Jay Wolfe and Harry Wilcox of Axe Murderer Tours in Saipan recently achieved a record deep dive of 135 meters (444 feet), surpassing their previous record of 115 meters.
The dive took place Aug. 24 near the Tinian Grotto. Wolfe and Wilcox spent about 15 minutes descending and 75 minutes ascending, for a total dive time of roughly 90 minutes.
“I don't think this is in the top tier of deep, deep divers, but certainly it is very deep for the Marianas,” Wolfe said. “We think it's the deepest dive that's ever been done here. We'd be interested to hear from anyone who knows otherwise or can introduce us to deeper dives that have been done previously.”
The pair spent a month preparing for the dive, focusing on gas mixing and decompression schedules. They used closed-circuit rebreather systems, which allow for more efficient gas management at extreme depths.
Last year, Wolfe and Wilcox, along with four other divers, reached a depth of more than 100 meters (328 feet).
Wolfe emphasized the importance of proper training and preparation for deep technical dives.
