Matt Jevon took the stage with Aron last night and did a exclusive interview coming clean about his COVID-19 recovery. In case you missed the live feed, its been uploaded to our YouTube channel. Subscribe to get notifications every time a new video gets uploaded in the series.
TUNE IN on this coming Thursday 23rd of April 7PM GMT where we have Mark Powell taking the stage, speaking about his latest thoughts on Deco Theory.
Dirty Dozen Expeditions new live broadcast series, Coming Clean with the Dirty Dozen went live at 8:00 pm London / 3:00 pm US Eastern on Thursday 16th of April with the first speaker of the series being Tour de Force Explorer, dynamic documentary maker, award-winning photographer & cinematographer and author Jill Heinerth.
Her Episode: Jill Heinerth: Bent – An Honest Conversation was broadcast on The Dirty Dozen Expedition Facebook page but don't worry, we saved the recording, and you will be able to find it and all future recordings on our YouTube channel.
Make sure you tune in for Episode 2 tomorrow night (Monday, April 20) to catch up with Matt Jevon as he recovers from COVID-19. Remember you can ask him and Aron questions in the live feed!
Dear Dirty Dozen Team Members,
As you know the DDE team and I have been staying at home exploring the new landscape carved out by COVID-19 and we have found that this situation also presents us with an opportunity to rest, grow, and learn.
We have been busy creating new ideas to fill your space and time with awesome virtual diving related content. Hopefully it will serve as a reminder that this too shall pass and one day soon we will be exploring again.
Therefore, we are proud to announce the inaugural DDE live broadcast series “Coming Clean With The Dirty Dozen” featuring a huge line up that will bring the industry’s finest Explorers straight to your living room one to two times each week.
Our first guest will be announced in a few days so stay tuned and join the conversation on our social channels anytime, if you feel lonely we are here to chat Dirty.
Stay safe in these wild times.
Love,
Aron and the DDE Team
Spending a bit more time inside than usual, The Dirty Dozen Team took the opportunity to virtually sit down with one of our special guests, Mark Powell and ask him to come clean about his two trips in Truk Lagoon he spearheaded for us.
DDE: Which wrecks would you recommend to divers heading to Truk for the first time?
All of them, they each have their own points of interest. The San Francisco Maru is the iconic Truk wreck with all the artifacts and the tanks on the deck, but the Aikoku has an incredible story and despite having the front of the wreck vapourised, it is still such a huge wreck that it takes your breath away. In addition to the big-name wrecks, some of the lesser-known wrecks have some individual parts that are incredible. Intact areas of the ship, historic artifacts, perfectly preserved areas of ship engineering as well as reminders of the history and the tragedy that resulted in the wrecks being where they are today.
DDE: You have been twice to Truk now, how was it different the second time around and is there such a thing as too much Truk?
MP: On the first trip there were so many wrecks that it was almost overwhelming. Each wreck on its own is a world-class wreck with so much to see and there is never enough time to see everything. On the second trip, I could have a look in more detail in some areas but even then there was still not enough time to see everything. There is so much variety and so many details on each wreck that I can't imagine getting bored of diving in Truk.
DDE: What’s your greatest takeaway from these Truk Lagoon trips, did you learn any new in-water skills or gain new knowledge?
MP: A phrase that we kept coming back to is that “this is how an engine room should look”. I am a huge wreck fan and love exploring engine rooms but I have never seen such well-preserved engine rooms complete with all the instruments and gauges. Having such well-preserved engine rooms helped me to consolidate my understanding of the design and layout of these ships.
DDE: Dirty Dozen uses the MV Truk Master for its liveaboards, was the boat comfortable for tech diving?
MP: MV Truk Master is ideal for these types of trips. It is very comfortable and well laid out for tech divers. It is also very well equipped with CCR and bailout cylinders on hand, a booster and an oxygen generator to help with filling. More importantly than that the Captain and Crew really understand what tech divers require and so it means that everything just happens easily without having to explain what is required or why we need this or that.
DDE: How important is it that recreational and technical divers have their own dedicated trips to Truk, in your opinion?
MP: I think this is extremely important. Recreational and technical divers have very different requirements and so if you have a mixed group there inevitably has to be some compromise. With a dedicated technical trip, there was no compromise. There were no limits on run times, there were no delays in getting ready due to other divers wanting to dive another site, there were no sarcastic comments about the length of dives and people waiting to get to the next site or waiting for lunch to be served. We all knew what we wanted to get out of the trips and the entire trip was focused on that.
DDE: Drysuits in Truk Lagoon… what’s that all about then?!
MP: It is easily warm enough to do without a drysuit and many of the divers opted to dive in a wetsuit but I chose to go with a lightweight membrane drysuit and very thin underlayer. The reasons for this were primarily to ensure a comfortable trim when diving a CCR and secondly just in case we came across any aviation fuel or other substances when in the wreck.
DDE: You’re heading to Bikini as a Dirty Dozen special guest diver in 2023, do you know much about the wrecks or do you have one dive in particular that you’re looking forward to?
