Solomon Islands 2005

***Louby Lou*** · 29th December 2005, 19:17

Hi All!

Just to let you know that PeteS's article on his trip to the Solomon's earlier on this year is now up and running in the library section. Many thanks Pete for letting us use the article on RBW

Pete's article can be found HERE

There are a couple of photos attached to the article; however, there are many more on Pete's site and can be found HERE

Many thanks

Lou

***Decodiver*** · 30th December 2005, 07:54

Hi Stegs,

I visited Tulagi in October 2004, we had a great time.

The only real criticism I have is that the food at the hotel was dog-awful.

We did all the dives you mentionned, the Aaron Ward, in particular, is an awesome dive, and I believe, the only diveable USS Destroyer lost in combat.

Just swimming around the wreck, you can see she was fighting all the way down.

3 of us, Gary Allison, the sorely missed Penny Glover and myself solo dived the USS Atlanta, that was awesome.

We had some great diving, and I would go back again.

Hopefully by now, some of the logistical problems that we experienced will have been remedied.

Cheers,

Dave Cooper.

PeteS · 30th December 2005, 08:26

Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver)

The only real criticism I have is that the food at the hotel was dog-awful.

Agreed, but I didn't get the shits, and it is, as they say "the only show in town"! We would have loved to have got into the kitchen saying "FFS, cook it like this!!"

Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver)

3 of us, Gary Allison, the sorely missed Penny Glover and myself solo dived the USS Atlanta, that was awesome.

The Atlanta is next target. With the camera of course.

Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver)

Hopefully by now, some of the logistical problems that we experienced will have been remedied.

What problems were they? Gas? Sofno? Getting stuff through the airport?

Scuttle · 30th December 2005, 08:29

Good article Pete, captured the essence, raw & un-spoilt i would have & did say but it's the diving we go for aye & I am sure Neil will appreciate your call.

Dave the food has improved since then with a new cook , what was the logistical problems if I may inquire. As I go there each year & have Neils ear,
I can pass it on when I get the "what do you reckon" ----whether he likes it or not.

***Decodiver*** · 30th December 2005, 08:46

Logistically the problems were that we had no sofno when we arrived and only 4 Js of He that were supposed to do 7 of us for 10 days diving!!

And they had been left over from a year before and weren't all that full.

Neil had DraegerSorb and wanted us to use that to dive the Atlanta, I put him right on that straight away!

I sorted out delivery of the sofno through Jason Blackwell in OZ (a million thank yous), and then went about making the He last enough for the all the divers, fortunately my wing was run off a 2 litre of air, so I was getting 4 days diving out of a 3 litre diluent.

Apart from that it was good. Neil is a really nice guy, it was absolutely hilarious watching him shot the Atlanta.

He said, "Right out the way everyone keep quiet, this is where I do my bit."

He then shotted the wreck, it was only as the end of the shot went in and I saw that the buoy was a 4kg sofno tub!!

I almost pissed myself as it went straight under, Neil dived off the boat and tried to get it back in vain!

We then went to the Yacht Club in Honiara and he comes back with a breeze block saying he is going to use that as the shot weight. (I'm thinking you knob!)

There's me thinking, Sod That! I'm the one tying in, if it's HMS Seabed I aint gonna do the Atlanta.

So I sod off for some proper squaddie thieving and return with a metal bar stool that I turn into a grapnel and a proper weight.

40 minutes later I am tying the shot in at 115 metres lovely!!!!

I didn't get the trots with the food, it was just the blandist tripe I've ever had, and believe me, I've eaten some crap in my time.

Pete, if you get some good images of the Atlanta you should be able to sell them to dive magazines AFAIK there are no underwater images of the Atlanta in existence.

Here's me decompressing after the Atlanta dive.

Cheers,

Dave Cooper.

