Andrey Chistyakov. 155 m. Solo-dive with 8 minutes.

I started to experiment on VPM algorithm long ago, and, at last, I found it possible to do something serious about it. Besides, it’s been my old intention to properly explore the bottom by the Arc, to look what’s there in detail, but we go on giving by the Northern Wall :) In addition to that, I decided that this dive would be an excellent “dress rehearsal” of my 240 meters dive, which took place in a day; that is why I performed the 155 meters dive with absolutely the same configuration of equipment I used when my 240 meters dive. However, I didn’t use assistance of support divers, I carried all the stuff + backup gases myself; equipment configuration allows it. As far as additional equipment is concerned, I took the light Metallsub HID200 (as usual it deserves only the best references).

Equipment configuration (photo – Alexey Grishin "Silence", Russian Club in Dahab www.dahab-club.ru): 

Dive (photo by Alexey Grishin "Silence", Russian Club in Dahab www.dahab-club.ru)

Dive profile according to VR3 readings:

Deep part of the dive in detail: (according to VR3 readings)

Decompression was performed in conformity with algorithm of VPM-B/E (V-planner v3,75). 3 VR3 computers were used as bottom-timers.

Mixtures used:

Bottom Mix - TX 9/55 (heliair) – steel twin cylinder 2х15, 215 bar (at the end - 50 bar)

Run Gas 1 - Tx 15/40 - 6 liters, aluminum - 212 bar (at the end - 15 бар)

Run Gas 2 - Tx 20/30 – two stages fastened to the sides to twin cylinder - 2х210 bar (at the end, one of them – 5 bar, another one - 120 bar)

Deco1 - EAN 49 – two stages - 2х210 bar (at the end, one of them- 5 bar, another one - 170 bar)

Deco2 - Oxygen – two stages - 2 X 100 bar (at the end, one of them - 5 bar, another one - 80 bar)

What’s interesting?
It was the first time for me to dive with such an exposition and a good light. There seems to be life at 155 meters’ depth! There was a lot of whitish fish near the bottom (several millimeters long), and when I went up, from 125 to 80 meters I was accompanied by a huge black Sting Ray- and it was even larger than one that I saw in Ras Mamlakh diving down to 122 meters. The ray was not scared at all and it was going round me so I seemed to be able to touch its white belly. It was an amazing sight! It’s a shame it was impossible to take a camera that deep...

And the main thing- what did I see so deep, at the bottom? Evidently, there was a heavenly beautiful landscape: to the left – the Northern Wall, to the right the bottom declines and the Arc wall can be seen. And the most interesting find was twin cylinders with BCD OMS, Poseidon regulators and a stage, which was for some reason fastened to the right at depth of 170 meters. According to the twin cylinders and the two kilos load it is clear that it is a relevantly new set. I decided not to pick the stuff up until everything is clear about it; besides, I did not want to exceed the time limits since the task was to try the VPM, and not to dive with Bulman using VR3 again. But I remember the place very well, and I will easily find it.
The general impression of the dive was the most positive, after-dive condition was awesome, I enjoyed use of VPM a lot.

After the dive (photo by Alexey Grishin "Silence"):

I am truly grateful to Alexey Grishin for his assistance in equipment assembly and photography. Special thanks to dive center Planet Divers in Dahab and in particular – to blenders Mohammed and Samati.