The Farnes - any recommendations??

[Marky Mark]

As a wicked coincidence, this was in the news today.

icNewcastle - Diver to sue after horrific accident

[DIVE BUDDHA]

i only ever used soverign once and didnt like the charter at all !

i only now usualy use lee hall ! as we have a good crack on the boat !

[milldog]

Sovereign

but it cost and arm and a leg

Graham

[Allan Carr]

Farne Diving Services also does B&B in en-suite units as well as the bunkhouse. We have been diving with Stan and now Lee for over 20 years and they know the area like the back of their hand. Lee should also have his new boat in the water this year and both this and Farne Diver, one of his other boats have a lift on them. One of Lee's other skippers is Eddie, who is a retired fisherman and also knows these waters intimately.

[Snash]

B

Here is a link to a thread from a trip to the Farnes last year.

We had a great time staying at the Seafield Caravan park which is just a stone's throw from the harbour and pubs in Seahouses. As part of the deal you get access to their leisure centre whcih includes a pool, steam room, sauna, hot-tub. Great for winding down after a dive. I think though there may be a 3 night minimum stay.


Farnetastic – October 06 – Trip Report

BTW - we didnt name our RIB after you ...

If you get the weather right the Farnes are indeed Farnetastic.

Cheers

Simon

[Gram43]

I refer to my previous post on the 1st page as I have dived with all the companies and personally I feel William Shiels is the best. However, they will all take you to the same sites, seals, scenic and wrecks whatever you require and for whatever qualifications.

The thing is with the Farnes, is that you get to know an outfit over a period of time and stay with them, as some of the other people have done so on this thread. You only have to look back over the planned trips threads for the past 4 months to see that William has had more people attempting to dive with him this year than the others. Sadly, we've had crap viz and weather, but that's what we expected in a way.

Sovereign do a very good job and I know Toby the main skipper personally, but sometimes he may not be as accommodating as others.

Eddie who skippers Hope of Life/Glory, one of Stan Halls boats is a great guy, but as he'll admit, the boats rubbish.

You'll enjoy the diving no matter what happens.

[StuartC]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

Lee Hall has bunkhouse accomodation which is rough and ready but I liked their skipper and the pub near the accom served good food for an evening meal (Crabster Arms?). Gas is via a bank, not O2 clean nor did they provide Nitrox, but as it wasnt that deep I wasnt that concerned as I got decent dives on an air profile. Pays your money takes your choice.

Matt

first and only trip so far last October was with these guys.
2 pubs within staggering distance both selling decent food.
Stayed in the bunkhouse and the only complaint was the dripping leak in the roof right over the bed in Room 7....

Fills are from a bank and backed up by a 300 bar compressor.

I spent ages waiting for a bunch of divers dicking around doing their own fills before I could get mine done on the Saturday afternoon. They wasted lots of time by sticking empties onto the panel and ended up decanting back from the ones still underway, and then compounded it by not closing the bank off once everything had equalised at 180 bar (bank was running low).

Stan came out to see who was messing with his compressor which was going on and off. Quickly showed how to close off the bank and then let the compressor drive up the cylinders, then switch it back to charging the bank whilst cylinders changed.

funny how I had 240bar in my fills the next day and the guys before me were whining about crappy 180bar they'd got themselves....

Eddie was a good skipper, but could have been a bit more communicative about surface interval etc.
Lee's boat has the lift on it and is better for kit up space etc.

diving was good and the seals were fun.

hopefully going again soon.

[markbsac]

i would never use sovereign again..took us out in about a force 6 when all other boatds had called there diving off....of course this was so he did not have to cancel and loose his money !!!!!!