HMCS Saskatchewan / Snake Isl. wall, Nanaimo, BC

Friend of mine from Edmonton was visiting on the weekend to pick up his brand-spanking new Cuda. Of course we decided that a good day of diving was in order. As is our usual practice we joined the Diver's Choice charter based in Nanaimo to dive the wreck of the Saskatchewan http://www.artificialreef.bc.ca/OurReefs/262_Saskatchewan/index.htm">
and the Snake Island wall on the second dive.

Weather forecast was calling for gail warning, but the morning has turnout to be promising enough to make a go of it. As soon as we left the harbor it was clear that it is going to be a 'touch n' go'. By the time we made to the dive site, which is normally only 20 min boat ride away, two other divers were already seasick and decided to bail on the dive.

Because of the weather the decision was made to dive the wreck first as it is on the open site of the Island and dive the wall on the second dive (reverse profile). We had 130's with 21/35 for back gas, O2 and 50% for deco. The sand on the Saskatchewan is 120'. We were anticipating 100-110 average and 25-30 min bottom time so we took only O2 for deco.

Getting geared up was an ordeal with the 130's on severely pitching and rolling boat, but we managed. By the time we were handed our scooters and deco in the water we were drifting a bit, so rather than fighting the waves on a surface we decided to decent as we were anchored midship hoping that we will land near the stern. The vis was maybe 10', probably worse. As it turned out we landed in the sand at 125'. In a vis like that there was no point to look for the wreck on the bottom so we needed to surface to find the buoy and decent on the line. After this bit of a delay we finally got down on the wreck. With the scooters running we found the entrance to the engine room. We tide up the scooters and deco on the outside railing and ran the line inside the engine room. The room itself is really a maze of machinery with all sorts of cables and panels laying and dangling all over the place. This penetration should never, ever be attempted without not only proper training but also after some experience of running a line inside a wreck.

We spent abut 15 minutes inside, excited the wreck, retrieved our scooters and deco, scooter around for a bit and it was time to ascent.

The second dive was on the Snake Island wall where a vast could sponges and anemonies can be found in abundance. We spend the entire dive scootering averaging 140'. We did our deco on 50% and O2.

My friend's Cuda was running like a dream and it was amazing how easily we matched speed with both the Sierra and Cuda in default gear. Of course the Cuda has got more speed gears and little more burn time :-))