A happy Fathoms diverFathoms was founded by its two directors in 1991 to provide a complete subsea service in coastal waters. It was based upon the two directors’ backgrounds, one in commercial diving and salvage, the other in classical hydrography and diving, and both in the offshore oil industry.
The company immediately won a large civil engineering contract from Morrison Construction for the repairs and rebuilding of the Outer Breakwater at Wick Harbour. This major undertaking lasted five months and involved not just the undertaking of the works but also an input in the underwater engineering methodology to be used.
Other contracts followed on, most notably one to provide support services for Rockwater during their pipeline bundle pull-outs from their construction site north of Wick. This has expanded to the extent that Fathoms has provided divers and vessels for Rockwater for a number of recent bundle pull-outs.
Concurrently, Fathoms acted in a consultancy capacity for several offshore oil companies on a regular basis on a variety of construction and pipeline projects with clients including Wintershall, Texaco (Bulgaria) and Unocal. Fathoms’ first contract with UK Atomic Energy Authority was for a full hydrographic, geophysical and shallow seismic survey off the coast of Dounreay. Following on from this were various contracts for Applied Research and Technology in Inverness, culminating in the positioning, supervision of diving and dredging operations during the installation of the world’s first commercial wave powered generator, OSPREY 1. This massive structure, measuring 40m x 40m x 18m high, was highly innovative and its successful installation depended to a great deal on Fathoms’ unusual blend of expertise. It was this combination of skills that enabled Fathoms to provide the client with a ‘total approach’ for this type of project which in itself was highly unusual.Some three years ago, Fathoms built their own workboat. The grp hull was bought and the boat built by the company from their facility at Wick. This enabled the company to be much more self sufficient. This 35ft workboat has since been used for a wide variety of tasks from hydrographic, geophysical and seismic surveying, drogue and dye tracking, diving, personnel transfer and salvage.
Salvage operations at UKAEA site, Dounreay, ScotlandContinuing contracts with Rockwater have followed, especially after Fathoms responded to a crisis call when a flash onshore gale threatened to wreck a complete pipeline bundle during a pull-out from off the beach. Once again, it was Fathoms’ ability to provide, at very short notice, a highly experienced and competent team who were able to work in the surf zone during the gale that saved the bundle. In 1994 Fathoms undertook their first salvage of a fishing vessel after which they were awarded a number of other salvage contracts. Perhaps the saddest case was that of the Sterdon which sank off the east coast of Sutherland in open waters when the owner skipper hit rocks and sank with the loss of his life. Despite some atrocious weather on this hostile coast, this vessel was successfully raised and returned to harbour.
In early 1995, Fathoms was contracted by Applied Research & Technology to salvage the remains of OSPREY 1 which had been destroyed by freak weather soon after installation. This salvage was a major debris clearance project to remove all pieces of the structure in order to leave the sea-bed in a clean state. After producing the methodology and procedures, Fathoms sub-contracted the provision of the jack-up barge to Titan Maritime Industries and the motorised barge to Briggs Marine Contractors. Salvage operations started in May 1995 and continued for the next three months until the area was left in a state which satisfied both the client and the Scottish Office. Prior to commencement of salvage operations, Fathoms had to undertake a large seabed search survey to locate all pieces of the structure, many of which had broken off during the preceding winter’s gales. This again highlighted Fathoms’ multi-disciplinary capabilities in being able to undertake a rigorous and difficult sea-bed search and then continue to recover all items. Despite some atrocious weather during operations, including summer 70 knot gales, Fathoms succeeded in completing the task to the entire satisfaction of the client. “The successful salvaging of ‘Osprey’ was a major achievement by Fathoms who carried out the salvage operation for ART” Allan Thomson, Managing Director, Applied Research & Technology.
That same summer, Fathoms demonstrated its undoubted skills in underwater searches when it was contracted to lead a deep water search for a private client. This involved initial research, specification of equipment and methodology used. The client had contracted a former Soviet research vessel to undertake the work and Fathoms led the offshore operations to locate the target in over 4,500 metres of water.
After Fathoms undertook regular diving contracts for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, it was contracted to undertake a larger effluent dispersion study. On the successful completion of this, Fathoms was tasked by UKAEA to develop and produce a method by which radiological particles could be located on the sea-bed. After a very successful initial trial, two periods of this work were undertaken for the UKAEA. Despite early indications that very few particles would be found, Fathoms’ diligence and expertise enabled over thirty particles to be located and recovered for subsequent analysis. Since these successful operations, Fathoms has further refined the equipment and methodology into an efficient and effective system. Following on from these UKABA sea-bed radiological studies, Fathoms was contracted to undertake a large offshore study to gain a better understanding of the surface, sub-surface and sea-bed regime off the coast at Dounreay on the north coast of Scotland. In between these large contracts, Fathoms continues to undertake many smaller contracts ranging from harbour diving works, a wide variety of sea-bed searches (including the location of an old wreck in the Pentland Firth), vessel repairs to harbour and coastal surveys and tidal studies. Fathoms expertise in sea-bed searches has enabled it to complete an unusually wide variety of work ranging from full oceanic depths to the shallowest of waters using the best and most appropriate tools for each particular task.
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