Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries

Mark Chase · 10th August 2008, 19:47

Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries

The Delta Diaries Day 1:

I hung up the phone still laughing at Howards reaction to the 5:30am planned leave time from Little Hampton. Mind you I only go an extra 30mins in bed so I didn’t laugh too loud.

3:30am and I am in the car and away on the back of about four hours sleep. Conditions were good so we were punching out for four hours to do a mark. Having loaded the boat and said good morning to the team and the Dude I was setting up my bed when Trevor lets us know were going to a different site. Apparently it’s a nice dive, up right and big. They did once several years ago and Darren’s on a mission to get some oil boxes off the engine.

I hadn’t dived it and obviously didn’t know the wreck so I didn’t mind too much but virgin wrecks had been thin on the ground recently so id have rather done a mark. Being four hours out and in 80m we were hoping for some stunning viz and with this thought in mind I settled in for some much needed kip.

We arrived over the wreck at 9:30 and the viz looked good but the water was defiantly green which meant there was some bloom somewhere down there. The Dude and I hit the water second and put in the deco-station. We slipped down the shot to the wreck in about 74m of water. Viz was pants at about 5-6m and it was pitch black.

I saw Darren’s line going off to the right and was going to go left when I remembered Trevor saying the tide would push from the stern so I decided to head right instead. We saw Darren and Trevor off to our right and steered away from them so as not to crowd them whilst they worked.

I can’t say much about the wreck because all we could se was twisted and featureless bits of metal. It was all in all a pretty disappointing dive. Howard grabbed a prawn for Ling and the highlight for me was finding my Tecnaknife which had fallen out of its sheath on its madden voyage but seeing as I had gone for fine me yellow rather than tec hard black it was easy to spot on the way back to the shot.

Despite spending 38mins on the bottom we found little or nothing to inspire us so grabbed a couple of scallops in a last second bid to rescue a pants dive. We headed up the shot to do a brain numbing 140mins deco just a little despondent.

Back on the boat a ray of light was offered in that Darren had achieved his goal of getting not one but two oil boxes off the engine and I am sure they will polish up great. Howard clocked 75m and his deepest UK dive to date. I hadn’t realised this and had been purposefully keeping off the 80m sea bed to save on deco. Had I known we would have dropped down to clock the 80, so sorry about that M8

Darren with his Oil boxes and Trevor with a porthole

One of the lads had ripped a neck seal de kitting but that was the limit to the drama and fortunately I had a spare suit at home.

Trevor then announced that Paul the skipper had news of a mark out near the Bessel in 56m. apparently it wasn’t on our hydro graphics so it could be a total unknown.
Well worth a look and a great depth for exploring so Howard and I set off back to my place with a load of optimism for the following days dive.

Day 2:

A very civilised 7:30 leave time meant we picked up Janos at 6am and the full Team Chaos set out with high hopes of adventure.

A blissfully short two and a half hour punch out was then followed with most of the team huddled around the screen whilst we searched for the wreck. It was lumpy as hell and the red band showing the sea bed was spiking up and down making searching hard. We found something but were not sure what it was as it appeared about 3m high. It was defiantly worth a look so we kitted up and waited for slack.

Sitting on the back of the boat with it raising to the sky and dipping down into the sea both Howard and I felt about to puke. It was serious willy waving stuff today with a big old swell and the smell of diesel not mixing well with our breakfast of Kit Kat and Malteasers washed down with coffee.

After an agonisingly long wait we finally hit the water second in and set about setting up the station. I was to lay the line but 10m off the wreck I realised there was no need. Viz was superb and I was faced with the unmistakable outline of a U boat conning tower.

Now I don’t like subs, but in conditions like this it’s hard not to have a good dive so I settled in with a smile on my face. I quickly grabbed a lobster which improved my smile by a few millimetres and then the fun began. Howard must have found two dozen congas and was stroking them prodding them and I am pretty sure he gave one a kiss. They were everywhere.

