Matt analyses gas for accelerated deco
Nautic after Laurentic and White Star emblem to foster a bit of esprit de corps. These were well received and it was satisfying to see them adorn twinsets, rebreathers and even a helmet in short order.
Rosguill’ s echo sounder suddenly recorded a large anomaly and we were there. The wreck lies in approximately 40 metres of water so can be dived on air, although Matt and I had opted for Nitrox 28 % with 80 % for accelerated decompression. Dropping through the gloom to see the wreck for the first time was otherworldly: like many steamships, her massive Scotch boilers( the same as Titanic’ s) loomed large, as well as the equally sizeable engine block amidships. This was the both the beginning of the adventure and the end of an odyssey, as I pulled out the White Star pennant sewn together the previous year to honour this oncemagnificent ship of the famed company.
Having visited the National Archives at Kew the previous year to study deck plans and salvage records, I knew that the‘ working area’ for the gold recovery was aft of where we were. Fun as the thought of finding bullion was, we were here for
A 6-inch deck gun still on the wreck
39