First manned 4000+ dive 21 miles S.W. of Point Loma (just outside of
Coronado's + north) Assembled at 0600hrs and left a dark gloomy San Diego
morning that turned into a perfect sunny day at the dive site. The
pre-dive hours were busy with a fervor of activity collecting letters, good
luck charms and flotsam to take on the first deep dive. We took a big
bag of mail down, cameras and other goodies. Arrival at dive site about
9:00. Launched at 9:47, released from surface at 10:00. We were
lowered below surface to get away from interface. Underwater telephone
transmissions at surface for confirmation. Descent was normal, I was
co-pilot monitored the underwater telephone. 10:11 1/2 cabin pressure 14.71,
O2 flow 2.2, percentage 20., outside temperature 9.5 Celsius depth
305meters. No time to monitor plankton and other marine life, too busy
inspecting the hull feel throughs, window ect.. 
Good edd trace all the way to bottom. Dropped weight 100' up. After checking motors, all good. Leveled off to an almost neutral buoyancy, had to power down by using motors on reverse. 10:31 still descending, cabin 14.71, o2 20%, 2.2 flow, temp. outside 6.80 Celsius, depth 895 meters. Dropped descent out at about 10:42, touched bottom at 10:49 or 48 minutes after release. OEC gauge reads 1265 meters.
Bottom covered with brittle stars and ophiaroids a few of the same big eyed rock fish, quite an abundance of sea cucumbers, some almost gelatinous in texture and clear with tall horns. Saw several very large sable fish one nearly three feet long. Occasional medium sized shrimp, dark red in color about 4" to 6" long. Saw several hog fish, most of them larger ones we'd seen in shallower waters. Saw a great number of small rat tails about 4" to 6" long, almost like a runnula. Small pointed fish like head with a thin filament like eel tail pointed. Quite shiny in fact most of the fishes are shiny, silver in color.
Saw one very beautiful, delicate chimera, ratfish about 8" to 10" long, hovering about 8' to 10' off the bottom. Hairy suspended tail down about 45 degrees. Was able to get to within about 4 feet of him and shot a few pictures, however Dick and Joe were playing games with internal photographs and this was difficult. Bottom holding characteristics were excellent, was able to hold course better than any time before, even at speed 4 for awhile. The biggest problem is trying to stop and photograph or sample, when you reverse motors you stir up bottom sediment and cloud up the entire area. Sample taking is same problem, the minute you dig the claw into the bottom clouds of silt arise and obliterate everything. Tried to obtain a shellfish sample but bottom got stirred up too much. When balance is just right its hard to set the boat still. It was extremely sensitive and responded very well to almost every touch or movement. Even speed one was effective
Deepstar lifted onto Birch Tide
Celebrated the occasion by opening and drinking a small bottle of Champaign on the bottom to record the event for history we piped the "pop" of the cork to topside crew via underwater telephone. They said they heard the cork 6 or 7 times because of the echo involved, it went pop,pop,pop,pop,pop,pop!
Was only on the controls for about 10 minutes before we got a call up because of poor tracking. Changed with Joe . Made descent in 49 minutes ascent 1:06. At the bottom we signed many of the letters that accompanied us on this historic dive. We surfaced in site of Birch Tide, who directed the small boat to us. We were hooked up and picked out of the water almost impeccably, swing over the edge onto dolly was smooth. When we exited they blew the ships whistles, crane horn and cheered as we came out. Later in the ward room the Champaign was broken out and a toast proposed by Joe Lainge. On the way back we finished signing all the mail from the trip.
The press greeted us as we arrived. Tim Shepard first, then Harold Keen, the Tribune who shot a few photos. Story ran in the Union paper without photo.