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"LUST FOR RUST" LERMONTOV APRIL 2010 TRIP REPORT
This year we saw our friends from AB Ocean Divers in Melbourne come out with us. What a great time was had by all. Trip was over easter and we soon had the Sweet Georgia loaded, primed and ready for our Ozzi guests. As per usual the Wellington Taxi drivers were confused as to exactly which Queens Wharf it was. But after a few phone calls Warrick Macdonald and his merry bunch of divers were loaded and we were making way toward Queen Charlot Sounds for the night. Getting round Cape Jackson round 9am the next morning we soon steamed for the Rusty Rusky and after safety briefings everyone was in the water before long. Water was nice and warm at round the 15 degree mark. But with that came the real average viz. At a realistic 3m viz it was quite a challenge to accurately guage how big the wreck really is. but everyone just took it easy and we had some awesome dives over the next 5 days.
Here are a few images of what I managed to catch on the wreck this trip.
View inside the Cinema along the back row
This is in the projection room of the Cinema above showing a sink
This is the electrics and sound system in the projection room. If you notice above are the projector holes. Wonder who has the projectors?
Its funny. No matter how many times you dive in an area there are still little jems that you have never seen before that just pop up!. Here in the back of Neptunes bar is an icecream sign above a vertical fridge of which I have never seen before!
This is an absolute cracker. In a Russian Cruise liner, in the library and there are books on "Fundamental Law of the USSR" Great to still see.
"THE GAUNTLET"!
Well, this dive has been 10 years in the making. I have known these seperate areas really well for years but I have never put it all together and made it into a dive. So Andrew Simo and I embarked on our Gauntlet dive taking pictures along the way. The dive took us about 75 mins in total. This has to be one of my best dives on this wreck. We actually started the dive by dropping down, into the winter garden on the Lounge deck, right through to the pool, dropped into the pool and through the other side. Then dropping down, past the Atlantic Deck stairwell and into the starboard Lounge deck. Into the dolls room which has become iconic of the Lermi making it a "Must Dive" with everyone on the trip capable of such a dive.
The Sinister sight of twisted little bodies caught in lines, gets you really going in the Dolls room!
Just at the opening of the bulkhead is "Fatboy" who greats you with a gormless smile and a well preserved fro! We then swam on through and had a good look at the clock.
We then ascended up through the two big doorways and forward immediately into the sadko bar. here we had a great time in here.
Here Simo is having a good look at a lamp which is upside down. Later on finding the shade but the viz was too bad after that!
I skipped over the top of the bar and came across something that I had come across about 5 years ago. A glass Becks beer sign. I actually found it a long time back but it slid into the depths. I was able to relocate it to a more sociable location so others could enjoy it in the future.
Then I turned round and there in all her glory was a coffee machine. Really well preserved. We then headed up and through the duty free room. Stopping in the Jasmine room and I sifted through the silt and pulled out a series of dolls too. I put them on a shelf but at this point the billowing silt made it impossible to take any pictures - next time! We exited into the lobby, then down two flights of stairs and into the leningrad restaurant. It doesnt matter how many times I go into this place it still commands the uttermost respect. Andrew and I took some time to have a closer look at the piano
Then we exited out of the forward entrance of the restaurant, Up 2 flights of stairs and into the Bolshoi lobby.
Here Andrew navigates those disorientating stairwells. Interesting little find was up one flight of stairs are many escape gas masks. Really interesting to see them actually. Here pictured below
We then swam up into the Bolshoi lounge, cruised through and out of the forward door. What a great dive!
You can see all the pictures I took both topside and underwater images on my photo site. http://www.photoshelter.com/c/petemesley/gallery-list
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