Skirting around the bow we noted the torpedo tubes and then about 10m back on the port side I found something laying in the gravel under the wreck. I dragged it out and noted the glass in the face. Thinking it could be a lamp or a gauge of some sort I quickly decided it was going up. It was as heavy as hell and it took over 100bar of gas to get it on its way but it was lovely to see something heading up again as its been a while since the lift bag saw action.

Having re stowed the kit I nearly swam right past the deck gun but fortunately Janos was on the ball and pointed it out to me just in time.

Then the fun really started. Watching Janos and The Dude try and catch lobsters is only slightly less funny than watching them try and put them into goody bags. We were all laughing out loud through our respective loops. There were lobsters every where and in the end we bagged five and I got a couple of really nice crab as well.

Heading back to the stern we noted the loading bays and the prop shafts. In the stern there was at least six congas stuffed into a tube. It looked like a conga orgy. Just around the stern was the second of two massive free swimming Ling and yet another large free swimming conga. This was a fish prodders dream dive with Pollock and Cuckoo wrasse every where, slipper lobsters crabs and Janos’ reckons he saw a massive cod (but we reckon he can’t tell the difference between a Ling and a Cod

)

Back once again to the conning tower with just under an hour showing at around 55m it was time to go.

Today’s 160mins didn’t seem as arduous as yesterdays proving once again that if the dives good the deco doesn’t matter. Highlight of deco was Janos coming over to see why I had abandoned my free ascent practice and was hanging horizontal on the line head down and motionless.

He taps me on the head to draw my attention and asks if I am all right. I respond by saying F@@k off I am trying to have a piss

Back on board and all agree it was a great dive. Paul believes it’s the wreck of the U82 which sank in 1919 under tow and has been lost ever since. If so it’s a significant find because this was the sub which torpedoed the Argonaut on the 5th June 1918 and went on to sink the USS Mount Vernon on the 5th September 1918. This was quoted by Winston Churchill as one of the events that lead the Americans to give up its neutrality and side with the allies to defeat Germany.

She survived the war and was surrendered to allied forces in 1919

Back on the boat I was pleased to find my lamp had made it.

A dammed fine dive it was and now we are trying to identify the U-boat with the scant information we have so far.

I acid dipped and cleaned up my lamp and was able to find a few markings.

This was on the middle of the face plate above the glass

If I find out more Ill let you all know.

Back on the boat we divvied up the Lobsters and I was looking forward to being in Lings good books at home. With luck she wouldn’t notice the big lump of gun mettle in the garden

ATB

Mark

EDIT: Sorry i was wrong, the USS Mount Vernon didnt sink and made it to harbor for repairs.

jkaterenchuk · 10th August 2008, 23:26

Mark

Nice report and great pics. Thanks for sharing.

John

Mixaddict · 11th August 2008, 00:23

Hi Mark,

Great report! I'm jealous! A little different than my two dives this weekend in a nasty cold lake, with 5-6 feet of visibility and absolutely nothing to see but students hanging on a line and me hoping that no one gets hurt, because I wouldn't be able to see them or find them!

Hope you are able to identify the sub! Thanks for sharing!

Regards,
Randy

**kybrt** · 11th August 2008, 00:31

Bastard!

Lancer4545 · 11th August 2008, 00:53

Good write up Mark...Thanks for sharing it and I like the pic of the spoils of the trip.....Looked very tasty!!

Regards,

Lance

Nailer99 · 11th August 2008, 01:06

Sounds like a great weekend! I'm really jealous of your lamp- what a cool trophy! Please let us know if that does, in fact, turn out to be the U82.

Also- can you explain the meaning of the word "pants" to this Yank? Haven't run across that one yet- I thought they were just something I'm supposed to wear when I leave the house, but it seems there may be more to the story....

Gear Me · 11th August 2008, 03:37

Quote: (Originally Posted by Nailer99)

can you explain the meaning of the word 'pants' to this Yank?

'Pants' means 'underwear' in British English. Guess what some people (esp. toddlers) do in their pants?

mik · 11th August 2008, 05:10

So, given that there are pictures of you and your buddies with that stuff on the 'net, you have obviously reported this to the Receiver of Wreck?

