Chapter 16 bold plan

Chatterton's plan to investigate the mysterious submarine looks daring and deadly. Normally, divers dive with two cylinders, but Chatterton was planning to carry only one into the diesel engine compartment.Then he planned to take the cylinder off his back and hold it to his chest—like a child just learning to swim with a kickboard—through the narrow passage between the fuel tank and the ceiling of the submarine.Once at the other end of the diesel engine bay, he'd sling the cylinders on his back again and swim to the adjacent electric motor bay, where he'd look for the iconic sticker on the spare parts box.After finding the spare parts box, he would swim back to the diesel engine compartment, hand the spare parts box to Kohler, and then take off the gas cylinder on his back and get out the same way.Chatterton figured that if he carried just one gas cylinder—and removed it from his back—he could bypass the fuel tank that nearly blocked all access to the motor compartment and enter it through the narrow passage.

The dangers of this plan can be imagined.If only carrying a cylinder, Chatterton can only stay at the other end of the fuel tank for a maximum of 20 minutes. "Forget it," Kohler said on the phone after Chatterton revealed the plan, "this is the craziest plan I've ever heard in my life, I can't just watch you die, I don't want you to kill yourself .” "It's a good idea," Chatterton said, "and it works." "It's crazy," Kohler said. Kohler took out a notebook and listed the possible dangers.Most of the possibilities end with "John died from running out of air".Here's what he listed:

- Chatterton can become entangled with various objects - wires, pipes, machine parts, fixtures, bent steel pipes, or anything else; - Chatterton may be hit by falling debris; - If the parts on the machine fall off, it will block Chatterton's escape route; ——If only one gas cylinder is carried, Chatterton will lose its only gas source in the event of an accident, such as a high-pressure gas pipe or other equipment failure; —the heightened danger faced would certainly make Chatterton's breathing more rapid than normal, which would mean that the already limited supply of air would be consumed more rapidly;

——The motor room is full of cables, wires, and mechanical equipment that divers have never seen before, which means that Chatterton cannot have the time to pre-conceive the layout in his mind as usual; - there is no exit at the other end of the motor room, as the stern section has been bent downwards after the impact; ——Since no divers or waves have stirred the water in half a century, there may be a lot of sediment accumulated in it, and Chatterton's actions in it are likely to stir up all the silt and rust, and visibility will decrease to zero; ——Chatterton's exhaled air bubbles would stir up the fuel and lubricating oil adhering to the ceiling, and the oil mist would stick to the mask, affecting his vision, and even seep into his mouth.

"Any one of those things could kill you," Kohler said, "but you're lucky if only one of those things happens. More than likely, multiple things happen to you, and your Lives will be delivered sooner. And don't forget the greatest danger, John." "What is the greatest danger?" "You were alone in that cabin. Even if I agreed to this daring plan of yours, even if I waited for you on the other side of the obstacle, I would not be able to help you if you were in danger. I could not put my Take off your tank and swim over. I have children and I have a family to support. The only thing I can do is watch you die."

"Now we can't give up," Chatterton said. "I finally came up with this plan. That's why I chose to dive, Ricky. That's the skill." "It's so fucking dangerous." "I need your help." "I never approve, John. I won't go." The two hung up the phone.Chatterton's plan quickly spread throughout the diving community.There are basically two views on his plan.Chatterton's friends, including John.Yuga and Danny.Cromwell, who thought Chatterton was "out of his fucking mind".And those who had only casual acquaintances said: "If he wants to die, let him do it."

For three full days, Chatterton and Kohler did not speak on the phone.Kohler evaluated Chatterton's diving plan from various angles, but the final conclusion was the same - Chatterton either died of suffocation or was trapped in the submarine by a fallen steel pipe. Le's inability to swim through the chasm did him any favors.But he also often thought of another scene, the first time he and Chatterton dived together on the mysterious submarine.When floating in the water, he was pleasantly surprised to find that Chatterton's backpack was full of porcelain, and he instinctively moved closer to Chatterton to take a closer look.But Chatterton quickly took the bag over, turned around and blocked Kohler's sight—they hated each other and the values ​​that each other represented at the time, they stalemate for a while, and then Chatterton understood Kohler's words idea.A few seconds later, he handed the bag to Kohler.

