9 am, the team is at a coffee shop in Marina de Lagos, discussing the last points of the retrieval procedure for the lead stock, blissful unaware of all the small complications ahead. The work is simple a four elements team in the water will retrieve the lead stock while two elements assist from the surface. 9:45 Papa-Leguas leaves the Marina escorted by Lagos Maritime Policy boat. Their job is to provide surface safety. Why? Because the team will operate in the busiest maritime traffic channel of Lagos. The team arrives to their destination, surface current is bellow one knot, Diving Safety Officer Chris gives the green light we dive. First setback, Vírgilio’s camera malfunctions at 13m depth, we have to switch to a backup camera in german from Chris. PI Tiago still wants to proceed, team dives back down and current is already two knots, we crawl underwater with the equipment. DSO asks the PI, abort? The team is there, they are ready, what to do. PI’s call. He knows that the current will take the lifting bag and lead stock straight into the boat. We can see that the undercurrent is already strong, surface current is for sure above two knots and lifting bag will arrive dead fast to the boat. The surface team will really have their work cut out, and will have to manage quickly and efficiently, and the team underwater will have very little reaction time to any problems. It comes down to one question, do I trust the team….
I do. Green light. Is a go.
The result? An intact lead stock at the surface and a team that has never done this before performing beautifully.
More pictures of the retrieval and the lead stock in our anchors page.
I do. Green light. Is a go.
The result? An intact lead stock at the surface and a team that has never done this before performing beautifully.
More pictures of the retrieval and the lead stock in our anchors page.