Princess of the Orient/Mactan Ferry - Technical Wreck
In the past three months, Mandarin Divers has run two successful Wreck Diving trips.
On the Princess of the Orient (late May), divers managed to reach 115 metres with the aid of several trained support divers. This was preceded by one week of training on a smaller wreck lying in 70 metres of water and providing the perfect opportunity for the team of divers to build up to the bigger and deeper dive on the Princess.
The second wreck diving trip was to the M/V Mactan, a passenger ferry which lies of the Island of Maestro de Campo in the Philippines. During this trip the divers used a multitude of equipment from Open Cicuit to Closed Circuit Rebreathers. With the wreck lying at depths ranging from 24 metres to 50 metres it is suitable for a wide range of diving experience.
The M/V Mactan was a passenger ferry approximately 80 metres in length, during one evening in the seventies she got into trouble in a squall and ran aground allowing for a rescue of those on board with no loss of life.
The vessel provides a perfect site for both exploration dives around the outside of the vessel and also quite safe swim throughs to full penetration inside. A group of divers can easily spend several days diving this wreck finding many interesting areas during each dive.
Utilising this wreck, Mandarin Divers will conduct the two IANTD Programs - Advanced Wreck and Technical Wreck. These programmes are designed to teach divers in the techniques required for extended wreck penetration diving and the technical utilization of Nitrox gas mixes for wreck exploration and the use of Nitrox and Oxygen for decompression.
Initial training will begin in Hong Kong with the fundemental skills required and knowledge development, allowing for the wreck dives to be conducted on the M/V Mactan.
If you have an interest in the exploration of wrecks and wish to learn the techniques required for safe penetration click here for the required standards for the course, alternatively you can contact us for further details.
