Nolan, a skilled diver with several undersea adventures under his belt, had always been drawn to the mysteries of the deep blue. On a group expedition off the Californian coast, the team came across the shadowy outline of an aircraft, hidden beneath the waves. The excitement of discovery soon turned to dread as they ventured inside the eerie, aquatic tomb. What they encountered inside made their blood run cold…
Getting his PADI
Nolan had always loved diving. Living his entire life near the sea, getting his PADI was like getting his driver’s license.
Both were equally important in his day-to-day life. Getting that certificate eventually ensured him of his job and allowed him to dive anywhere in the world. Nevertheless, nothing felt like diving near the coast that he was from.
Routine Checks
Nolan believed that he had seen it all.
He’d been to all the major reefs in the world, though it had been for his job as a marine biologist instead of leisure. It was always the spot near the California coast that made him dive for leisure and inadvertently made him fall alive while diving all over again. That was until he spotted that strange thing underneath the water’s surface…
Spotting Something Strange
It had been during one of their routine expeditions to check the reefs and the state of the area’s biodiversity.
Though it had been part of Nolan’s job, he always loved diving near the California coast. They had gone here many times before. However, it seemed like something significant had changed, as they had never seen this before.
Communicating Underwater
Under the water, especially so far under, there was no way to communicate with his colleagues audibly, and with the sight before them, there simply weren’t enough pre-discussed signs to explain what they were seeing.
Even with the goggles on his and his colleagues’ faces, he could see their expressions. Everyone was genuinely shocked!
This Was New…
They had come here numerous times, but this time was the first time they had spotted this anomaly.
The insides of Nolan screamed for him to go closer, to research the foreign structure, but before they could do that, they had to make sure that was the wisest course of action. They had to ensure everyone’s safety first!
Had to Make a Plan!
Nolan had dived through abandoned ships before.
He was an expert on those types of explorations, and because of that, he certainly didn’t fear entering what looked like an old sunken plane. However, the limited hand gestures he and his colleague had discussed didn’t cover the wide scope of what they could find there. They had to make a plan!
Going Back to the Surface
As the crew’s safety was the most important to Nolan’s supervisor, he gestured for them to start their venture back to the surface.
This also wasn’t an easy task, as they had to acclimate to the shifting pressure, and their excitement mixed with worry didn’t help their patient. Luckily, their professionalism took them to the surface without, seemingly, any issue.
Questions Among the Crew
When Nolan and his colleagues resurfaced, they all spat out their regulators.
“Did you guys see that? What is that thing doing here?!” One of Nolan’s Colleagues, Irene, exclaimed. Though everyone had seen it, no one knew what the abandoned plane was doing there. They had to get aboard the boat to check if it could possibly be due to a recent crash or if there could be other reasons.
Going aboard their Boat
Nolan and the rest of his team quickly went aboard the boat that they had originally came with.
The captain of the ship was confused at their fast return. He always made sure to time the duration of their underwater endeavors. This time around, they couldn’t have been under for longer than 20 minutes!
Telling the Captain What They’d Found
When Nolan and his team told him what they had found, he quickly understood. Nolan and the diver team needed to be able to discuss this using words.
Furthermore, he knew that they also had to call the Coast Guard to help them find where this plane could possibly have come from. You would think that it hadn’t just appeared out of thin air!
Calling the Coastal Guard
After hearing their story, the captain made a quick call, which hopefully would give Nolan and his team the information that they would need during their exploration.
If the plane could be a candidate for one that had recently gone down, they had to take a different approach. The newer the plane, the bigger the chance of bodies, which increased the possibilities of other, more lively things being inside the plane as well…
Shocking News
The team waited with anticipation for the Coast Guard to return with information.
Since such information didn’t always get extended to them, they needed to make various phone calls themselves. Luckily, it didn’t take too long for them to finally reconnect to the boat. And the Coast Guard sure had some news that shocked the crew.
Wanting to Explore the Inside
With the numbers on the side of the plane that Nolan’s supervisor had spotted and communicated to their ship’s captain, the Coast Guard was quick to find out when and where the plane had crashed.
Nolan hoped that it was from a longer time ago; he was super curious about what could possibly be inside.
However, the only way to explore it was if it had been in the water for quite some time.
Getting the Go Ahead
When the Coast Guard returned the call, Nolan was waiting in anticipation.
He tried to read the captain’s face, but his expression remained stoic. He could only hear a few sounds of agreement. When the man placed the phone back and turned his attention back to the divers in his crew, he gave Nolan’s supervisor, James, a nod.
How Did the Plane End Up There?
“The plane dates back several years, if not decades.
It had been said that it had simply disappeared. The Coast Guard is unsure how it came to be on the Californian coast, but as long as we report back our findings, we are free to explore and study the object.” The captain said. Nolan was giddy with excitement, but he had no clue what was actually waiting for him on the ocean’s floor…
The Diver’s Ritual
In the early morning light, Nolan’s team laid out their dive gear with ritual precision on the deck.
Each piece of equipment was accounted for: fins, masks, air tanks, and suits. Nolan checked his dive computer, ensuring the nitrogen levels were set for the depth they’d be hitting. It was a dive like no other they had performed, and Nolan felt the familiar thrill of a challenge tinged with the anxiety of the unknown. “Let’s triple-check everything,” he told his team. “We can’t afford slip-ups today.”
Blueprint of the Abyss
With their gear ready, Nolan gathered his team for a final review of their deep-dive procedures.
They pored over charts of the dive site, discussing the topography of the ocean floor and potential hazards. James took the lead, laying out the emergency plan, detailing ascent times, and decompression stops. Irene presented the new hand signals they would use, ones that would let them communicate complex messages in the silent depths.
The gravity of their mission was clear in their focused expressions.
Echoes of the Past
The team circled up for a sobering discussion led by Nolan.
“We might be the first to touch history since this plane went down,” he said, reminding them of the sanctity of potential human remains and the significance of their find. He spoke of preserving integrity for any artifacts they found and the proper protocol for documenting the site. It was essential they disturb as little as possible while recording as much as they could.
Arsenal for the Unknown
Nolan, with the methodical nature of a seasoned biologist, went over the inventory. They had brought along underwater cameras, lighting systems, and salvage bags.
Every diver was equipped with a personal locator beacon and a knife—for safety and potential entanglements. The specialized equipment included a metal detector and sonar for mapping the site. “Let’s not leave anything to chance,” Nolan insisted. They all knew that once below, the success of their dive depended on this preparation.
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