John Chatterton explores the U-869. Pause the video at 3:37 to see the easy lobster he missed. Sheesh!Sectional drawing of a Type IX u-boat. Enlarge.The U-869 as it lies on the bottom. Note the extensive damage.
At the widest point, the pressure hull is slightly less than 5 meters in diameter and tapers to both ends. In the video, Chatterton enters through the blast hole amidships and moves forward to the torpedo room.
Looking aft in the control room of a Type IX u-boat. This is where Chatterton enters the wreck, but on the U-869 it is blown wide open.Moving forward to the Officer's mess.An internal hatch of a Type IX u-boat, the U-505, preserved in Chicago.
This hatch leads to the aft torpedo room, which also served as crew berthing. In the event of damage, these hatches would be closed to seal off the watertight compartments. Whatever happened to the U-869 must have been immediate and catastrophic, as all the hatches appear to be wide open.
Looking forward in the Petty Officers' quarters on a different Type IX, with a closed hatch leading to forward torpedo room.The forward torpedo room of the U-505. As the U-869 may never have fired a shot, there is probably several thousand pounds of touchy old explosives in her torpedo rooms. Be careful, John!Backtracking from the torpedo room to the Petty Officers' quarters.Looking aft into the extremely tight electrical room.
Omega Protein with fishing partner Ocean Harvesters have a long history of collaborating with government agencies and non-profit organizations to offer retired vessels to artificial reef programs. The vessels that have been submerged act as a habitat for marine life, promoting biodiversity and creating recreational fishing and diving opportunities. The former vessels that have been sunk include the F/V Reedville off of the coast of Delaware in 2020, the F/V Barataria Bay off the coast of Mississippi in 2015, the F/V Great Wicomico in the Gulf of Mexico in 2009, and the F/V von Rosenberg off the coast of Mississippi in 2000.
