In 1985 a friend of mine was involved in what can only be called the pioneering of UK technical diving, his name was Pete Smith and I know you have never heard of him, it was because he got bent and retired from diving about a year or so before any one was into Nitrox and Trimix. If you have heard of Pete then it is because he wrote the book "Naval Wrecks of Scapa Flow". He also pioneered diving on the wreck of HMS Hampshire and it was after one of these dives that we talked over a pint or two of the wrecks of the Repulse and Prince of Wales.
In October 99 the group arranged by myself arrived on the site of the Repulse, we were a two day steam from Singapore and 50 miles from the nearest shore and the monsoon season was threatening.
We adopted a strategy of up to two dives a day, we had helium and oxygen on board, and what better way to enjoy the warmth than by decompressing for ages.
The Repulse is on her starboard side in about 55m of water, with the decks at about 30-35 degrees of angle the first impression was of being very broken but this is not true, the bridge area is badly damaged and the fighting tops spread out across the seabed but were shrouded with nets. Five inch side guns were very clean and lay with there barrels still pointing out to sea and as you swim to the bows the massive main armament lays with the twin barrels still elevated and at action stations, "A" and "B" turret are easily visible with "A" turrets guns at normal laying with the axis of the ship and "B"s at a more aggressive fighting angle. As these ships were so big (800 feet plus) the swim from bridge to bow is a long one, but on the day I did this swim I was amazed to see the tripod base of the Flagpole still lying there intact in its rightful place at the bow of the ship. The whole front section of the ship is held up off the seabed by the massive guns laying behind us and large hatches lay open on the decks, I cant help but think of the sailors feelings as she started to sink.
Rising up over the ship, as we head back to the up line, brings the anchors and lines of portholes into view, all looking very intact until the damaged created by accurate and well functioning Japanese torpedo planes becomes evident. I saw large damaged areas at mid ships and at the stern on subsequent dives. Two of her props have gone, a testimony to the wrecks remoteness, but evidence of torpedo damage is obvious with the remaining props as the rudder is jammed into the innermost Port propeller.
The stern of the ship is in good condition but her main stern guns are buried in the soft silty bottom ( much like Scapa Flow but warm!!), the turret was however obvious. Oerlikan guns are made out, covered in soft corals, with ammunition laying strewn everywhere. Large shells in the munitions areas that lie exposed and small armaments are all their to see.
As the trip continued we all felt that it was time to visit Repulses deeper and larger neighbour HMS Prince of Wales. She lies in 66-68 metres of water and although Repulse is rarely visited the POW was 95% undived, a few brave souls on air was the sum of the visits. As on Repulse a strong current was in force and this made the drop to the wreck a difficult one, I envied Rob Wiltshire having his scooter on site.
The first dive on POW was probably the best of the trip, we had been told that all was buried in the soft bottom but although she is absolutely upside down we landed on the up current side right alongside the 5.25 inch HA/LA guns on the gun deck amidships., brief excursions under the ship revealed vents and noticeable was the open doors everywhere, a sign of the rush to leave the ship as she foundered perhaps.
Photography was difficult in these silty conditions so our video and stills were an uphill battle. I received reports of the main armaments being visible but on excursion could find no evidence, maybe next time.
On one of the excursions aft we see sinks in cabins as we look through the portholes, left open for escape and now fallen in to the ship as the hinges pull clear, signs of human occupation with cups etc and a toilet, I feel that we are the first to see these things since that day in 1941.
We completed three dives each on the POW and my memories are of the damage to the starboard outer propeller shaft which lies bent were she thrashed at the sea after she took a torpedo hit just below the P-bracket which lies ripped out of its place and came to rest at the base of the propeller blades, the devastation and vibration through the ship must have been tremendous. The torpedo responsible ripped open a whole of about 8m by 5m. The sailors inside would have perished immediately, these places are now only patrolled by the fish.
We completed about 100 dives in our expedition, five of the group were diving CC rebreathers and six on OC. I used two 11 litre cylinders on my CCRB, one with oxygen and the other with 20% oxygen and 45% helium, in my ten dives I topped up the diluent once with 20 bar air and the O2 once. Bailout would have been on these gasses open circuit. I used the VR3 (mixed gas diving computer) I bought for the job and was impressed, it did all I wanted and as long as you have spare batteries then it seemed trouble free.
Bottom times were all between 25 and 40 minutes normally with two dives per day with deco taking whatever it needed, being so warm made things very pleasant.
Thanks are due to OTTER WATERSPORTS for providing wet suits (it had been nearly 20 years since I had worn one) and to AIR PRODUCTS, Singapore for being so helpful with the oxygen and Helium.
TEAM John Thornton Simon Roger Gary Sharp John Womack Rob Wiltshire Mark Steele Rich Stevenson Maurice McCaulliffe Tom Easop Gregg Marshall Kevin Denlay |
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© 2000 Scapa Flow Diving & Johns Charters - Orkney