placed in the tower and all those going down into the lock were asked 

 to clean their shoes before setting foot on the ladder. It was almost like 

 entering a Hindu sanctuary. Thus, during the subsequent dives, we 

 were always able to observe the sea by the front and back portholes. 



The most valuable lesson learned on this day was that we should 

 not begin a dive with insufficient ballast. On the calm sea of the Bay of 

 Naples it had been easy to take on the ballast we lacked. But on 30th 

 September, off Ponza when the waves swept over and submerged the 

 deck of the Trieste, we were very glad not to have to repeat this 

 operation. 



[112] 



