Chapter 21

Before we start!

Due to some questions, about the size of the Ocean Wanderer and if she can handle a helicopter, the following pictures.

ONE: Puma helicopter inside the hangar aboard the ship that the “Ocean Wonderer” was based on. Note the folded main rotors and floatation devices. Due to the longer size of the Super Puma, or the AS332J, the tail rotor section of the AS332J would also be folded flash with the tail-boom. On this one it’s not done, because she is shorter than the AS332J.

TWO: Puma out on helideck of the ship of that ship.

Captain Davie took us all to a big cabin on the ship. It looked like a type of lecture hall, but in fact it doubled as the officer’s mess. It was big enough to accommodate a group of at least three times the size of our party.

The vessel had a crew of forty but could accommodate up to 138 souls. With a displacement of 1837 tons and a tonnage of 6123 tons, this LRS Ice Class 1 ship was not small. She measured 112 metres in length with a beam of 18 metres. She can travel 28000 kilometres at a cruise speed of 12.5 knots. Fourteen knots maximum, if in an emergency.

This left plenty of space for my plan to have the girls stay on board the vessel. Darya had other ideas and sought me out after we had our meet and greet with the captain and the crew.

“I need to speak with you, Captain, if you don’t mind, and have time.”

“No problem, Darya. Do you want to speak with me a little more privately?”

“Yes, I would appreciate it,” she said and wiped a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“It will be no problem, let us all first get settled into cabins, and then we can have a chat. Will that be in order with you?”

“Thanks, Captain. Call me when you are available. I think we are all along the same passage of cabins down below.”

“I’ll send for you. Don’t worry, Darya.”

“Thank you, Captain. May I be dismissed?”

“Darya, please, don’t be so formal. Around our group, I’m just Ash.”

“Discipline is discipline, Captain. But thank you ... ahem ... Ash.”

“We are nearly like family, and I see you as a friend, so stop this nonsense.”

“Okay, but don’t let the major hear about it,” Darya said, smiling and looking shy.

The cabins on this ship were on a lower deck. The eight of us were given cabins all along the starboard (right-hand) side of the deck and were near to the midships of the vessel. I found myself being given one of the forward-most cabins. Angie was four cabins down the passageway. Between us, Friederich and Gretah were next to me, then Leah and Olivia sharing a cabin. Then Darya and Lorie, and finally Angie all by herself. Not that it had any effect on her. She was just glad she did not need to share. I wondered why, but let it pass.

Once in my cabin, I made myself as comfortable as possible. I had no idea for how long we will be staying on the ship. I had a sheaf of paper maps with me; mostly hydro-graphic maps about the seabed and the tidal currents around Spencer Bay.

There are five big ocean gyres in the world. The North Pacific gyre, the South Pacific gyre, the Indian Ocean gyre, and then the North Atlantic and South Atlantic gyres. Where we are now, on the western coast of Africa, the Benguela Current flows north along the coast. The Benguela Current forms the western boundary of the anti-clockwise South Atlantic gyre. North of the Namibian border, it meets up head-on with a weaker and warmer Angola Current, both turning westward towards South America, where again they meet up with the Brazil Current. Then they flow southwards and hit the east-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar current. This massive ocean gyre breaks away from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current and, fuelled by the south-westerly winds and the Benguela current, begin the circular path over and over, as it has been doing for millennia.

It is understandable that lots of debris and stuff gets accumulated along the way, which usually ends up on some beach somewhere along the two continent’s coasts.

While browsing through Gretah’s journal copy, I discovered something and showed it to Angie. Angie was knowledgeable about the earth’s tectonic plates and their workings and added to my understanding of these phenomena. Not only did Max’s grandfather SEE the submarine sink, but he described it in detail.

The copy of Gretah’s journal had some pages that were written in another hand and looked like they were torn out of another book or binder. Could this be from Max’s grandfather?

The detail made me recall something I read about the final sinking of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. She capsized and sank. Only she did not sink to the bottom of the ocean floor at first. No, she sank out of sight under the sea surface, but drifted on the ocean currents under the surface of the sea for miles before she finally sank to the bottom.