PeteS · 30th December 2005, 08:58

Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver)

Pete, if you get some good images of the Atlanta you should be able to sell them to dive magazines AFAIK there are no underwater images of the Atlanta in existence.

No existing images is my understanding........

Trip coming soon

barney · 30th December 2005, 16:27

Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver)

We did all the dives you mentionned, the Aaron Ward, in particular, is an awesome dive, and I believe, the only diveable USS Destroyer lost in combat.

There are other DDs that are diveable, such as the USS JACOB JONES off Delaware (US) and the USS MEREDITH off Normandy (FR).
The USS STURTEVANT was also lost in WWII, but due to an Allied mine off Florida (US).

***Decodiver*** · 30th December 2005, 16:28

That's answered that then..........

Def · 15th January 2006, 12:18

I am still getting blammed for the shaving am I Peter ... tsk tsk !

29th December 2005, 19:17	#1 (permalink)
*Louby Lou* XLVI WC! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Roman Corinium! Posts: 1,049	Solomon Islands 2005 Hi All! Just to let you know that PeteS's article on his trip to the Solomon's earlier on this year is now up and running in the library section. Many thanks Pete for letting us use the article on RBW Pete's article can be found HERE There are a couple of photos attached to the article; however, there are many more on Pete's site and can be found HERE Many thanks Lou
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30th December 2005, 07:54	#2 (permalink)
*Decodiver* Administrator Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Geneva Posts: 2,194	Re: Solomon Islands 2005 Hi Stegs, I visited Tulagi in October 2004, we had a great time. The only real criticism I have is that the food at the hotel was dog-awful. We did all the dives you mentionned, the Aaron Ward, in particular, is an awesome dive, and I believe, the only diveable USS Destroyer lost in combat. Just swimming around the wreck, you can see she was fighting all the way down. 3 of us, Gary Allison, the sorely missed Penny Glover and myself solo dived the USS Atlanta, that was awesome. We had some great diving, and I would go back again. Hopefully by now, some of the logistical problems that we experienced will have been remedied. Cheers, Dave Cooper. __________________ CCR/OC Trimix Instructor Trainer CCR Training to Mixed Gas in Switzerland, France, UK & Germany on Megalodon/COPIS-Megalodon/KISS/Sport KISS/Ouroboros/rEvo/Inspiration/Evolution/Sentinel www.zerogravitydiving.com Rebreather World Terms & Conditions
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30th December 2005, 08:26	#3 (permalink)
PeteS Consent Issued! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 543	Re: Solomon Islands 2005 Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver) The only real criticism I have is that the food at the hotel was dog-awful. Agreed, but I didn't get the shits, and it is, as they say "the only show in town"! We would have loved to have got into the kitchen saying "FFS, cook it like this!!" Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver) 3 of us, Gary Allison, the sorely missed Penny Glover and myself solo dived the USS Atlanta, that was awesome. The Atlanta is next target. With the camera of course. Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver) Hopefully by now, some of the logistical problems that we experienced will have been remedied. What problems were they? Gas? Sofno? Getting stuff through the airport? __________________ Pete S. http://www.steggle.co.nz Every silver lining has a cloud Last edited by PeteS : 30th December 2005 at 08:28.
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30th December 2005, 08:29	#4 (permalink)
Scuttle 1 Grumpy ole skipper Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Dolphin Other Rebreather/s: Dolphin Join Date: May 2005 Location: Jan Juc, Vic, Australia Posts: 242	Re: Solomon Islands 2005 Good article Pete, captured the essence, raw & un-spoilt i would have & did say but it's the diving we go for aye & I am sure Neil will appreciate your call. Dave the food has improved since then with a new cook , what was the logistical problems if I may inquire. As I go there each year & have Neils ear, I can pass it on when I get the "what do you reckon" ----whether he likes it or not.
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30th December 2005, 08:46	#5 (permalink)
