"LUST FOR RUST "

2010 TRIP REPORT

This year we had yet another diverse bunch of divers from all over the globe. 20 mad keen divers represented were Italy, England, Ireland, Czech rep, Ozzi, New Zealand. Out of the group we had 4 people that were "repeat offenders" meaning that they had been on our truk trip either last year or the year before!! So great to see the guys again!!!! Trip members were as follows. David Wilkins (uk), Rob Cook (Ozz), Craig Challen (Ozz), Robert Wheatley (uk), Bob Waterston (uk), Shane Armitage (NZ), Pavel Valek (czech rep), Peter Valek (czech rep), Mischa Temple (Ozz), Mick Green ( Ozz), Alessandro De Santis (Italia), Alessandro Rencelj (Italia), Edo Pavia (Italia), Margie Savio (Italia), Mariagrazia Megna (Italia), Luisa Cavallo (Italia), Des Murray (uk), Leigh "Lord Bishop" Bishop (uk), Simon Mitchell (NZ), Pete Mesley (NZ, Zimbabwe, UK, hell I dont know!!!).

I went up a week earlier to conduct some trainging for Mischa (CCR trimix) and Rob, Rob and Bob (sounds something out of sesame street!!!) joined us. Rob and Bob had just come from a week in Palau so were totally chilled by that time!! A few days later the rest of the group landed (thankfully it wasn't raining!) Everyone stoked to be in truk. 5 "repeat offenders" and the rest Truk Virgins!!

Our main group arrived 10am on Friday the 4th of June 2010. After the orientation and safety briefing everyone set out to get their gear unpacked and prepped ready for day 1 of diving!!

It didn't take long for everyone to slip into the routines of the trip. Wake up, eat breakfast, prep gear, camera gear, load the boats, leave 8:00 - 8:30am. Dive Dive Dive!! Then back to base round 11:30am, have lunch, digest lunch, download images, repack camera gear, head out at 2:00pm for the "Afternoon MARU!" Get back, round 4:30 - 5:00pm, rinse gear, disinfect wetsuits!!!!, stow breathers for the next day, head back to rooms, download images, shower, have a few apes dive refreshing beverages, sort through images, meet at bar, have one or 2 refreshing beverages, talk about the "morning and afternoon marus" share images with others, eat dinner. Fall into bed. ready for the next day!!!!!

As per usual Blue Lagoon Dive resort looked after us amazingly well. The food was awesome again, with the occasional traditional mixup occuring - order the rice and get the fries. But all in all it was another fantastic stay. There has been a lot of maintenance on the grounds and rooms which was great and now they have free wireless internet in the lobby and resturaunt areas which makes it really good (a little antisocial if you have your ipad at the breakfast table downloading your emails - yes you know who you are!!!!!!!)

I took a lot more picture this year so just have a good look at the wreck pages.

Here is a list of the wrecks that we dived this year. The ones with links (in red) are the ones I took pictures of and the others I have yet to picture these wrecks.

I had a gear fatality first day - my trustee Solus light became not so trustee!! Flooding from the gland end of my light head - Luckily I called my wife and managed to get Shane to bring my Greenforce! What a lifesaver! Thanks "Safety Shane!!" In the pick above Mischa (our trip lighting expert) shows just how to totally destroy a light head!!! This trip claimed a few pieces of kit!!! They all seemed to be lights!! Mischas light needed rewiring but all good. Bob's light - dead!!!! Craigs Direrite light - DEAD!!! Then with Edwardos lights on his impressive (monster) video set up - BOTH of them bit the dust!!! so Edo then started perfecting his ambient lighting techniques!!! Here Edo is shown below with just the housing diving the Amazing OITE Destroyer!!!! I learnt a few Italian profanities this trip!!!

We were WELL represented by the Italians this year and Edo brought another 5 people with him in toe. Alessandro x 2 (very confusing!), Louisa, Margie, Maria Grazia.

We had a lot of fun with the Italians and probably spent the most time in the water!! Great stuff!!!!

From Left to right. Alessandro, Louisa, Margie and Maria Grazia (twinnie girl) and Alessandro # 2 who was diving a Sentinal.

