Since I have acquired the taste for technical diving, I am quickly finding my options are limited concerning dive sites and boats adequately set up to deal with my extra equipment. Personally, I like something interesting to see on my dive. I guess this helps to justify why I should willingly fork out big bucks for a charter. On occasion dive operators will invite me to come along on one of their excursions to check out their operation or explore a new site.

Early this spring Mamro Adventures invited my tec-buddy, Ron Akeson, and me on a trip to Agamemnon Wall. They were setting up to accommodate technical divers and wanted our feedback. Both Ron and I have dived the wall before, with Bryce Christie on his charter boat Topline. We jumped at the idea of being able to explore it again with Trimix.

We met the 52-foot Mamro in Pender Harbour, and loaded our gear onboard. It was quite roomy, with a 13-foot beam, six individual berths and plenty of storage on the top deck for our extra dive and camera equipment. A 21-foot dive tender boat would be used as transport to and from the sites while the Mamro would be anchored nearby, waiting with good food, a hot shower and all the amenities of home. Unfortunately, hot showers and technical diving don't mix well.

In the dive-guide book, 101 Dives, by Betty Pratt-Johnson, the site is referred to as "Beneath The Power Lines," located on the eastern side of Agamemnon Channel, at the northern end. As a site worthy to both recreational and technical exploration, we found it best to enter the water during a slack current.

As we donned our doubles, hooked up two stage bottles each and prepared to enter the water (choice of back-roll or giant stride) I gave a thought to the hearty few who pursue this strenuous sport, via the
shore.

The water was clear with barely a noticeable surface current as we descended down the steep rock wall to 180 feet. As usual my two cameras were attached, although Ron was amazed I was able to find room for them.

Clusters of yellow, orange and white cloud sponge, believed to be several hundred years old (maybe more), grew larger with depth. We headed along the wall toward the point, looking for giant red gorgonian sea fans, something I have only seen deep at this site. Tiny three to five centimeter pink gorgonians were all over the rocks as if sprouting up like a new crop of sea fans. Then we spotted the big ones!

Several fans filled my wide-angle lens, almost swallowing up Ron. It was amazing! Small feather and basket stars clung to several gorgonian branches and Rock fish occupied almost every Cloud Sponge tube. Soon it was time to ascend. I was pleased to find an assortment of fish and invertebrate life to look at, since long deco stops can be so boring.

This time we brought our own gas mixture, but the Mamro pumps Nitrox and can offer Trimix, with prior arrangements. We usually kept our main gear on the small boat and hung the dry suits on the upper deck of the Mamro. In all, I found Mamro Adventures very accommodating and willing to customize to meet our needs, a service well appreciated by this technical diver.