Bank holiday weekend 2010

After a last minute decision to go diving it was down to Mount batton (plymouth) I threw  the tent and some clothes into the car. The Dive kit already in there still made up from the week before, I was ready now to try and find my way there.

By the time the nice women on my Nokias sat nav function had sent me down the narrowest roads in devon I arrived to late for the first wave of the weekend.

The first wave took our club rib Coombe Diver to Hat rock. Although a long journey on the rib the vis was excellent, or so I was told. When the rib returned back to the pontoon it was full of over excited and happy divers who insisted on telling me what a great dive I missed.

The second dive of the day was to Hillsea point The vis wasn't as good here but the scenery was lovely with lots of growth and some large Pink sea fans.

Then back to the campsite via Morrisons.  We all enjoyed a barbecue and the odd drink.

The first wave on sunday morning was to the well known Scylla. We were quick off the mark in the morning and it paid off with our rib being the first on site.  It was my first dive on there and I really enjoyed the growth though the Vis was only around 4 meters.

The second wave with me as the skipper dived just to the west of the Mew Stone on some interesting gullies with lots of wrasse and even a small Ray was spotted by the DO but this soon disappeared we believe it was frightened by his new suitcase.

Mean while on the surface the wind had picked up and there was a lot of swell rolling in we decided to call it a day and recovered the rib.

During the evening some of went to the local pub. There was a very long wait for food but it was worth it one of the best steaks I've had in ages, along with a pint or so of real ale yummy. Then back to the tent for some much needed sleep.

Monday morning dawned with bright sunshine. After a quick cuppa and a bit of a strugle stuffing the tent back into the car (it never fits back into the bag) off to mount baton we went for the last dives of the weekend. Whilst kitting up I made a rather exspensive mistake that qualifies me for the numpty of the weekend award! I dropped by twinset out of the car and broke of the threads on both 1st stages the only saving grace was the fact it was turned off. After the gasps of shock from the others I very calmly (yes its true I was realy calm maybe it was shock) picked my set up and dismantled the parts both threads were still in the cylinder ends of the fitting with the threads broken off flush with the 1st stage.

A quick trip across the water on the rib took me to "Sound Divers" who were closing in a couple of hours. After all this was bank holiday monday. I left my regs with them and skippered the rib for the first wave of the day that turned out to be a bit of a junkyard dive, just of the breakwater. With a number of interesting articles being found including a lovely pot found bt Bev.

On returning to sound divers I readied myself fora number of things

1, disapointment

2, A large bill

But as it was lady luck was on my side! I found my regs repaired with the broken threads all remoevd and replaced for the bargain price of £50 this was a result as I have 300 bar cylinders and posiedon first stages I can not praise Sound Divers enough and will be paying them a visit on the future when I next fancy some new toys. they get 10/10 from me for both speed & service.

The last dive of the weekend was on the James Eagan Layne This was my first dive on her and I loved every minute of it I can understand why it is so popular. With some fantastic fish life including a photogenic John Dory and some fantastic life including a small forest of pink sea fans. The only draw back being I was buddied up with our club Chairman and she brought with her the dreaded camera! As with all keen photographers the camera was her true buddy I was just an annoying glimmer in the corner of her frame kicking up the silt. But it was very enjoyable all the same and a it seemed we had only just started when 59 mins later our dive time was up and we had to surface. Back on the rib we headed towards Mount Baton for the journey home. A good weekend was had by all. UK diving at some of its best.