Edo on the Katsuragisan Maru

As per usual we had Simon Mitchell with us as trip medical officer and thankfully the only medical problems he had to deal with were, ear problems, and a few fluey people. Also Bish, in his infinite wisdom in wanting to focus more on fishy and plant shots got stung by a loinfish on his hand (noone actually knows exactly how this happened!!!)_. Receiving no sympathy from the guys on the boat (typical Ozzies!!!) they headed back to base with Leigh and this giant hand that had balooned looking like Smurfs hand. After a check over and full rectal exam from the doc Bish was cleared for duty again!!!!

Its such a great comfort to have Simon on these trips! Not just for the decompression incidents but also the other medical related problems!! Just because of the sheer isolation of truk we choose to bring our own doctor with us on our trips so we can really respond immediately reducing any delays in treatment. Complimented with the awesome chamber facilities in Truk (2 mins away from BLDS) it really is reassuring to know that if anything did happen we had the support on hand. Simon brings a full medical emergency kit, drugs and a comprehensive array of gear to cater for most diving emergencies.

Each boat had their fair share of photographers and videographers. Our boat was no different! It all worked out in the end where we took it in turns to play model!

From a personal perspective there were four wrecks that I dived for the first time this trip. The Fujisan Maru, Reiyo Maru, Hokuyo Maru and Yubae Maru. Full details and picturs are detailed on the links. .

The Fujisan Maru, a tanker, was noticeablly massive! It just seemed to go on for ever! A great bow telegraph (pictured below), brightly coloured. RIGHT in the bow spit.

The Hokuyo Maru was a real nice little surprise. Quite a deep ship and nothing much in the holds but a great wreck photographically. Pictured below is the exposed bridge area with both telegraphs still standing and the healm.

The Reiyo Maru was also well worth the effort. Viz was fantastic with large views of the wreck at any one time. The engine room skylighes open, had a peek into the engine room. Nice gauges. . Just focused again on ambient light pictures on this dive. Not a lot in the holds

Shane, representing the recreational diving single tank divers, certainly made an impression on the local dive guides! Shane - aka "Safety Shane" (he is a film safety officer) is a typical Kiwi and when it comes to exposure protection Shane had it covered!!!! Typically Shane on film set wears orange so that people either know where he is - or know where to stay away from !!!!! Pictured below he has it covered!!

Yip! they are bright orange workers overalls!!! They now permanently live in truk lagoon. Not exactly sure who Shane gave them to but they certainly drew some attention to him - especially when another boat turned up on site from another operation!!!! Good on ya Shane!!!

Craig and Mick - Meg boys!! Shown below decoing after diving the Hokuyo Maru.

I really have to thank Mischa. Man he was my buddy for a large proportion of the time. And being a buddy with someone with a camera is a challenging task. Thanks bud for your patience!! "Go up - Too far - Go back down again - look there, bend your head up - point your light here - hold it - hold it - hold it" Advantage of this is that you get a lot of pictures of yourself!!!! Here are some. He is also a proud owner of the H20 Audio underwater ipod (Simon M also!) deco is such a breeze when you are watching a little Billy Connoly ( or in Simons case listening to a little Catchagoogoo)!!

Images above - Bow section of the Oite, Nippo wheelhouse, Stern gun of the Oite, Decompressing in style!

This trip was the first time that I have actually penetrated the stern section of the Oite Destroyer. Really tight to get into these destroyers and managed to squeeze into a hole to the starboard of the main gun on the deck of the stern. Pictured below was what I found. Gauges, Electrics board and some isolating valves.

I managed to do quite a few dives on the Katsuragisan Maru as this is one of the hardest wrecks to find so armed with GPS and my bottom sounder we found them no worries. Here are some ambient light shots of the wreck. Check out the spare prop on the port side of the ship.

Images above - stern hold where the trucks are (pictured below), stern section viewed from the port side, midships viewed from port side, spare prop on port side of ship

People on the trip!

2011 Trips Are alredy being planned and are underway.Looking at two trips in 2011. One in end of July/Aug and the second one lage Nov/Dec