DSV Sea Lion

[captainschmid]

Does anyone have info, pictures on the Global Ind. dive support vessel, Sea Lion, that ran aground on the Fourchon jetties a few weeks ago? I heard there were divers in the compression chamber and had to be rescued by another boat.

[anchorman]

Does anyone have info, pictures on the Global Ind. dive support vessel, Sea Lion, that ran aground on the Fourchon jetties a few weeks ago? I heard there were divers in the compression chamber and had to be rescued by another boat.

I don't, but I believe the Sea Lion is the old "Global Diver 210". I was on that vessel (in '92) when it caught on fire and even lost the back-up generator. The guys in SAT barely made it. As a recreational and technical diver myself, I still don't see how those guys do it.

[c.captain]

I thought that she ran up on the jetties at SW Pass?

I did hear that they had to crane the bell off with all 4 divers in it, run it on a crewboat to Venice and then truck the bell to New Iberia to decompress them. That must have been one fun ride for those guys!

[stevefoster]

I thought that she ran up on the jetties at SW Pass?

I did hear that they had to crane the bell off with all 4 divers in it, run it on a crewboat to Venice and then truck the bell to New Iberia to decompress them. That must have been one fun ride for those guys!

I can only comment on the facts as I saw them. The company that owns the vessel put out a directive that any published pictures would result in the dismissal of the person publishing them. The Sea Lion had been working in the South Pass area between SW Pass and South Pass. When the Sea Lion began the voyage to Fouchon from it's work location, for some unknown reason the bridge personnel apparently decided to not go around (tongue in cheek) SW Pass. Consequently the vessel ran aground on the rocks just below SW Pass pilot station. Our DSV was ordered into SW pass with a Coast Guard escort to recover the Dive Bell with divers onto our vessel. The bell was loaded from the Sea Lion onto a volunteer crewboat which transported it to us, and we used our crane to load it onboard and integrate it into our SAT system. We then went back to work. When the divers from the Sea Lion completed their decompresion (about 4 more days) they were transported off the vessel. Sorry I can't give the name of my vessel or upload any pictures not wanting to lose my job, but I'm sure that eventually the whole story can be obtained on the Coast Guard webpage.

[c.captain]

Well we all know that the SEA LION was owned by Global Industries and if they think the whole ugly incident will go away by them intimidating people to not divuldge info on the accident, then they are woefully mistaken. Just about everyone who works offshore has heard about the SEA LION running up on the jetties even with other vessels calling them to warn that they were in danger!

Shame on Global for thinking we are such fools!

btw, have you seen Global's share price recently? ouch! Now they have decided to delay releasing their FY'08 results...I wonder why?