MP: Truk is an incredible site for divers and Bikini is really the only other site that has any chance of beating it as the ideal site for wreck divers. The unique thing about Bikini is that, as the wrecks were selected for the atomic bomb tests, they are a cross-section of some of the most historic ships from the second world war. The aircraft carrier Saratoga and the IJN Nagato are two of the most historic ships from the war in the pacific. The Nagato was the flagship for the attack on Pearl Harbour, was present at the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Leyte Gulf and was the only Japanese super dreadnaught to survive the war. Both of these will be the high point of the trip for me but there are several other wrecks in the area with a fascinating history.
DDE: Mark, you are one of the UK’s most prominent technical diving instructors and known around the world for your award-winning book, Deco for Divers that comprehensively delves into doco theory for divers, but what do you hope to learn on the Bikini trip?
MP: I always learn something new on every trip. Whether it's a particular trick or tip, something about the area I’m visiting or just another technique for managing complex diving operations in remote locations. One of the best things about the Dirty Dozen concept is that everyone on the trip has a huge range of experience and knowledge so there are plenty of things to learn from the discussion over dinner, as part of the briefing or just while chilling out with the other expedition members in the saloon.
DDE: We heard you shared a berth with Aron and were traumatized, did he have rebreather equipment scattered everywhere, time to spill the beans!
MP: On my first trip I shared a berth with photographer and GUE instructor Jesper Kjøller who was a great room buddy. Then on the second trip, I shared with Aron and you cannot imagine what the room looked like. Within minutes there was some piece of clothing, equipment or promotional material on every single flat surface. It was as if there were CCR parts raining from the ceiling. I have never seen anyone manage to take up every single square inch with stuff.
DDE: Noted, don’t share a room with Aron. You’ve dived in Truk Lagoon with the Dirty Dozen in March and December 2018, if you had to sum up diving in Truk in three words, what would they be?
MP: World Class Wrecks!
To read more about our Truk Lagoon expeditions and schedule CLICK HERE
To read more about our Bikini Atoll expeditions and schedule, and to join Mark Powell in Bikini next year CLICK HERE
“My memories still linger from my last adventures in Bikini Atoll in 2018 with The Dirty Dozen and Global Underwater Explorers, memories of a lifetime.”
Richard Lundgren
A team of GUE divers set up a wreck diving expedition to the remote and rarely visited Bikini Atoll together with adventure diving company The Dirty Dozen last year.
The expedition was a part of a GUE mission and a personal passion stretching back almost two decades: to document the historical remains and traces of war. Even if the wrecks, capital warships, were sunk post-WWII during the nuclear experiments conducted, they still serve as some of the best historical monuments of that era in our history.
The results and experiences during the expedition made it compelling to look forward and plan the next adventure following the same narrative.
The target, the wrecks of Chuuk Lagoon came as naturally as our continued collaboration with The Dirty Dozen. We also chose to continue to use and rely upon the excellent liveaboard M/Y Truk Master with its world-class service and crew well-catered for technical diving — just the way we like it.
Arriving at Chuuk
Traveling into Chuuk is much easier and less of an adventure compared to getting to Bikini. A short jump from mainland Asia (the Philippines in my case) to Guam and then onwards on the island hopper to the next stop heading east, Chuuk Lagoon.
Well, normally the flight path is pretty straightforward but, in my case, a tropical cyclone derailed my plans making me arrive a day later than planned. A bit of good advice based on lessons learned is to book the entire trip with United Airlines and not with different, non-code-sharing partner airlines as this makes situations with canceled flights challenging and expensive.
Approaching the islands of Chuuk from the air is impressive, the islands are beautiful and green with mountains and hills. You can see the artificial extension to the small island of Etten, where the Japanese army built its strategic air force base during the war.
Looking down from the sky, it’s easy to imagine that this is exactly the same view the American torpedo and bomber pilots shared decades ago. The only thing missing is the Japanese ships at anchor in the bays, now turned into wrecks resting on the bottom of the sea.
A significant portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy’s combined fleet had anchorage at Truk. It became the key logistical and operational hub supporting Japan’s defenses in the Central and South Pacific.
It wasn’t until 1941 that the US entered an escalating WWII. Perhaps in part because they saw it as a European concern. The straw that broke the camel’s back, and American detachment, was Pearl Harbor. After entering the Pacific Theater, US reconnaissance flights discovered Truk Lagoon in 1943. They also discovered that this tiny outlying atoll was the largest Japanese naval base in the entire Pacific.
Operation Hailstone swiftly followed. This air raid decimated the Japanese Army’s ships and bases on Truk Lagoon, turning the area into a mass war grave.
After arriving here, the crew meets up and takes care of the short commute to the harbor followed by a short boat trip out to the liveaboard. A welcome drink and you’re all set for the dives of a lifetime.
Setting Up for Tech Diving on the M/Y Truk Master
Setting up for technical diving, in our case involving rebreathers, is easy even if at GUE we depend on a standardized configuration different to most. The divers bring their own key components, including special cylinder valves with a flexible manifold. The rest is supplied by the ship.
Oxygen is produced onboard using an oxygen generator. An oxygen generator cannot produce 100% oxygen, only 92-96% and as such, special procedures are needed if diving a fully-closed rebreather in order to get the calibration of the oxygen sensors right among other things.
