24 SEPTEMBER 2001

At 0800hrs a few members of the exped were up and about preparing kit for the last dive. The crew dropped the deco-station over the side as Greg looked on. As it settled next to the boat he suddenly shouted out that there appeared to be little or no current. The few people who were about looked over the side and suddenly rushed off to find their dive partners. There was a frenetic period as one pair after another disappeared over the side. Those swimming effortlessly pulled themselves down while Guy and Rod zepped off into the blue. As the keel of Repulse came into view they pealed off inspecting the port side of the hull for damage.

After what seemed like minutes they reached the props and scootered around the stern and onto the rear deck. The visibility at the stern section had improved considerably and it was evident that that the rear main armament was still in place. The large turret and twin 15 inch guns could be clearly seen pointing rearwards, half buried in the sand.

The pair scootered forward mentally noting any additions to the plans being produced. A single unprotected 4 inch anti-aircraft gun with its turning mechanism lay in the sand not far from a tin 4 inch AA turret. A circular Oerklion gun platform hung suspended from the wreck, slowly being pulled by its own weight from the ship. As they passed, all these new details were painstakingly committed to memory.
Moving further forward the bridge and then A and B turrets came into view. Close to here the anchor chain from our dive vessel, MV Mata Ikan hung limply over the upturned starboard side of Repulse.

After noting that the starboard side anchor was still neat and snug in its hawse, as there was little current running, Guy scootered around the keel looking for the anchors on the lower port side. One could be clearly seen but nothing more. After scootering past it for another 4-5 meters the scooter was spun around in the declining visibility as the cxurrent was once again picking up and from the bottom as it scoured round the bow.

Returning to the starboard side for a closer inspection three distinct holes in a line just back from the bow were noted. The holes only a meter across could have been caused by erosion or possibly during the fatal attack itself. After passing one anchor the second empty hawse was found.

Reluctantly the pair headed back to the up line. There was just time for one last look back. There lay Repulse, her vastness and once great might laying motionless on the seabed like some sleeping giant. Regrettably it was time to turn and leave, as she slipped from view it was reassuring to know that there were plenty of photographs and video footage to remember the last eight days of diving by rather than just fading memories.