Diving in Odessa.

The most difficult and remarcable diving is usually in Ukraine. The water in Black Sea unpredictable – it can be cold, with short visibility, with strong changable currents. Usually you need dry suit and a lot of brave…

This time we went to Odessa port for diving into Sulina. We had been here 2 times before.

Sulina was freight ship of Romanian govermental company SMR (Serviciul Meritim Romania). This company was established at 1896 and to beggining of World War Second had 17 ships.

Sulina was build in 1940 in Palermo, Italy. This ship was ordinary freight.

When WW2 starts, Roman Navy took from SMR all ships and use them for transportation of military staff.

In May 1942 Sulina with convoy followed to Niklolayev. Just before Odessa convoy changed. This aquatoria was more or less safe for Germany. Nobody know when and how Soviet submarina appears. Sulina was torpeded. There are still question, does she sunk because torpedo attack or because she blowed on mine.

Now the rests of this ship are in 10 km from Odessa port.

We quickly put our huge staff on small diving ship. This is not special diver boat. There is no real place for tanks or equipment. You need to organize all to yourself. We had been 10 divers and more then 150 kg of weights.

It was sunny Saturday morning. We checked our equipment and were ready to jump when we reached our destination. The point was marked by white plastic bottle. Sulina is on 22 m deepth. She has big heel. So, it’s easy – if your head is on the upper side and legs are direction lower side- the stern will be to your left hand and the bow will be to your right hand.

Divers from divecenter put on special rope and our adventure starts.

First – I forgot how to use my dry suit. Actually, we dive often. But not in dry suits. So, to be completely shure I close special valve on my left arm sleeve. I did the same to my husband. And we jumped into cold dark water! It was really hard to went down… We tried 3 times…. Then we did it!

You need to keep rope all the time. if you release it – you will lost it. Anyway.

The ship appeared suddenly. The water was dark green with plankton and numerous jellyfishes. All iron body was covered with millions of mussels. In holes live small fishes. We turned left and swim to stern. It was not cold for me. But temperature was 6 C. Last time we dived it was 1C…

On the very stern, external side, there is a big sign SULINA, big round blazonry with lions and crown and another sign. I think Constanza. But I am not shure. We look on. Wait few minutes and turn again direction the rope. One minute later I see how Ivan became a big baloon- he flight into infinity very fast… I tried to catch him by fins, but missed. In this moment I lifted up few meters and also start my flight to surface! My valve was half closed and air inside dry suit expanded with every meter.

We appeared on surface… All was OK and the depth from which we flight was not owfull – only 12 m. But it was not good.

With big dificult we took ourselves from the water. Other people returned in few minutes. There were some small problems, but in common, everything was OK.

But it wasn’t OK with ship – the ancors rope blow and our ship wasn’t more in one point. We slowly moved somewhere.

It was time return to port. Pity. But I am sure, that divers were really happy about this!))

We change our dresses in pansion and return to restaurant for a dinner. It was perfect – fresh small Black Sea fish and soup. With fish also. ))

Our next day started earlier – we need to find ancor and torch, which I loose yesturday.

The day was still and sunny – one of the best time to dive!

After short preparation ( only one hour with half) we jumped into the water. We had been first with Ivan. Other waited for something. Don’t know what…

This time we checked all more careful. So we reached Sulina much more quicker. At 13m it was termocline. Today temperature was better: 7 C.

I remember our dives in Balaclava in Krimea in summer. The temperature outside +35 C, cold current, surface T=15C and on the depth from 10m temperature was 6C. For Black Sea this was normal….

And again we turned left. There were two bollards at the stern ( I found only two). Each has sign SMR . Because no one mention them before I decided that I found smth very new! We again took a look on blazonry. All was so mistical!

When we returned on board I told about SMR. The guides from Odessa divecenter know this point but cannot explain what does it mean. They also said, that all ships crockery was marked the same way.

At home I found all information about Seviciul Meritim Roman. Now it wasn’t strange, that crockery was marked this way. It was my little own investigation. And it was succssesful!

We need to went to another wreck but Ancor was still on the bottom. He was founded but not well roped and lifted up.

Our third dive we turn right side to the bow. Just near bow was gun on the sand bottom. But we didn’t understand this in that moment. We look for really big gun and cannot imagine that it’s so small! We see bubbles flight from inner parts of ship – another divers get inside.

Our diving finished and we started our way home. To Kiev.