Max’s grandfather described the sinking of the submarine in a similar way. The U-boat “ ... turned over on its back, before it sank away, under the surface of the sea...”

If U-398 took the same path to the bottom of the ocean, she might not likely be where Max’s grandfather thought he saw her sink.

That is why I got hold of all the geographical and oceanographical data I could get. Maybe we will be lucky, and she sank right to the bottom. Maybe, trapped air inside the hull kept her from sinking directly down, and she drifted for hours or maybe days, on the Benguela Current. She could be miles away from where everybody thinks she might be.

Maybe that’s what happened to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, caught in the Indian Ocean Gyre? And those aircraft and ships in the Bermuda Triangle; some caught in the North Atlantic Gyre, maybe ending up on the north coast of Africa? Who knows?

Parts belonging to Flight 370 were found on the east coast of Madagascar and some even as far afield as northern KwaZulu Natal, on the east coast of South Africa. But then again, I really don’t know anything about the ocean gyre activity. Does the Bermuda Triangle fall within the reach of the North Atlantic gyre?

If we don’t find U-398 within a radius of five kilometres from the given coordinates, I think we’ll be in for some big-time search of the ocean floor. This could take months to complete. I wonder how much it was worth for Charley, or even Gretah and Friederich to find the missing submarine. For Angie, it was an adventure. To the TC rangers and the three Angels, and maybe me, it was just a paycheque.

(I wonder what Max was up to in the meantime?)

The Sea Swan was untied from her moorings inside the inner basin of Lüderitz harbour. She looked about the same as the Albatross II, even down to the colour scheme: blue hull with a white superstructure. Massive diamond-sucking vacuum pipes ran along her sides and were tied to her afterdeck.

There was the usual scurrying of seagulls milling around in the sky, caught up in the excitement of a ship leaving port. Some of them would follow the ship in the hope of finding something valuable to eat, like human castaway food. That tasted better than everyday raw fish.

From the bridge, Max looked down on the crew going about the tasks of getting the ship underway. He smiled, itching to try the new sonar equipment. He was told that he could find a metre-long rusty metal concrete reinforcement rod at thirty metres. Max didn’t think that he needed to search much deeper than that for the sunken submarine. Then again, the bigger the thing he’s looking for, the deeper the sonar will detect it.

Adolf sat down on a chair next to Max, munching away on a hamburger he bought just before boarding.

“Where do you think on going to start the search, Max?” Adolf asked between bites.

“I think the most likely place is to go up north and start in Spencer Bay. Then work our way back along the coast. It will not be far offshore. My grandfather swam ashore from the sub. Therefore, I don’t think it will be more than a kilometre out.”

“Skipper, there’s a large vessel passing within four nautical miles to the west of us,” The helmsman said.

“Okay, watch where you go,” Max said.

“She’s too large for a fishing vessel or a mining ship. Looks like a 6000 tonner. She is doing twelve knots and heading north.”

“Okay, stay inshore of her. That will keep us safe, and when the fog lifts we will see her.”

“Will do, Skipper.”

“We could outrun her,” Adolf ventured.

“Nah, we need to conserve fuel. Besides, she will most likely head to Walvis Bay,” Max said but wondered why such a large vessel would be so near the coastline, unless she is going to Walvis Bay. If Max knew what, or rather who was on that ship, he would be occupying the hospital bed Roland vacated.

“Come, let’s go trouble my new cook,” Max said, and both Adolf and he left the bridge in search of Cookie. The large ship in the fog on their beam, forgotten.

(Back on the Ocean Wanderer.)

“There’s a small vessel keeping pace with us, just off our starboard beam, about three or so nautical miles away,” captain Davie said. “If the fog lifts a bit, we could identify her if you wish.”

“TC might be interested, but if you say small, it could be a fishing vessel,” I said and returned to the chart on the chart table.

“Your funeral. But don’t worry, we’ll give you a good send-off from the Port slip,” Davie laughed.

“No, you won’t. I want a tomato wood coffin, in the shape of an airplane, with brass handles,” I said, and Davie just kept on laughing, wiping away at his eyes.

