Diving at -123 meters August 2002

Η ομάδα μας αποτελείτο από τους:

• Petrou Georgios (Trimix Instructor Trainer) Dive Leader
• Vandoros Georgios (Diving Instructor and Trimix Diver)
• Οκταποδάς Σταύρος (Εκπαιδευτής Αυτοδυτών και Αυτοδύτης Trimix)
• Mavros Vasilis (Diving Instructor and Trimix Diver) support diver at 60 meters.

In addition to Hellas Underwater Explorers, 2 other groups participated in the dive support, Loutraki Yellow Submarine and Ionian Divers, with the aim of gaining experience. It was a great opportunity for these newly built (at the time) diving centers to participate in such a diving organization and to learn what Technical Diving means and how it is organized.

Μια πολυπληθής ομάδα ανθρώπων, καταδυόμενων και μη, συγκεντρώθηκε πρωί πρωί στην Μυλοκοπή Λουτρακίου, μια παραλία που τότε δεν ήταν τόσο ευρέως γνωστή όπως σήμερα. Μετά από ευρεία συζήτηση όλοι μας είχαμε αναλάβει από μια υπευθυνότητα.

A team with a boat went and threw a line and set up the decompression bar, a difficult process as it was windy and wavy. There was a question about whether we should dive. The verdict was positive. After the decompression tanks, weights, water bottles, a sign, and everything else the bar should have were placed, the divers are ready to start......

Although already scuba diving instructors, the newly certified Advanced Trimix level George Vandoros and Octopus Stavros were ready to be baptized with a unique dive at a great depth such as that of 125-130 meters. The instructor and Trimix diver Vasilis Mavros was the main support diver in the deep.

Σαν εκπαιδευτής τους εγώ ήμουν σίγουρος για την επάρκειά τους. Φυσιολογία, Ψυχολογία, Εξοπλισμός, Πλάνο κατάδυσης, Οργάνωση κατάδυσης, όλα έτοιμα και οι δύτες ξεκινούν. Το ντύσιμο πάνω στο σκάφος  ταλαιπωρητικό καθώς κούναγε πολύ. Το ίδιο και η παραμονή στην επιφάνεια.

We just dived, welcome to Paradise. The seabed is magical as always and we are excited about what we would experience. The vast blue embraces us while we hang above a deep dark universe. We communicate one last time and empty our BCDs. We travel through space, sinking deeper and deeper into the black. All of us around the thick rope of the line to double-check everything. We started with Eanitrox in our mouths and stopped floating deeper to change to Trimix. The change in the mixture is completely controlled and we continue towards our goal of 130 meters. Around 70 meters the support diver stops and we continue. The dive is really enjoyable and it shows on our faces. Everything is excellent. I am deeper with Stavros and a little above us is Giorgos who is filming us. We exceed 100 meters.

But because life hides many emotions, this dive did not leave us complaining...

In the deep, shortly after 110 meters we suddenly hear a deafening noise, an explosion. The housing of the video camera exploded in George's hands (despite the assurances of the manufacturer that it went much deeper) and the housing and the video camera were destroyed. Pieces of them fall and head to the bottom..Housing and video camera worth 15,000 euros (expensive camera) ........ We luckily save the lights and a large LCD external monitor. Unfortunately when we brought these two up, the lights and monitor mysteriously disappeared..........someone submerged them.....

Our dive continues normally and a little further down we see a blond sandy bottom. We sit on our knees and feel all this joy of soul that the sea generously offers us. Peace and harmony, positive energy.

We start vertical ascent and start making deep decompression stops, first stop at 78 meters. We do the intermediate ones and reach the shallows where we will spend a lot of time. If someone asks where the shallows begin, the answer is that it depends on many factors such as the maximum depth, the time spent there and the mixtures. For us, our shallows "let's say" started at 21 meters. Thirsty with our favorite hobby, the long decompression process floating with waves and currents seems like an enjoyable game to us. The charm of "our own dream". The decompression times end where we emerge to the surface. The guardian angels, the bottom and surface support team, help us a lot, they lift the heavy but stable line and the boat sails towards the beach. The weather has calmed down and everything looks more beautiful. Our bodies are more rested than when we entered and our souls are full. All the groups gather and confirm that everything and everyone is fine.

Και ως συνηθίζεται καταλήξαμε σε μια ψαροταβέρνα του Λουτρακίου σαφέστατα ικανοποιημένοι με την γλυκιά κούραση να μας φλερτάρει συζητώντας τα πάντα για την κατάδυση.

Now, after about 20 years, I am happy to see that my efforts were not in vain and that many people from those groups have become professionals and continue successfully in the field of our beloved diving.