ABC DECKS (Maximum depth 32 to 35 m)
A Deck is the main deck of the Coolidge. It includes, technically, the foredeck and stern decks but this dive does not include those parts. B Deck is the next deck down and C Deck the one below that. As the Coolidge is laying on its port side, these decks run from right to left as you swim towards the bridge area.
This dive is an afternoon dive, one that takes you on a zig-zagging tour of the three main decks of the ship. It goes in and out of the various levels and can be done in various orders or sections. The following is just one description of a dive to this location.
![The hatch to A Deck]() | ![Inside A Deck]() |
Kelly entering A Deck via the front hatch | Inside A Deck looking back at the hatch |
Starting from the shore, you swim across the sand to the bow and then between the bow guns and under the mast to the Bridge. A Deck is the left most section of the bridge. As you will almost certainly do this as an afternoon dive, you do not really want to go to the bottom levels of this deck.
You enter A Deck via the top "window". In reality, this is a hatch that gave access from the deck to the foredeck behind Hold Two. It is in a straight line with what was the passageway along the entrances to the 9 cabins here (two were destroyed when the section past the Continental Lounge collapsed). You swim along this deck, going in between the many bathrooms. You end up coming out into the open at the end of the Lounge and in front of the Lobby.
![The Lobby from A Deck]() | ![Inside B Deck]() |
The Lobby | Inside B Deck looking back from the Lobby |
From here you go into the Lobby and turn left. This is B Deck. If you have time, you can go a little to the right on B Deck through the bottom level. If you do, you will see that the "floor" has collapsed and you can see out. I think that this is actually the sides of the boiler hatch and you are looking out the boiler funnel. See the photo above.
Backtracking, you head along B Deck towards the bow. There are more accommodation cabins along here. As well, there are lots of bathrooms. Inside these bathrooms, there are lots of artefacts. Things like rifles, shovels, helemts, gas masks, boots and more.
![Rifles and shovels on B Deck]() | ![More B Deck]() |
Rifles and shovels on B Deck | Lots of artefacts on B Deck Note the typewriter |
After going under and over bathrooms, you end up at the hatch that leads into Hold Two. This has even more artefacts. There are lots of bottles of different sizes, some of which look like they might have come from the Doctor's Office. Note that on this deck just inside Hold Two there used to be a Doctor's Office and the Crew Hospital.
![A bathroom on B Deck]() | ![The hatch to Hold Two]() |
Kelly swimming through a bathroom on B Deck | The hatch to Hold Two |
MORE TO COME
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