September 15, 2013*

Thanks to one of the Captains of a diving boat, I have a ride back to Warsaw tonight.

I have contacted my friends in Warsaw to arrange accommodations.

So, now it’s time for the deep dive of Poland – locally known as the Trałowiec, but officially known as the Munin.

So the story goes, it was a German ship that was sunk sometime in World War II.

I have not been able to find documentation on the internet in English – well not yet.

I’m tired, and writing this on my last night in Poland, so I will readdress this issue later.

Kamil chartered another boat.

I needed a buddy, and he was more than happy to be mine for about $30 USD.

There were about eight divers on the boat, six recreational, two technical divers.

We jumped off the boat, and I followed Kamil to the line that lead to the wreck.

We descended.

Logged SCUBA Dive #448

Dove with Kamil

Trałowiec (Munin) Wreck
Hel, Poland

In With: 3000 psi
Out With: 500 psi
Max depth: 120 feet
Waves: Mild chop
Visibility: 15-20 feet
Water Temperature: 38 degrees
Air Temperature: 66 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 32 minutes or so

We got to about 70 feet, and all of a sudden, I felt this extreme fucking cold pierce through my body.

Holy fuck!

Oh yeah, I need air in my dry suit.

I just kept sinking… and sinking.

I was over weighted for this dive; I kept pumping air into my BCD, and finally at 120 feet, I hit the bottom like a rock.

I was fucking cold, even in a dry suit.

Worst of all, my hands were numb; I was wearing 5 mm neoprene gloves, and I couldn’t feel my hands.

Was I narced?

I really don’t know, I followed Kamil like a sheep, but I must have been.

And, I admit, I was a little scared.

This was a night dive, during the day – it was that dark.

This was the coldest and one of the spookiest dives I had ever been on.

A doorway leads to the inside of the hull.

Just follow kamil… Just follow Kamil, all will be fine.

My hands were frozen, I was fucking cold, but I realized that our bottom time was only 12 minutes.

I am macho enough to endure such conditions.

The wheel house.

The Captain’s Wheel.

A window on the front.

Kamil lead me back to the buoy line.

Yeah! We’re going up to warmer water!

We must have spent more than 10 minutes going back up.

I couldn’t feel my hands for several minutes.

I had to take a piss too, but it was so cold, I couldn’t find… forget it.

I’m shoving off in several hours.

I will write a recap when I get home.

Thank you Poland for such a great time – next time I will be here, I’m not going to dive.

I feel cheated I didn’t stay longer and see some of the history.

*This post has been delayed due to Polish beer, Vodka and lack of internet access.

September 11, 2013*

After arriving at the Diving Base in Zakrzowek, we partied in the bar until 2:30 AM.

I was told that breakfast is at 7:30, and that we would start diving around noon.

Perfect, I could nurse my hangover.

I was a little tired and the floor was no longer spinning when I woke up for breakfast; I got there a little late, but this is Poland – they are laid back when it comes to time.

I met Igor at breakfast.

“You need to eat a quick breakfast and be down here with your diving gear at 8 AM,” he said.

“Wait, I though we weren’t going to start diving until noon,” I said.

“We need to set up the event first, that will take several hours…we are waiting on you,” he said.

Something must have gotten lost in the translation; I scarfed down my breakfast prison-chow-hall style and ran up and got my diving gear.

We piled everything into the van and drove a few minutes to the diving area.

It was raining, but nobody seemed to care or complain.

So basically, this group drove from the North to run a day long “Discover SCUBA Diving” event.

I was to dive with an Instructor on the side, to practice with doubles.

They set up a lecture area, dressing facilities and kitchen.

They even had a community hookah… and when you are in Poland…

Igor was talking to his group, when I saw him sniff something off his hand.

He turned to me, “Would you like some”

“Oh, I don’t do cocaine,” I said.

Everyone laughed.

“No, this is peppermint snuff… it is powered tobacco that you sniff.”

Well, when in Poland… I tried it, a very small amount.

Yeah, it wasn’t so wonderful; all I did was sneeze and blow brown boogers for several minutes.

Everything was set up… now it was the “hurry up and wait” game.

It continued to rain.

Finally, a huge bus pulled up…

…and out came about 30 fairly young people, including some really hot chicks:

FUCK! And I couldn’t talk to any of them!

With my Albania hat and Cleveland Indians Jacket on, I may have looked a little out of place.

Igor did a brief introduction before showing a PADI Dive Introduction movie; it was in English, with a Polish narrator.

Then half the group geared up, the other half waited for their turn.

I was originally going to dive with an Instructor named Lukasz, but he was diving with a side mounted cave configuration and told me, “I didn’t know this was your first Open Water dive with double tanks; if you get in trouble, I won’t be able to help you with what I’m diving with.”

Igor said he would dive with me and that I should gear up and wait.

I geared up and put on the doubles.

As my back started to give out, I said, “I’m gonna wait in the water.”

So, I’m waiting in the water, and Kamil swims over.

“Jeff, are you ready to dive, I will go with you,” Kamil said.

“I think I’m suppose to wait for Igor.”

“No, I’m an Instructor, too, let’s go.”

We swam a little ways out and submerged.

Logged SCUBA Dive #444

Dove with Kamil

Zakrzowek Rock Quarry
Krakow, Poland

In With: 2800 psi
Out With: 1400 psi
Max depth: 96 feet
Waves: None
Visibility: 15-20 feet
Water Temperature: 50 degrees
Air Temperature: 55 degrees
Total Bottom Time: 40 minutes or so

I had a little problem with bouyancy…I couldn’t find my inflation hose, but Kamil found it and rubber banded it to a strap for easier access.

Zakrzowek has stuff sunk all over the place – a car, an airplane, a bus, a replica of a ship.

We got down to 96 feet.

The dive went well, the buoyancy was a little awkward,

When we got back, Igor was waiting.

“Jeff are you alright?” Igor asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I said.

I saw this overwhelming expression of relief from him.

“Would you like a second dive?” Igor asked.

“Of course,”I responded.

I had to take a piss really bad, and when I took my dry suit off, my right hand seal ripped.

Fuck! Now I must improvise.

*This post has been delayed due to Polish beer, Vodka and lack of internet access.