Helium is available and required for the wrecks deeper than 30m/100 ft. We used 18/45 Trimix as our standard diluent mix. A clear head and lots of fun memories are what we’re looking for after all. My total setup time was less than 30 minutes thanks to the Truk Master’s excellent crew.
Diving the Wrecks of Chuuk
The conditions both on the surface and underwater, are excellent in Chuuk lagoon. It rains quite a bit as the atoll is close to the equator but the reefs and islands provided excellent cover for winds, making waves something close to an urban legend.
Underwater: picture yourself in a well-kept aquarium, no current, warm waters, and great visibility. What more can you ask for? Well, wrecks of course, and Chuuk lagoon does not fail to deliver those.
There are more than 50 shipwrecks and a number of airplanes that can be explored. Normally, two wrecks are dived in one day as the distance separating them is short. The shipwrecks are almost all cargo ships used by the Japanese to supply and equip their army and air force bases on the island but there is one destroyer.
Most sank fully loaded with supplies and war materials including tanks, cannons, trucks, and munitions. The preservation of the wrecks is good but you can see that time is taking its toll and collapses are to be expected during the next decade. One of the unique features of the Chuuk Lagoon wrecks is that they allow for extensive wreck penetrations. This is, of course, a potentially dangerous activity, but done right it’s a fantastic opportunity to travel back in time and view areas rarely viewed since the day of the sinking.
My favorite penetrations involve the engine rooms where one can still study the gauges and telegraphs frozen in time. The diving is truly world-class if you are passionate about wreck diving and history.
Conclusions
After 10 days diving its time to depart, not because you want to, more that you have to, sadly. The diving in Chuuk is so good that another week would not have been sufficient to satisfy my appetite for adventure.
Compared to the wrecks in Bikini Atoll, well, it’s like comparing apples and pears, both are delicious in their own way and the only choice you have is not to choose one, but to enjoy both. I enjoyed Chuuk and Bikini tremendously and will undoubtedly return to both for more adventures.
Written By Richard Lundgren
Lundgren pioneered Technical and Cave diving, exploration diving, in Scandinavia in the early 90s and part founded the prestigious explorations groups BSTD, Baltic Sea technical Divers, and Ocean Discovery.
Having dived professionally for more than twenty years he has explored magnificent wrecks including HMHS Britannic, sister ship of the RMS Titanic, and the discovery of the mighty admiralship Mars the Magnificent sunk during the Nordic seven-year war in 1564.
Lundgren is a founding member of the exploration organization, GUE, Global Underwater Explorers and serves on the board of directors. He is also a fellow member of The Explorers Club, Member of the Board of Scientific Divers and Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Discovery.
Photos taken by Aron Arngrímsson.
As we exist in this unique world today, the Dirty Dozen Team and I are looking to the future to ensure once this has passed, we can carry on moving forward. Our thoughts are with all those affected at this time, and especially those that are sick.
We want to work together to support the community and stay safe. A valid contribution to the fight against the virus is by following the advice from authorities. Social distancing, self-isolation and staying home are key. At the same time keeping active to maintain fitness & immunity, strict hygiene protocols and eating well must be observed with a view to delay and prevent the spread of COVID -19 at this unprecedented time.
So as we enter this uncertain economic climate, we understand it can be hard to commit big sums of money to guarantee your spots on the trip of a lifetime.
Therefore, we have temporarily lowered our deposit amounts to 15%, so, you can book onto your trip in confidence at a very affordable price. Contact DD now to find our more about our new payment schedules where final payments are as late as 90 days before departure. Our schedules are running until 2025, so while we weather this storm from home, you can actually still dream and plan your trip of a lifetime.
In addition, Blue O Two, our umbrella company, have offered these guidelines for a limited time as we closely monitor the current situation. We still stand by our promise that you can book in confidence with us and these are the protection measures we have implemented on new bookings:
-If you make a new booking with us, between the 9th March to 30th April you can cancel your liveaboard space and receive a full refund*.
-From the 9th March, any new bookings will be refunded if you are unable to travel due to COVID-19**.
-For existing bookings, our standard terms and conditions with Blue O Two still apply, with some exceptions caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19***
We’ll continue to be in touch by email with regular updates and developments, and if you don’t already, follow us on your favorite social media channels (linked below)
Richard Lundgren reading a plaque on a bow gun of Fujikawa Maru in Truk Lagoon - manufactured in the UK and dated 1899.
In the meantime, be sure to check out our latest blog and trip report from Richard Lundgren, co-founder of GUE who joined for his second trip with us starting with Bikini Atoll in 2018 and latest to Truk Lagoon in November 2019.
The expedition was a part of a GUE mission and a personal passion stretching back almost two decades: to document the historical remains and traces of war.
Explorer, dynamic documentary maker and Dirty Dozen Special Guest Jill Heinerth gave our customers the delight of a exclusive premiere while in Truk Lagoon of her documentary, Under Thin Ice back in January.
Now, with her trip to the Canadian Embassy canceled, she has alongside the DC Environmental Film Festival came up with a better, conservation-friendly option.
Watch it FREE now at: https://dceff.org/film/under-thin-ice/…
Password: Galafilm
The DDE Team are locked down right now in order to maintain a full dozen. However, we are using our isolation time to create some awesome new initiates of nuclear proportions. We are considering what awe-inspiring expeditions we have enjoyed throughout the years, and think you might too below and above the surface.
