Bored? Let's have a heated wreck debate!

the sharks apparently are a little weird there.... kind of braindead and super aggressive ;-)

Hello Guys.

Oh come on! Brain-dead sharks, radioactive crabs, animals on the Saratoga. You missed out the effect these bombs had on the mermaids...

I don't think the people who were conducting those atomic experiments all those years ago needed to put animals on any of the ships just to prove an atomic bomb would obliterate them.

Truth is a great number of vessels were assembled including a US Aircraft Carrier and a Japanese Battleship (Nagato) plus several other ships and submarines. Incidentally, it took 2 atomic bombs to sink the Saratoga.

Now, some 50 years later, we are allowed to dive these ships and I fully intend to see at least the Saratoga and the Nagato.

Yes, from the UK, it is an expensive trip - but £6K is very wrong. I think you would have change out of £3K. Check it out. Of course, I am not going direct to Bikini, so my expenses will be very different.

Am looking for another wreck, however, what about the Philippines? Any takers.

Ned

Hi Global

I just realised I didn’t answer you post (No 20). My apologies. Here Goes:

Thank you for your kind comments – much appreciated.

I think the Merc is a wind-up but it makes humorous reading. That said, I served for 2 years in Hong Kong and they desperately need something to liven up the underwater scene there.

Yes I would like o know more about the Aaron War and Moa – by private email please.

Not sure about including any aircraft. Don’t know the story of the B17 Blackjack – but am open to any considerations.

As big as a B17 is, all aircraft are very small when compared to ships.

Same goes for subs. Malta’s HMS Stubborn has a great story, but there is no going in side and thoroughly exploring. In the end, she simply didn’t compare with the Polynésien. In any event, France is done.

Trainito’s book was a great disappointment to me. Look it up on Amazon.co.uk and read my review. Basically, his publishers (White Star publishing of Italy) are turning out a load of rubbish and re-hashed work. For example, in their recently released (again!) Red Sea wreck book they refer to ships lost in the 1980’s as having sunk 19 years ago.

In fact that book is something of a joke. Take a look at my review on Amazon.co.uk for the book entitled “Diving Guide to the Red Sea Wrecks” and you will see what I mean.

Be good.

Ned

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>I think the Merc is a wind-up but it makes humorous reading. That said, I served for 2 years in Hong Kong and they desperately need something to liven up the underwater scene there.<hr></blockquote>

what!! - how dare you question my integrity blah blah blah ;-)

No, it's not a wind up, the Merc is there. It's in a little bay called Lobster Bay, just North of Clearwater Bay area. There used to be a concrete ramp running down to the water so that the triads could load the boats with the cars and do the quick runner over the border, but I think the Army found it one day and blew it up - it's now in pieces all over the beach. The merc is old and is really just a chasse with steering column, but you can see the mercedes emblem on the wheels.

You're right about the diving though :-(

Rumours are they are trying to get it together to sink the Minsk in nearby waters (it's an ex-Russian navy ship I think, currently used as a 'theme park' in Shenzhen over the border), now that would liven things up.

phil - I believe you!

Keep it to yourself, but I found a jeepney wreck on a dive in Bohol, Philippines

I just think Ned doesn't want to face facts that there's a huge market for car wreck books out there ;-)

Right - I've dug through a load of stuff to find an 11 night package -ex cairns for Bikini which comes in at £2475Taxes

So I concede £6k may have been the price I got from DiveQuest

This is with Island Adventures / Dive Adventures & picked up at the London Dive show in March this year - but these prices weren't up to date then - they ran 1/4/ - 31/5 2006 & 1/9 -30/11 2006

So add in your fares from London - Cairns return & a couple of nights in Cairns in/out + the taxes personal spending / food exc. Bikini itself (only 7 nights with 2 dives per day - so max 10-12 dives - visas & travel insurance

I would suggest you'll have coppers change from £4k - which I concede is not £6k - even if you buy every T-shirt / baseball cap etc.

Ned - let the White Star thing go!

Bitterness doesn't suit you ;-)

Anyway, I like looking at the photos ;-)

I will email you some blurb on the Ward

If you want a wreck in the Philippines - there's a jeepney in Bohol - steering column & wheels ... ... ;-)

Seriously there's something with guns at Subic Bay which I haven't dived, but most wrecks are out at Coron, where I took my wreck course - including the Akitsushima - which was a flying boat tender & the Tae Maru - feet first funnel entry - lovely.

Vis is a bit crap & the wrecks are very well populated with coral.

I've been at the jeepney wreck off Alona beach :)

Yeah there is a ship with BIG guns in Subic but supposedly zero viz so it is not as impressive because you only see a tiny part of it at any time :-(

See? 2 of us on this board have dived the Alona jeepney!

I tell you, there's a big sunken motor market out there....

At the Khram wreck off Pattaya, the DM guided me into a door in the side of the cargo hold, and then swimming up a narrow 3 storey staircase inside, in the dark... and this without lamps, without mentioning it in the previous briefing, and without me having any "penetration" training to speak of... LOL. Well it was my 98th dive so he was fully expecting me to stay calm and enjoy anyway. The Khram is beautiful if you are lucky to get there in the right conditions (no current).