Koehler called Chatterton. "John, I don't want to watch you die," Kohler said, "but we are partners, and I can't leave you at this time." "We're buddies, Ricky," Chatterton said, "so let's do it." Their first attempt was scheduled for August 17, 1997.For a week before his departure, Chatterton rehearsed his movements, from the office to the garage to the store, mastering every possible detail, because any negligence could lead to his death.At this time, his divorce procedures were basically completed. When he first discovered the mysterious submarine in 1991, he was convinced his marriage would last forever.But now Casey didn't even know about his plans for the adventure.Many nights, whenever he thought of his marriage, he was in agony.At this time, he would always tell himself: "For this dive, I must get rid of all distracting thoughts in my mind. I must concentrate on it. If I can't do it, if there is even a little distraction, I will never go back." coming."

On August 17, Chatterton, Kohler and five other excellent wreck divers boarded the "Explorer" and set out to investigate the mysterious submarine.No one spoke on the way.In the morning, Chatterton and Kohler worked together to analyze their plan.He will use the first dive to test out the feel of removing the tank, observe the entrance to the motor compartment, and study the terrain inside.Kohler would stay at the entrance above the fuel tank, illuminating Chatterton with a flashlight, and ready to pick up whatever Chatterton might find. "Let's make a signal," Chatterton said to Kohler, putting on his fins. "If I hit the hammer three times, or flash the flashlight three times, or do something else three times, it means I've met Trouble."

"Okay, that means you're in trouble," Kohler replied, "I still can't squeeze in through that gap to help you. That means if you do something three times, basically It means you're done." "Yes, that's right." A few minutes later, Chatterton and Kohler were in the water.Chatterton carried a total of three cylinders - one for the motor compartment and two for the descent and ascent.Once the two arrived at the wreck, Chatterton placed the two spare cylinders on board the sub before starting to use his main cylinder. The pair swam to the fuel tank blocking the hatch for the diesel engine bay and electric motor.Chatterton took the cylinder off his back and hugged it to his chest.Kohler floated to the gap between the fuel tank and the ceiling, and Chatterton was trying to get in through this gap.Chatterton kicked the water with his fins and swam forward and upward.A few feet further on, he was about to execute his crazy plan, and now he had time to stop and turn away, after all they had solved the mystery of the submarine.But he didn't stop.After a few seconds, he pushed the cylinder through the gap—being careful not to slip it out of his hands—and squeezed his body through.Once at the other end of the diesel engine bay, he put the cylinder back on his back.No diver has ever been here.He started his expedition.