Ben Field · 11th August 2008, 10:47

Sounds like a belting trip, nice lamp... noticed a couple of screws are missing in the cleaned up shot- did you get it open?

One day... one day I will find something really nice to lift... my "collection" is a solitary bent 12lb shell case and a WWII RN hydrophone.

jorgey · 11th August 2008, 10:51

Hi Mark,

beautiful!

I don't know if that could help, but I did a very fast (and superficial, I confess) search and the mark "Gebr. Leser" (Gebrüder Leser=Leser Brothers) could be now the same valves company that you can find under:

Leser GmbH & Co KG

as I could quickly search seems to be the same. The company was found in 1818 in Hamburg and did mostly steam parts in mesing, I think they could be the ones who made this part you have.

j o r g e

10th August 2008, 19:47	#1 (permalink)
Mark Chase RBW Member Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Kent Posts: 2,863	Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries The Delta Diaries Day 1: I hung up the phone still laughing at Howards reaction to the 5:30am planned leave time from Little Hampton. Mind you I only go an extra 30mins in bed so I didn’t laugh too loud. 3:30am and I am in the car and away on the back of about four hours sleep. Conditions were good so we were punching out for four hours to do a mark. Having loaded the boat and said good morning to the team and the Dude I was setting up my bed when Trevor lets us know were going to a different site. Apparently it’s a nice dive, up right and big. They did once several years ago and Darren’s on a mission to get some oil boxes off the engine. I hadn’t dived it and obviously didn’t know the wreck so I didn’t mind too much but virgin wrecks had been thin on the ground recently so id have rather done a mark. Being four hours out and in 80m we were hoping for some stunning viz and with this thought in mind I settled in for some much needed kip. We arrived over the wreck at 9:30 and the viz looked good but the water was defiantly green which meant there was some bloom somewhere down there. The Dude and I hit the water second and put in the deco-station. We slipped down the shot to the wreck in about 74m of water. Viz was pants at about 5-6m and it was pitch black. I saw Darren’s line going off to the right and was going to go left when I remembered Trevor saying the tide would push from the stern so I decided to head right instead. We saw Darren and Trevor off to our right and steered away from them so as not to crowd them whilst they worked. I can’t say much about the wreck because all we could se was twisted and featureless bits of metal. It was all in all a pretty disappointing dive. Howard grabbed a prawn for Ling and the highlight for me was finding my Tecnaknife which had fallen out of its sheath on its madden voyage but seeing as I had gone for fine me yellow rather than tec hard black it was easy to spot on the way back to the shot. Despite spending 38mins on the bottom we found little or nothing to inspire us so grabbed a couple of scallops in a last second bid to rescue a pants dive. We headed up the shot to do a brain numbing 140mins deco just a little despondent. Back on the boat a ray of light was offered in that Darren had achieved his goal of getting not one but two oil boxes off the engine and I am sure they will polish up great. Howard clocked 75m and his deepest UK dive to date. I hadn’t realised this and had been purposefully keeping off the 80m sea bed to save on deco. Had I known we would have dropped down to clock the 80, so sorry about that M8 Darren with his Oil boxes and Trevor with a porthole One of the lads had ripped a neck seal de kitting but that was the limit to the drama and fortunately I had a spare suit at home. Trevor then announced that Paul the skipper had news of a mark out near the Bessel in 56m. apparently it wasn’t on our hydro graphics so it could be a total unknown. Well worth a look and a great depth for exploring so Howard and I set off back to my place with a load of optimism for the following days dive. Day 2: A very civilised 7:30 leave time meant we picked up Janos at 6am and the full Team Chaos set out with high hopes of adventure. A blissfully short two and a half hour punch out was then followed with most of the team huddled around the screen whilst we searched for the wreck. It was lumpy as hell and the red band showing the sea bed was spiking up and down making searching hard. We found something but were not sure what it was as it appeared about 3m high. It was defiantly worth a look so we kitted up and waited for slack. Sitting