Virgin Oceanic Cat to Stay Another Year in NB

Byline: Shane Scott NEWPORT BEACH — Cheyenne, the 125-foot catamaran and mothership for businessman Chris Welsh and Virgin Atlantic founder Richard Branson’s planned Virgin Oceanic expedition, has been granted permission to stay another year in Newport Harbor. During their Nov. 13 meeting, Newport Beach Harbor Commission members agreed to grant the vessel permission for an extended stay, while Welsh, a Newport Beach resident, prepares his submarine for his Five Dives endeavor. In the Five Fives project, Virgin Oceanic plans for a one-person submarine to be carried aboard Cheyenne for adventures exploring to the deepest part of each of Earth’s five oceans. But first, final repairs must be made to ensure that the sub is ready for those deep dives. “The main thing is, we’ve been waiting for the (sub’s) new dome forever, and its getting down to a finite number of weeks away — we don’t know if that’s three or seven (weeks), but it’s very, very near,” Welsh said. “When it arrives, it has to be fitted to the sub — then, a pressure test needs to occur.” The long-awaited dome, which is being constructed from strong, solid quartz, will cap the Virgin Oceanic submarine, allowing for 360 degree viewing during its dives. “When we...