using the 100 foot minitat decompression table (See section IX of this report) 

 with times and depths divided by 10. A third man was locked into the DDC to 

 simulate a physician entering the chamber, and the medical lock exercised. 



After the 20 foot trials were successfully concluded, the support vessel towed 

 the minitat to the site selected for the operational phase. The site is in 

 British waters (Figure 14) about 600 feet west of Pelican Island which is locat- 

 ed off the northwestern tip of Norman Island. The site is in 100 feet of water 

 and is well protected from wind and sea effects from all directions except out 

 of the southwest. One of the best anchorages in the Virgin Islands, known as 

 the Bight, is located on the northwestern tip of Norman Island about one mile 

 from the operational site. The Bight offers excellent weather protection from 

 all directions except out of the north-northeast. Should winds from this di- 

 rection occur, weather protection would be sought in the lee of Flannigan Is- 

 land or between Flannigan Island and the eastern tip of St. John Island (about 

 1 mile from the operational site) . 



MINITAT SITE . PELICAN I 



THE BIGHT 



J ^-O NORMAN 



RAMS HEAD 



Iii m I nn I I I I L 



NAUTICAL MILES 



FIGURE 14.— MINITAT OPERATIONAL SITE 



The bottom at the operational site has dense algal growth and many coral out- 

 crops. From the minitat site, depths of 75 feet occur within 200 feet horizon- 

 tal distance and 150 foot depths within 500 feet horizontally. These gradients 

 allow for wide vertical excursions within fairly short horizontal distances. 

 The observed current speeds range between zero and one half knots with excellent 

 underwater visibility. 



Once on site the support vessel assumed station using a six point mooring con- 

 figuration in the lee of Pelican Island. Shortly after pre-mission trials were 

 initiated, however, a tropical storm, out of the south, delayed furthur trials 

 for approximately two weeks . 



When the trials were recommenced it was with a certain knowledge that, due to 

 the several delays, the time remaining to accomplish an operational dive was 



III-15 