on the back of the boat with it raising to the sky and dipping down into the sea both Howard and I felt about to puke. It was serious willy waving stuff today with a big old swell and the smell of diesel not mixing well with our breakfast of Kit Kat and Malteasers washed down with coffee. After an agonisingly long wait we finally hit the water second in and set about setting up the station. I was to lay the line but 10m off the wreck I realised there was no need. Viz was superb and I was faced with the unmistakable outline of a U boat conning tower. Now I don’t like subs, but in conditions like this it’s hard not to have a good dive so I settled in with a smile on my face. I quickly grabbed a lobster which improved my smile by a few millimetres and then the fun began. Howard must have found two dozen congas and was stroking them prodding them and I am pretty sure he gave one a kiss. They were everywhere. Skirting around the bow we noted the torpedo tubes and then about 10m back on the port side I found something laying in the gravel under the wreck. I dragged it out and noted the glass in the face. Thinking it could be a lamp or a gauge of some sort I quickly decided it was going up. It was as heavy as hell and it took over 100bar of gas to get it on its way but it was lovely to see something heading up again as its been a while since the lift bag saw action. Having re stowed the kit I nearly swam right past the deck gun but fortunately Janos was on the ball and pointed it out to me just in time. Then the fun really started. Watching Janos and The Dude try and catch lobsters is only slightly less funny than watching them try and put them into goody bags. We were all laughing out loud through our respective loops. There were lobsters every where and in the end we bagged five and I got a couple of really nice crab as well. Heading back to the stern we noted the loading bays and the prop shafts. In the stern there was at least six congas stuffed into a tube. It looked like a conga orgy. Just around the stern was the second of two massive free swimming Ling and yet another large free swimming conga. This was a fish prodders dream dive with Pollock and Cuckoo wrasse every where, slipper lobsters crabs and Janos’ reckons he saw a massive cod (but we reckon he can’t tell the difference between a Ling and a Cod ) Back once again to the conning tower with just under an hour showing at around 55m it was time to go. Today’s 160mins didn’t seem as arduous as yesterdays proving once again that if the dives good the deco doesn’t matter. Highlight of deco was Janos coming over to see why I had abandoned my free ascent practice and was hanging horizontal on the line head down and motionless. He taps me on the head to draw my attention and asks if I am all right. I respond by saying F@@k off I am trying to have a piss Back on board and all agree it was a great dive. Paul believes it’s the wreck of the U82 which sank in 1919 under tow and has been lost ever since. If so it’s a significant find because this was the sub which torpedoed the Argonaut on the 5th June 1918 and went on to sink the USS Mount Vernon on the 5th September 1918. This was quoted by Winston Churchill as one of the events that lead the Americans to give up its neutrality and side with the allies to defeat Germany. She survived the war and was surrendered to allied forces in 1919 Back on the boat I was pleased to find my lamp had made it. A dammed fine dive it was and now we are trying to identify the U-boat with the scant information we have so far. I acid dipped and cleaned up my lamp and was able to find a few markings. This was on the middle of the face plate above the glass If I find out more Ill let you all know. Back on the boat we divvied up the Lobsters and I was looking forward to being in Lings good books at home. With luck she wouldn’t notice the big lump of gun mettle in the garden ATB Mark EDIT: Sorry i was wrong, the USS Mount Vernon didnt sink and made it to harbor for repairs. __________________ See my "Doing It Chasey" video where I'm locked into a padded room, naked, with two ball bearings and within an Hour, I manage to lose one and break the other!!! Kevin Juergensen 16/11/08 [/quote] Last edited by Mark Chase : 11th August 2008 at 15:09.
(Offline)

10th August 2008, 23:26	#2 (permalink)
jkaterenchuk . Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Megalodon Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lititz, PA Posts: 1,092	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Mark Nice report and great pics. Thanks for sharing. John
(Online)

