MISSION NAME: "RUN-AWAY ROCNA"
MISSION OBJECTIVE: FIND AND RECOVER ANCHOR
Col. Bob (ret.) of 'Tranquila' and Capt. Dave have been working Mission 11-01 since last Wednesday; involving 4 scuba dives. Bob, who is a retired officer from the US Army infantry, felt that the only way to assure recovery of the anchor was to use the precision tactics of a military exercise.
Logistically, the actual course of 'Persephone' had been saved by the onboard computer system. The estimated position of the lost anchor was plotted on a grid which was narrowed to 120 feet (3 boat lengths). Marker buoys were deployed at 40 foot intervals along the estimated course. The buoys were set by using a hand held GPS after transferring the coordinates from the main onboard system. Comm was set up on VHF channel 77 between the dive dinghy and 'Tranquila' for tactical support. Bob ran the dinghy while I did the diving...
MISSION 11-01 A FRAGOP (fragmented operation of original mission)
On Sunday morning, 27 Feb at 08:30 hours, day 4 of diving operation commenced. Three floats were deployed a bit south of the earlier dive operations. The water was 21 feet deep, and the bottom was covered with approximately 12-18 inches of very soft mud and silt. A cloud of silt and mud swirled above the bottom by 3 feet.so there was NO, absolutely NO visibility at the bottom. (I found the bottom by descending through the cloud and doing a face plant into the ooozz...literally !!) At each float, we would drop a heavy weight, to which had attached a 40 length of light rope with knots in it every three feet. I swam around the weight in a circle while holding the rope. At the end of each revolution, (as determined by a compass which I had to hold 6 inches from my face), I would increase my distance from the weight by one knot (3 feet) and make another revolution; feeling the bottom with gloved hands. I was completely blinded by the mud and silt...thank God I am not claustrophobic !! Fourteen revolutions, each of increasing distance from the weight...No joy...
At 09:30 hours, we moved to the second marker. Again the weight was moved and the circling commenced. In my first revolution, three feet from the weight, my flashlight hit the top of the anchor !! I started screaming with excitement.do you have any idea how difficult it is to scream while trying to keep a dive regulator in your mouth ?? The anchor was buried with only about 2 inches of the roll bar protruded above the bottom layer of mud. While completely blind, I tied my line to the anchor about a dozen times by feel!! I surfaced, but Bob already knew I had found the anchor, as I had stopped my rotation and was staying in one spot. Bob radioed 'Tranquila' and Laurie got us a heavy duty lifting line. I re-dove on the anchor and tied the lifting line to it. Bob hauled the anchor to the dinghy and transported it to 'Persephone'.
MISSION STATUS: "CHARLIE MIKE" (completed mission !!)
FORENSICS: The 7/16" (about as round as a pencil) pin attaching the swivel to the anchor chain broke at the threads. The metal literally snapped...there was no sign of rust, corrosion, or wear; it simply failed. I keep shaking my head...how did this happen, and how do you prevent it ??
MISSION 11-01 B: Coldies aboard 'Tranaquila' at 1800 hours to celebrate our success !! Looking forward to a "Charlie Mike" on this mission too !!
Ole Dave
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