“You’ll drift for months in these seas!”

“Yeah, it will keep my feet dry. I hate wet feet.”

“Unless you plan on diving in these freezing waters.”

“You’ve been to the Antarctic?”

“Been there, done it, got the T-shirt,” Davie said. “These are pleasant seas compared to that!”

“I’ve never been there. But I heard it could be fun,” I said, and Davie had another fit of laughter.

“Fun! Fun, you say? Well, I suppose everyone has got his own idea of fun. But to get back to your question. Yes, I think your idea can be true. Also, there’s another little thing called the Lüderitz upwelling. That is where the sea not only flows along with the Benguela current, but a deep-down ocean current brings cold seawater from down below and dumps it on the surface, just to flow back out to sea. This backflow is more pronounced in the shallower water, and can also contribute to the submarine shifting position, or more likely, be covered with tonnes of sea sand.”

“But we’re 90 kilometres from Lüderitz. Will it have an effect here?”

“Surely! It’s called the Lüderitz upwelling, but it extends from south of Elizabeth Bay, past Lüderitz, to nearly Walvis Bay. So, we will be well within the upwelling. Not only will this current keep you on the surface but will deposit you out to sea, into the clutches of the Benguela, and there you go, north by dead reckoning! If all goes well, you could be in Rio within three to six weeks!”

I stood back from the chart table and looked down onto the chart. And they want me to dive into this chaos. That’s why I stick to aircraft and only dive in nice warm tropical calm inshore waters and look at colourful fish. This dive is for experts, and Angie will not be diving, to that I will see. But let’s find the sub first. She may not be there at all.

The last time she was seen was in 1945. Seventy-five years of ocean currents, ocean upwellings, and South-easterly winds (not counting storms) could have either covered her with sand or pushed her miles off the last known position. Maybe both. She could have drifted under the surface for miles, then settled to the bottom just to be covered by sea sand. We are looking for a needle in a haystack. Why? The so-called treasure aboard the vessel?

And if we do find her, what then? Who gets to keep the treasure? Charley? And that brings up another can of worms. How did Charley get involved? What is his part in my risking my life for a submarine that may not be there? And the prize at the end of the game? What will that be?

Max’s deceased grandfather laid claim to the U-boat and her contents, why not just let it be and give it to Max? Or did his grandfather abandon the sub, and now it’s a free for all?

Then I thought of something. Something in Gretah’s letter to Angie: “ ... don’t keep it for yourself. Right the wrong of the past...” I’d better speak to Gretah and Friederich. They would know what is in the submarine, and how to “right the wrong of the past”.

“Davie, I’m going to look for fresh air. I’ll see you around,” I said to captain Davie, and made to leave the chart room.

“Another thing to consider,” Davie said.

“What?”

“Desert invasion on the ocean. The desert has had seventy-five years to creep in on the sea. What if the submarine ain’t in the ocean, but on dry land? Buried under the Namib sands of the Skeleton Coast?

Perplexed I looked at Davie. For duck’s fake! The Eduard Bohlen! The ship lies 400 metres inshore of the high-water mark. Angie showed her to me on our flight to Swakopmund. Could it be possible that the U-boat could be on land, hidden under the desert sand?

I looked again at the satellite orthophoto map of Spencer Bay. To the south of the bay, the terrain looked like a floodplain. There were defined lines that showed that water has passed from the bay towards the south. Sand washed down from the north, leaving telltale signs of sand washed south. Could it be possible that the submarine is buried somewhere under that floodplain?

“Do you have a satellite photo of the Eduard Bohlen and the surrounding area?”

“Yes, in fact, I do. Why?” Davie asked and started to dig in the chart table drawer. “Here...”

“Look at the surrounding area,” I said, pointing out similarities in the two photos. “Here, and here.”

“Looks like the sand was blown or washed in a certain direction,” Davie said.

“So, if the sand in the area of the Eduard Bohlen shows the direction that the desert has moved over the years, and we know the Eduard Bohlen was once in the water, why can’t the same happen in Spencer Bay?”

