Jump for it, or You’ve got to be kidding

Sometimes when I look back to those early years of running Alvin off of the AII I think it’s a miracle that no one was maimed or killed. In the beginning we just didn’t know what we were doing with any certainty. We were learning this launch and recovery business as we went along. That’s the thing about being on the leading edge; every one is waiting to see how you do it first before sticking their neck out.

Jon Borden and I did more of these early launch and recoveries than any one else. We spent a lot of time at the bottom of the learning curve.

One day in particular the weather was a bit rough on launch and stayed that way all day. Once the call is made to Alvin to leave the bottom it can take two and a half hours for it to get to the surface. A lot can happen in that short time and on this day it did. The wind freshened considerably and built the seas to a point that was becoming a big problem. As Jon and I were suiting up for the swim the Chief Pilot, Ralph Hollis came up to us and said “ It’s too rough to launch the small boat, you’re going to have to jump for it and ride the sub in.” Ralph was not known for his bubbly sense of humor so we knew this was no joke. This had never been done before but what the hell, we’re game, stupid but game.

We wrapped the basket safety lines around our waists, one each and I put the sound powered phone in a zip lock bag. That thing never works when it’s wet. As Jon and I stood on the side of the ship outboard of the rail we were ready in full wet-suits, masks and fins as the captain brought the ship as close as he dared in those seas. After jumping off the ship we still had to swim about 100 feet. That doesn’t sound very far but in those big seas and that wind it was tough. I was swimming one-handed as I held the phone out of the water. By the time we got aboard Alvin it was full dark, at least it wasn’t raining.

Since the ship needed to keep moving to maintain control they did a big circle so they could make another pass by us and throw the tow bridle. This turned out to be a big pain. We had to swim out that same 100 feet to grab it and swim back pulling this thing through those seas. I smoked about 30 cigarettes a day back then and so did Jon. This was turning into an afternoon’s work!

While we were hooking up the safeties and the tow bridle the ship did another big circle while paying out the tow line behind it. As they came by us again the Captain turned the ships head a bit to drag the tow line across our bow. This worked well and we were soon under tow and headed for the ship.

Hiding behind the sail, we tried to hang on as the sub was pulled through the waves. It was here that it occurred to me just how stupid we were. We were dressed in black wet-suits with black hoods. It was full dark and we didn’t have a light of any kind. No strobe, no Cyalume stick, no flashlight. Not even a whistle. If one of us was washed off the sub, something that does happen, the ship would not be able to stop.

We were hundreds of miles off shore. The chances of finding some one dressed in black at night were remote at best. Also it was only around 7 pm. With the water temp in the 50’s, surviving till daylight was very unlikely. This is what I meant about the bottom of the learning curve. This little problem had slipped through the cracks till now.

Well, this was all very real now. Not many people get put in a position of being faced with their own mortality and here on this job I’d faced it a few times already and hadn’t even tried to go to the bottom of the ocean yet! With a white knuckle grip we waited as the ship pulled us in under the A-frame. Everything went as it should even in those big seas but we were conscious to maintain a solid grip. Slipping and falling was not an option.

As Alvin is pulled from the water it can swing like a pendulum at the end of its lift line. Normally you jump off at deck level and the boat picks you up. Hanging on to the sub on the way up was quite a ride. As Alvin was pulled closer to mating with the A-frame the motion of the pendulum became quicker and crisper until it was seated with a hard clunk.

I’m surprised I didn’t pull the hand holds I had a death grip on right off the sub! Once we landed safely on deck the boys brought the ladder over and we climbed down. No problem, just another day at the office.