The path to the motor compartment is clearly visible.Chatterton swam through the rectangular hatch leading to the motor room and into the cabin.This is where he and Koehler thought there should be a submarine logo.The doubts that had accumulated in Chatterton's mind for six years filled him with an urge to move forward.But he suppressed the impulse in his heart.The purpose of his trip has been achieved.He still had enough air left to breathe for ten minutes.He wanted to use these ten minutes to familiarize himself with the way back.He swam back to the gap in the fuel tank and pushed the cylinder out again.A few seconds later, he and the cylinder were back in this end of the diesel engine bay without a hitch.He put the cylinder on his back again, swam to the place where the spare cylinder was stored, and put on another breathing regulator.Now he has enough air to complete the decompression.Kohler shook his head at him, his eyes full of surprise.Chatterton rounded out the experience perfectly. The second dive of the day was canceled due to bad weather.The next voyage is scheduled for August 24, 1997.During the week in between, Kohler's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.If Chatterton could make this dive as he did the first time, he thought, he might have accomplished what he called his vision. This time the plan was basically the same as the first time, with just one more step: After Chatterton had cleared the obstacle and put his tank back on his back, Kohler would hand him a video recorder.If necessary, Chatterton can use a video recorder to record the scene in the cabin for future research. Like last time, Chatterton pushed the cylinder through the crack above with ease.But the VCR Kohler handed him didn't work.He swam back to the top of the cabin to pass the video recorder to Kohler.But at this time, he had put on the gas cylinder again, and he found that with the gas cylinder on his back, his figure was too huge, and it was difficult to approach the gap.Chatterton saw a huge steel pipe near the ceiling.He grabs the pole and pulls his body forward.But the pole wobbled and fell suddenly, hitting Chatterton in the knee, trapping him between the pole and one of the diesel engines.His heart began beating violently, and he commanded himself to hold his breath.He looked at the steel pipe—one end of the steel pipe was fixed to the machine next to it.Chatterton reached out slowly, trying to move the pole off his lap.But the weight of the steel pipe is too heavy, at least 200 pounds.He tried to move the steel pipe with force.His breathing rate was increasing and his air volume was dropping precipitously.He tried again, but this time the pole was lifted only an inch before it stopped.Chatterton pressed harder.The pointer of the gauge on the gas cylinder dropped again, but the steel pipe remained motionless.Chatterton tried to pull his leg out, but he couldn't move, he was stuck here. Chatterton began to speak to himself. "Fear is the killer," he thought. "Take a thirty-second break. Calm down." Kohler looked in through the gap.But there is silt everywhere.He can't see anything.He figured that Chatterton might be continuing his work inside. "Be sure to deal with this problem," Chatterton said to himself. "A lot of divers die because they didn't deal with the first problem that came up. Don't let it snowball." Chatterton's air gauge continued to drop. "All I have to do with it," Chatterton thought, "is just move things off of me and get out of here. Calm down, don't create more problems, I'll just get out of here." Chatterton replayed the process of the steel pipe collapsing in his mind.He spent five minutes trying to move the pole in the opposite direction, but couldn't move at all.He continued to concentrate on recalling the accident over and over again in his mind.Another five minutes passed, and the steel pipe was still unable to move.Chatterton instinctively had the urge to yell.But he forced himself to suppress his inner instinct.He had enough air to last five minutes.He wants to continue the analysis. With only enough air for a few minutes, Chatterton tried again to move the pole.If this effort failed too, he would run out of time.He pushed hard until he felt loose on one end of the pole, and he pushed on the other end.The pole finally fell forward and cleared his knees.Chatterton hurried away from the engine and swam towards the gap quickly, but he still kept his cool head.His gauge pointer is already approaching the red warning zone.He removed the cylinder from his back, then kicked his fins and twisted his body through the gap in the upper part of the cabin.Koehler swam over to meet Chatterton, but stepped out of the way when he saw Chatterton swimming directly to the spare cylinder he had kept on the wreck.After a while, Chatterton had replaced the spare cylinder.His main tank was essentially out of air.By the time he swam out of the gap, there was probably not enough air in the tank to last a minute. Back on the boat, Chatterton recounted his experience at the bottom of the sea.It was Danny for the day.Cromwell, who was in charge of steering the boat, said to the other divers after listening: "If it had happened to any other diver in the world, I would have called the Coast Guard to collect the body today." Kohler's face turned pale, and he never realized that Chatterton had encountered any difficulties. "Give up," Kohler said. "It's too dangerous. This plan is a mistake. John, you should reconsider. It's too dangerous." "Let's fix the video," Chatterton said, pulling a bottle of soda out of the cooler. "I'm going to do some more video on my second dive today." Kohler walked away. "What a madman," he whispered. A few hours later, Chatterton returned to the diesel engine compartment, while Kohler was still waiting outside helplessly.This time the VCR finally worked.Chatterton walked through the rectangular hatch leading to the motor compartment.All the silt accumulated in half a century was stirred up and spread around him.Chatterton aimed the VCR where he thought the spare parts box should be—the VCR always sees better than the human eye when underwater.When visibility dropped to zero, Chatterton exited the motor compartment, swam back through the gap, and handed the VCR to Koehler.He removed the cylinder—a