DEEPER
Imagine diving the deepest cave system in the world. Dr Richard ‘Harry’ Harris is one of the brave souls to traverse such depths, so filmmaker Jennifer Peedom and her crew followed him on his journey to create documentary feature film, Deeper, screening at Deckchair Cinema this month.
WORDS TIERNEY WHITE
HARRIS IS NO novice when it comes to diving. The anaesthetist started in about 1978, going on to complete his diving course at the age of 15 in 1979, taking to cave diving in 1986.
Awarded Australian of the Year for the dramatic 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue – co-awarded to his diving partner Craig Challen – he played a pivotal role in the recovery of 12 Thai children from a football team that became stuck in a cave below a mountain after unexpected flooding.
In Deeper, Harris returns to the depths to explore New Zealand’s Pearse Resurgence located at the base of Mount Arthur, with he and Challen reaching a depth of 245 metres.
“For us, the dives are all about exploration and trying to understand the hydrology of these caves better. It's hard to describe the excitement of pushing into new tunnel, especially at such extreme depths. To be the first person to see and map these tunnels is very addictive,” he says.
In a controversial move, they used hydrogen as a breathing gas, its explosive nature adding to the many hazards faced by the team.
“I guess we did claim a first, that was to be the first team to ever use hydrogen as a breathing gas on a rebreather, in a cave, and outside of the oil and gas or military industries. On a much smaller budget!”
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like down there, in such extreme depths, Harris likens it to being in space.
“Cave diving is often compared to being an astronaut. The relative silence, the dark and isolation. The need for absolute self-sufficiency knowing that nobody else can help you if there is a problem. It’s actually a feeling I relish.”
Although a well-seasoned diver, one that relishes the rush, Harris says there’s always an element of fear.
“I am always quite nervous before a big dive like these ones. But once I am underway, I feel a strong sense of excitement and a strange calm,” he says.
“Sure, you occasionally get a fright if something goes wrong. And I have been really scared when things have gone badly wrong. But part of being a successful cave diver, like many adventure sports, is being able to control your fear in order to resolve problems in an emergency. The same qualities you probably want in your pilot or anaesthetist!”
The documentary’s award-winning director, Jennifer Peedom, is responsible for eye-opening documentary films Sherpa, Mountain, and River, so doco lovers can expect the same calibre on display in Deeper.
If diving piques your curiosity – or incredible human feats blow your mind generally – Deeper is a must-see, offering a glimpse into a world most of us would never dare to tread.
Deeper
WHEN MON 6 OCT | 7PM (with Special Guest Richard ‘Harry’ Harris)
FRI 17 OCT | 7PM
AT DECKCHAIR CINEMA
COST $11-$20 | $45 FAM
INFO deckchaircinema.com