Did someone say Chernobyl?
Stay safe in these wild times, take care of yourself and each other and join the conversation on our social media.
Love,
Aron and the Dirty Dozen Team.
Protection Measures Terms and Conditions
* Cancellation and refund policy: NEW bookings taken between 9th March until 30th April 2020. You can cancel the liveaboard segment of your booking, without any penalty and receive a full refund. Cancellations apply only to the fleet liveaboard segment of your booking only and no third party supplies. Notification of cancellation must be received by 30/04/2020 for these terms to apply. Any cancellation notifications after this time will be subject to standard terms & conditions.
** Corona Clause': NEW bookings taken from 9th March 2020. Any new booking placed will be refunded or moved to a later date if you cannot travel due to Covid-19. For this to be applicable, one of the following must apply: You have contracted the virus and can provide medical evidence to support this OR Your final destination country prevents you from entering due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions on your country of residence OR Your country of residence prevents you from departing due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions on the embarkation point for the liveaboard If any of the above does not apply, it is your responsibility to get yourself to the point of embarkation. The 'Corona Clause' can be removed at any time.
*** Existing bookings will remain subject to agreed terms and conditions, with the exception of certain cases. These include if a customer has contracted the virus and can provide medical evidence to support this. If their final destination country prevents them from entering - due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions. Their country of origin prevents you from departing - due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions. In this instance, Blue O Two will honor the monies paid to them and move the booking to a later date.
COVID-19 UPDATE
Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,
As a part of The Dirty Dozen Expedition’s family, your safety is always our highest priority both above and beneath the surface.
As we are in the business of expedition travel, we are committed to monitoring the current situation with COVID-19 along with the Global HQ at our umbrella company Blue O Two.
At this time we are working very closely together to track the most up to date official information, advice on travel and are receiving constant updates to ensure that your travel plans are as organized and safe as can be. Unless you hear from us directly about your trip, everything is going ahead as planned.
It is also important for us to be able to offer you as much flexibility as possible when planning your next trip with us.
Therefore, to further ease your worries in a time of uncertainty, our team and Blue O Two have now introduced some new rules so you still can book with us with total confidence.
These are the protection measures we have implemented on new bookings:
If you make a new booking with us, between the 9th March to 30th April you can cancel your liveaboard space and receive a full refund*.
From the 9th March, any new bookings will be refunded if you are unable to travel due to COVID-19**.
For existing bookings, our standard terms and conditions with Blue O Two still apply, with some exceptions caused by the outbreak of the COVID-19***
Please read the TC’s at the bottom of this email for further clarification.
To be honest, nothing beats the feeling of heading out to a remote destination, putting on your rebreather and exploring the wonders below the surface. We can't think of anything better than to be far inside a wreck, surrounded by hammerheads, or off the grid completely enjoying a sunset. We understand that you, our customers, are already willing to adventure to some of the more remote corners of the planet and have a common-sense approach to traveling responsibly.
In line with the current, ongoing situation with COVID-19, I would like to share with you some of the steps we are taking onboard, and how you can protect yourself best while on our expeditions.
What you can do:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Stay home when you are sick.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
What we are doing onboard:
We have installed alcohol gel hand cleaning dispensers on our vessels.
Where possible, we have increased our supplies of sanitizer bottles, tissues and alcohol-based hand wipes onboard.
We have trained our crew on the importance of cleaning and disinfecting all common points of contact.
Where possible we will isolate suspected infected personnel away from the contact with all other guests.
If there is a suspected infection on-board, the trip will be terminated immediately and medical authorities notified.
I have added a link to an FAQ page with further information which you can click on the button below.
At the Dirty Dozen, our ethos is making sure every trip we execute is nothing short of a trip of a lifetime. I want you to know you can continue to rely on us to do our utmost best to protect you where we can, and we look forward to all the great expeditions this year.
Feel free to email me personally on aron@thedirtydozen.org should you have any further questions.
Talk soon and be well.
Best,
Aron Arngrimsson
Founder
Protection Measures Terms and Conditions
* Cancellation and refund policy: NEW bookings taken between 9th March until 30th April 2020. You can cancel the liveaboard segment of your booking, without any penalty and receive a full refund. Cancellations apply only to the fleet liveaboard segment of your booking only and no third party supplies. Notification of cancellation must be received by 30/04/2020 for these terms to apply. Any cancellation notifications after this time will be subject to standard terms & conditions.
** Corona Clause': NEW bookings taken from 9th March 2020. Any new booking placed will be refunded or moved to a later date if you cannot travel due to Covid-19. For this to be applicable, one of the following must apply: You have contracted the virus and can provide medical evidence to support this OR Your final destination country prevents you from entering due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions on your country of residence OR Your country of residence prevents you from departing due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions on the embarkation point for the liveaboard If any of the above does not apply, it is your responsibility to get yourself to the point of embarkation. The 'Corona Clause' can be removed at any time.
*** Existing bookings will remain subject to agreed terms and conditions, with the exception of certain cases. These include if a customer has contracted the virus and can provide medical evidence to support this. If their final destination country prevents them from entering - due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions. Their country of origin prevents you from departing - due to their governmental guidelines and restrictions. In this instance, Blue O Two will honor the monies paid to them and move the booking to a later date.
