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Reports written by Susan
Wels
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Images produced by Matt Tulloch | |||
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Thursday, August 27, 1998
"Towards evening the report, which I heard, was spread that wireless messages from passing steamers had been received advising the officers of our ship of the presence of icebergs and ice-floes....But despite them all, no diminution of speed was indicated and the engines kept up their steady running."
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For now, despite the storm warnings, we ‘re sticking it out in the North Atlantic. Hurricanes Bonnie and Danielle haven’t turned in our direction—yet. So we’re staying on site, with a close eye on the weather, and keeping to the expedition plan as long as we possibly can. That means another Nautile dive today—followed by a kind of ritual celebration that may be unique to the subculture of French deep-ocean submariners. |
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 Today,
for the Nadir crew, is Initiation Day. Young Pierre Guyavarch is
making his first dive as a co-pilot on Nautile and his first-ever
dive to the Titanic.So to welcome him back aboard, his mates have hauled out a huge green plastic trash can and two buckets filled with their special celebration recipe—kitchen scrapings, old red wine, vegetables, grease, fish sauce, spoiled soup, raw eggs, toilet paper and other pungent condiments. "You can add whatever else you like," admits chef cuisinier, Jean-Jacques Saillant. "It’s not a very exact recipe." By 6:45 p.m., the sub is back aboard Nadir, and the crew has gathered for the ceremony. Minutes later, they applaud wildly as Pierre gingerly climbs out in his yellow jumpsuit. Anticipating what's coming next, he prudently removes his wristwatch and glasses before diver Toune Edmond picks him up and deposits him, with a putrid splash, into the ritual trash can. |
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