For two of the group it was their first time on the Lermi Dave Pearce coming over from the warmer waters of Queensland OZZZZi and Michael Kearney - An Irish man who did his wreck program with me. Michael was a little more used to the 12 degree water temp!!!

We got the ferry to Picton and loaded up and steamed out to deep cove as per usual. Sparrow fart in the morning we headed round Cape Jackson and before 9 in the morning we were sunking our heads below the surface of the crisp south island waters of Gore Bay!!

Man! It didnt take long to hear the woops and ahhhhhhs through our mouthpieces. The viz was dynamite! Normally you would be happy with 2-3m viz on the outside of the wreck but this time we were experiencing 8-10m!! Early sept to nov is aparently the best time of the year to get the viz and it didnt disappoint! last trip here in April was with Leigh Bishop and we didnt have any of the viz we had on this trip so we were just appreciating seeing large areas of the ship! For me I was focusing on taking as many pictures as possible on this trip. Here above Greg Vander Hulst and Scott Alker  just coming out of teh Winter garden exit on the left.

With over 130 hours inside this wreck it ceases to amaze me that you have dive a wreck many times and every time you uncover something new. This trip wasnt any different. This time with the viz being so good and the ambient light penetrating right down to the bottom I noticed stairwells on the starbard side of the wreck. Here pictured above is a stairwell leading to the starboard boat deck. and below another set of stairs on the deck level

This trip I really wanted to focus on taking some decent pictures on the engine room. Inspired by Dr. SImon Mitchell and Wilky's multiple exposure image of the engine room I set about trying to capture the expanse of the massive room that hosted some of the largest engines I have seen!!

Here Greg is dwarfed by the engine casings!

This is a picture taken outside showing the ventilation hatches

looking out towards the ventilation ducts from the inside of the engine room . Note the badly laid rope on the left cluttering up the space. I cut away some of this as it was posting entanglement issues. Just a note for people who leave badly laid lines ( or any lines in a wreck for that matter) DONT! it is dangerous for everyone who enters it and bloody arrogant! .  

one of the many narrow doorways into the guts of the ship. This one is an entry into the lobby which leads into the library,

Dave Pearce coming down the winter garder heading towards the pool area.

Michael Kearney just about to drop into the pool area

Michael swimming in the pool area. this shot taken looking sternwards from inside the pool itself. Note the skylights !!

Diver in the pool itself looking at all the blue tiles

Neptunes Bar in the pool area

Here Dave observes one of the few staircases still intact. These are rapidly falling away

Here Dave drops into the Sadko bar on the starboard side of the ship. This is right in the end of the duty free.

This is the restriction to get out of the duty free. Note all the entanglement areas!!!

Dropping down further into the starboard promenade deck is where the dolls live!! This place is scary!!! This is the view above of the deck on the right and all the wall paper hanging down.

A sight not easily digested smack in the guts of a ship actually below mud level!! Dolls by the dozens looking like some sinister alfred hitchcock movie!!!

Below are some shots taken in the Belchoy lounge

dance floor

looking down onto the dance floor

stairwell from the dance floor leading up to the floor above

Below pictures of the Nevsky bar

Pete and Greg on the line.

More pictures of this trip on this link

Next trip FEB 08

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