“Can you even call yourself a real wreck diver unless you have dived Truk Lagoon?”
Original member of the Dirty Dozen, technical diver Mark Powell kicked off with a powerful introduction at his presentation last weekend when speaking at the Go Diving Show 2020.
Examining the differences between Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll in the run up to his trip with Dirty Dozen Expeditions to this trip of a lifetime destination, Bikini Atoll on 17th-28th August 2021, he commented:
“I loved doing the talk on Truk and Bikini. As a passionate wreck diver, it was a fantastic opportunity to talk to so many other passionate wreck divers. Going through my talk made me realise how much I'm looking forward to my next trip to Truk and then exploring the unique wrecks of Bikini in 2021.”
Ever the professional, Mark was unperturbed by the very surprising Viking invasion on the stage in front of the packed audience! Check out the action in the image below!
Bikini is the next step on from Truk, and although they are relatively close in proximity, they are no means a hop, skip and a jump near to each other. Travel time to Bikini Atoll is far longer than to Truk, expect a 26-hour sail to Bikini before we can even start diving.
The Marshall Islands are tricky to navigate in terms of operational logistics as the area is still an active US military base.
The popularity of Truk was heightened by Cousteau’s ‘The Lagoon of Lost Ships,’ and therefore has seen a drop in price throughout the region which contributes to the lower expedition costs. The government of The Federated States of Micronesia seems to have responded to demand and made tourism viable.
Upon arrival in Bikini, you still get searched by the military.
These are some of the key differences between Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll, differences that make diving in each an entirely unique adventure.
One destination is not better than the other, but each diver should decide with suits them best.
To book, register your interest, or find out more about exploring the Marshall Island’s treasured wrecks with Special Guest Mark Powell, located halfway between Hawaii and Australia visit https://thedirtydozenexpeditions.com/now.
Photographer Jason Brown, was there to capture the invasion action!
This year we thought we'd offer up a new take on an old classic. Here's our new and improved scuba diving and expedition version of the 12 Days of Christmas:
On the first day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the second day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the third day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the fourth day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the fifth day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Five rebreathers
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the sixth day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Six Truk Lagoon dives
Five rebreathers
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the seventh day of Christmas my buddy sent me to me
Seven new drysuits
Six Truk Lagoon dives
Five rebreathers
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the eighth day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Eight pressure gauges
Seven new drysuits
Six Truk Lagoon dives
Five rebreathers
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the ninth day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Nine diving ladies
Eight pressure gauges
Seven new drysuits
Six Truk Lagoon dives
Five rebreathers
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
On the tenth day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Ten Galapagos drifts
Nine diving ladies
Eight pressure gauges
Seven new drysuits
Six Truk Lagoon dives
Five rebreathers
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the eleventh day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Eleven sidemount tanks
Ten Galapagos drifts
Nine diving ladies
Eight pressure gauges
Seven new drysuits
Six Truk Lagoon dives
Five rebreathers
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini
...
On the twelfth day of Christmas my buddy sent to me
Twelve pairs of jet fins
Eleven sidemount tanks
Ten Galapagos drifts
Nine diving ladies
Eight pressure gauges
Seven new drysuits
Six Truk Lagoon dives
Five rebreathers
Four engine rooms
Three flights to Guam
Two battleships, and
A diving trip in Bikini!
Happy holidays and safe diving everyone, get in touch with us if you'd like Santa to give you a scuba diving expedition trip!
Bikini Atoll is the place where US-made atom bombs sunk warships stuffed with live animal test subjects. A place where the world’s media gathered to watch an intense display of power. A place where some of the most significant ships in naval history rest and the once home of the Bikinians, their island still too irradiated to live on.
1946 seems so long ago, but a quick sweep of the newspapers from the times reveals the panic over Operation Crossroads. In particular, the media seemed highly focused on the dangers of setting off a bomb underwater.
Vice Admiral William Blandy, the man in charge of orchestrating the tests released a very memorable statement of denial in response to the furor:
“The bomb will not start a chain reaction in the water, converting it all to gas, and letting the ships on all the oceans drop down to the bottom. It will not blow out the bottom of the sea and let all the water run down the hole. It will not destroy gravity. I am not an atomic playboy, as one of my critics labeled me, exploding these bombs to satisfy my personal whim.”
Blandy was right, gravity is still intact, there is no hole in the ocean, and the water did not turn to gas. That said, Operation Crossroads did more damage to the ecosystem than scientists in the 40s and 50s could have imagined.
As they say though, ignorance is bliss and why shouldn’t the forces have their cake and eat it too? In fact, they did just that, this image shows Blandy and his wife ceremoniously cutting into a mushroom cloud cake. Is it just us or does Mrs. Blandy’s fascinating hat seem to match the cake?
Get in touch with us today if you'd like to explore Bikini Atoll's fascinating history as a diver.
You’re known as an adventurer and explorer, both on land and underwater. Was diving an extension of your drive to explore or did it prompt it?
That’s a good question, but hard to answer. I think I always wanted to be a diver, even from the age of 3. According to my mother, I would practice swimming across the living room carpet from a very young age.
