fishb0y

On July 25, 1946 the U.S. detonated the Baker atomic bomb, a 23-kiloton underwater blast, at Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. 96 vessels (surface and submarine) were anchored in the atoll to test the effects of the atomic explosion. Many are of historic significance. Nine of the vessels sank shortly thereafter and many more were scuttled when they proved too difficult to decontaminate. They are still there today, rusting away all too quickly 200’ down in the warm Pacific waters. None have been adequately documented and soon it will be too late.
We’ve launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding project to document these vessels, which include the USS Saratoga, the HIJMS Nagato (Admiral Yamamoto’s flagship during Pearl Harbor), and the Prinz Eugen (which assisted the Bismarck in sinking the Hood in 1941). We plan on producing a documentary about these historic vessels with the completed footage, to be released in late 2014. All $25 contributors to the Kickstarter project will receive a copy of the completed documentary, with greater rewards for higher funding levels. Please consider funding this great project to record the current state and place in history of these majestic vessels, and please tell all of your friends about it too! The more people who know the greater the chance of getting funded.
The Kickstarter funding project will end in mid April, 2013 so please don’t delay! Thank you.

The Kickstarter page: The Atomic Armada - The Forgotten Wrecks of Bikini Atoll by Adrian Smith — Kickstarter

Diveratt

+1 Its going to be 2015 before I can even think about going

Mark Struckoff

What are you planning to do that has not already been done by others? In other words - Why should we pay for your dive?

qazwsx

Probably your best source of funds will be sponsership by manufacturers. I bet Deep Life or Open Safety would be happy to help. They have similar buisness plans as you, so it should be a good fit.

broncobowsher

So $25 buys me a copy of your vacation?

kwinter

Well worth the fund drive. Maybe I'll go. I could use a new rebreather. Please contribute a lot so I can outfit myself.

__________________
Ken

Quote: (Originally Posted by Dsix36)

Just remember that listening to an idiot such as myself may very well get your arse dead.

Packhorse

Not just the dive but the rEvo and Cuda too!

You have to admit its a great idea. Perhaps I should to it too!

fishb0y

I'm kinda surprised (maybe not really,) on some folks reactions, but it looks like I need to give a little clarification here. I forwarded the press release for one of my dive buddies to help give him some support. Besides wanting the footage of the wrecks, he also has interviews with veterans that were there for both Able and Baker. Yeah, I agree Adrian is asking for a lot, but it is what it is.

jkaterenchuk

I suspect some of the issue is with the perception that this is simply someone wanting to get their gear, training and vacation paid by others thru the use of the Kickstarter platform. Maybe it comes off as trying to take advantage.

In reality if the authors motivation is truly to document the wrecks there are many people that have been to the dive sites and I personally know two guys that were dive guides for several years in Bikini and between then have hundreds if not thousands of dives on the wrecks. It would seem that interviewing them, interviewing others and securing footage or pictures could be done to put together a much better documentary then a short duration visit could produce.

After all, many books and documentaries are completed quite successfully without the need for the producer to directly visit or be there themselves. Often the story is better if told thru someone with more direct exposure and experience and certainly that cannot be replaced by a short visit.

Just my opinion stated in a nice a way as I could think to put it.

John

fishb0y

Trust me, I fully understand why people are skeptical with this. Personally I think every rebreather diver needs to feel some of that 'fiscal sacrifice'. But realistically, people will either support his project or not.

With that being said, he is obligated to follow through on the project:
Kickstarter Basics » Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) — Kickstarter