Below we report on the words of Francisco, one of the most interesting expeditions have done, both for its historical value to capture on film this important shipwreck, as technical complications involved. And take this to thank the Commander and crew of the LST Chacabuco, which allowed us to carry out this exploration we now share.
Tuesday July 24th, late, seeing my email, I see a message asking my friend Daniel Malfanti (Instructor IANTD) who could take a few days in a whirlwind trip, go to the archipelago Juan Fernandez, to dive the wreck of the SMS Dresden.
Diving to what we were talking SMS Dresden since last year when we were in the preparation of the "Reunion with the Wreck Esmeralda Submerged" with the Old Divers Tec, which led us to dive the corvette Prat, resting on the bottom of the bay Iquique.
The SMS Dresden was a German ship of the First World War, the protagonist of a historic naval battle against the British navy off the coast of Coronel, Bio Bio region, who were dealt a resounding defeat one, which led the British to pursue the German fleet in response to injury received.
Finally, clashed again in battle near the Falkland Islands, the German navy being defeated on this occasion, losing to all vessels except the Dresden participated, who only saved only thanks to faster than they gave its turbines.
With multiple injuries, the SMS Dresden took flight to the south of Chile, hiding in the channels of Chilean Patagonia of the English game launched.
Damaged, no coal and little food, was helped by German settlers in the area, which allowed him to continue the flight to finally get to Cumberland Bay on the island of Robinson Crusoe, Juan Fernandez Archipelago, where faced with the English one last time. No possibility to emerge victorious from battle, the captain decided to sink it in order to avoid capture by the enemy. Since then, the seabed is the final resting place.
The plan was to travel by sea to the island because that way we could take our team of technical diving, we approximately 110 kg per diver. Once in place, the dive plan was to locate the wreck and put a drop out, dive planning was down to a maximum of 65 meters by 22 minutes of bottom time.
While this may be a very short time for such effort would mean making multiple decompression with EAN 50 (air with 50% oxygen) and pure oxygen. Not just 50 minutes before we could return to the surface.
Without doubt, we faced a diving complex and carefully, but with the conviction and the peace of mind training and practice required to do so seguridad.La departure date was fixed for Friday 27 July, so the previous days, the preparations were intense. We had to check the correct operation of the equipment, prepare bottles and gas mixtures, as well as let personal issues fixed
The prevailing tide in the area made the trip to the island was something moved. Daniel, with his years in the navy, was like a fish in water, but to me, I'm not used to these ocean voyages, I had to bring bad for a few moments. Finally, after little more than 30 hours away, we were anchored in Cumberland Bay.
We then began the final preparations, we were close to our goal. We proceeded to build teams, double check all cross-checks, prepare the zodiac, lower equipment into the boat, put on our dry suits and finally ready to go to the dive site.
Daniel captained the zodiac and I preparing to anchor, inch by inch as we checking the GPS coordinates provided by Daniel. 10 meters, 5 meters FUND! The cape falls in its entirety, we check the depth with echo sounder and we are at the point. We are on Dresden.
After you have all the equipment, we jump into the water, final verification of rigor and began the descent down the rope, Daniel first and I later. The corporal, who was lost in the blue sea, without references, it was essential to descend safely. Slowly, the decline continues. Discomfort in my ears and could not make one of them makes me stop. I try once, twice to compensate, if I fail, I aborted the dive.
I decide to make a third attempt, if I can not make up, everything ends there. Meanwhile, I see Daniel go up and see that I passed, I am indicating that I have ear problems, last attempt, the pain stops, we keep going down. 20 m, blue all over, 30 meters, continue down, a shadow is visible on the bottom, 40 meters, the shadow begins to take shape, 50 meters, I see, I see the thief of SMS Dresden, 58 m, we, we are in the aft area of Dresden, we check everything again and we look neutral buoyancy Cape. At this depth, we are subject to 7 times the atmospheric pressure, nitrogen narcosis is clear, we are not immune, but is kept under control.
The tour starts then, aft amidships sector, we are on the cover, we see a lot of debris on the deck, the anchor of respect, formations that we are part of the chimneys of the ship, but after analyzing the photos, we see that They are actually part of the guns that had the vessel. Forward, went down to 64 meters, the sea, blue, huge, light despite the hour, about 6 pm, many fish, whole schools.
We regularly monitor depth, time and the air left in our bottles.
Daniel fires his camera for every side. I put all the photos like a Pokemon. Check my instruments again, go back, we are fulfilling time. I raise my head and look to Daniel to tell him that we must return, but I was already doing that we should sign up. Our visit to the wreck of the SMS Dresden was over. We return to the place and began the ascent. We waited 50 minutes of decompression stops. In the middle of the climb, I notice that Daniel was shivering, I ask for signs and confirmed by me. Must be flooded, but you feel cooler, we can not leave before completing the decompression schedule. To do so would face security to suffer decompression sickness, with high probability of fatal consequences.
Daniel must endure the cold and I should I watch for any eventuality. We still have long minutes of decompression.
Finally, after 72 minutes, return to surface, we can now celebrate. Back in the ship, we share the experience, we see some pictures and video of the dive. Then I realize what I saw were the forms below. Happiness and joy is complete.
Our ship had to return the next day to the mainland. According to schedule, we would not have time to dive again, however, delays in the work of unloading and reloading in Cumberland Bay, they were giving us a window of time for a second dive. Fortunately, we managed to get a compressor to recharge our air bibotellas. We review the stages and we still had enough EAN 50 and oxygen for this second dive. We do not doubt for a second and we began to prepare again.
Daniel says it almost always comes. This, one of his favorite phrases, at least in diving whenever I believe it more. After the run-up, anchoring and get the team going back into the water. The descent is made by the Cape, this time without complications in my ears. We got to the bottom, a little away from the ship, so we'll have to swim to it. We profundidad.Esta to 64 meters instead go with my video camera and some film spotlights to calmly walk the ship and better recognize those things that we noticed in the photos the night before. We see again the artillery towers, the anchor of respect, a lot of debris. The dive plan was the same as the previous day, maximum 65 meters, 22 minutes of background and multiple decompression stops to complete a total time of 72 minutes of diving.
Since this second chance was the rise after about 20 meters away from the ship at the end of planned bottom time were far from it. To get out of area, we would have to launch moored to thread a reel. Doing this simple operation on the surface or shallow dives, does not represent any complexity, but at 65 meters, with the effects of nitrogen narcosis, this becomes a complex task. This process was when I left my video camera and lights to the side, since he could not maneuver correctly to launch the buoy.
When I finally did it, we started the climb with Daniel. While we were at the stop of the 33 meters, I realized that my camera had run in the background, on the cover of Dresden. The sea had cobrado.Molesto myself, we plan decompression stops to finally come to surface. As we came up with buoys, current meters we walked about 400 mooring point. Once on the surface, and then guide us, we began to swim towards the ship, about 200 meters away. As Daniel bothered wearing a helmet, flashlight and video camera he got it to fit on the hooks of his team, with such bad luck, in a move that he dropped his helmet and went to background. The sea had charged.
After a good time swimming toward the ship, with a bit of current against us, a boat came for us. Our second dive at Dresden was over. The sea would charge us everywhere, finally managed to snatch cameras, flashlights and a case, along with the recorded images. For some this may be a high cost for us after experiences, only a substantial tip, but not the account. As a public utility, one that diving the SMS Dresden to find a camera with a couple of spotlights, a dive computer suunto mosquito or a helmet with a flashlight and a camera, please contact the protagonists of this adventure .
Text: Francisco Inzunza.
Photos: Daniel Malfanti
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