ABC DECKS (Maximum depth 32 to 35 m)

Note that the plans of the ship have different names for the decks depending on the version you use. It can be difficult to explain which deck you are referring to at times.

The Promenade Deck is the deck which has the main outside walkway on the outside. It also has the main passenger areas like lounges and smoking rooms. This is below the Boat Deck which is the one which has the Bridge (and you will get confused more below).

A Deck is the main deck of the Coolidge. It is also called the Bridge Deck for some reason, even though the Bridge is two levels above. On some diagrams/plans of the ship it is shown as either one. It includes, technically, the foredeck and stern decks but this dive does not include those parts. B Deck is the next deck down but some plans have it as C Deck. C Deck the one below that, D Deck on some plans. As the Coolidge is laying on its port side, these decks run from right to left as you swim towards the bridge area.

DECK PLANS

Plans of Promenade Deck and A and B Decks of the Coolidge produced by Peter Stone Used with approval of Peter Stone

Plans of C, D and E Decks of the Coolidge produced by Peter Stone Used with approval of Peter Stone

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.

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	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, helmets, gas masks, boots and more.

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.

Kelly swimming through a bathroom on B Deck	The hatch to Hold Two

Access to C Deck is generally via Hold 2. It can also be accessed via Euarts Door which is the outside door into the Main Lobby. Generally you do not go further than Euarts Door as you are getting too deep for a second dive. The main dive is through the former cabins on this level and back into the hold.

A really good dive.