Logbook Scuba Dive # 290 - HMS Hermes
| Logbook Scuba Dive # 290 - HMS Hermes |
Good| Cylinder Set #1 | |||
| Cylinder Type: | Cylinder Size: | Working Pressure: | Supply Type: |
| Alumimium |  20 litres |
200 bar |  Open Circuit (OC) |
| O2: | He: | Min. PPO2: | Max. PPO2: |
| 18% | 32% | - | 1.4 bar |
 Trimix 18/32/50 |
MOD: | EAD: | END: |
| 67.7 m | 70.7 m | 42.9 m | |
| Start Pressure: | End Pressure: | Diff. Pressure: | |
| 204 bar | 48 bar | 156 bar | |
| Avg. Depth: | SAC Rate: | ||
| - | - | ||
| Cylinder Set #2 | |||
| Cylinder Type: | Cylinder Size: | Working Pressure: | Supply Type: |
| Alumimium |  11 litres |
200 bar | Open Circuit (OC) |
| O2: | He: | Min. PPO2: | Max. PPO2: |
| 48% | - | 0.19 bar | 1.6 bar |
 EAN 48 |
MOD: | EAD: | END: |
| 23.3 m | 12.0 m | - | |
| Start Pressure: | End Pressure: | Diff. Pressure: | |
| 200 bar | 140 bar | 60 bar | |
| Avg. Depth: | SAC Rate: | ||
| - | - | ||
| Cylinder Set #3 | |||
| Cylinder Type: | Cylinder Size: | Working Pressure: | Supply Type: |
| Alumimium | 11 litres |
200 bar | Open Circuit (OC) |
| O2: | He: | Min. PPO2: | Max. PPO2: |
| 55% | - | 0.19 bar | 1.6 bar |
| EAN 55 |
MOD: | EAD: | END: |
| 19.0 m | 6.6 m | - | |
| Start Pressure: | End Pressure: | Diff. Pressure: | |
| 180 bar | 120 bar | 60 bar | |
| Avg. Depth: | SAC Rate: | ||
| - | - | ||
| Avg. Depth: | SAC Rate: | ||
| 19.02 m | 17.06 litres/min | ||
| Gas Mixture: | |||
| Trimix 18/32/50 - Back Nitrox 48% - Stage 1 Nitrox 55% - Stage 2 | |||
| FRIDAY MORNING: Allan and I prepared our dive plans using the Suunto Dive Planner software that came with my Suunto HelO2 dive computer. It gave some interesting results that Richard, Stuart and Helena found quite supprising. We decided to try it anyway, but with a more conventional plan also available. Again, we each had double aluminium 11 litre cylinders on our backs as bottom gas, but this time Richard, Allan and myself had a Trimix 18/32/50 mix. We also had two 11 litre aluminium stage cylinders with EAN50 for use above 21 metres on deco. As we arrived at the dive site and Richard was about to start our dive briefing I called out, "Hands up those that haven't dived with Trimix before," and put up my hand. Yes, I was about to experience another first. The dive itself and the ascent went well. However, yours truly again stuffed up telling my dive computer that I'd switched gases. Even worse, at one point on deco I ended up breathing my back gas instead of EAN50. I really need to get out and practice gas switches with two stage cylinders. I had the feeling this was going to be my last dive on the HMS Hermes for this trip. Diving in such warm water with at times crystal clear visibility had been simply magnificent. Exploring sections of the wreck while using and learning technical skills had been both challenging but highly rewarding. Drifting on deco many kilometres out to sea in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean was simply delightful. The wreck of the HMS Hermes certainly shows plenty of signs of its violent sinking. The bow lies on its port side and the ship corkscrews to the stern which lies upside down. And everything is still there. The telegraph controls are on the bridge, the guns, crows nest, conning tower etc. can all be easily located. Certainly it left one with a deep respect for the 300 plus souls of the HMS Hermes. Yet, for me, it wasn't just about the wreck and its history. It was also about how time had changed this made made object or war and destruction into a magnificent artificial reef. Massive fans and other marine flora cover the wreck. This has created a home environment for huge numbers of marine life including plenty of the largest lionfish I've yet seen. FRIDAY AFTERNOON: I didn't feel up to doing a second deep dive for the day. At first I thought about just going into the village for some more shopping. But then I decided I'd like to dive the boiler wreck. So I dropped stuff off of my rig, simplifying it back to a sort of 'recreational' diving mode. The plan was that we all head out and the others would dive the HMS Hermes, but then I'd dive the boiler wreck on the way back in. I suggested they could just drop me off on the boiler wreck on the way out and pick me up on the way back, but that was never going to happen. So I got to wait out the HMS Hermes dive on the surface. However, we were late getting out to the dive site and by the time the others finished their dive it was well into sunset. So no afternoon dive for yours truly. Being on the surface with the divers in the water again gave me to witness the skills of the boat skippers. Once the SMBs started popping they would position their boats a long way down current. I then saw the SMBs slowly close on where the boats were waiting. That the divers would end up within 50 metres from the boats over such a long time and distance was simply amazing. That evening we had a magnificent dinner feast prepared for us by 'Buddhika' and 'Mahesh'. We'd expected all of the staff to join us for this meal, but they didn't. I'd recommend that future groups make it clear that all of the resort staff are invited to the final night festivities. THe JOURNEY HOME: On Saturday morning we were up early, packing gear, eating breakfast and settling up accounts. The plan was for us to depart in the two Toyota Hiaces at around 9 am. We left a bit later than that. It takes time to say ones goodbyes and appropriately thank the staff for being such great hosts. We pooled our tips and made sure they were generous sums as is appropriate given how well they had all looked after us. Some in the dive party got a bit of a shock when it came to settle accounts. The meals were extra. 