Customer Photos | Aaron Speare The History of Wreck PLM 27

Customer Photos | Aaron Speare The History of Wreck PLM 27

"Starboard Side Decks" I love diving wrecks because no museum in the world can bring a visitor this intimately close to the history that diving these places and seeing them with ones own eyes first hand can. Seeing the dilapidated decks and damage, you can only think of the chaos and calamity in the moments before her sinking. 1/160 • F/3.5 • 10mm • ISO-800 © 2021 Aaron Speare

 

Over a series of dives I've created a collection of photos featuring a shipwreck off Bell Island, Newfoundland. Her name is the PLM 27 and was lost during World War II.  Setup: Canon SL3Tokina 10-17mm Fisheye lens, natural light.

 

Aaron Speare Entering the Blast

"Entering the Blast" The tragic moment frozen in time, the twisted and distorted metal is the impact blast created when the Nazi U-Boat 518 fired a torpedo at the stern of the P.L.M. 27 sinking her in just 60 seconds. 1/100 • F/3.5 • 10mm • ISO-800 © 2021 Aaron Speare

 

Aaron Speare Further into the Unknown

"Further Into the Unknown" Through the chilly waters of Newfoundland, divers continue their exploration. 1/160 • F/3.5 • 10mm • ISO-800 © 2021 Aaron Speare

 

Aaron Speare Scale of Shipping

"Scale of Shipping" The interest in attacking the ships at Bell Island were in great part because of the iron-ore mined on the island, by disrupting the supply chain this would put stress on the Allied war efforts. 1/40 • F/4.5 • 10mm • ISO-800 © 2021 Aaron Speare

 

Aaron Speare Her Bow

"Her Bow" Amazing to think that in the span of 60 seconds the P.L.M. 27 found her final resting place on the sea bed just off Bell Island, Newfoundland. 1/160 • F/3.5 • 10mm • ISO-400 © 2021 Aaron Speare

 

Aaron Speare Frozen History

"Frozen History" When the torpedo hit from U518 on the starboard side, 38 sailors managed to abandon ship and survive by swimming to the nearby island, however not all crew mates were safe, as she went down with twelve souls. 1/160 • F/3.5 • 10mm • ISO-400 © 2021 Aaron Speare

 

Aaron Speare On the Edge

"On the Edge" There is always so much wreck to see and so little time, the P.L.M. 27 is a wreck that deserves multiple dives. 1/160 • F/3.5 • 10mm • ISO-400 © 2021 Aaron Speare

 

Aaron Speare Bow Windlass

"Bow Windlass" Sometimes you don’t need a model to set the stage. 1/160 • F/3.5 • 10mm • ISO-400 © 2021 Aaron Speare

  

Aaron Speare Creeping Inside

"Creeping Inside" It's something to a badge of honour wearing rust on your drysuit after a wreck dive. 1/50 • F/7.1 • 10mm • ISO-400 © 2021 Aaron Speare

  

Aaron Speare Lifeboat Down

"Lifeboat Down" As we are diving along the port side of the ship, my buddy looks over to me and points down, I flash him the “Okay” and we descend deeper along the hull, slowly the crippled remains of the lifeboat appears through the haze. 1/50 • F/3.5 • 10mm • ISO-800 © 2021 Aaron Speare

 

 

Aaron SpeareLearning how to dive in the cold waters of the Great Lakes, Aaron Speare quickly became fascinated with the “dark side” of diving. Try to penetrate further and dive deeper, the action camera footage he was capturing no longer satisfied him, leading to a natural progression of picking up a camera. When he isn’t getting wet in his free time, he is working professionally as a diver living the dream. Check him out: Instagram.

 

 

 

  

 

Additional Reading

The Airplane Graveyard by Ambassador Brandy Mueller

Underwater Wreck Photography Settings and Technique

Canadian Splash: Destination Newfoundland

Natural Light Photography Underwater

Black and White Conversion for Underwater Photography

How to Get the Best Shots When Shooting Wrecks

My Top 5 Favorite Wrecks of Truk Lagoon

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