move he had grown accustomed to—and swam out of the diesel engine bay.He found nothing.He even nearly died on his first dive.But now he has underwater footage.Back on the boat, they stripped off their wetsuits, and he thanked Kohler for his help as the boat returned to the dock. "I'll get the spare parts box next time," Chatterton said. "I feel it. Next time." Their next submarine trip was scheduled for a week later, on August 31, 1997.Chatterton spent the week studying the footage he had taken underwater.He saw what seemed to be three or four boxes in one place.It's now clear to him that his next dive will be his time to unravel the mystery of the submarine. Kohler was engaged in a fierce ideological struggle at home.Chatterton, his friend and companion, would have been buried a minute later.To make matters worse, Chatterton had to go back to search for the spare parts box on Sunday.Koehler knew that the motor compartment was the most dangerous place, filled with wires, pipes, jagged metal sheets and thick silt.He also understood Chatterton's thinking.On Sunday, his friend wouldn't rest until he found an answer.On Sunday his friend would die in the submarine. Kohler decided to quit.Even though he is very eager to give the relatives and history of the crew an answer, he is not willing to watch his friend drown at the bottom of the sea. But every time he picks up the phone, he hesitates and eventually puts it back.There was, he thought, a worse situation than watching a friend die on a shipwreck, and that would be to stay at home and wait for the news, not knowing whether Chatterton was dead or alive. On the evening of Saturday, August 31, 1997, the "Explorer" left the dock and headed straight for the mysterious submarine.Chatterton and Kohler barely spoke.They all know that today is the day to solve the problem. The next morning, the weather was fine and the water was calm.Over breakfast, Chatterton asked Koehler if he was ready to accept the spare parts box he was about to pass through the gap.Kohler nodded.An hour later, they arrived at the wreck.Chatterton removed the cylinder, hugged it to his chest, and floated horizontally in the water like Superman through the gap between the barrier and the ceiling.Kohler took out his flashlight and swam to the gap, he wanted to show Chatterton the way back. Visibility in the diesel engine bay is good.Chatterton put the tank back on his back and slid through the rectangular hatch leading to the motor compartment.The scene inside was exactly as shown in the video, and he looked to the right.A stack of spare parts boxes stacked on top of each other like a pyramid from the largest to the smallest.The gaps between them are completely filled with sediment and rust from the sea floor.The smallest one looks slightly larger than a shoebox.These spare parts boxes were just what Chatterton was looking for. Chatterton moved to the spare parts box.He found a five-foot length of iron pipe stuck at a thirty-degree angle above the box, which had probably come off the machinery in the cabin.Chatterton pushed the boxes gently.But the iron pipe clamped them tightly, and the box did not move.He put his hand in the gap between the boxes, but couldn't move.Now he saw that the iron pipes held the boxes firmly in place.He took out his diving knife and tried to pry the iron pipe open, but the iron pipe was very strong.The silt above the head fell off one after another, reducing visibility to zero.Chatterton turned and exited the cabin.He had now envisioned the final step in his plan, and he was going to take some drastic action. After returning to the ship, Chatterton briefly briefed Kohler on the situation below. "The boxes are glued together, and there's a huge iron pipe stuck to them," Chatterton said. "But those are the boxes we're looking for, Ricky. If there's a tag on the sub, it's in those boxes." superior." "Great," Kohler said, "but if you can't move it, what are you going to do?" "Use a hammer. I'll bring down a stubby hammer. I must get those boxes." Swinging a hammer at 230 feet on the ocean floor is one of the fastest ways for a diver to run out of air.Kohler knew no objection was necessary, since Chatterton would not follow any advice. "I'll find you a hammer," Kohler said. Four hours later, Chatterton and Kohler went into the water again.Chatterton took off the cylinder with ease and pushed it to the other end of the cabin.He also got through the gap with a hammer.Once inside, he put the tank back on his back and swam to the motor compartment.Kohler looked at the diving watch to calculate the time, and he kept silently praying for Chatterton. Chatterton swam quickly into the motor compartment.The cabin was still clouded with mud from his last dive.But he could still see the spare parts boxes and the iron pipes stuck on them through the mud fog.His method was simple: he used a hammer to break the iron pipes loose, and then used a crowbar to pry the boxes open one by one. Chatterton swam slowly to within two feet of the iron pipe.He holds the handle of the hammer with both hands—the technique of using a tool in water is different from that on land, where a diver pushes the hammer forward from his chest rather than swinging his arms.He knelt on the ground in front of the box with his left knee, and put his right foot on the fixed machine next to him.Then, with a sudden force, he hit the hammer on the connection part of the iron pipe and the box.After being shaken, the sediment in the cabin fell, and Chatterton stopped moving.When all the debris fell to the ground, he watched in amazement at the sight before him.The iron pipe remained motionless.And it's not an iron pipe.After the sediment fell off, Chatterton recognized it as a five-foot high-pressure oxygen cylinder.Slightly larger than the one that blew up Chatterton's garage, but basically the same.It was a miracle that the cylinder did not explode under Chatterton's pounding. "I'm going to think about it," Chatterton said to himself. He made a quick decision in his mind.He had two options, he could turn around and get out of the cabin immediately, or he could hit the tank with the hammer again, but this time he had to hit the top - which was the most dangerous place - to loosen the tank. "If this thing explodes, I won't hear anything," Chatterton