Hemmoor february 2006  ( Gallery ) 

On the first weekend of February 2006, I took the sgt. Peppers to a very clear, 60 meter deep lake in Hemmoor, Germany. We had planned a meeting with Nemo, the sub from Berlin, to test the subs unmanned and dive together.

The testing was done by lowering the sub to 60 meter on a rope. Both subs were ballasted some 10 Kgs negative with filled ballast tanks. A video camera was fitted to the dome to see and hear water intrusion or other problems. After 20 minutes the main tanks were blown for a few seconds (if blown fully, the sub will come out of the water!) and the Pepper’s surfaced just in front of a television crew.

Then diving; we sailed the subs to an old cement factory which is from 18 to 30 meter under water . That was our finest hour: diving close together trough the flooded factory and along the vertical walls. The Pepper’s is a one person sub so Carsten and Emile chanced places after 40 mins. dives. A underwater cameraman shot a very nice movie.

After sunset both subs made a few night dives. In this case the spectators had the most beautiful view. The lights of the subs peering in the darkness was spectacular. Next on the program was dinner and a party. Carsten, the designer of sgt. Pepper’s and naval engineer, certified at base of test depth and calculated depth the Pepper’s for 44 meter an Nemo for 34 meter.

Next day diving again (after de-icing some frozen parts) . Andre, a friend of us, made a dive with Pepper’s and Nemo took a lot of passengers down for a ride. At a dive at the cement factory guided Carsten , who was diving with his rebreather, me trough a kind of a large funnel! Next time cave diving?

Wish we had one day longer but I droved home with a big smile anyway ;-)

The little sub has grown up. Almost all problems are solved (see rebuilt story). Only one thruster failed and we encountered some strange internal pressure built up at long and deep dives. This was later recognized as air leakage from a air compensated thrusters trough electrical wires to the hull.

Of coarse we have a lot of (luxury) wishes: a video camera, new thrusters, a emergency bouy and launching can be better.

This page was last updated on 12/27/07