“You have a point, Ash. Now we have three theories to contend with. One, she sank to the bottom. Two, she drifted out to sea, north-west of her last known position, or three, she sank to the bottom, and got covered with desert sand, washed and blown by the sea and wind.”

“Where do we start?”

“At her last known position, however correct that may be,” Davie said.

“Let me get some fresh air. How long till we’re on station?”

“In this weather, about three hours.”

“Good. I’ll see you around,” I said and left the chart room. So many questions. My head hurt.

First, I went back to my cabin and dumped some of my maps and stuff on my bunk. I went out towards the deck on the starboard side of the ship. Okay, I know my port from my starboard by now. I closed my cabin door behind me and Angie peeked out of her cabin, smiling.

“Are you going to swim ashore?” She asked with a grin.

“Nope, just want to get some fresh air. Are you going to join me?”

“Yip. Since we’ve been on the ship, you’ve been neglecting me,” Angie said and closed her cabin door.

“I’ve not been neglecting you, I’ve just been busy. Getting the Puma settled in and tied down.”

“So, what’s up? You seem distracted.”

“Found out something that is a little disturbing, and I need to discuss it with you.”

“What?”

“Let’s get outside, then we’ll talk.”

“‘Kay.”

“So, are you settled in?”

“Settled in but not unpacked.”

“Why not unpacked?”

“Because we’re not going to stay here.”

“Yes, we are going to stay here on the ship. That way I don’t need to worry about you.”

“But I thought we were going to stay in the camp on the shore?”

“No, we are going to stay on the ship,” I said as we came up to the starboard side railing. The fog was getting thinner, and I could see much further out to sea.

“Okay, the cabins seem much better than sleeping in a tent in the desert.” Giggle.

“Why are you giggling?”

“The cabin walls are thicker,” Angie giggled, “Sort of soundproof.” And she leaned onto the ship side rail, folding her arms, ginger hair blowing freely in the slight breeze that sprang up out of the southeast.

“The fog will lift any moment now,” I said changing the subject. I knew just what Angie was implying with her “the cabin walls are thicker,” statement.

“So, what do you want to discuss with me?”

“Have you ever dived in these waters, Angie?”

“Not specifically here, but in Cape Town’s False Bay. Wreck diving.” Angie said and wiped wind-blown hair out of her face.

“These waters are dangerous. I want to ask you not to dive here...”

“I’ll only dive on clear days and if I can dive with you, Ash.”

“Angie, I reserve the right to tell you no, if I find that the water is too dangerous. I don’t want to spoil your fun, but I worry about you, and I don’t want to place you in a situation that can be life-threatening. Can I count on your cooperation, sweetie?”

“Yes, Ash. I will not dive if it is dangerous. I know about currents and stuff, so don’t worry about me.”

“There’s not only the strong offshore currents but there’s also the Lüderitz upwelling to be on the lookout for.”

“The Lüderitz upwelling? I did not know it comes this far north.”

“Captain Davie told me and showed me the maps. Even I am a bit apprehensive to dive here.”

“Then so be it. If you say no, then it’s no. Else, I would like to dive together with you,” Angie said and placed her hand on my arm. “Thank you, Ash. Thank you for thinking of me.”

“It’s my pleasure, sweetie pie. I’d hate to lose you,” I said, and Angie turned towards me, reached up on tiptoe, placed both her hands on my shoulders and kissed me. I placed my arms around her waist and pulled her close to me.

“Seeing we are staying on the ship, can I come to nestle tonight?” Angie said after we came up for air.

“Yes. Yes, you may...” I said. “But that is still way out in the future. When the fog lifts and we make anchorage, I want to go out and see how TC is doing. They should be there by now.”

“You going to fly out there?”

“A bit expensive, but yeah, I might. Else, maybe I can borrow a ship’s boat from Captain Davie.”

“Can I come too?” Angie asked, fluttering her eyelashes, smiling sweetly, as if she knew it melts me.

“Yeah, tag along. It could be fun in the longboat,” I said, and suddenly the fog lifted like a curtain being drawn open. Out to starboard about three nautical miles away, a blue and white mining ship was keeping pace with us. Angie saw the ship too. Suddenly Angie clung to my arm.