pp2

Having gotten the big Yaqui situation resolved, I next decided to check out the equipment,. they had a recording fathometer of some kind, it was portable ad recorded on a continuous strip of paper perhaps 2 inches wide. It seemed to be in good working order.

I then went down into the hold, where I found two Mk 5 Navy hard hat diving suits in surprisingly good condition. I spent a bit of time going over everything, including the hoses and communication lines. Everything was working just fine.

I then headed for the fantail where the air compressor was under a tarp. I undid the fastening then almost had a heart attack. They had brought a street, jack hammer, industrial air compressor still on it's rubber tires. I read off the specifications of capacity and volume and went looking for the jefe, their boss on their side, very disgusted.. I found him under the canvas awning drinking a cool beer.

When he noticed that I was a bit upset, he waved to a vacant chair and said "sit down Jose, have a nice cool beer". I thanked him then asked 'who decided on that air compressor"?. He answered 'Our diver, why"? 'Well it doesn't have any provision for filtering the air, for another you are thinking of a 300 ft dive with compressed air ? you are crazy". "why" he asked? " well for one thng simply delivering ambient air at that depth it fails, it just doesn't have either the theoretical volumn or pressure". "but our diver said it was ok " he said, beginning to look a bit worried.

"Well my friend, we are talking about 300 ft on compressed air which is strictly a no no in legitimate diving. However, as a crude rule of thumb, remember that each foot of ocean water adds approx. 1/2 lb to the air pressure needed. This means that we need 150 lbs delivery just o equalize the pressure at that depth, this does not include the the extra flow to keep the helmet flushed.". " Relax jose, I am sure that he knows what he is doing, after all he is a professional he said. .

Hmm he had me there, so I drank a cool root beer and sulked a bit, then said .."Ok , then I suggest that we give it modified trial.. we will go to xxxx - a small beautiful bay ringed with high steep cliffs and a pure white sandy beach, that looks as if it came directly out of Treasure Island tales, very isolated - and conduct a few dives in order for everyone to get used to their job while diving" He agreed.

So my Yaqui had another night of debauchery and beating up pore little policemen, while I wrestled with my figures over and over while half asleep. After all, upon my final decision, a man's health, or life itself may depend upon it once again

The next morning under a beautiful balmy blue sky, we up anchored and sailed out of Guaymas harbor then headed north to just outside of the beautiful little bay. We anchored and proceeded to assemble the the diving gear, however first I went down into the hold with some lard that the cook had given me . I intended to put it on the sole of the heavy diving shoes. When I turned the shoe over both had several dabs of lard already?? Later investigation turned up the knowledge that some of the crew that knew him distrusted him also.. sheehs.

Well our diver arrived so we suited him up, he climbed on the platform that we had rigged for lowering him into the water, then, as everything seemed be be working, started lowering him. the tel system ws working just fine so I told him that we would lower him to the bottom where he was to get off and walk around for a bit in order for us to eliminate any bugs. He answered "OK", so we lowered him down

He was on the starboard side between the ship and the bay.. He kept giving me continuous reports. I was watching our anchor chain, it was under considerable tension due the enormous Mar de Cortez tidal flow, it was about 45 degrees and straining. In the meantime I also was watching his exhaust air, the bubbles were coming up just beyond where he was submerged ?? Hmm Logic says that it they were ascending from 50 - 100 ft they should surface far beyond the ship, Later I color coded the winch cable in meters so that we would know how much was out, but today we had to rely upon him..

I told him "let me know when you are on the bottom ", "Ok" he said, then shorty announced "K I am on the bottom now and getting off". I continued watching his bubbles surface then asked "everything ok " "just fine" he replied. I promptly signaled the winch operator to lift the platform which he did. Immediately our diver that was supposedly down 100 ft walking around "yelled What are you doing"? "Just bringing you to the surface' I replied.

We brought him up on normal surfacing time, swung him around and brought him aboard where they removed the Mk-5 gear. No one said a single word.

So we returned to the Harbor and anchored again. Our Yaqui as usual went ashore, along with most of the crew and our disgraced diver, I returned to my bungalow, books, and slide rule...©@

Don Jose de La Mancha