I would say that the instinct to explore started early. It’s instinctive to human nature, this need to figure out what’s behind this rock or that bend. When we’re younger that instinct is strong but as we get older and gain more responsibilities, the desire to explore drops away somewhat for many people.
And when did you first start diving?
When I was 12 I joined my local BSAC club in Aberdeen. At the time you weren’t allowed to start diving until 14. So for two years, I went out on trips in and around Aberdeen as a snorkeller. When I did start diving, on some of my first dives I had a badly fitted wetsuit and was coming out of the dives with blue nails and blue lips!
Apart from Truk Lagoon, any bucket-list dive destinations or explorations you’re keen to complete?
There are so many… Bikini Atoll, Galapagos, I’ve haven’t dived in the cenotes in Mexico yet. Beyond that, there are still unexplored cave systems in India, Papua New Guinea, and Madagascar.
You’re a Special Guest diver for Dirty Dozen’s January 2022 trip to Truk. This is a recreational trip, so do you think you might don a single tank for a few of the dives?
I’ll dive with a single tank for the entire trip. It would be a bit strange and too different if I’m rebreather diving and the other divers are on singles. One of the points of this trip is to open Truk up to recreational divers, there’s a lot of tech in Truk but with most of the wrecks within recreational depths, there’s no reason why everyone can’t experience the diving there.
DD: And when was your last single-tank dive?
Years and years ago. 95% of the time I’m on CCR, and the other 5% I’m on OC tech for when space is tight in caves and so on.
There’s a lot to be said for single-tank diving, throw the tank on your back and jump in. Almost like spa-retreat diving. I’m looking forward to it.
So, not everyone can say they really are Action Man, but you voiced the character, what was that experience like?
It was really good fun. The film was created for the Action Man toy’s 50th anniversary and was made using stop-motion animation. The BBC called me up to offer me the voice role and I was happy to take it. My brother and I always had Action Man when we were kids so it was a great opportunity.
DD: And you have kids yourself, Andy?
Yes, I have a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old. The 4-year-old has seen it already and when the youngest is a bit older we’ll show it to him, too.
We understand that you’ve moved on to being a different kind of action hero, this time as James Bond’s stunt double. Without giving away too much, were there any challenges in this position as hard as those faced on deep exploration dives?
They are two very different scenarios. During filming, we’re working together as a large team with dedicated stunt coordinators and it’s a real team effort. With diving, the team is generally small and for the most part you need to be responsible for your own safety.
What’s your all-time favorite wreck dive, out of those you’ve done so far?
The Brittanic, the Titanic’s sister ship was good. It’s 120m deep, so not too far down, and the wreck is in great condition. I dived that as part of a BBC film.
But there were some wrecks I discovered in the English Channel which had never been dived before, merchant and fishing vessels. It’s different because people had been on the Brittanic before but these wrecks in the Channel, we were the first people there.
DD: How was the vis in the Channel?
Terrible. At 70 m deep it was pitch black. It was myself and a cameraman so with the light from the camera we were getting maybe 2m visibility.
And if you had to choose between cave diving and wreck diving, which would you go for?
Whichever was undiscovered. So it could be a virgin cave for a virgin wreck. A lot of the time there’s historical significance in sites, which is a consideration as well. Ah, it’s really an impossible question to answer because there are so many factors that make a dive worth doing.
Most memorable diving experience to date?
Tough question… Three friends and I went to dive off the coast of Yonaguni island to see the sunken Yonaguni Monument — a structure that most people think is manmade but is completely natural. I think what made it so good was that we were three best friends on the same job with no other divers in the water, and we were just having a ball.
There was a ripping current and we were hanging on in places. Lots of fun.
And finally, a burning question... Yourself and Aron collaborated during Monty Halls’ Dive Mysteries in Egypt and Janne Suhonen’s Dive Odyssey in Finland, is he a good buddy?
Yes. What you need in a dive buddy is the knowledge that they are capable of doing the dive that needs to be done. Like myself, Aron has a broad range of experience, not just cave or wreck, but a real mixture, all those skills are useful in varied situations. He’s also open and upfront about any concerns he has before a dive. As a dive buddy, he’s spot-on.
This is your chance. Andy will be joining our January 2022 recreational expedition to Truk Lagoon. We still have a few spots left but are filling up quickly. Get in touch with us to get onboard!
A misconception I encounter on a regular basis is that wreck diving in Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll is essentially the same. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Of course, there are some similarities: both locations are wreck diving meccas, and both are located in the Pacific — albeit 1,563 km apart (a mere drop in the ocean in Pacific terms but another matter entirely when it comes to boat travel).
Besides those basic shared qualities, the ways in which these destinations differ are varied and encompass history, politics, diving depths, required diver skill levels, the type of wrecks, and more.
Let’s take a closer look at some of those differences.
Operation Hailstone, 17-18 February 1944
Operation Crossroads, 1-25 July 1946
A key reason why people equate Truk to Bikini and vice versa is that both have a US military operation attached to their names and histories.
But while Operation Hailstone in Truk Lagoon was an instance of naval and military warfare, Operation Crossroads in Bikini Atoll was a controlled test of nuclear weapons.
