H.M.S Hermes Wreck popular Average Rating : 5.00 out of 5

9th of April 2012, exactly seventy years after sinking of the world's first purpose built air craft carrier HMS Hermes, the seas were calm
but seventy years ago the sky had appeared extremely dangerous, frightening !! Japanese dive bombers were seen in action to attack all the British naval assets.
Wreck hermes had received more than 40 direct hits and was sunk by Admiral Nagumos men !!
Hms Hermes lost her Capt. R.J Onslaw, 19 officers and 282 sailors.
about 400 were rescued by a Hospital ship. 23 sailors managed to swim to the shore. 8.5km.
Hermes has found her final resting place off the East coast of Sri lanka 9.3km NE of the Deep Sea resort.
As per the weather forecast sea expected to be calm wind 4km S at 0600 hrs and 14km N at 1200 hrs. Due to the change of wind direction strong surface currents were predicted.
Self (feli) and Sashaan left the Deep Sea Resort after observing a minutes silence. Elapse time to the wreck was 20 mins.

We used our gps and dropped anchor. We felt the currents were strong.
The shot line was tied on to the life ring and then to our boat.
Boat Capt was ready with his lazy shot line (current line)
We used twin doubles as back gas and a 12 ltr alu cylinder with Nitrox 50% for the staged decompression. Sashaan used a S-40 cylinder for his deco.
In strong surface currents we managed to reach the bilge keel of the wreck in 3 mins. We swam towards the forward pom pom gun and
saw the box full of shells. Bottom temp was about 28 c' and vis 25m.
We placed flowers near the super structure. The crows nest at 58m
appeared clear. Marine life was stunning !!!
Our bottom time was 22m and the average depth was 44m.

After our two deep stops at 42m and 32m we reached 21m depth to swap the gas to 50% nitrox.
We initiated the ascend along the shot line. It was convenient for two divers.
Our deco was as follows
21m - 2min
18m - 2 mins
15m - 2 mins
12m - 2 mins
9m - 2 mins
6m - 12 mins

6m - 1m 5 mins as a safety measure.

There a few survivors of the Hermes still in there late 80s and 90s. Daughter of one of them contacted me and sent pictures of her
father. She says 9th of April has a special place in her fathers heart.

Quote

CC: lesley_harker@hotmail.com

My father Richard William Henry Groom survived the bombing of HMS Hermes. He is still alive today and lives in Hartlepool, although not in the best of health, he is aged 89.

If this is of any interest to you please reply to my hotmail address of which I have copied this e-mail into.

Kind regards
Lesley Harker
Daughter of Richard Groom

Unquote

I replied to her and she has sent some pictures of her father.

Richard William Henry Groom s story will follow !!

HMS Hermes -- Rest in Peace

Feli
To see the pictures of our dive on the 9th April My 316th dive and Sashaan's 1st Hermes dive,
please visit www.srilanka-divingtours.com

http://www.srilanka-divingtours.com/index.php?option=com_expose&Itemid=16

Hi TEC Divers,

With a group of Dive tour operators we dived the wreck hermes a few days ago. Excellent visibility. 30m plus. The Deep sea Resort can now meet the challenge. The six air conditioned rooms built adjoining the lagoon and the Sri lanka's only Tec dive center and the service provider to dive the wreck hermes, has some trees growing. WIFI internet.
The Tec dive center is better equipped with two compressors.
One with a three phase motor and the other as a back up with a petrol engine,. The air bank makes filling easier for the 2nd dive. Batticaloa seas are famous for afternoon winds,

The land based operation is very convenient., No motion sickness. Evening and night outings,
The roads are excellent.
The deep sea resort has a Tec deep Instructor present at all times. Season will commence in mid April. Apart from the wreck Hermes, more wrecks are identified and facilities are good enough to dive.

The cook can please the diver with his cooking capabilities.
Sea food.
for more details visit www.srilanka-divingtours.com
Happy diving
Feli
Tec Deep Instructor