Navy divers pave way for Wasp

Photo By J Stokes | Petty Officer 2nd Class Ryan Harris of Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 2 (MDSU 2)-Company 24 inspects a oxygen mask in one of his mobile recompression chambers aboard USS Wasp (LHD 1). Wasp along with 27 other Naval Station Norfolk-based ships sortied east into the Atlantic Ocean Aug. 25, to avoid any ill-effects of Hurricane Irene. (U.S. Navy photo by Seaman Jah'mai C.J. Stokes)  

USS WASP, USAFRICOM, AT SEA

08.31.2011

Courtesy Story

USS WASP (LHD 1)   

AT SEA – Navy divers embarked aboard USS Wasp, completed a final inspection on diving equipment Aug. 30. The divers conducted the inspection to be prepared if Wasp was called to participate in a national coordinated relief effort as a result of Hurricane Irene.

If Wasp had been charged with the mission of being part of that relief effort, the divers’ job would have been to ensure Wasp and other ships are able to safely navigate in various ports. Now, because Wasp received orders to return to home port, the divers’ mission is to safely navigate back to their home port of Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story.

“We were here to make sure there is nothing in Wasp’s way to stop it from completing a mission if asked,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Carrington, from Mobile Diving Salvage Unit 2, Company 2-4. Because of the flooding from Hurricane Irene, debris could have obstructed Wasp’s safe access to certain ports. “If the water access is blocked by debris, then it our job to move it out of the way,” said Carrington.

Carrington, three other Navy divers and an electronics technician from JEB were told to be aboard Wasp with all of their equipment at Naval Station Norfolk Pier 7 by early morning Aug. 25. With less than a 24-hour notice, all five sailors were on the pier in three hours waiting to come aboard Wasp.

“This is the first time we have been on a mission like this,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Jason Ash, from MDSU-2’s Area Search Platoon. “Since we might be tasked to be a part of a national relief effort we brought aboard the Remote Environmental Monitoring Unit System to help Navy divers detect underwater obstructions.”

REMUS is an underwater unmanned utility vehicle, programmed using a laptop computer to navigate through designated areas using sensors to gather information.

According to Ash, REMUS is capable of operating in fresh or salt water and can provide visual imagery that helps divers determine what tools, if any, they need to remove underwater obstructions.

“REMUS is very useful to Navy divers,” said Carrington. “REMUS allows us to use our time more effectively; we can cover more ground without actually getting in the water. Prior to REMUS, divers had to enter the water to see any obstructions, and as a result covered less ground. Also, visibility was an issue; depending on the quality of the water, some obstructions could be missed.”

According to Carrington, if Wasp were charged with providing relief to those affected by Hurricane Irene, his group of sailors, who have over 10 years of combined diving experience, and high-tech equipment like REMUS, would make sure Wasp is able to pull into port.

• Date Taken: 08.31.2011
• Date Posted: 08.31.2011 23:26
• Story ID: 76260
• Location: USS WASP, USAFRICOM, AT SEA