thought, "because I've been blasted to pieces." "If I leave now, I'm still whole." He took a step forward, but stopped again. One cannot really know oneself when things are so easily done. He closed his hand on the smooth hammer handle again. Only in the face of the greatest test can a person truly reveal his potential. He raised the hammer to his chest. Many people never get such an opportunity in their lifetime. He took a deep breath and gathered his strength. Mystery Submarine was my test. He pushed the hammer against the top of the high-pressure cylinder. What I am doing now is the best proof to myself... The hammer slams into the top of the cylinder.The whole cabin was shaking.There was mud fog everywhere.Chatterton waited for the explosion.But the only sound he could hear was the sound of bubbles exhaling from the regulator, and the sound of metal snapping.He looked ahead through the mud fog, the oxygen cylinder had fallen from the box, and he was still alive. "Oh my God," he exclaimed. Chatterton swam to the box, took the smallest one off, and put it in his bag.He looked at his watch—he had five minutes left.He swam out of the motor compartment toward Kohler's light.Despite its weight, he lifted it through the crevice and handed it to Kohler, who passed it to another diver to take it up to check for a tag.It was time for Chatterton to get out of here, but he had three minutes left.He didn't want to leave, probably the first box didn't have a label on it.There were other boxes in the motor bay, and he had to get the second box out.Koehler shook the flashlight desperately, but Chatterton turned and swam in. A minute later, Chatterton found the second box.But this one was much heavier than the first one, and he couldn't pick it up and swim to Kohler.So Chatterton began rolling the boxes out of the motor bay, with visibility reduced to a minimum.Chatterton turned on the flashlight to check the gauges, but he couldn't see anything—there was nothing to see in the cabin.He kept pushing the box, getting closer to Kohler with each push.He brought the watch close to his face, but he could only vaguely see the outline of the hands.It took him longer than planned and he abandoned the box. "I'm exhausted," he thought. Chatterton swam to the top of the motor room so he could swim out of the pitch-black cabin according to the topography of the ceiling.His sense of direction was spot on and soon he found the hatch leading to the diesel engine bay.Now he was just a few feet from Kohler.He continued to swim forward when suddenly his head was pulled back and a coil was placed around his neck.Chatterton got tangled up in wires. He tried to move back slightly, but he couldn't.His tiny movement tangled the diving equipment behind him on cables hanging from the ceiling.He is now completely trapped in the wreck.Chatterton knew he didn't have time to relax and analyze the situation, even though he knew it was necessary under the circumstances.He knew he had to break free.Kohler waited outside, constantly looking at his watch.Chatterton was not a little late, he was already too late. Chatterton grabbed the coil around his throat and tore it from his neck, breathing more rapidly.He reached out to grab the cable wrapped around the dive equipment, but he couldn't pull it off, he still couldn't move.He continued to tug, but the cable did not loosen.He pulled again with all the strength in his body.Finally, the cable came off.After getting away, Chatterton quickly swam to Kohler.He knew that even the slightest entanglement would kill him now.After a while, he reached the crack.Now he just needs to take the tank off and swim across.He took a deep breath and reached for the cylinder.But only very little gas went from the regulator into his mouth.Chatterton knew the feeling, his tank was nearly empty. Chatterton quickly took down the gas cylinder and pushed it out of the gap, and then squeezed out of the gap himself.Once outside, he took another breath, but nothing.He was out of air. Chatterton spat the regulator out of his mouth and his only hope was to swim to the spare cylinder.But the spare cylinder was still outside the cabin, at least fifty feet away.He dared not use his tank with Kohler, because even the slightest delay, or miscommunication, could kill him.Chatterton's mouth was completely exposed to the water now, but he swam forward calmly as best he could.He'd seen divers struggling to die.Now he might die too, but he won't struggle. Chatterton rushed out of the diesel engine room and swam quickly to the top of the wreck.Kohler was stunned when he saw that there was no regulator in Chatterton's mouth, and he also followed Chatterton to swim out.Chatterton, whose lungs were about to explode, finally saw the spare cylinder.He swam forward vigorously.Every cell in his body, hungry for oxygen, forced his mouth open.He shut his mouth tightly.When he finally reached the spare cylinders, he quickly grabbed the regulator on one of the cylinders, plugged it into the inlet, and opened the valve on the cylinder.Fresh air rushed into his lungs, and Chatterton finally survived. A few seconds later, Kohler was beside him.He looked Chatterton in the eye and pointed to his chest, meaning "You almost gave me a heart attack."The two began to decompress and ascend.For nearly two hours, Chatterton thought about the dangers he encountered during the dive.From time to time he exclaimed, "I will never allow something like this to happen again." He completely forgot the spare parts box he had handed Kohler for the other divers to take aboard. As their decompression drew to a close, Chatterton and Koehler saw another diver, Weir.Macbeth swam down the anchor line.McBeth handed Chatterton a slate like the one on which Chatterton had written "submarine" when he first discovered the submarine six years earlier.But this time the contents of the slate are different.This time, it reads: Mystery Sub now has a name - it's U869. Congratulations A few years ago, Koehler might have jumped for joy, and Chatterton might have clenched his fists in victory.But today, they looked into each other's eyes.Then almost at the same time, both of them held out their hands.Their hands were tightly held together.Today they found the most important thing.Today, they found the answer.