Who Dared to See"?

 

[pilot fish]

I agree totally. He is a gracious good guy. I told him he was what diving was all about at the Beneath the Sea Expo in NJ two years ago and Kohller was standing next to him. He said, hey, what abut me? I said, yeah you too. John Chatterton is a Dive God to me.

I could not put Shadow Divers down once I started it.

Hey, John, thank you for your Service to the Country back in Viet Nam too.

Talk about John being gracious. That photo was taken at a book reading and signing at, I think, the New Canaan Library in CT. I know it was CT but not sure of the town. Anyway, I had missed getting my book signed at Beneath the Sea, I think it was in 2005. So I emailed John and asked him when he would be around again. He contacted his publisher and got a list of dates and locations that he and Richie and Rob would be at. I kept pestering him and he was always gracious with a response. I mentioned in one of my emails that I gave my mom SD to read, (making it clear to her that I do not dive like they do.) Anyway, she loved the book and I mentioned to John that I would be bringing her to the book reading. After their talk and during the signing, he said to me, pointing to my mom who was off to the side "Oh, that must be your mother." I found it totally amazing that he would remember that when he was so busy traveling and filming Deep Sea Detectives. I've been "accused" of being John's friend when I've come to his defense during various bashings of him and Richie that take place here occasionally, just because of that photo. I wish I could honestly call John a friend, but as it stands, I am just one of many fans of this gracious, honest and passionate diver. I truly think that all of the dissing of him comes from professional jealousy. Plain and simple.

 

[vshearer]

John, I am getting back into diving after a 10 year lapse and was wondering what suggestions you may have as to getting a little older (I am 52) and the considerations of extended diving. The obvious need to maintain physical fitness is of course one, but do you find any other limitations placed upon you in comparison to earlier years? :-( Ok, ok, but we all get older
I loved the book by the way, and as an aside, to finance some of my new equipment I have been getting rid of my IPSC/USPSA pistols

 

[rawls]

A quick question for all you "solo" divers out there. After reading "The Last Dive", do you not believe that if Chris had been accompanied by his Dad, or other "buddy", that those book cases that fell on him could have been lifted and allowed him to return to the surface safely?

It seems that everyone thinks that a buddy is only there to give you air in an OOA situation. There are so many other potential hazards that a quick assist from a buddy could solve.

I am a strong proponent for self sufficaintcy, but that along with a team or buddy, makes for a much better dive.
I have been freed from a serious intanglement. If not for a buddy, it would have been far different.

Maybe it would have helped but as all4scuba05 said...they both could have ended up under the cabinet. If Chris would have been in there I would venture a guess that he would have seen Chrissy struggling and helped him...which might have put them both under the cabinet.

It also seems that they did not know the layout of the sub as well as John, Richie, John Yurga...did. (I think John videotaped alot while he was exploring the inside in order to learn the layout). That's why I would say it is the reason Chrissy ran a line which ran them into another problem trying to exit. They evidently tried to follow the line out but it was a jumbled mess which evidently led to them taking even more time to get out of the sub and increased their anxiety above what it already was. I have been inside the U-352 and I can tell you that the inside of a sub is a tight squeeze. There is silt, cables, pipes...so many things that you can tangle a reel line as well as yourself on and get you in big trouble. If there ever was a place for progressive penetration, it is inside a sub...Chrissy may have known the layout better than I think he did...John would know. I simply feel there were alot of problems that, even if Chris had been in there, wouldn't have changed the outcome...Not to sound mean but better planning and less bickering perhaps...and less of the gung ho attitude it seems they possessed? But I qualify this by saying I was not there and this is all simply conjecture on my part and I sincerely apologize if I have written anything out of line. Anyway you look at it there was a tragic loss of a father and son...It was very painful to read...

 

[UnderSeaBumbleBee]

How does the sub in SD compare with the USS Clamagore Patriots Point - Tour Exhibits - The Ships of Patriots Point - USS Clamagore (SS-343) as far as lay out and size? When I toured the Clamagore which is 400 feet long, it was fairly straightforward and had one long narrow passage. Was the U869 a larger vessel with more passages? I am just trying to get a feel in my head for what the wreck is like.

 

[rawls]

U-869 was a Type IXC. There were 54 commissioned.

Length 76.8 m(x 3 for feet) overall and the pressure hull was 59 m....shorter

Beam 6.8 m overall and 4.7 m pressure hull...less beam

Draft 4.7...pretty much the same.

4 bow and 2 stern torpedo tubes (22 torpedos)...Less # of tubes than the Clamagore, about the same # of torpedos...22 compared to 24 on the Clamagore...

Speed 18.3 knots surfaced...7.3 knots submered....slower

Range 11-13000 nm surfaced at 10 knots...63 sumberged at 4 knots...about the same maybe a little more surface range.

Horsepower 4400 surface...1000hp submerged....less power

Max depth 250 m......much deeper...compared to 120m test depth of the Clamagore

Crew 48-56...I think the U-869 had 56?....less than the Clamagore with 66 crew...

 

[Jocasseegirl]

How does one say no to Bar-b-que? If I am in town, I will be there.

Cheers

Hey, now! You trying to stir up trouble between dive buddies? It ain't wise to start a feud between gals who both wear knives

Underseabumble and I are dive buddies. You can't possibly say that you would prefer her BBQ over the fried chicken I offered you on a dive to Attakulla Lodge in Lake Jocassee!!

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