*Decodiver* Administrator Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Geneva Posts: 2,194	Re: Solomon Islands 2005 Logistically the problems were that we had no sofno when we arrived and only 4 Js of He that were supposed to do 7 of us for 10 days diving!! And they had been left over from a year before and weren't all that full. Neil had DraegerSorb and wanted us to use that to dive the Atlanta, I put him right on that straight away! I sorted out delivery of the sofno through Jason Blackwell in OZ (a million thank yous), and then went about making the He last enough for the all the divers, fortunately my wing was run off a 2 litre of air, so I was getting 4 days diving out of a 3 litre diluent. Apart from that it was good. Neil is a really nice guy, it was absolutely hilarious watching him shot the Atlanta. He said, "Right out the way everyone keep quiet, this is where I do my bit." He then shotted the wreck, it was only as the end of the shot went in and I saw that the buoy was a 4kg sofno tub!! I almost pissed myself as it went straight under, Neil dived off the boat and tried to get it back in vain! We then went to the Yacht Club in Honiara and he comes back with a breeze block saying he is going to use that as the shot weight. (I'm thinking you knob!) There's me thinking, Sod That! I'm the one tying in, if it's HMS Seabed I aint gonna do the Atlanta. So I sod off for some proper squaddie thieving and return with a metal bar stool that I turn into a grapnel and a proper weight. 40 minutes later I am tying the shot in at 115 metres lovely!!!! I didn't get the trots with the food, it was just the blandist tripe I've ever had, and believe me, I've eaten some crap in my time. Pete, if you get some good images of the Atlanta you should be able to sell them to dive magazines AFAIK there are no underwater images of the Atlanta in existence. Here's me decompressing after the Atlanta dive. Cheers, Dave Cooper. __________________ CCR/OC Trimix Instructor Trainer CCR Training to Mixed Gas in Switzerland, France, UK & Germany on Megalodon/COPIS-Megalodon/KISS/Sport KISS/Ouroboros/rEvo/Inspiration/Evolution/Sentinel www.zerogravitydiving.com Rebreather World Terms & Conditions Last edited by Decodiver : 30th December 2005 at 08:53.
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30th December 2005, 08:58	#6 (permalink)
PeteS Consent Issued! Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Zealand Posts: 543	Re: Solomon Islands 2005 Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver) Pete, if you get some good images of the Atlanta you should be able to sell them to dive magazines AFAIK there are no underwater images of the Atlanta in existence. No existing images is my understanding........ Trip coming soon __________________ Pete S. http://www.steggle.co.nz Every silver lining has a cloud
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30th December 2005, 16:27	#7 (permalink)
barney EXPLORER Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: St. Petersburg, FL Posts: 294	Re: Solomon Islands 2005 Quote: (Originally Posted by Decodiver) We did all the dives you mentionned, the Aaron Ward, in particular, is an awesome dive, and I believe, the only diveable USS Destroyer lost in combat. There are other DDs that are diveable, such as the USS JACOB JONES off Delaware (US) and the USS MEREDITH off Normandy (FR). The USS STURTEVANT was also lost in WWII, but due to an Allied mine off Florida (US). __________________ Michael C. Barnette ASSOCIATION OF UNDERWATER EXPLORERS
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30th December 2005, 16:28	#8 (permalink)
*Decodiver* Administrator Current Rebreather/s: Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Other CCR Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Geneva Posts: 2,194	Re: Solomon Islands 2005 That's answered that then.......... __________________ CCR/OC Trimix Instructor Trainer CCR Training to Mixed Gas in Switzerland, France, UK & Germany on Megalodon/COPIS-Megalodon/KISS/Sport KISS/Ouroboros/rEvo/Inspiration/Evolution/Sentinel www.zerogravitydiving.com Rebreather World Terms & Conditions
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15th January 2006, 12:18	#9 (permalink)
Def New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Sydney Posts: 83	Re: Solomon Islands 2005 I am still getting blammed for the shaving am I Peter ... tsk tsk !
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