2013 BentProp Progress Report # 10

P-MAN XV Update #10 - Admin stuff. Unproductive diving. Umbrella drinks.

30 March

We had a split-ops day today. Dan and Casey went out on the boat with the students to be divers in case something was found. They never got wet. The vehicle still has some 'issues.'

Pat, Derek and Flip stayed behind to review two case files one more time. We did see some things that we had missed before, which is helping narrow down our search areas. We think.

Got back together at the end of the day and had another fine meal at The Taj.


Pat, Robert (the owner of Taj), Dan, Casey and Flip

31 March

We started with pancake Sunday. Custom-made blueberry pancakes with bacon, OJ, and guests: Dave and Margie of Bandidos fame and Steve and Cassandra from Cleared Ground Demining. Once the festivities were over, we went out on the water as a complete team.

Joe, Pat, Derek, Dan and Casey all went diving to search an area we are interested in. After our review yesterday, we found some old photos that make some sense of some of the contradictory statements made from wingmen of a B-24 that got shot down by a Zeke. One plane said there was burning debris in the water southwest of Korortown. But another put it outside of a reef line. Maybe some B-24 wreckage went down in this area. So we had to search. Flip had boat watch duties at the time, as the boss still won't let him dive. They all came back up and only reported a wooden case of empty sake bottles.


Pat post-dive


Derek post-dive


Casey post-dive


We then "trolled for sharks" (pulled divers wearing masks and snorkels slowly behind the boat to search a large area) off the tip of Malakal island. Saw lots of pretty fish, some colorful coral, a few 55 gallon drums, an engine block, sunk boat, fish trays but nothing aeronautical. Of course afterwards someone reported a big lump of something in one of the deeper areas that we went over. We'll have to go back there.

Did a little sightseeing along a rock island in the area where the Akashi went to the bottom. This was a Japanese vessel that was sunk and salvaged after the war.

Then we called it a day. Headed out to Mingles So Thai with Andy and Travis from Scripps. They are the last two of the Scripps contingent left in country. They leave in a couple of days, with one more work day.


Casey and Andy.
Andy tried to pay for his and Travis's iced teas during the debrief earlier in the day,
and Casey returned his five spot with a purple foo-foo umbrella drink.

And that's the day. The students from Stockbridge went on a kayak excursion. Tomorrow, April 1, we'll all get back together for a day on the water. They have two work days left here in Palau. They still have some challenges with the vehicle, but these kids are high achievers and are going to conquer the problems.

- Flip Colmer

Return to the Progress Report Index