Solo dive on the U853 WWII German Submarine

[descent]

... What I haven't read anyone pick up on here is the wisdom of penetrating a collapsing wreck solo. ...

The support ship, the saturation system, the bell and the team are beyond our means.

It's scuba or nothing.

 

[baron-von-e]

You insist on ignoring my very clear statement that I often engaged in solo diving. I started when your only gages were your watch and capillary depth meter. Submersible pressure gauges weren't even available. I am not against solo diving. I'm against thinking you are special because you do it. Rather than passionately defend it, as if someone was going to deprive you of the privilege, I merely suggest that there are times when a smart solo diver choses not to dive solo. Entering an unstable wreck is one of those times. I write this not to teach you anything because you obviously already know it all. I'm writing to balance what you say for the casual diver who may still be willing to learn.

The internet is a wonderful place for making all kinds of claims. It doesn't matter to me. I can assure you that the true pioneers of technical diving, people I knew personally like Capt. Billy in Key West, would not have been impressed with your assertions. We never considered depth as bragging rights. We considered depth as just something that got in the way of seeing something we wanted to see.

I appreciate the invite to the U-869 but I'll pass. If I was going through the logistical hassles of a wreck dive to that depth I would do the Wilkes Barre off Key West again. I little pile of scrap steel in the middle of nothing doesn't do it for me. I'll let the U-boat be.

Continued good luck to you.



---------- Post added August 4th, 2015 at 07:16 PM ----------

---------- Post added August 4th, 2015 at 07:14 PM ----------

Descent,

Hmmm, no bell or chamber? Perhaps there is a middle ground, like one guy outside who could help or get help if the pile of rust caves on you? Crazy idea, I know.

 

[oldschoolto]

You mean someone to watch it happen and report it to the family ? I for one , would not want someone to come in after me...

Jim...

 

[ozzydamo]

I am a German immigrant, US citizen since 1967, diving since the 50's, and the son of a WWII German naval officer. My take: respect all war graves. Leaving the history lessons and politics for some other forum, let me just submit to you that some of the comments I read here about who would do what, or think whatever, in 1945 Germany are based on clichés from TV and movies. I'm sure you're all familiar with the movie Das Boot. Try to find the long version. If you are able to play "Region B" Blu-rays you can even get the unedited 5-hr version from Germany. That movie does a pretty good job depicting the mix of personalities and political leanings of several dozen random young men crammed into a giant cigar tube.

What I haven't read anyone pick up on here is the wisdom of penetrating a collapsing wreck solo. I get the solo diver thing. I can assure you I was blowing bubbles alone long before most of your parents were born. But squeezing through restrictions in an unstable overhead environment 120+' down (on air no less?), with no safety diver outside... no offense but are you nuts, Fiddler?

This is the sort of thing only two kinds of divers do: the inexperienced, and the lucky. I don't care how many dives you've logged. If you don't have more respect for the depths than what your dive report on the U-853 indicates you are still inexperienced, AND very lucky. I wish you well.

Wisdom is like respect, it is earned thru actions, not taught via words.

Some people just get off telling others how to live, that doesn't earn my respect!

 

[Centrals]

I wonder how many American tourists are flashing victory signs in Nagasaki or Hiroshima...my guess is that the natives would find it tasteless.

There are still parades over certain parts of UK and Commonwealth celebrating a war last won back in 12th July 1690. And some of them are in areas where the "natives" definitely find offensive!

 

[KevinG58]

This thread would had had stopped couple of pages earlier if certain "action" was not mentioned.
Penetrate a war grave will always provoke certain sentiment. I had dived with British on HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse but never met any Japanese divers in Truk.

I've only been to Truk once, in 2013. The Japanese that were also visiting stayed apart from us westerners, and the majority were older and non-divers. There was a small group dragging a side scan unit searching for a yet to be located wreck, I don't remember the name.