On the 17th of February 1944, US forces let loose on Truk, then the largest Japanese naval base in the entire Pacific. Having discovered the base during a reconnaissance flight, the US was eager to exert its power and gain control of the lagoon.
It’s important to situate these actions within the wider context of what was a Pacific theatre showdown between the US and Japan. Three years earlier, on December 7th 1941, Japanese forces carried out an attack on Pearl Harbour, a US naval base near Hawaii, and prompted America’s entry into WWII.
For this reason, many historians call Operation Hailstone the US’s answer to Pearl Harbour.
In contrast to Operation Hailstone, Operation Crossroads in Bikini Atoll was an example of the US flexing and demonstrating its nuclear muscle on the world stage, as evidenced by the invite extended to global media, including nations once considered hostile. Furthermore, having atomic bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, with little knowledge of the prolonged effects of atom bombs, the US reasoned testing was necessary.
The first Operation Crossroads test was carried out on in July 1946, after the war had officially ended. The decision to irradiate Bikini Atoll and parts of the Marshall Islands was, according to President Truman, “to determine the effect of atomic bombs on American warships.” Truman further stated these tests were for “the good of mankind and to end all world wars.”
The Able and Baker bomb blasts were not so good for the Bikini Islanders, however, who were forced to leave their homes. The interior of Bikini Atoll today still holds radioactive soil and is no longer suitable to live on.
The major differences between the two military operations mean that diving in each location is unique. One obvious and notable point is that Truk Lagoon was shelled during the war.
A memorial plaque for almost 1000 people lost on the Aikoku Maru in Truk Lagoon, Micronesia.
Over two days US forces attacked Truk Lagoon during Operation Hailstone. More than 50 vessels and 250 aircraft were destroyed. While estimations of the number of human casualties vary, it is believed that between 4,500 and 5,000 people were killed during the attack.
This makes Truk Lagoon a mass military grave and an area that must be dived with full respect. During Dirty Dozen trips, we make it clear that touching objects, disturbing the wreckage, removing items, or otherwise acting disrespectfully is not OK.
Merchant Vessel hold in Truk Lagoon
6” Guns on USS Saratoga, Bikini Atoll
Truk Lagoon’s “lost ships” are mostly merchant vessels. Because the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) knew Truk was becoming less of a viable base and had prior suspicion an attack was coming, it decided to start moving key warships out of the lagoon.
Many of the anchorages in Truk were repair hubs, places where IJN ships could stop and get necessary fixes. Some dedicated military ships fell victim to Hailstone but most of the wrecks in the lagoon today are merchant vessels or re-purposed cargo ships. We can imagine the division here as roughly 90% merchant and 10% naval vessels.
In contrast, the wrecks in Bikini Atoll are predominantly dedicated famous navy vessels. Only one, the USS Carlisle is a merchant ship. The Saratoga, for example, spent her entire career in military service before being blown up as a test subject during Operation Crossroads. Bikini Atoll is home to destroyers, battleships, and aircraft carriers — ships that require a different kind of wreck diving.
Telegraph on Kiyosumi Maru, Truk Lagoon
Rice bowls inside JN Nagato, Bikini Atoll
Another misconception about diving in Bikini Atoll and Truk Lagoon is that both are deep, technical diving locations. In fact, with many of the wrecks in Truk Lagoon resting at depths of 40 meters or shallower, Truk is more than suitable for recreational divers.
That said, deep exploration diving in Truk Lagoon is also popular, and there are plenty of wrecks past 40 meters. Because there are so many options, we run dedicated trips to Truk Lagoon for our CCR, open-circuit tech, and recreational divers.
Dephts of the merchant vessels in Truk Lagoon. Graphic by Martin Cridge
The average depth of the wrecks in Truk Lagoon is between 25 to 35 meters while in Bikini Atoll, divers need to be comfortable at 45 to 50 meters and be properly licensed and trained to dive at this depth. On Dirty Dozen Expeditions to Bikini, we ask that all divers are Normoxic Trimix or CCR certified at a minimum.
An additional reason why divers in Bikini need to be highly advanced and knowledgeable is that the wrecks are simply harder to dive. I mentioned before that the vessels in the atoll are, with the exception of one, dedicated military ships.
Unlike the roomier merchant vessels in Truk with their spacious holds and ample engine rooms, the battleships and destroyers in Bikini are a different beast altogether. The narrow corridors, tight spaces, greater depth, and sheer size of these ships require advanced wreck penetration skills.
Let’s take the Saratoga, one of Bikini’s most famous wreck dives, as an example. Consider the depth and the enormity of the wreck (a whopping 40,000 tonnes) and you start to get an idea of what I mean when I say these ships are harder to dive on. I often liken penetrating the Saratoga to walking into an abandoned shopping mall with the lights off. Multiple rooms, levels, and turns make navigation difficult. Then there’s the silt, 1000 times finer than sand and thick, the slightest movement disturbs it and clouds whole areas completely.
At least the Saratoga is upright, all the battleships in Bikini Atoll are turtled (upside down). An orientation that always equates to harder dive planning.
Battleship IJN Nagato in Bikini Atoll.
12” Guns lurking out from the turtled battleship USS Arkansas, Bikini Atoll.
