Wreck expedition "Reach the DNA" - relation

The wreck expedition “Sięgnij DNA”, whose aim is to search for wrecks north of Ustka and Darłowo and verify data on existing and little known underwater objects, is already in its 5th day. So far we have managed to verify over a dozen positions where wrecks could potentially lie.

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On two positions we picked up faint sonar echoes of objects lying on the bottom. We decided not to dive on them due to their small size, but we will return to these positions in September with more accurate side scan sonar to check them again.

So far we have made several trimix dives in the region of 50m, completing information on the wrecks in our database. We have recorded film footage and sonar scans. Based on our dives and the material collected, we will compile reports that will supplement the existing data and will be submitted to BHMW, UM and CMM.

We still have another 4 days of searching ahead of us and a lot of positions to verify. Since the beginning of our trips, the weather has been good, the sea is practically smooth and water clarity exceeds 20m. Unfortunately, in the next few days the weather forecast is not optimistic and strong winds are expected, which may make the search more difficult.

You may be wondering what a typical search day looks like? It is simple! We get up in the morning and, after checking the weather forecast, we prepare our departure plan. We complete the formalities at the harbour master’s office, and a moment later we pass the harbour heads and wait for the galley to prepare breakfast.

The time to reach the first positions is about 3 hours, then the painstaking sonar search begins, consisting of a systematic search of the area around the presumed position. Most of us at this time nervously look over the captain’s shoulder at the sonar and sonar screen waiting for some wreck to appear.

If any objects appear on the sonar in the search area, even small ones, we mark the position and sonar it several times to determine if it is worth making a dive on it. During the day we sonar around 4-5 positions according to a pre-planned route. This route also includes dives on certain positions which are known to contain wrecks.

We try to dive at least two or three positions a day. Searching for and finding wrecks is very time-consuming, most of our team at this time is sorting out the collected photo and video material, reading books, supplementing gases, mixing nitrox and preparing for the next dives.

We have lunch around 1 p.m. and dinner is served on the way back around 5 p.m. Then we have time to write down the news we took during the dive. Late in the evening around 10 p.m. we reach the port, have a quick dinner following the weather forecast and discuss plans for the next day… the captain has just arrived with the information that in 10 minutes we will be at the next position of a potential wreck….

Greetings : Tomasz Pawęska, Krzysztof Poźniak, Jacek Trembowelski

PS: we return to the harbour after the dives, and here’s a surprise, two new objects have appeared on the sonar – we’ll dive them tomorrow!