'Buddhika' and 'Mahesh' had done an excellent job with the food and we had no complaints about the variety, portion sizes and quality of cooking. Plus we were always able to make special requests, some for dishes not even on the menu. However, if we simply had the set meal prepared, the meals were being charged at a fixed price per head and the rate wasn't very competetive with what the usual prices in Sri Lanka are. More importantly, some didn't eat very much at breakfast and lunch times, and thus were surprised at how much extra they had to pay for their meals. It was suggested to Feli that he might come up with a better way to handle this such that future groups didn't get the same surprise. The three boat captains joined us for the journey back across Sri Lanka. Peter, Alan, Brian, Vincent and myself were driven by Ivan. We stopped briefy at a wood carving place to buy some gifts. We also stopped at a magificent resort hotel which Peter, Stuart and Helena had been to the previous week in tourist mode. Peter was keen for us to enjoy the buffet luncheon. So Peter, Allan, Brian and myself did so while the others decided the cafe lunch would suffice. We shopped for more gifts in the hotel shops and then recommenced our journey. You might be getting the impression that I'm not a great tourist and traveller, even though I do quite a bit of it one way or another. You'd be spot on. I go places to do things whilst there. I rarely delight in the journey and I'm never keen to get into tourist mode. So when we stopped to see a buddist temple, I was not the least bit interested. Again, Peter, Stuart and Helena had been to the templeh the previous week and thought we would love it. While the others did the tourist thing, Stuart, Helena and myself got in a Tut-Tut and went into the main part of the nearby town. I came across a tool store and proceeded to purchase a tool box, sets of spanners, pliers and screwdrivers, plus a can of WD-40 for Vincent. Next time he'd have to strip down a motor out on the water he'd be better equipped. He was delighted at the unexpected gift. Soon we were all back on the road again. It was 8 pm before we made it to the hotel in Negombo near the airport. Peter, Alan, Brian and myself were continuing on to the airport and flying out in just a few hours time. We were able to shower and change at the hotel and grab dinner. The others accepted Vincent's kind invitation to have dinner at his house nearby. There was some drama for me at the airport. When I'd packed my two check-in bags to come on the trip they weighed in at 32 kg, which was two kilograms over the 30 kg limit. So I expected to pay the A$6 per kilo excess baggage. At Melbourne airport check-in they confirmed 32 kg, but said it was okay. On the return journey I wasn't able to weigh my bags before heading to the airport. However, I was bringing back less stuff than I'd taken having left batteries, suntan lotion and other articles behind. However at check-in they told me the two bags weighed 36 kg and that will be US$30 per kg for excess baggage, which converts to A$200 in total. I explained that this couldn't be possible and that I'd been told that the excess bagge charge was a lot less. Nope, I had to pay. (On arriving home I weighed the two bags on my accurate scales. The dive bag was .5 kg over what it had been on the outward leg. Same stuff in it, but maybe not fully dry, so that makes sense. My clothing bag was .5 kg under what it had been on the outward leg. I'd expected it to be a bit lighter than that. Still, the combined total was 32 kg, not the 36 kg the check-in at Colombo had claimed. Given that I've also lost 14 kg in body weight since last travelling with Singapore Airlines, it's even more annoying. Plus I'd paid $200 for preferred seating which others received for no extra cost on some flights. I feel I've been totally ripped off. I'll NEVER be travelling on Singapore Airlines again.) We made a point of catching up with the dive group coming in from Sydney to dive the HMS Hermes that week. We were able to pass onto them some of the lessons we'd learnt. Peter, Brian, Allan and myself left Sri Lanka at 1 am on Sunday. Four hours flying to Singapore, a two hour stop-over, and 8 hours on to Melbourne. Cheryl's warm and smiling face on arriving at Melbourne airport on Sunday evening was a most welcome sight. |
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