Shadow Divers: John Chatterton's Interview with ScubaBoard

[mike_s]

I think that 57 episodes of DSD should be enough for anyone, at least the History Channel thinks so? I can't see a return to DSD, but what do I know. The series has done very well for them, even abroad.

I never knew that 57 episodes were done.... wow.

I've got my TIVO set up to record them as History Channel still shows them sometimes. Not too long ago it recorded a couple episodes that I hadn't seen yet and didn't know about. So it was sorta like having it back on the air with new episodes again for a short while!

 

[rawls]

By the way, my new favorite wreck down there is the Spar.

John...It is a fantastic dive! Last April I was inside and swimming up a ladder and saw what I thought was a huge moray. Turns out it was a 5 ft long American eel. It was also suggested it may have been a Conger? Also a big moray lives there...Plenty of sand tigers,etc...A great wreck for swim throughs. You are right. Anyone coming to NC needs to visit the Spar...Ya got taste Chatterton

Oh...And speaking of taste...about those scallops???

Bad flash placement. Hope I didn't blind it

 

[Geoff_H]

Geoff,

Rob is a very talented writer and he has caused more than one lost nights sleep.

As for me, the reality is probably far less brave and much more frustrated?? If you look at the context, it had been six years since the discovery (almost to the day). This was not a casual exercise, it was something that I believed was important and also something I could do.

John, thanks for the answer. Hearing some of your thought processes has enhanced the narrative in the book and I'm very grateful.

I'm looking for ways to watch your TV show now, I had not heard of it until I read the book and this thread as I'm stuck in Japan without any English language TV. I'm really looking forward to it.

Thanks again and best regards!

 

[rawls]

Still it is January and you are out diving!! Not too bad.

Still in a 7mm...Ordered a DUI TL350 with bells and whistles...Not going to mention how very little it cost me. I will put it this way...I am now expected to promote DUI products

We got a bunch of scallops and had a good time, and a challenging dive.

Curious to know about the "challenges" of that dive....I know you deal with cold and currents all the time...any other aspects?

 

[shakespear]

Are there any good pictures of the U-boat in Shadow Divers? The pictures in the book are kind of blurry, I assume they are video captures.

 

[francousteau]

<snip> . . . Richie and his wife, Carrie, are also very busy training rebreather divers and have plenty of students.

Yeah, I've seen him a few times this past season at Dutch Springs with some rebreather students or just scootering around.

BTW - can I tell him you said it's ok for him to give me that scooter as a "loaner"?

 

[rawls]

Go to Richie's website Richie Kohler: Official Site of Technical Diver & Shipwreck Researcher

You can also go to NOVA Online | Hitler's Lost Sub | Tour U-869

It has a very nice tour you can take...you can even sink a ship At the bottom click on "Fire a torpedo."

You can also order the DVD "Hitler's Lost Sub."

 

[Chatterton]

John, my wife and I just finished the Book (well, Book on Tape!) and found it absolutely impossible to walk away from. An extremely compelling story!

If I may be so bold, do you have any rough figures that you would be willing to share on what the whole expedition cost? (Just dollar wise, as it's way too apparently what it cost otherwise).

And I would like to add my sincere thanks to your participation here. Being able to read and hear your words in an interactive forum sure does make the world seem a great deal smaller. Best of luck with your continued adventures!

Thanks for the nice comments.

I added it up at one time to be about $40K on travel (DC, Germany, Chicago), lodging, gases, charter boats, and archive fees. That is not counting any equipment like tanks, regulators, maintenance, and stuff like that. Understandably, it was a lot of money to my soon to be, ex-wife.

Cheers

 

[Chatterton]

Hi John, unfortunetly up here I don't seem to find DSD on tv very often, I assume because I have the Canadian History Channel. Do you know if the History channel is going to be offering a DVD set of the show? One show I do get and am a big fan of is The Sea Hunters with Mike and Warren Fletcher, who happen to be locals around here and friends with my instructor. I saw the Sea Hunters episode with Richie diving with Mike and Warren to ID the U-215 and was wondering if there is any chance for another joint effort between the two groups of great shipwreck hunters. I think you and Richie should team up with Mike and Warren to find the Marquette and Bessemer #2 in Lake Erie.

Jim

Jim,

The guys at Sea Hunters are a great bunch. We have talked a few times about working on something together, and we have shared information. So far we have not been able to make a joint project happen. A project in Lake Erie would be a lot of fun, but the issue is always schedules.

DSD was made for History Channel here in the US. They sell some of the shows on DVD on their website. They also sell the shows to markets in other countries where the show is often repackaged by the local purchasing network. For instance when I see DSD in Dominican Republic, Richie and I speak flawless Spanish?? How and where those shows are sold is way above my pay grade.

Cheers

JC

 

[Chatterton]

I never knew that 57 episodes were done.... wow.

I've got my TIVO set up to record them as History Channel still shows them sometimes. Not too long ago it recorded a couple episodes that I hadn't seen yet and didn't know about. So it was sorta like having it back on the air with new episodes again for a short while!

Mike,

All total, 5 different production companies worked on various DSD shows. Some were really good, and others maybe not so much.

Most popular episodes, 1) Loch Ness, 2) The New Jersey Locomotives, and 3) the Milwaukee Car Ferry. There were a couple of episodes that aired and were immediately buried in the back yard at HC?? Like the one on the human trafficers in Malta. You won't see that one again soon.

Cheers