In contrast, most of the ships in Truk Lagoon rest on the bottom at comfortable angles for divers and offer much easier and safer penetrations. Even beginner wreck divers can test their new-found skills here; the routes are well-known and pre-tested.
An expedition to Bikini Atoll can cost around twice the amount as an expedition to Truk Lagoon.
Operational logistics in the Marshall Islands are difficult — the area is still an acting US military base. Plus, despite the two destinations being relatively close to each other (in Pacific terms, at least) travel time to Bikini Atoll is far longer than to Truk, we face a 26-hour sail to Bikini before we can even start diving.
I also wonder whether the popularity of Truk, precipitated by Costeau’s ‘The Lagoon of Lost Ships,’ also contributes to the lower expedition costs. The government of The Federated States of Micronesia seems to have responded to demand and made tourism viable. In Bikini, we still get searched by the military upon arrival!
These are some of the key differences between Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll, differences that make diving in each an entirely unique adventure. One destination is not better than the other, but each diver should decide with suits them best.
Aron is confirmed at the following dive shows giving presentations on the topics covered in this article in-depth.
DEMA SHOW, USA - POWERED BY PARALENZ
Nov 12 -15, 2019
Friday 15th, 1:30 pm — Tech Stage
GUE Cave & Wreck Night, NETHERLANDS
Jan 17, 2020
boot Düsseldorf, GERMANY
Jan 18 - 26, 2020
TBA
Cavoria 2020, SARDINIA
June 15 - 25, 2020
TBA
In 1807 the Irish sailor Patrick Watkins became the first known inhabitant of the Galapagos Islands. Abandoned on Floreana, Patrick was left to fend for himself, growing vegetables and hunting to sell his goods to passing whalers and boat crews in exchange for rum and cash.
Imagine what he saw as he sat on Floreana alone.
Giant tortoises, hundreds of years old, swarms of sharks hundreds thick in the waters that surrounded him, marine iguanas grazing on algae, and fur seals lining the rocky coves. Meanwhile, the land is blanketed in thick forest and the island is perched on an active volcanic plate.
Pat was on a true Jurassic adventure, with the dinosaurs to prove it.
Nowadays, pulling into Pat’s landing on Floreana, little has changed. The wildlife remains as intriguing as it was when Charles Darwin first started describing it in the mid 18th century and the islands retain their wild, final frontier feel.
Straddling the equator and spread out over 45,000 km2 (17,000 sq miles) the Galapagos is home to some of the planet’s remotest dive sites including Darwin’s Arch and Wolf Island.
For years, most of the diving here was restricted to recreational trips only.
Now, the Dirty Dozen Expeditions is proud to announce dedicated OC technical and CCR diving trips to the Galapagos Archipelago.
Not a tech diver? No problem, we’ve also organised a recreational expedition.
Like all of our trips, each exploration will be made with a special guest diver aboard our luxury vessel.
Widely regarded as the best diving on the planet, the Galapagos Islands is a rare location where sharks, whale sharks, iguana, rays, sea turtles, seals and more can all be seen on a single dive.
Here are our dates (so you can start booking time off work)
*Note that places on these explorations are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.
Join us as we follow in Patrick and Darwin’s footsteps on our own Jurassic adventure.
For more info or to make a reservation, please get in touch with us today at info@thedirtydozen.org.
You can reserve your 2022 trip without obligation until the end of 2019. Email us at info@thedirtydozen.org for more details.
It’s no secret, technical diving is gear-intensive and if you’re packing for Truk Lagoon or Bikini Atoll — some of the remotest diving destinations in the world — you want to have all your essentials with you. Add a sophisticated underwater camera setup and a closed-circuit rebreather, and you have a recipe for sleepless nights wondering just how much you can stretch the bounds of your luggage allowance.
The Dirty Dozen Expeditions founder Aron Arngrimsson releases his second article in a series covering the wrecks of Bikini Atoll in Scuba Diver Magazine. This time the focus is on USS Arkansas and USS Anderson.
Check the article out on the following link: https://issuu.com/scubadivermag/docs/sdaz_15
As an alliance brand with Blue O Two, we are able to offer trips outside of our current itineraries on 17 boats in 15 Destinations.
In addition to DEMA, our September Special Offers are almost here.
Next week marks a new month, and a new set of specials for our valued partners.
Our September Special Offers will include 20% off the following:
The Bahamas - selected sailings in October & December 2019
Galapagos - selected sailings in November 2019
Maldives - selected sailings in October 2019
Solomon Islands - selected sailings in November 2019
Papua New Guinea - selected sailings in December 2019
Philippines - selected sailings in September & December 2019
Palau - selected sailings in December 2019
Palau is the partner alliance Destination of the Month for September 2019.
Savings of 20% off on all S/Y Palau Siren departures in 2020 will be available to book from Monday 2nd September 2019 onwards.
To top it off, Shark Week returns to Discovery this weekend.
To mark the occasion, we're increasing our existing French Polynesia special offers from 20% off to 30% off as of Sunday, when Shark Week officially launches.
This discount is valid on all M/V French Polynesia Master departures between January and May 2020.
Email us on info@thedirtydozen.org to inquire about dates in your destination of choice.