11th August 2008, 00:23	#3 (permalink)
Mixaddict RBW Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Evolution Other CCR Other Rebreather/s: Inspiration Classic Other CCR Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Draper, Utah USA Posts: 523	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Hi Mark, Great report! I'm jealous! A little different than my two dives this weekend in a nasty cold lake, with 5-6 feet of visibility and absolutely nothing to see but students hanging on a line and me hoping that no one gets hurt, because I wouldn't be able to see them or find them! Hope you are able to identify the sub! Thanks for sharing! Regards, Randy __________________ Randy Thornton (MixAddict) Inspiration, Evolution, Hammerhead & Sentinel CCR Instructor
(Offline)

11th August 2008, 00:31	#4 (permalink)
kybrt too legit to quit Current Rebreather/s: rEvo Other Rebreather/s: rEvo Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Neuw Yawk Posts: 387	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Bastard! __________________ Marv Fidelis Ad Mortem www.diveboatkaren.com
(Offline)

11th August 2008, 00:53	#5 (permalink)
Lancer4545 RBW Member Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Cairns QLD Australia Posts: 748	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Good write up Mark...Thanks for sharing it and I like the pic of the spoils of the trip.....Looked very tasty!! Regards, Lance __________________ You can run but you can't hide! ISC Appointed Megalodon Dealer for East Australia http://www.closedcircuitdivers.com.au info@closedcircuitdivers.com.au
(Offline)

11th August 2008, 01:06	#6 (permalink)
Nailer99 RBW Member Current Rebreather/s: Megalodon Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Seattle, WA, USA Posts: 280	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Sounds like a great weekend! I'm really jealous of your lamp- what a cool trophy! Please let us know if that does, in fact, turn out to be the U82. Also- can you explain the meaning of the word "pants" to this Yank? Haven't run across that one yet- I thought they were just something I'm supposed to wear when I leave the house, but it seems there may be more to the story....
(Online)

11th August 2008, 03:37	#7 (permalink)
Gear Me New Member Current Rebreather/s: Evolution Optima Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Midwest US Posts: 6	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Quote: (Originally Posted by Nailer99) can you explain the meaning of the word 'pants' to this Yank? 'Pants' means 'underwear' in British English. Guess what some people (esp. toddlers) do in their pants? Last edited by Gear Me : 11th August 2008 at 03:39.
(Offline)

11th August 2008, 05:10	#8 (permalink)
mik New Member Current Rebreather/s: Inspiration Vision Other Rebreather/s: Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney North Posts: 75	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries So, given that there are pictures of you and your buddies with that stuff on the 'net, you have obviously reported this to the Receiver of Wreck? __________________ It just fell apart in my hands, Chief!
(Offline)

11th August 2008, 10:47	#9 (permalink)
Ben Field CK+Shearwater Current Rebreather/s: Classic Kiss Other Rebreather/s: Sport Kiss Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: London, England Posts: 1,775	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Sounds like a belting trip, nice lamp... noticed a couple of screws are missing in the cleaned up shot- did you get it open? One day... one day I will find something really nice to lift... my "collection" is a solitary bent 12lb shell case and a WWII RN hydrophone. __________________ Know your PPO2, Pre-breath, Use checklists, Validate cells at 6mtrs, Use pure O2 at or near surface, Use a BOV, Don't dive Solo, Change Slime and Cells as recommended by Manufacturer and RTFM! Beware Fridge Suck! www.hugsac.org.uk
(Online)

11th August 2008, 10:51	#10 (permalink)
jorgey New Member Current Rebreather/s: Azimuth Home Build Other Rebreather/s: Azimuth Home Build Join Date: May 2007 Location: Austria / Argentina Posts: 57	Re: Could this be the U82? Delta Diaries Hi Mark, beautiful! I don't know if that could help, but I did a very fast (and superficial, I confess) search and the mark "Gebr. Leser" (Gebrüder Leser=Leser Brothers) could be now the same valves company that you can find under: Leser GmbH & Co KG as I could quickly search seems to be the same. The company was found in 1818 in Hamburg and did mostly steam parts in mesing, I think they could be the ones who made this part you have. j o r g e
(Offline)

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode