A first for Thomas
A first dive for Thomas, a geochemistry researcher specializing in hydrothermal fluids and mineral characterization of fluids.
In what state of mind were you just before the dive?
I had mixed feelings, but was very excited at the prospect of the dive. I was also pretty apprehensive about the work to be accomplished on board and the dive itself. A good nights sleep meant that I was calm and fully concentrated as soon as I got into the sub.
What was your initial impression when you entered the Nautile's sphere?
That it's small! It felt like we were about to dive 4000 metres in a 2-man tent! The electronics are very impressive, buttons everywhere!
During the 5 hours of the dive and all that you saw, which images first come to mind?
Oddly, I was pretty moved by the bioluminescences observed between 400-1000 m. Thereafter, the dive was rather monotonous as far as lithology and structures go. The edge of the cliff is very impressive with the darkness of the deep below us.
What also struck me was the tranquility, the precision of the pilots, in their words, their reactions. We had a communication problem with the Pourquoi Pas? and I was slightly apprehensive as to what was going on, but they were calm and collected and just set about solving the problem in hand.
...and the realisation that you are 4000 metres deep in the ocean in a "matchbox" is pretty impressive in itself!
How did you feel at the end of the dive?
Pretty much like the others I think: divided between awe, joy and the need to share this incredible experience with my colleagues and frustration for not actually having tumbled on a hydrothermal site.
To conclude, what was the most important moment of the day for you (before, during or after the dive)?
There is a strong feeling of absence: 9 hours spent practically cut off in a hub outside the real world. Being on the ship is one thing but being in the tiny sub 4,000 metres in the deep is quite something else. This feeling was particularly present, mixed with fatigue, a backache, and the need to send a reassuring message to my wife (who was slightly anxious!).
It was really living in the moment, a similar feeling to being in the mountains, I genuinely felt like I was escaping from the world. I think I’ll have that feeling even during future dives, it’s not just because it was the first time.